Super Bowl Update

Boone Shear celebrates after hitting a home run vs. CMU/Troy University photo

So, most of this post is baseball-related. I wrote THIS STORY on senior outfielder Boone Shear, a guy Troy will count on as a middle-of-the-order, run-producing guy. He hit two home runs last year. He's got two home runs in three games this year. I'm guessing that total will reach double figures this year.

More notes:

**Head coach Bobby Pierce said Wednesday morning that he hadn't decided on a Sunday starter in the upcoming series against Southern Miss. It'll either be RHP Adam Purdy (0-1, 18.00) or RHP Chris Fisher (0-0, 11.25). Both pitched against CMU on Sunday, with Purdy starting, lasting just one inning and taking the loss. Fisher threw four innings in relief and gave up a few hits and runs as well. Though, as of this posting, Pierce may have already made the decision. He said the two were supposed to get some bullpen work in on Wednesday.

Purdy gave up five hits and six runs, but just two were earned. "He just wasn't able to get going," Pierce said. "He didn't appear to be ready to turn it loose. He had to gear it down (in velocity) to get it in the strike zone."

"But Central Michigan was a very good offensive team. We thought they were a better club than I had anticipated. But we'll still need Adam and he'll still get a chance."

**What went right? Pierce praised starting pitchers Tyler Ray and Jimmy Hodgskin, though Hodgskin had some trouble late in his outing, and relievers Nate Hill and Tyson Workman, who were very good.

**What to work on? Being more consistent offensively. "We had a few big innings, but we've got to put more pressure on the opponent per inning," Pierce said. "We had too many 1-2-3 innings and we need to cut down on strikeouts.

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