2023 Baseball Season

[MDspider8]

With the season opening series @ Alabama just over 2 & 1/2 weeks away, figured it's a good time to start up this season's baseball thread. It was really fun to follow last year's team as they peaked in the A10 tournament, and hoping this squad can keep up the momentum and deliver a good season.

Offensively, I think we should expect to have one of the best lineups in the A10. Toso is obviously a huge loss, but essentially every other contributor from last year's team is back. Beal, Mathes, and Hipsman should remain a solid outfield, and I'm expecting Elbeery, Papantonis, JSL, Pachecho to round out the infield. Neff, Gipson, Lass, and Gersky should continue to provide power rotating in at the Catcher and DH spots respectively. WVU transfer Mikey Kluska could be another weapon after being a full time starter in his first two seasons there.

As with every other season, pitching is a big question mark. We can expect Weirather and Neff to post double digit starts, but after that it becomes a mystery. Do we expect Mathes to give us double digit starts on the mound? Last year he was only able to make 6, and many were at the beginning of the season. Will we try to stretch out Argomaniz or Willitts to be full time starters after being swingmen last year? We had a Butler grad transfer pitcher on the roster a few weeks ago, but he doesn't seem to be there now - not sure what happened there. Not seeing much depth here from this group, and gets even more questionable if we experience any injuries.

Expecting this team to get into a lot of high scoring games unless we see a strong improvement from the pitching staff. What do others think?

 

[Wood Hall]

I think until we are fully scholarshipped, and have lights, our program will never live up to its potential. The demographics of college baseball fit our profile perfectly yet we have not been able to take advantage.

As always, I will remain a program donor and a fan and hope for the best.

 

[MDspider8]

We were picked third in the preseason poll and recieved one first place vote. Nice to see some solid recognition by the other coaches after the strong end to last year.

Spider Baseball Picked Third in Preseason A-10 Poll - University of Richmond Athletics

RICHMOND, Va. – Coming off a second-place finish in the 2022 Atlantic 10 Tournament, University of Richmond Baseball has been picked to finish third in 2023, receiving

richmondspiders.com

 

[Wood Hall]

I received an e-mail from the baseball program several days ago, can't attach it but this is what it said:

Dear Alumni, Families and Friends,

Well, it is that time of year for Spider Baseball. Our guys started classes, and we are just nine days away from first pitch. The schedule has been released as we will open up February 17th for a three-game series against the Alabama Crimson Tide. The excitement levels with the team are very high. We have many returners both on the mound and in the field. We believe we have filled all of our needs with solid transfers and freshmen. This is really an exciting group. We look forward to seeing you at Pitt Field or around the East Coast as we travel throughout the spring.

Facility upgrades have been completed. The Richmond Times Dispatch shared our improvements and you can view the article HERE. Pitt Field looks amazing, and these upgrades have given us the ability to showcase our program even more. For those out at any time in the spring, please allow us to take you inside the new facility and show you around. We are very proud and excited of what has taken place over the last year.

Finally, I want to remind all of you about the Baseball Alumni Weekend which will take place May 7-9th as we play a three-game series against St. Bonaventure and hope you will be able to join us. We are finalizing events now. Golf on Friday with a get-together afterwards. Saturday, we will have a huge tailgate with kids and families on the field for some fun at the conclusion of our game. The 1972 and 1995 teams will be recognized. The 1972 team was the school’s first NCAA tournament team while the 1995 team won the first tournament game in school history.

I hope 2023 is a great year for all Spiders.

Coach Tracy Woodson

 

[SFspidur]

Bizarre environment we're operating in these days...three guys already committed to play elsewhere before the season has even started.

We're flying into Atlanta and then busing three hours to Tuscaloosa? Can't say I'm very familiar with the logistics of getting that many guys to Atlanta and back, but seems less than ideal.

Spiders open baseball season with three players already committed elsewhere in 2024

In the new world of college athletics, this may not be surprising.

richmond.com

 

[Wood Hall]

We lose 12-3 on Friday at No. 20 Alabama. Game 2 on Saturday 2/18.

 

[Spider B]

We go down 13-1 to Bama today. Watched a few innings. Pitchers need to do a better job throwing strikes. 7 walks as a staff and fell behind to many batters. Bama hitters took advantage of those hitter friendly counts.

 

[Wood Hall]

Bizarre environment we're operating in these days...three guys already committed to play elsewhere before the season has even started.

We're flying into Atlanta and then busing three hours to Tuscaloosa? Can't say I'm very familiar with the logistics of getting that many guys to Atlanta and back, but seems less than ideal.

Spiders open baseball season with three players already committed elsewhere in 2024

In the new world of college athletics, this may not be surprising.

richmond.com

The closest airport to Tuscaloosa is Birmingham, about 80-90 minutes away. But you can't get there direct from Richmond. So it's faster to fly direct to ATL and bus, rather than fly to ATL, wait for two hours for a flight to Bir, then take a bus. And cheaper, too.

 

[SFspidur]

Thanks. I honestly have no idea how athletic team flights work (never traveled far enough to require flights in my day). With enough people and equipment making a trip, I didn't know if charter was an option that would let them get straight to Tuscaloosa.

 

[urfan1]

outscored 39-5 in 3 games series, not a great start.

 

[CarolinaSpider]

i know a SEC school is going to be potent, but UR did not show any hint of
pitching improvement. Where are the Tim Stauffers, Rodger Hatch’s and Rennie Martin’s today.
As a former catcher, I hate walks and we seem to give up too many free gifts.

 

[MDspider8]

Really tough weekend for the boys. Would have loved to at least keep one game close, but I guess that's what happens when you play a top-20 SEC team on the road who has two top-50 pitching prospects. As Carolina said above, starting pitching killed us this weekend. Here are the lines:

Friday: 3 IP, 8 H, 7 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
Saturday: 2.2 IP, 8 H, 8 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
Sunday: 2.1 IP, 5 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 3 K

That's never going to get it done. Hopefully we'll perform much better as the level of competition drops this week.

 

[MDspider8]

Things aren't going better so far vs. W&M today...starter gave up 6 runs in an inning and a third. I guess Jeremy Neff must be hurt, he was a regular starter last year but hasn't pitched for us yet this season. That's a huge loss to our rotation depth if he can't get back soon.

 

[Wood Hall]

Now, I don't have quite the enthusiasm of the anti-Mooneys, but I really could get behind getting a new baseball coach. We are squandering a potential asset.

 

[KE Spider]

We fully fund maximum allowed scholarships in basketball. We should, but do not, in baseball. Regardless of coach that is a needless impediment the school choses to place before the program. Wish it won't so.

 

[Wood Hall]

I too wish we were fully scholarshipped, but I can't believe every other team in the A-10 is either.

And we competed just fine 20 years ago, it did not appear to be an impediment.

 

[KE Spider]

Perhaps, you as a former player, I believe, would know better than I.

 

[MDspider8]

Now, I don't have quite the enthusiasm of the anti-Mooneys, but I really could get behind getting a new baseball coach. We are squandering a potential asset.

It's a long season, but they need right the ship soon with how much talent this team has, especially offensively. Hopefully it can start with taking 2 of 3 from Yale this weekend at home.

 

[I-M-UR]

I guess Woodson fits the we want mediocrity mold UR seems to prefer.

How many of the 11.7 scholarships allowed does UR offer?
Didn’t a recent fund raising effort raise the money for some redo and lights?

 

[Eight Legger]

Lost to Yale 9-6 in the home opener. Pretty awful start to the season so far.

 

[Wood Hall]

We walked eight guys. You never win doing that.

 

[urfan1]

didn't we lose our pitching coach?

 

[CarolinaSpider]

We walked eight guys. You never win doing that.

Wood I cannot stand how poorly we pitch. The rate of walks just drives me crazy.
From my old catching days, walks typically happen when the picture tries to throw
too many different pitches. Throw what gives you best control and if they hit it,
so be it.

 

[whampas]

Lost to Yale 9-6 in the home opener. Pretty awful start to the season so far.

Another sport the administration doesn't give a crap about.

 

[32counter]

When Yale(not LSU)bats .400 against you it only means that you are in big trouble.When you leave 14 LOB in a 9 inning game it means that you are in big trouble,When you walk 8 batters it means you are in big trouble.When Yale had 7 stolen bases and we had only 1 stolen base,that ain’t good either.

 

[72Spider]

Wood I cannot stand how poorly we pitch. The rate of walks just drives me crazy.
From my old catching days, walks typically happen when the picture tries to throw
too many different pitches. Throw what gives you best control and if they hit it,
so be it.

Agree. Saw about 5 minutes of our starting pitcher and he walked 2, looked like a balk, and then wildly hit a batter to let in a run. Coach Pitt used to say to us pitchers "Oh those damn bases on balls." If you didn't have control as a pitcher you didn't play under him.

 

[Eight Legger]

Doubleheader today after a rainout yesterday. Maybe we can take two and feel decent about things.

 

[rspides]

Spiders take game 1 scoring 6 in the last 2 innings. Sun supposed to come out, may make for a good day at the ball yard.

 

[rspides]

Final 11-7.

 

[MDspider8]

We won the second game of the doubleheader 16-6 in 7 innings. Great to see the bats wake up today after a very sleepy start.

Starting pitching is continuing to be a big weakness, as both starters gave up 5 ER in less than 4 innings. 7 games into the season, our starting pitchers have an ERA of 22.59!! Obviously that has to change signifcantly if this team is going anywhere this season.

 

[urfan1]

Sweep today 11-7 and 16-6. Hopefully a springboard going forward.

 

[ViennaSpider]

Sweep today 11-7 and 16-6. Hopefully a springboard going forward.

Watched both games on ESPN+. Well done! Also, watched some of the UVA vs. Columbia game. The difference in TV coverage is like night and day, but still happy that Spiders are at least on TV, even if it is through a backstop screen.

 

[Wood Hall]

Yale is actually a very competitive program, so while some may pooh-pooh this as a series win over a bad Ivy League team, it's probably not.

 

[ViennaSpider]

Yale is actually a very competitive program, so while some may pooh-pooh this as a series win over a bad Ivy League team, it's probably not.

The Bulldogs could have probably used DeSantis today. Go Spiders!

 

[Wood Hall]

We are getting hammered at VMI. Now, I don't have quite the enthusiasm of the anti-Mooneys, but I really could get behind getting a new baseball coach. We are squandering a potential asset.

 

[SFspidur]

10–2 final. Throwing 53 strikes out of 157 pitches seems...not so good.

 

[MDspider8]

Not 100% because I don't think the live stats are right yet, but I believe our starter gave up 6 runs in the first inning. We might have the highest starting pitcher ERA in all of D1.

 

[CarolinaSpider]

Fire Woodson and let him go back to the minor leagues.

 

[Spider B]

Fire Woodson and let him go back to the minor leagues.

And/or fully fund the program.

 

[MDspider8]

Tomorrow's game already cancelled due to impending weather and won't be made up.

Friday Spider Baseball Contest Against Fairfield Canceled Due to Inclement Weather - University of Richmond Athletics

RICHMOND, Va. - The University of Richmond Baseball game against Fairfield, as part of the Central Virginia Challenge, on Friday has been canceled due to inclement

richmondspiders.com