Maybe it's just me, but there seems to be something missing from this year's Coastal baseball team that some of the other great teams in school history -- especially the 2008 squad -- definitely had.
I'm not exactly sure what it is, but I think it's a killer instinct.
There were so many opportunities for Coastal to blow out San Diego in Sunday's 2-1 loss -- the Toreros became the first visiting team to win a series at Watson Stadium since 2006 -- and yet the Chanticleers squandered them one after another. The Chants stranded 12 baserunners.
Sure, everybody will point to Adam Rice's game-ending, double-play groundout -- the Chants had runners on the corners with one out -- but it seemed that almost every player on the roster came up short at one critical moment or another. I can't remember members of that 2008 team having such struggles in the clutch. Of course, I wasn't covering that team all season, and perhaps there were similar growing pains like the ones the 2010 team is going through.
This certainly isn't a moment to panic. Coastal is still 19-5, but the Chants have some holes that have to be concerning. As good as Cody Wheeler and Anthony Meo have looked, the third starter's position isn't as solidified. Plus, this team has yet to find a shutdown closer, and its offense, especially in terms of execution, isn't consistent from one game to the next.
This isn't the best time to be making a visit to Tigertown. Clemson has beaten Coastal seven straight times, a streak that dates to 2005. If you'll remember, the Tigers hit a walk-off homer in the bottom of the ninth inning to win in 2009.
I'm not exactly sure what it is, but I think it's a killer instinct.
There were so many opportunities for Coastal to blow out San Diego in Sunday's 2-1 loss -- the Toreros became the first visiting team to win a series at Watson Stadium since 2006 -- and yet the Chanticleers squandered them one after another. The Chants stranded 12 baserunners.
Sure, everybody will point to Adam Rice's game-ending, double-play groundout -- the Chants had runners on the corners with one out -- but it seemed that almost every player on the roster came up short at one critical moment or another. I can't remember members of that 2008 team having such struggles in the clutch. Of course, I wasn't covering that team all season, and perhaps there were similar growing pains like the ones the 2010 team is going through.
This certainly isn't a moment to panic. Coastal is still 19-5, but the Chants have some holes that have to be concerning. As good as Cody Wheeler and Anthony Meo have looked, the third starter's position isn't as solidified. Plus, this team has yet to find a shutdown closer, and its offense, especially in terms of execution, isn't consistent from one game to the next.
This isn't the best time to be making a visit to Tigertown. Clemson has beaten Coastal seven straight times, a streak that dates to 2005. If you'll remember, the Tigers hit a walk-off homer in the bottom of the ninth inning to win in 2009.
Recent Comments