C
Collyn Taylor
Guest
--Things got off to a hot start offensively with the first two batters of the scrimmage—grad transfer Brandt Belk and freshman Thad Ector—ripping singles off Josiah Sightler before Braylen Wimmer cranked a pull-side home run as part of a four-run first inning for the away team technically. Things were quickly tied in the second after the home team used a three-run first and then tied things up in the following inning off App State transfer Noah Hall, who struggled some with command and either leaving balls in the middle of the plate or missing the zone. He also didn't get help once on a bloop single that landed in shallow centerfield off the bat of Dariyan Pendergrass. Wimmer tripled later off the wall in straight center.
--One pitcher who did have a really good day was Cade Austin, who pitched a clean 1-2-3- inning with a strikeout and a groundout but the best play was in left on a sinking liner that was gloved by David Cromer out there. Austin's someone who didn't put at all last year who could see his innings definitely increase as a redshirt freshman. Aidan Hunter also had a solid first outing of his career, getting himself in trouble early, loading the bases with one out but got out of it with just a run allowed with a pop up in the infield and then a soft liner to Wimmer at short. He's another freshman who could chisel out a role early, especially from the bullpen.
--Michael Esposito made his fall debut and struggled a lot with command. He'd get a quick first out, snagging a hard liner up the middle but would walk the next two batters before getting out of it with back-to-back strikeouts. The command stuff is fixable and he has a chance to be a very good piece of the puzzle, especially as a closer. It's an explosive fastball getting on hitters quick with a very twitchy arm motion and his slurve is pretty good too. He just needs to clean up his command.
--Two freshmen who had really good days were Michael Braswell and Vytas Valincius. Braswell poked an opposite-field single to right field in his first at-bat and later came around to score before walking in his second at-bat then singling pull-side later off John Gilreath. He did get get caught in a run down after overrunning third base, which will be kinks that will come out as he gets more experience (there was a later stop sign as well). His speed is one of his better tools and puts a lot of pressure on a defense with that speed. Valincius had one of the better at-bats of the day, coming up with runners in scoring position and ripping a two-strike RBI single up the middle.
--Thad Ector also had a multi-hit day, one o those a RBI single off Parker Coyne. The switch-hitter also has plus speed and stole second during the scrimmage before coming around to score on a Braylen Wimmer triple where he did well running the bases. Freshman Carson Hornung had a nice attacking approach in one at-bat from the left-side, hammering a RBI double to the opposite field.
--Transfer Belk had a solid day as well, singling on the first pitch he saw then doubling later in the scrimmage. He's a veteran lefty bat and seems to understand what he's doing in the box and when to attack and when to work counts. Both of his hits came when he was leading off an inning and he jumped on pitches early in the count.
Here's who played at each position Friday:
Catcher: Talmadge LeCroy, Cole Messina
First base: Brandt Belk, Vytas Valincius
Second base: Jalen Vasquez, Jack Mahoney
Shortstop: Michael Braswell, Braylen Wimmer
Third base: Jack Mahoney, Carson Hornung
Left field: David Cromer, Josiah Sightler, Thad Ector
Centerfield: Evan Stone, Dariyan Pendergrass, Matt Hogan
Right field: Elijah Lambros, Andrew Eyster
--New volunteer assistant Scott Wingo was out there today and getting some reps coaching first base. He was very vocal almost all scrimmage and trying to give guys tips in the box during the scrimmage as well.
--It's one fall scrimmage in, but the athleticism of this group seems to be better than it was last year and there's been an increase in team speed with the addition of guys like Braswell, Ector, Hogan, Stone and a few others. It's not where it needs to be early in the fall, obviously, but there are signs of progress in both areas compared to where it was last season.
--One pitcher who did have a really good day was Cade Austin, who pitched a clean 1-2-3- inning with a strikeout and a groundout but the best play was in left on a sinking liner that was gloved by David Cromer out there. Austin's someone who didn't put at all last year who could see his innings definitely increase as a redshirt freshman. Aidan Hunter also had a solid first outing of his career, getting himself in trouble early, loading the bases with one out but got out of it with just a run allowed with a pop up in the infield and then a soft liner to Wimmer at short. He's another freshman who could chisel out a role early, especially from the bullpen.
--Michael Esposito made his fall debut and struggled a lot with command. He'd get a quick first out, snagging a hard liner up the middle but would walk the next two batters before getting out of it with back-to-back strikeouts. The command stuff is fixable and he has a chance to be a very good piece of the puzzle, especially as a closer. It's an explosive fastball getting on hitters quick with a very twitchy arm motion and his slurve is pretty good too. He just needs to clean up his command.
--Two freshmen who had really good days were Michael Braswell and Vytas Valincius. Braswell poked an opposite-field single to right field in his first at-bat and later came around to score before walking in his second at-bat then singling pull-side later off John Gilreath. He did get get caught in a run down after overrunning third base, which will be kinks that will come out as he gets more experience (there was a later stop sign as well). His speed is one of his better tools and puts a lot of pressure on a defense with that speed. Valincius had one of the better at-bats of the day, coming up with runners in scoring position and ripping a two-strike RBI single up the middle.
--Thad Ector also had a multi-hit day, one o those a RBI single off Parker Coyne. The switch-hitter also has plus speed and stole second during the scrimmage before coming around to score on a Braylen Wimmer triple where he did well running the bases. Freshman Carson Hornung had a nice attacking approach in one at-bat from the left-side, hammering a RBI double to the opposite field.
--Transfer Belk had a solid day as well, singling on the first pitch he saw then doubling later in the scrimmage. He's a veteran lefty bat and seems to understand what he's doing in the box and when to attack and when to work counts. Both of his hits came when he was leading off an inning and he jumped on pitches early in the count.
Here's who played at each position Friday:
Catcher: Talmadge LeCroy, Cole Messina
First base: Brandt Belk, Vytas Valincius
Second base: Jalen Vasquez, Jack Mahoney
Shortstop: Michael Braswell, Braylen Wimmer
Third base: Jack Mahoney, Carson Hornung
Left field: David Cromer, Josiah Sightler, Thad Ector
Centerfield: Evan Stone, Dariyan Pendergrass, Matt Hogan
Right field: Elijah Lambros, Andrew Eyster
--New volunteer assistant Scott Wingo was out there today and getting some reps coaching first base. He was very vocal almost all scrimmage and trying to give guys tips in the box during the scrimmage as well.
--It's one fall scrimmage in, but the athleticism of this group seems to be better than it was last year and there's been an increase in team speed with the addition of guys like Braswell, Ector, Hogan, Stone and a few others. It's not where it needs to be early in the fall, obviously, but there are signs of progress in both areas compared to where it was last season.
