Week Ten (4/23-4/25): vs. The Clanga State Whinin’ 11.7s

2020 Record: 12-4. Clanga opened 2020 with a 3 game sweep of the same Wright State Dog Raiders we faced this year. Wright State’s AD must be a masochist. Looking further, they took 2 of 3 from Oregon State (that’s good!), lost 2 of 3 against Long Beach State (that’s bad!), swept a 2 game set against Texas Tech (that’s good!), and lost a mid-week game to Texas Southern (that’s bad!). All in all, 2020 was a mixed bag for the Whinin’ 11.7s, as like their namesake, councilman Les Wynan, they should have done a little more winning, and a little less whinin’.

2021 Record: 28-8 (10-5 SEC). Of course, their conference record is actually 12-6 if you include Tulane AND YES, WE INCLUDE TULANE, DAMNIT! They are good at the baseball in 2021. This should shock no one. The have taken series from Ole Piss (2-1), Auburn (swept), Kentucky (swept), and The Yellow Shoe Gumbo Bengals (2-1), but they were swept by Arkie, so feel free to chant “Wooooooooooo Pig Sooey” at them ironically, as if there is a difference between the schools beyond location and spelling, that’s news to me.

Player to Watch: #4 Sr. OF Rowdey “Roddy” Jordan (.311/.415/.548). Though Clanga’s lineup has been somewhat defanged what with their double play duo of 2B Justin Foscue (1st round, Rangers), and SS Jordan Westburg (Supplemental 1st round, Orioles) moving on to the next level, they got a somewhat surprising senior returnee in Rowdey Roddy Jordan.

Also hitting the cover off the ball is #5 Sr. OF Tanner “The Tool Man” Allen (.344/.442/.563). Tanner “The Tool Man” Allen is one of three Tanners on the Clanga State roster, which is perhaps the least surprising fact I’ve ever read.

On the mound, their best returning starter is #28 Jr. LHP Christian “The Cloud” MacLeod (3-2, 2.83 ERA). The junior is expected to go in the first few rounds of the 2021 MLB Draft, as despite his average fastball velocity, his curveball is a true out pitch, and his change up is developing nicely. Have to assume he’ll get the ball on Friday, and the Rocker vs. MacLeod matchup will be appointment viewing. Obviously.

Confidence Level: High, as a little known SEC bylaw forced them to give us all of their scholarships last year.

On the Mound

Friday 7pm CT on SEC Network

Vanderbilt #80 Jr. RHP Kumar “White Castle” Rocker (8-1, 1.64 ERA)

vs. Clanga #28 Jr. LHP Christian “The Cloud” MacLeod (3-2, 2.83 ERA)

Saturday 7:00pm CT on ESPNU

Vanderbilt #22 RHP Jack “Leits Out” Leiter (7-0, 0.98 ERA)

vs. Clanga #24 So. RHP Will “Nard Bed” Bednar (2-1, 3.55 ERA)

Sunday 1:00pm CT on SECN+

TBD, but likely Vanderbilt #88 Fr. RHP Patrick “Life of” Reilly (3-1, 3.60 ERA)

vs. Clanga #27 Fr. RHP Jackson “The Paducah Kid” Fristoe (3-2, 4.08 ERA)

Oh, and I’ll just leave this here: