It's becoming clear that ND's pitching is better. However, I don't see that ND can hit with the ACC big boys over the long run. 2 guys have 12 of the 13 home runs. That's not the recipe you want to rely on.

They competed better the last 2 weekends than I thought they would. I have no idea if they can keep it up over the long run, and the non-conference problems make it even more questionable as to whether this is growing confidence or just a good few weeks of baseball.

after that disastrous series at ASU, with losses of 1-10, 7-20, and 5-16. Since then, ND has allowed double-digit scores "only" twice, although those were against the likes of Incarnate Word (7-15) and Western Carolina (9-16). The pitching has been a lot better in the ACC games. We're now 5-4 in conference, 4-8 OOC.

The FSU pitcher was clearly rattled having walked the first two batters on 9 pitches and then going 3-0 on the next. Even though the ND batter purposely took the 3-0 pitch for a strike, the better strategy at that point would have been to take again and then swing away on 3-2. Laying down the bunt to move both runners over took away a far more valuable out for marginal benefit and settled the pitcher down as well.

I agree with you, by the way. You were down 2, not 1. Getting the runner to 2nd is not worth giving up the out there.

But, that was not the first time Aoki bunted at a time I found strange this weekend. He was rewarded with a run in the 2nd game, but he bunted when it was 0-0 and the first 2 guys had gotten on in the inning. I just scratched my head.

I can only think he knows his team isn't going to hit much.