Texas trip - March 4-11

[valpotx]

This is driving me crazy that I can't watch my former team play in my own state, especially since this is the first trip ever for Valpo baseball in Texas (according to the Valpo website).  Luckily, I get the Longhorn Network for the baseball game tomorrow, so I can have that on TV, while watching Valpo basketball on my computer.  With my wife about to burst any day now, I just couldn't risk the wrath of my significant other by leaving for yet another Valpo thing .  Hopefully we represent well! 

Augie is a great guy if any of you have the chance to meet him.  I was fortunate to meet him when he was recruiting my HS team for my teammate to play at UT, and he treats everyone with respect.  A true legend in college baseball, if not THE legend.  The Texas, Texas State, and Incarnate Word games are fairly close in location, but I don't envy the drive down to CC and back up to San Antonio.  You never realize how large this state is until you drive around.  I think that it is 12 hours East (Texarkana) to West (El Paso), and around 12 hours from North (Amarillo) to South (Rio Grande Valley).

@ Texas - 3/4
@ Texas State - 3/5
@ Texas A&M CC - 3/7
@ Texas A&M CC - 3/8
@ Texas A&M CC - 3/9
@ Incarnate Word - 3/11 (new to D-1 this year)

[jetz]

Yeah I had the glorious pleasure of driving from Corpus Christi to California about 25 years ago.  Drove 75 mph for 13 hours or so on the first day and got to El Paso.  Didn't even get out of the state.   

[Hanson23]

Valpotx thanks for the information. I was wondering if you would want to help a parent out who wants to watch the game tonight by providing your Longhorn Network login credentials?? I know it's a long shot but unfortunately I don't have access in Illinois.   

Thanks.

[valpotx]

Valpotx thanks for the information. I was wondering if you would want to help a parent out who wants to watch the game tonight by providing your Longhorn Network login credentials?? I know it's a long shot but unfortunately I don't have access in Illinois.   

Thanks.

The LHN is actually part of the cable package I have through AT&T U-Verse.  I didn't know that it came with login credentials for any online viewing, so I will have to find out what it is, if I have that part as well.  Basically, most cable providers in TX include the LHN in their extended sports packages, so it wasn't anything that I specifically requested.  The LHN is a joint production by UT and ESPN, for all types of UT sports and history.  I would liken it to the Big Ten Network, which is also in my package.

[Hanson23]

Yes AT&T U Verse comes with a username and password so you can access your channels on your computer, phone, tablet etc. I can access my direct tv the same way but it doesn't offer LHN. The LHN actually lists AT&T U verse as one of the providers on their site.

[valpotx]

Even though we are losing 3-0 in the top of the third, this is cool to watch our baseball team on a large network.  It gets exposure for our school overall, as they just played Bryce's shot, and listed some of our famous alumni.  They listed Adam Amin, Bryce, Jim Wacker, Lloyd McClendon, and Fuzzy Thurston.  Adam is apparently watching the game, as they showed him tweeting, 'I see that we are throwing around the word famous loosely,' or something to that effect.  Hopefully we get something out of this bases loaded opportunity!

Edit: spoke too soon, as we grounded out to end the inning.  We kind of look like the Pirates with these uniforms and socks.

[valpotx]

UT having trouble with walks, but still up 3-1 in the bottom of the 4th.  Lundeen is living between 80-83 on his FB, mixing in some good offspeed

[valpotx]

Impressive, as Lundeen just struck out one of the best hitters in the nation.  We are down 4-1 after 4 played

[valpotx]

Several ropes by UT off of Haas, and we are down 7-1 after 5

[valpotx]

They just showed Emory G Bauer field covered in snow from a pic on Monday, and mapped out our bus mileage so far this season.  Cool feature

[valpotx]

Cool!!  Yoder is a side-armer.  Wish I could throw like that 

[valpotx]

Good effort in a 7-1 loss

[valpotx]

Like just about all UT teams over the last 20 years, their pitching carries them each game, with guys (righties and lefties) throwing high 80s to low 90s.  With our guys throwing low 80s, we need to rely on hitting our spots and pitching smart.  I hated seeing a Southlake HS guy finish the 9th against us, throwing low 90s.  I freaking hate that old HS rival

[vu72]

I watched the stats for a few innings (too cheap to buy the video!) We gain great experience and confidence even while losing.  This will help as the season goes on.

[valpotx]

I find it funny that the attendance says 4,551.  Disch-Falk Field allows for around 6,600, and it looked pretty empty based on all camera angles.  I would say that there was less than 1,000 at the game.  Any parents with kids on the team that can confirm this side?  Still a great experience, as you mentioned vu72.  I believe that the TX HS state championships are still held there, like they were when I graduated HS in 1999.

[valpotx]

Good 10 inning 3-2 win over Texas State.  They are a program similar to Samford, Jacksonville State, and McNeese State.  Not a UT, but a solid win regardless.

[valpotx]

Whoever writes the pre-game summaries for baseball lists some fun stats!  The one thing I would correct is when he/she mentions UT-Arlington as the Blaze.  Blaze is the mascot's name, while they are actually called the Mavericks

[valpotx]

We take 2 of 3 from Texas A&M Corpus Christi to even our record at 7-7.  Some gems thrown in the 2 games today

[valporun]

In terms of the Sports Info guy with baseball, did he go on the Texas trip, or is he working from the ARC, so he's just getting what information he can from the internet?

[VU75]

They just showed Emory G Bauer field covered in snow from a pic on Monday,

Is there any hope the field will be ready by this weekend?

[VULB#62]

Time to think about Field Turf on Em Bauer field for the 2015 season.   

[jetz]

We take 2 of 3 from Texas A&M Corpus Christi to even our record at 7-7.  Some gems thrown in the 2 games today

Interesting move switching Mahoney to 1B from SS today.  Spence has struggled with errors this year, but started the season red hot from the leadoff spot.  He's cooled off some at the plate lately, but still a good leadoff option.  Edwards has come in to play well at SS.  No errors in the DH for the Crusaders.

[jetz]

In terms of the Sports Info guy with baseball, did he go on the Texas trip, or is he working from the ARC, so he's just getting what information he can from the internet?

Brad Collignon is the SID.  He did not make the TX trip since he is spread thin with other sports...Pretty good writer, though!

[jetz]

They just showed Emory G Bauer field covered in snow from a pic on Monday,

Is there any hope the field will be ready by this weekend?

I have heard from players that in their opinion there is no chance the field will be playable by this Friday.  Snow still deep on the field.  Temps today and tomorrow get close to 50, then right back to the igloo with 25 degrees Wed and Thu.  BREAKING NEWS:  As I type this, I'm told a plan MAY be in the works to switch the UWM series on the schedule with Wright St.  We would then travel to Wright St. this weekend under this scenario.  This is NOT official yet, but I felt cool posting BREAKING NEWS.  So there you go.

We will definitely have to have a Plan B of some kind.  Our home schedule is set up to end in early May, meaning lots of home series in the early part of the year.  We'll need two weeks of weather in the mid 60s to get the field ready, IMO.  The turf field would be great, but if there's a plan to move EGB to campus in the next decade, I'm not sure that will happen short of one of you guys winning the Powerball and naming a stadium after yourselves.  Speaking of, construction has been slowed at the new Curtis Granderson Stadium at UIC due to weather.  They are close, but not sure when the new field there will be ready to go.  Granderson put $5M of his money into the project, and it will be far and away the nicest facility in the HL when it opens up.  Should be soon.

[valpotx]

It would be good if they are able to switch the games, in order to keep our guys in game shape, not having to sit out this weekend.  How did you know my plans if I were to win the lottery? lol  It would still be Emory G Bauer Field, but at my name Stadium