Finding a groove

Coastal swept the two-game season series against UNC-Wilmington on Wednesday, beating the Seahawks for the second straight night. Bobby Gagg looked like, well, the Bobby Gagg of old. He’s shown his past form at times this year, but he hasn’t been able to sustain that dominance in every outing. Perhaps he found the problem.

Pitching coach Drew Thomas realized during Gagg’s last start that the senior was taking more time than usual between pitches. On Wednesday, Gagg took the return throw from catcher Jose Iglesias and within 15-20 seconds was dealing once again. He seemed to really find a groove during the game. He gave up just eight hits (all singles) and one run in 7 2/3 innings.

“Bobby was outstanding,’’ Coastal coach Gary Gilmore said. “He could have beaten a lot of teams in the country tonight.

“He worked on his tempo and picked it up quite a bit. Bobby is a guy that needs to work quick. Get the ball, throw it. Get the ball, throw it. When he’s allowed to sit out there and think too much about the pitch he just made or the mistake that just happened, he tends not to be able to flush it. Tonight he was very good and his tempo was outstanding.”

Gagg agreed wholeheartedly.

“I got my rhythm back,” he said. “Now that I did it (pitched faster) tonight my body is a lot more sore. I feel it. I know my fastball was a lot more lively.

“Every outing that I’ve gotten into trouble in I’ve been one pitch away and needed a pitch and the ball found a hole. I know the way I pitch – I’m not a big strikeout guy – that if it finds holes it’s going to be trouble.”

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An interesting scenario developed in the ninth inning on Wednesday. Having used Nick McCully in a long relief role on Tuesday, Gilmore didn’t have his closer to finish off Coastal’s 21st win.

So, after Matt Rein struggled in the ninth, giving up one run, Gilmore used Brad Goldberg, Jim Birmingham and then Tommy Winegardner. There had to be some Coastal fans that gulped when Winegardner took the mound. The last time that happened, the talented freshman, who has become the team’s everyday second baseman, gave up two ninth-inning runs to blow a save in the second game of the Hawaii series.

Gilmore said that even though Winegardner was one of the few options left, he wasn’t concerned at all about putting him back on the mound.

“I put Tommy in a position to fail at Hawaii,” the coach said. “I went back and really studied our numbers. Him against right-handed guys … the numbers are outstanding. Him against left-handed guys is not very good. I put him in a situation in Hawaii where we’re trying to close the game down and he had to face three straight left-handed hitters. Consequently we weren’t very successful.”

Winegardner certainly made things interesting on Wednesday. He airmailed his second pitch over catcher Jose Iglesias, allowing the baserunners to move up to second and third. However, he responded with consecutive strikes to finish off Grayson Evans and the Seahawks.

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It was my first visit to Brooks Field, an aging but intimate facility. I think Coastal needs a nicer but similarly sized stadium. The Seahawks fit more than 3,000 into their bleachers for a game against North Carolina earlier this season.

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The Chanticleers are starting to collect some nicks.

Scott Woodward injured a couple of fingers sliding into second base on Wednesday. Trainer Barry Lippman taped up his fingers and Woodward stayed in the game. It doesn’t appear the injury is a big deal, but it’s something that Woodward, who was starting to get hot, will have to deal with.

David Anderson, who is dealing with a bum ankle, was the DH on Wednesday after only pinch hitting on Tuesday. He came up limping after sliding into home in the eighth inning but was able to limp to the dugout. Again, the injury doesn’t appear serious, because he came on to play first base in the ninth inning.

Chance Gilmore, who hurt his knee in Hawaii, was again held out of the lineup on Wednesday.

Even Iglesias came up limping after sliding in an attempt to catch a foul ball on Wednesday. His cleat got caught on the rubber batting circle. He limped back to home, though it didn’t appear to bother him for the rest of the game.

Pitching coach Drew Thomas realized during Gagg’s last start that the senior was taking more time than usual between pitches. On Wednesday, Gagg took the return throw from catcher Jose Iglesias and within 15-20 seconds was dealing once again. He seemed to really find a groove during the game. He gave up just eight hits (all singles) and one run in 7 2/3 innings.

“Bobby was outstanding,’’ Coastal coach Gary Gilmore said. “He could have beaten a lot of teams in the country tonight.

“He worked on his tempo and picked it up quite a bit. Bobby is a guy that needs to work quick. Get the ball, throw it. Get the ball, throw it. When he’s allowed to sit out there and think too much about the pitch he just made or the mistake that just happened, he tends not to be able to flush it. Tonight he was very good and his tempo was outstanding.”

Gagg agreed wholeheartedly.

“I got my rhythm back,” he said. “Now that I did it (pitched faster) tonight my body is a lot more sore. I feel it. I know my fastball was a lot more lively.

“Every outing that I’ve gotten into trouble in I’ve been one pitch away and needed a pitch and the ball found a hole. I know the way I pitch – I’m not a big strikeout guy – that if it finds holes it’s going to be trouble.”

--------------

An interesting scenario developed in the ninth inning on Wednesday. Having used Nick McCully in a long relief role on Tuesday, Gilmore didn’t have his closer to finish off Coastal’s 21st win.

So, after Matt Rein struggled in the ninth, giving up one run, Gilmore used Brad Goldberg, Jim Birmingham and then Tommy Winegardner. There had to be some Coastal fans that gulped when Winegardner took the mound. The last time that happened, the talented freshman, who has become the team’s everyday second baseman, gave up two ninth-inning runs to blow a save in the second game of the Hawaii series.

Gilmore said that even though Winegardner was one of the few options left, he wasn’t concerned at all about putting him back on the mound.

“I put Tommy in a position to fail at Hawaii,” the coach said. “I went back and really studied our numbers. Him against right-handed guys … the numbers are outstanding. Him against left-handed guys is not very good. I put him in a situation in Hawaii where we’re trying to close the game down and he had to face three straight left-handed hitters. Consequently we weren’t very successful.”

Winegardner certainly made things interesting on Wednesday. He airmailed his second pitch over catcher Jose Iglesias, allowing the baserunners to move up to second and third. However, he responded with consecutive strikes to finish off Grayson Evans and the Seahawks.

--------------

It was my first visit to Brooks Field, an aging but intimate facility. I think Coastal needs a nicer but similarly sized stadium. The Seahawks fit more than 3,000 into their bleachers for a game against North Carolina earlier this season.

--------------

The Chanticleers are starting to collect some nicks.

Scott Woodward injured a couple of fingers sliding into second base on Wednesday. Trainer Barry Lippman taped up his fingers and Woodward stayed in the game. It doesn’t appear the injury is a big deal, but it’s something that Woodward, who was starting to get hot, will have to deal with.

David Anderson, who is dealing with a bum ankle, was the DH on Wednesday after only pinch hitting on Tuesday. He came up limping after sliding into home in the eighth inning but was able to limp to the dugout. Again, the injury doesn’t appear serious, because he came on to play first base in the ninth inning.

Chance Gilmore, who hurt his knee in Hawaii, was again held out of the lineup on Wednesday.

Even Iglesias came up limping after sliding in an attempt to catch a foul ball on Wednesday. His cleat got caught on the rubber batting circle. He limped back to home, though it didn’t appear to bother him for the rest of the game.