The Utah baseball team has gotten into a routine — practice during the week, games on the weekend. It’s what the players are used to, so when the Utes play a mid-week game, there is more pressure both physically and mentally.
The Utes completed their second mid-week game of the season on Tuesday, when they beat BYU in a rain-shortened six-inning game, 9-3.
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Sophomore Dylan Drachler got the start on the mound against the Cougars, and since he isn’t a regular weekend starter, the pressure was on him to perform well to keep the bullpen rested as long as possible so they would be ready for the upcoming series this weekend.
Drachler threw five good innings before being replaced by Brock Duke, who pitched the final inning before the game was called.
Duke said pitching mid-week doesn’t bother him personally, but it might be of some concern to those who are pitching more than just a few innings.
“You’re not going to say, ‘I don’t want to start a Tuesday game,’ ” Duke said. “Everybody wants to be starting on Friday night. That’s the goal. That’s what everybody wants to do. That’s what everybody is striving for.”
Mid-week games can also throw off a team’s preparation and practice routines. Duke said the team usually throws their bullpen session on Tuesday, so having mid-week games can mess up the pitcher’s preparations.
“It really just depends on how much you threw on the weekend and what day you threw,” Duke said.
Junior Kody Davis said the biggest problem with playing a game during the week, as opposed to the weekend, is the added pressure the Utes put on their bodies.
“I guess the biggest concern is being a little tired after a weekend series,” he said. “Feeling like you want to get out here and work on things with a less competitive practice style.”
Davis said mid-week games — which are usually against in-state teams — are fun to play and that the team “loves those games.” But they can be challenging.
“It’s rough,” Davis said. “Especially when we are on the road trying to get homework done, and then we get back and we have a Tuesday game. But that all comes with the territory of being a student-athlete. We find ways to get it done.”
Junior catcher AJ Young agreed with Davis, saying the body is mostly worn down after a series, and it’s hard to get your mind wrapped around playing a game during the week. As a catcher, the only concern Young said he has for games outside of the weekend is whether the team used the bullpen and if there are pitchers who are ready.
“I believe our pitchers are going to do whatever it takes to get the job done,” he said. “I think we are alright.”
He was spot-on, as both pitchers from Tuesday’s game against the Cougars performed well, saving the arms for Utah’s weekend series against California that begins on Friday.
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