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OWH: Three Huskers, two Jays among locals drafted
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OWH: Three Huskers, two Jays among locals drafted
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OWH: Three Huskers, two Jays among locals drafted
LJS: Brewers 'step up' and sign Harrison away from Huskers
That didn't take long.
Monte Harrison quickly drained the drama out of whether he'd pick professional baseball or a two-sport career at Nebraska.
The Milwaukee Brewers won out, signing the graduating high schooler on Saturday, just two days after drafting him No. 50 overall.
Harrison had 1.8 million good reasons why to make that decision, though some perhaps expected it wouldn't come so soon with the deadline to sign not until July 18.
But Harrison's mentor Danan Hughes said it was important to Harrison to not drag his feet with a decision, especially since he was set to report to Lincoln on Monday for summer conditioning and classes.
In a way, Harrison was viewing this weekend as the deadline.
"He didn't want to leave Bo Pelini and Darin Erstad hanging. He didn't want to draw it out any longer than it needed to be," Hughes said. "He wanted to keep his commitment to Nebraska and enroll in summer classes this coming week and get going with the football program if that was the way he was going to go.
"So a lot of credit goes out to the Brewers for recognizing that and stepping up and making the deal happen."
Pelini was the first person Harrison called after inking the deal.
Brewers brass had said after drafting Harrison that he could be a tough prospect to sign. But a signing bonus of $1.8 million, which is $700,000 better than projected for a player in Harrison's draft slot, was enough to lock him up.
With Harrison projected to be a first-round pick in many mock drafts, it was fair to ponder that the Huskers football and baseball teams had a shot to secure his services after he slipped into the second round.
He would have been a major addition for both NU teams. As a football player the 6-foot-3, 200-pound prospect from Lee's Summit (Mo.) West High School seemed to have the tools to perhaps contribute immediately as a wide receiver in 2014.
Instead, he joins the list of multi-sport talents who got away from the Huskers, in the company of Carl Crawford and Bubba Starling.
"He has a dream of playing major-league baseball and he saw the numbers he had to find as to what could have him strongly entertain forgoing his college career," Hughes said. "The Milwaukee Brewers stepped up to the table."
LJS: Brewers 'step up' and sign Harrison away
That didn't take long.
Monte Harrison quickly drained the drama out of whether he'd pick professional baseball or a two-sport career at Nebraska.
The Milwaukee Brewers won out, signing the graduating high schooler on Saturday, just two days after drafting him No. 50 overall.
Harrison had 1.8 million good reasons why to make that decision, though some perhaps expected it wouldn't come so soon with the deadline to sign not until July 18.
But Harrison's mentor Danan Hughes said it was important to Harrison to not drag his feet with a decision, especially since he was set to report to Lincoln on Monday for summer conditioning and classes.
In a way, Harrison was viewing this weekend as the deadline.
"He didn't want to leave Bo Pelini and Darin Erstad hanging. He didn't want to draw it out any longer than it needed to be," Hughes said. "He wanted to keep his commitment to Nebraska and enroll in summer classes this coming week and get going with the football program if that was the way he was going to go.
"So a lot of credit goes out to the Brewers for recognizing that and stepping up and making the deal happen."
Pelini was the first person Harrison called after inking the deal.
Brewers brass had said after drafting Harrison that he could be a tough prospect to sign. But a signing bonus of $1.8 million, which is $700,000 better than projected for a player in Harrison's draft slot, was enough to lock him up.
With Harrison projected to be a first-round pick in many mock drafts, it was fair to ponder that the Huskers football and baseball teams had a shot to secure his services after he slipped into the second round.
He would have been a major addition for both NU teams. As a football player the 6-foot-3, 200-pound prospect from Lee's Summit (Mo.) West High School seemed to have the tools to perhaps contribute immediately as a wide receiver in 2014.
Instead, he joins the list of multi-sport talents who got away from the Huskers, in the company of Carl Crawford and Bubba Starling.
"He has a dream of playing major-league baseball and he saw the numbers he had to find as to what could have him strongly entertain forgoing his college career," Hughes said. "The Milwaukee Brewers stepped up to the table."
LJS: Brewers 'step up' and sign Harrison away
LJS: Reetz having a 'blast' during whirlwind weekend
The whirlwind of graduation, family birthday parties, a third-round selection by the Washington Nationals in the Major League Draft, and the balancing of a baseball scholarship with Nebraska all hit Jakson Reetz this weekend.
Reetz was the 93rd player taken in the 40-round draft that concluded Saturday. He was one of four Husker recruits to be picked. Monte Harrison, a second-round pick out of Lee's Summit, Mo., signed a contract with the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday.
"I'm having a blast because all of this keeps me pretty preoccupied and pretty excited," said Reetz, the two-time Journal Star Super State co-captain from Norris High School. "I haven't talked much with the Nationals and I haven't had a whole lot of time to sit with my family and talk about the direction I'll take."
Reetz has until July 18 to decide to turn pro or to play college baseball at Nebraska.
"I think the Nationals are a great organization and I would like to be a part of the Nebraska drive to play for the College World Series title next year," Reetz said. "In the meantime, I'll workout with the weights, run and work on my catching skills because I need to do all of that no matter what I decide."
LJS: Reetz having a 'blast' during whirlwind week
The whirlwind of graduation, family birthday parties, a third-round selection by the Washington Nationals in the Major League Draft, and the balancing of a baseball scholarship with Nebraska all hit Jakson Reetz this weekend.
Reetz was the 93rd player taken in the 40-round draft that concluded Saturday. He was one of four Husker recruits to be picked. Monte Harrison, a second-round pick out of Lee's Summit, Mo., signed a contract with the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday.
"I'm having a blast because all of this keeps me pretty preoccupied and pretty excited," said Reetz, the two-time Journal Star Super State co-captain from Norris High School. "I haven't talked much with the Nationals and I haven't had a whole lot of time to sit with my family and talk about the direction I'll take."
Reetz has until July 18 to decide to turn pro or to play college baseball at Nebraska.
"I think the Nationals are a great organization and I would like to be a part of the Nebraska drive to play for the College World Series title next year," Reetz said. "In the meantime, I'll workout with the weights, run and work on my catching skills because I need to do all of that no matter what I decide."
LJS: Reetz having a 'blast' during whirlwind week
PG - Super Regionals roundup: Saturday
Austin Super Regional
Game 2: Texas 4, Houston 0 -- Box score
UT advances to the College World Series
Player of the game: Parker French, rhp, Texas
Roundup: The Longhorns culminated a magical NCAA postseason run with a 4-0 win over Houston to advance to the College World Series for the 35th time in school history. UT righthanded pitcher Parker French, just like last week, rose to the occasion, allowing just five hits in six shutout frames, while Travis Duke, Morgan Cooper and John Curtiss finished out the contest out of the bullpen. Offensively, the Longhorns got a productive performance from shortstop C.J. Hinojosa, who finished the afternoon 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
What this means: With the win over the Cougars, the Longhorns advance to the College World Series, where they'll face UC Irvine either next Friday or Saturday. Amazingly, UT's pitching staff allowed just two extra-base hits in the NCAA postseason's first two rounds, and just one in the last 40 innings of work.
Charlottesville Super Regional
Game 1: Maryland 5, Virginia 4 -- Box score
(UMd. leads series 1-0)
Player of the game: Charlie White, of, Maryland
Roundup: In what was quite a long game in Charlottesville, the Terrapins outlasted hometown Virginia 5-4 to get one step away from reaching the College World Series. Maryland starting pitcher Jake Stinnett had just an OK outing, allowing three runs on six hits in six innings of work, while leadoff hitter Charlie White set the stage with a three-hit performance, and second baseman Brandon Lowe knocked in a pair of runs. Interestingly, for the Cavaliers, sophomore lefthanded pitcher Nathan Kirby had a tough day on the mound, allowing five runs on seven hits in 4 2/3 innings, while reliever Whit Mayberry gave Virginia a chance to come back in the contest with six strikeouts in 4 1/3 shutout innings. This day, though, belonged to Maryland.
What this means: With the win over the Cavaliers, the Terps are a win away from the improbable -- getting to Omaha. Virginia absolutely has some fight left on it this weekend, but the Terps just seem like a team of destiny at this point.
Fort Worth Super Regional
Game 1: Texas Christian 3, Pepperdine 2 -- Box score
(TCU leads series 1-0)
Player of the game: Riley Ferrell, rhp, TCU
Roundup: TCU lefthanded pitcher Brandon Finnegan put together yet another impressive performance on the season in a 3-2 win over Pepperdine. Finnegan struck out seven, walked two and allowed just two runs on three hits in 6 1/3 innings, while Trey Teakell, and especially, Ferrell, were terrific out of the bullpen. Ferrell struck out four batters in 1 2/3 perfect innings. Offensively for the Frogs, third baseman Derek Odell went 2-for-5 with two RBIs, while Garrett Crain and Jerrick Suiter each finished the contest with a pair of hits. Pepperdine veteran righthanded pitcher Corey Miller walked four, struck out two and allowed three runs on 10 hits in 5 1/3 innings.
What this means: What a magical season it has been for the Horned Frogs. After missing the NCAA postseason last year, the Frogs are now a win away from getting back to the College World Series. Oh yeah, with Omaha on the line, the Frogs will go with stud righthanded pitcher Preston Morrison Saturday afternoon.
Lafayette Super Regional
Game 1: Louisiana-Lafayette 9, Mississippi 5 -- Box score
(ULL leads series 1-0)
Player of the game: Tyler Girouard, dh, Louisiana-Lafayette
Roundup: The story on the Ragin' Cajuns is pretty simple. Give them any hope at all offensively and chances are good they'll beat you into submission. That's precisely what happened Saturday night at raucous M.L. "The Tigue" Moore Stadium in Lafayette, La., in a 9-5 victory. Ole Miss carried a 3-0 advantage heading to the bottom of the third inning. However, the Cajuns fought back with a run in the bottom frame, and exploded in the third inning with a five-run frame, thanks in part to Tyler Girouard's three-run homer down the right-field line to make it 5-3 Cajuns. ULL never looked back, scoring three more runs in the fifth inning, thanks in part to Dylan Butler's towering home run to left field, among other key hits. While ULL righthanded pitcher Austin Robichaux battled his way to a decent start, Ole Miss righty Chris Ellis had an uncharacteristic poor showing, having command issues throughout and being lifted from the game after just 2 1/3 innings.
What this means: The Cajuns have had a terrific campaign, but nothing would be a success at this point without a trip to Omaha. The Cajuns are a win away from punching their ticket to the College World Series for the first time since 2000.
Louisville Super Regional
Game 2: Louisville 7, Kennesaw State 4 -- Box score
Louisville advances to the College World Series
Player of the game: Cole Sturgeon, of, Louisville
Roundup: We talked a lot about Louisville freshman Nick Solak in yesterday's NCAA Super Regionals roundup, and he's back in the discussion yet again, getting a key two-run homer in the fifth inning to help propel the Cardinals to a win over Kennesaw State to move on to Omaha. Outfielder Cole Sturgeon had a big game for the Cards, going 3-for-4 with a run scored and three RBIs, while Zach Lucas and Corey Ray each chipped in two-hit performances. The UL bullpen took care of business, too, with Cole Sturgeon and Nick Burdi once again rising to the occasion.
What this means: With the win over the Eagles, the Cardinals move on to the College World Series. It will be Louisville's third trip to Omaha as it makes a return trip after a disappointing showing there last season.
Lubbock Super Regional
Game 1: Texas Tech 1, College of Charleston 0 -- Box score
(TECH leads series 1-0)
Player of the game: Chris Sadberry, lhp, Texas Tech
Roundup: Texas Tech seasoned lefthanded pitcher Chris Sadberry has really put together a nice season for the Red Raiders, and he stepped up yet again Saturday afternoon in a 1-0 victory over Charleston in Lubbock. Sadberry struck out eight, didn't walk anyone and allowed just four hits in eight shutout frames. Meanwhile, hard-throwing righty Jonny Drozd closed things out in style with a clean ninth inning. Sadberry's performance overshadowed a gem by Charleston's Taylor Clarke, who struck out three, walked one and allowed just a run on five hits in eight innings. Tech didn't have a huge afternoon at the plate, but outfielder Tyler Neslony led the charge with a triple and an RBI.
What this means: With the win, the Red Raiders are one win away from notching the first College World Series berth in school history. Tech will send freshman lefthanded pitcher Dylan Dusek to the bump in the potentially decisive contest.
Nashville Super Regional
Game 2: Stanford 5, Vanderbilt 4 -- Box score
(Series tied at 1-1)
?Player of the game: Wayne Taylor, dh, Stanford
Roundup: The Cardinal was facing elimination Saturday afternoon against Vanderbilt, and, though they led the contest 4-1 going into the latter innings, the Commodores made things look pretty bleak by scoring two runs in the eighth and one in the top of the ninth to tie the game at 4-4 and seize the momentum. Stanford, as it has many teams down the stretch this season, showed a lot of moxie with Wayne Taylor hitting a one-out walk-off home run to win the game 5-4 and stay alive in the postseason. Taylor finished the afternoon 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs, while catcher Brant Whiting went 3-for-4 with two RBIs. On the mound, Vandy starting pitcher Carson Fulmer struck out nine and allowed four runs on seven hits in 6 1/3 innings.
What this means: Well, it all comes down to this. Three of the four NCAA Super Regionals that began on Friday have already been completed, with us all just awaiting the Nashville Super Regional winner.
Stillwater Super Regional
Game 2: UC Irvine 1, Oklahoma State 0 -- Box score
(UCI advances to the College World Series)
Player of the game: Andrew Morales, rhp, UC Irvine
Roundup: He hasn't received an overwhelming amount of fanfare nationally, but Irvine righthanded pitcher Andrew Morales once again showed Saturday night why he's one of the nation's elite arms, guiding his club to the College World Series with a 1-0 road victory over Oklahoma State. Morales struck out eight, walked two and allowed just five hits in a complete game shutout of the Cowboys. Meanwhile, OSU gambled a bit in the contest by throwing usual reliever Vince Wheeland to start the game, and he actually impressed, allowing just a run on nine hits in 6 2/3 innings. Chris Rabago, Connor Spencer and Justin Castro each had two hits in the contest.
What this means: With the win over the Pokes, the Anteaters are headed back to Omaha for the first time since 2007 when then coach Dave Serrano (now at Tennessee) guided the program to new heights.
PG - Super Regionals roundup: Saturday
Austin Super Regional
Game 2: Texas 4, Houston 0 -- Box score
UT advances to the College World Series
Player of the game: Parker French, rhp, Texas
Roundup: The Longhorns culminated a magical NCAA postseason run with a 4-0 win over Houston to advance to the College World Series for the 35th time in school history. UT righthanded pitcher Parker French, just like last week, rose to the occasion, allowing just five hits in six shutout frames, while Travis Duke, Morgan Cooper and John Curtiss finished out the contest out of the bullpen. Offensively, the Longhorns got a productive performance from shortstop C.J. Hinojosa, who finished the afternoon 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
What this means: With the win over the Cougars, the Longhorns advance to the College World Series, where they'll face UC Irvine either next Friday or Saturday. Amazingly, UT's pitching staff allowed just two extra-base hits in the NCAA postseason's first two rounds, and just one in the last 40 innings of work.
Charlottesville Super Regional
Game 1: Maryland 5, Virginia 4 -- Box score
(UMd. leads series 1-0)
Player of the game: Charlie White, of, Maryland
Roundup: In what was quite a long game in Charlottesville, the Terrapins outlasted hometown Virginia 5-4 to get one step away from reaching the College World Series. Maryland starting pitcher Jake Stinnett had just an OK outing, allowing three runs on six hits in six innings of work, while leadoff hitter Charlie White set the stage with a three-hit performance, and second baseman Brandon Lowe knocked in a pair of runs. Interestingly, for the Cavaliers, sophomore lefthanded pitcher Nathan Kirby had a tough day on the mound, allowing five runs on seven hits in 4 2/3 innings, while reliever Whit Mayberry gave Virginia a chance to come back in the contest with six strikeouts in 4 1/3 shutout innings. This day, though, belonged to Maryland.
What this means: With the win over the Cavaliers, the Terps are a win away from the improbable -- getting to Omaha. Virginia absolutely has some fight left on it this weekend, but the Terps just seem like a team of destiny at this point.
Fort Worth Super Regional
Game 1: Texas Christian 3, Pepperdine 2 -- Box score
(TCU leads series 1-0)
Player of the game: Riley Ferrell, rhp, TCU
Roundup: TCU lefthanded pitcher Brandon Finnegan put together yet another impressive performance on the season in a 3-2 win over Pepperdine. Finnegan struck out seven, walked two and allowed just two runs on three hits in 6 1/3 innings, while Trey Teakell, and especially, Ferrell, were terrific out of the bullpen. Ferrell struck out four batters in 1 2/3 perfect innings. Offensively for the Frogs, third baseman Derek Odell went 2-for-5 with two RBIs, while Garrett Crain and Jerrick Suiter each finished the contest with a pair of hits. Pepperdine veteran righthanded pitcher Corey Miller walked four, struck out two and allowed three runs on 10 hits in 5 1/3 innings.
What this means: What a magical season it has been for the Horned Frogs. After missing the NCAA postseason last year, the Frogs are now a win away from getting back to the College World Series. Oh yeah, with Omaha on the line, the Frogs will go with stud righthanded pitcher Preston Morrison Saturday afternoon.
Lafayette Super Regional
Game 1: Louisiana-Lafayette 9, Mississippi 5 -- Box score
(ULL leads series 1-0)
Player of the game: Tyler Girouard, dh, Louisiana-Lafayette
Roundup: The story on the Ragin' Cajuns is pretty simple. Give them any hope at all offensively and chances are good they'll beat you into submission. That's precisely what happened Saturday night at raucous M.L. "The Tigue" Moore Stadium in Lafayette, La., in a 9-5 victory. Ole Miss carried a 3-0 advantage heading to the bottom of the third inning. However, the Cajuns fought back with a run in the bottom frame, and exploded in the third inning with a five-run frame, thanks in part to Tyler Girouard's three-run homer down the right-field line to make it 5-3 Cajuns. ULL never looked back, scoring three more runs in the fifth inning, thanks in part to Dylan Butler's towering home run to left field, among other key hits. While ULL righthanded pitcher Austin Robichaux battled his way to a decent start, Ole Miss righty Chris Ellis had an uncharacteristic poor showing, having command issues throughout and being lifted from the game after just 2 1/3 innings.
What this means: The Cajuns have had a terrific campaign, but nothing would be a success at this point without a trip to Omaha. The Cajuns are a win away from punching their ticket to the College World Series for the first time since 2000.
Louisville Super Regional
Game 2: Louisville 7, Kennesaw State 4 -- Box score
Louisville advances to the College World Series
Player of the game: Cole Sturgeon, of, Louisville
Roundup: We talked a lot about Louisville freshman Nick Solak in yesterday's NCAA Super Regionals roundup, and he's back in the discussion yet again, getting a key two-run homer in the fifth inning to help propel the Cardinals to a win over Kennesaw State to move on to Omaha. Outfielder Cole Sturgeon had a big game for the Cards, going 3-for-4 with a run scored and three RBIs, while Zach Lucas and Corey Ray each chipped in two-hit performances. The UL bullpen took care of business, too, with Cole Sturgeon and Nick Burdi once again rising to the occasion.
What this means: With the win over the Eagles, the Cardinals move on to the College World Series. It will be Louisville's third trip to Omaha as it makes a return trip after a disappointing showing there last season.
Lubbock Super Regional
Game 1: Texas Tech 1, College of Charleston 0 -- Box score
(TECH leads series 1-0)
Player of the game: Chris Sadberry, lhp, Texas Tech
Roundup: Texas Tech seasoned lefthanded pitcher Chris Sadberry has really put together a nice season for the Red Raiders, and he stepped up yet again Saturday afternoon in a 1-0 victory over Charleston in Lubbock. Sadberry struck out eight, didn't walk anyone and allowed just four hits in eight shutout frames. Meanwhile, hard-throwing righty Jonny Drozd closed things out in style with a clean ninth inning. Sadberry's performance overshadowed a gem by Charleston's Taylor Clarke, who struck out three, walked one and allowed just a run on five hits in eight innings. Tech didn't have a huge afternoon at the plate, but outfielder Tyler Neslony led the charge with a triple and an RBI.
What this means: With the win, the Red Raiders are one win away from notching the first College World Series berth in school history. Tech will send freshman lefthanded pitcher Dylan Dusek to the bump in the potentially decisive contest.
Nashville Super Regional
Game 2: Stanford 5, Vanderbilt 4 -- Box score
(Series tied at 1-1)
?Player of the game: Wayne Taylor, dh, Stanford
Roundup: The Cardinal was facing elimination Saturday afternoon against Vanderbilt, and, though they led the contest 4-1 going into the latter innings, the Commodores made things look pretty bleak by scoring two runs in the eighth and one in the top of the ninth to tie the game at 4-4 and seize the momentum. Stanford, as it has many teams down the stretch this season, showed a lot of moxie with Wayne Taylor hitting a one-out walk-off home run to win the game 5-4 and stay alive in the postseason. Taylor finished the afternoon 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs, while catcher Brant Whiting went 3-for-4 with two RBIs. On the mound, Vandy starting pitcher Carson Fulmer struck out nine and allowed four runs on seven hits in 6 1/3 innings.
What this means: Well, it all comes down to this. Three of the four NCAA Super Regionals that began on Friday have already been completed, with us all just awaiting the Nashville Super Regional winner.
Stillwater Super Regional
Game 2: UC Irvine 1, Oklahoma State 0 -- Box score
(UCI advances to the College World Series)
Player of the game: Andrew Morales, rhp, UC Irvine
Roundup: He hasn't received an overwhelming amount of fanfare nationally, but Irvine righthanded pitcher Andrew Morales once again showed Saturday night why he's one of the nation's elite arms, guiding his club to the College World Series with a 1-0 road victory over Oklahoma State. Morales struck out eight, walked two and allowed just five hits in a complete game shutout of the Cowboys. Meanwhile, OSU gambled a bit in the contest by throwing usual reliever Vince Wheeland to start the game, and he actually impressed, allowing just a run on nine hits in 6 2/3 innings. Chris Rabago, Connor Spencer and Justin Castro each had two hits in the contest.
What this means: With the win over the Pokes, the Anteaters are headed back to Omaha for the first time since 2007 when then coach Dave Serrano (now at Tennessee) guided the program to new heights.
PG - Super Regionals roundup: Saturday
BA - Super Regional Roundup: Texas, Louisville, UC Irvine Advance To CWS
A trio of teams secured trips to the College World Series by completing super regional sweeps Saturday. Texas blanked Houston 4-0 to reach Omaha for the 35th time in program history, more than any other team. After missing regionals in back-to-back years, Texas rebounded to reach Omaha for the eighth time since 2000 (also more than any other program), and the first time since 2011.
Andrew Morales
Andrew Morales (Photo courtesy UC Irvine)
Louisville completed a sweep of Kennesaw State with a 7-4 win, sending the Cardinals to Omaha for the second straight year, and the third time since Dan McDonnell became head coach in 2007.
And UC Irvine blanked Oklahoma State 1-0 to reach Omaha for the second time in program history, and the first time since 2007. Andrew Morales threw a five-hit shutout to lead the Anteaters to their second straight win against the Big 12 champions, a week after they eliminated Pac-12 champ and No. 1 national seed Oregon State. Coach Mike Gillespie has led Irvine to the brink of the CWS twice before, losing super regionals in heart-breaking fashion at LSU and Virginia. This time, his Anteaters closed the deal, sending Gillespie to Omaha for the first time since 2001, when he was at Southern California. In the first round next week, he'll face off against Texas' Augie Garrido in a battle of college baseball coaching titans (and a rematch of the 1995 CWS Finals coaching matchup). They also happen to be the only two men to play in the CWS and lead two different programs to Omaha as coaches.
AUSTIN SUPER REGIONAL
Friday: Texas 4, Houston 2
Saturday: Texas 4, Houston 0 | Texas wins super regional
Parker French (6 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 0 K) and three relievers combined to shut out the Cougars, who out-hit the Longhorns 10-8 but left 14 runners on base. Texas did all its scoring in a four-run fourth inning to chase Aaron Garza (3.2 IP, 6 H, 4 ER), highlighted by C.J Hinojosa's two-run single.
Houston took a huge step forward in coach Todd Whitting's fourth season, finishing 48-18 to tie the school record for wins, reach its first regional since 2008 and its first super regional since 2003. But Houston's starting pitching?which was so good all season long?failed to produce a quality start in two games against Texas, which jumped out to early leads in both games and rode its quality pitching to victories.
CHARLOTTESVILLE SUPER REGIONAL
Saturday: Maryland 5, Virginia 4 | Maryland leads best-of-three series 1-0
Sunday: Noon (ESPN2)
Charlie White (3-for-5, 2 R) led the offense for Maryland, which took control of the game with three runs in the fourth inning and held on for a 5-4 win. Jake Stinnett (6 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 2 K) didn't have his best stuff, but he and relievers Bobby Ruse and Kevin Mooney escaped jams throughout the game, stranding 14 Virginia baserunners. Nathan Kirby (4.2 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 1 BB, 2 K) struggled for the Cavaliers, who got strong relief work from Whit Mayberry (4.1 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K) to keep them in the game. Mike Shawaryn takes the mound Sunday for Maryland, which will try to reach Omaha for the first time ever. Virginia will counter with Brandon Waddell.
FORT WORTH SUPER REGIONAL
Saturday: TCU 3, Pepperdine 2 | TCU leads best-of-three series 1-0
Sunday: 5 p.m. (ESPNU)
Brandon Finnegan
Brandon Finnegan (Photo by John Williamson)
The Horned Frogs broke a scoreless tie with two runs in the fourth on Derek Odell's two-run single, then added a crucial insurance run in the fifth on a fielder's choice. Brandon Finnegan (6.1 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 K) kept the Waves scoreless until the seventh, when Chris Fornaci's two-run homer cut the TCU lead to one. Pepperdine threatened again in the eighth, putting runners on second and third with one out, prompting TCU to summon closer Riley Ferrell from the bullpen. Ferrell escaped with a strikeout and a groundout, then struck out the side in order in the ninth to nail down the win.
Sunday's matchup should be a good one: Big 12 pitcher of the year Preston Morrison against West Coast Conference pitcher of the year Aaron Brown.
LAFAYETTE SUPER REGIONAL
Saturday: Louisiana-Lafayette 9, Mississippi 5 | ULL leads best-of-three series 1-0
Sunday: 8 p.m. (ESPN2)
Ole miss jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the second, but it was all Louisiana-Lafayette from there. The Cajuns scored a run in the bottom of the second, then took the lead with five runs on three hits in the third, taking advantage of two walks and a hit batsman by Chris Ellis to kickstart the rally. Tyler Girouard's three-run homer highlighted that rally, and the Cajuns tacked on three more in the fifth, capped by another mammoth homer by Dylan Butler, a solo shot. ULL's combination of power, speed, base-hit bunts and plate discipline was simply overwhelming. And Austin Robichaux (7 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 3 BB, 4 K) settled down after a rocky start to earn the win, helping the top-ranked Ragin' Cajuns draw within one win of their first Omaha trip since 2000.
LOUISVILLE SUPER REGIONAL
Friday: Louisville 5, Kennesaw State 3
Saturday: Louisville 7, Kennesaw State 4 | Louisville wins super regional
Cole Sturgeon
Cole Sturgeon (Photo by Andrew Woolley)
For the second straight game, Kennesaw State built a two-run lead by the middle innings, and for the second straight game Louisville stormed back to win. Max Pentecost hit an RBI single in the first and a two-run double in the third to help the Owls carry a 4-2 lead into the fifth inning, when Louisville surged ahead with three runs, highlighted by Nick Solak's two-run homer. Cole Sturgeon added a two-run single in the sixth to give the Cardinals some breathing room, helping Anthony Kidston (6 IP, 9 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 7 K) improve to 9-0 on the season. Four Louisville relievers combined to work three innings of two-hit, scoreless relief, capped by Nick Burdi (1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K). The Cardinals are 10-0 in regional and super regional games over the last two years, and they'll have more CWS experience on their roster than any other team in Omaha.
LUBBOCK SUPER REGIONAL
Saturday: Texas Tech 1, College of Charleston 0 | Texas Tech leads best-of-three series 1-0
Sunday: 2 p.m. (ESPNU)
Chris Sadberry (8 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 8 K) was brilliant for Texas Tech, out-dueling Taylor Clarke (8 IP, 5 H, 1 ER) in a brisk 1-0 affair. The Red Raiders scored their lone run in the third inning, when Stephen Smith singled with one out and scored on Tyler Neslony's RBI triple. Sadberry took it from there, and Jonny Drozd worked a 1-2-3 ninth for the save, helping Texas Tech pull within one game of its first-ever CWS appearance.
NASHVILLE SUPER REGIONAL
Friday: Vanderbilt 11, Stanford 6
Saturday: Stanford 5, Vanderbilt 4 | Series tied 1-1
Sunday: 2 p.m. (ESPN2)
The Cardinal evened the series with a 5-4 win on Wayne Taylor's walk-off homer in the ninth, capping a riveting back-and-forth affair. Vanderbilt took a 1-0 lead on Cal Quantrill (7 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K) in the second inning, and the Cardinal went ahead with two runs in the fourth against Carson Fulmer (6.1 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 0 BB, 9 K). Stanford added two more in the seventh on RBI singles by Taylor and Brett Michael Doran, but Vandy responded with two in the eighth and another in the ninth on a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch to tie the score. That set the stage for Taylor's latest big home run; his three-run shot in the eighth inning last Sunday helped come from behind to beat Indiana. This one came on a 95 mph fastball from Adam Ravenelle that Taylor deposited over the right-center-field wall.
STILLWATER SUPER REGIONAL
Friday: UC Irvine 8, Oklahoma State 4
Saturday: UC Irvine 1, Oklahoma State 0 | UC irvine wins super regional
Irvine ace Andrew Morales was brilliant in his third shutout of the season, holding Oklahoma State's high-powered offense to five hits and two walks while striking out eight. Morales retired the final 10 hitters of the game, and 15 of the last 16, to make an early 1-0 lead stand up. The Cowboys started bullpen stopper Vince Wheeland (6.2 IP, 9 H, 1 ER) with their season on the line, and Irvine got to him for a run in the first on Jonathan Munoz's RBI double down the left-field line. The Anteaters squandered a couple of opportunities to pad the lead, but it proved to be enough for the masterful Morales, who also earned the win in Irvine's regional opener against UNLV and then threw 4.1 strong innings on two days' rest in Monday's regional final against Oregon State.
The Texas-Irvine game in Omaha should be a real treat, featuring two of college baseball's most brilliant strategists and masters of small ball. Gillespie and Garrido also happen to be two of the sport's most colorful personalities, and their press conferences might be as much fun as the game itself.
BA - Super Regional Roundup: UT, UL, UCI Advance
A trio of teams secured trips to the College World Series by completing super regional sweeps Saturday. Texas blanked Houston 4-0 to reach Omaha for the 35th time in program history, more than any other team. After missing regionals in back-to-back years, Texas rebounded to reach Omaha for the eighth time since 2000 (also more than any other program), and the first time since 2011.
Andrew Morales
Andrew Morales (Photo courtesy UC Irvine)
Louisville completed a sweep of Kennesaw State with a 7-4 win, sending the Cardinals to Omaha for the second straight year, and the third time since Dan McDonnell became head coach in 2007.
And UC Irvine blanked Oklahoma State 1-0 to reach Omaha for the second time in program history, and the first time since 2007. Andrew Morales threw a five-hit shutout to lead the Anteaters to their second straight win against the Big 12 champions, a week after they eliminated Pac-12 champ and No. 1 national seed Oregon State. Coach Mike Gillespie has led Irvine to the brink of the CWS twice before, losing super regionals in heart-breaking fashion at LSU and Virginia. This time, his Anteaters closed the deal, sending Gillespie to Omaha for the first time since 2001, when he was at Southern California. In the first round next week, he'll face off against Texas' Augie Garrido in a battle of college baseball coaching titans (and a rematch of the 1995 CWS Finals coaching matchup). They also happen to be the only two men to play in the CWS and lead two different programs to Omaha as coaches.
AUSTIN SUPER REGIONAL
Friday: Texas 4, Houston 2
Saturday: Texas 4, Houston 0 | Texas wins super regional
Parker French (6 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 0 K) and three relievers combined to shut out the Cougars, who out-hit the Longhorns 10-8 but left 14 runners on base. Texas did all its scoring in a four-run fourth inning to chase Aaron Garza (3.2 IP, 6 H, 4 ER), highlighted by C.J Hinojosa's two-run single.
Houston took a huge step forward in coach Todd Whitting's fourth season, finishing 48-18 to tie the school record for wins, reach its first regional since 2008 and its first super regional since 2003. But Houston's starting pitching?which was so good all season long?failed to produce a quality start in two games against Texas, which jumped out to early leads in both games and rode its quality pitching to victories.
CHARLOTTESVILLE SUPER REGIONAL
Saturday: Maryland 5, Virginia 4 | Maryland leads best-of-three series 1-0
Sunday: Noon (ESPN2)
Charlie White (3-for-5, 2 R) led the offense for Maryland, which took control of the game with three runs in the fourth inning and held on for a 5-4 win. Jake Stinnett (6 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 2 K) didn't have his best stuff, but he and relievers Bobby Ruse and Kevin Mooney escaped jams throughout the game, stranding 14 Virginia baserunners. Nathan Kirby (4.2 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 1 BB, 2 K) struggled for the Cavaliers, who got strong relief work from Whit Mayberry (4.1 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K) to keep them in the game. Mike Shawaryn takes the mound Sunday for Maryland, which will try to reach Omaha for the first time ever. Virginia will counter with Brandon Waddell.
FORT WORTH SUPER REGIONAL
Saturday: TCU 3, Pepperdine 2 | TCU leads best-of-three series 1-0
Sunday: 5 p.m. (ESPNU)
Brandon Finnegan
Brandon Finnegan (Photo by John Williamson)
The Horned Frogs broke a scoreless tie with two runs in the fourth on Derek Odell's two-run single, then added a crucial insurance run in the fifth on a fielder's choice. Brandon Finnegan (6.1 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 K) kept the Waves scoreless until the seventh, when Chris Fornaci's two-run homer cut the TCU lead to one. Pepperdine threatened again in the eighth, putting runners on second and third with one out, prompting TCU to summon closer Riley Ferrell from the bullpen. Ferrell escaped with a strikeout and a groundout, then struck out the side in order in the ninth to nail down the win.
Sunday's matchup should be a good one: Big 12 pitcher of the year Preston Morrison against West Coast Conference pitcher of the year Aaron Brown.
LAFAYETTE SUPER REGIONAL
Saturday: Louisiana-Lafayette 9, Mississippi 5 | ULL leads best-of-three series 1-0
Sunday: 8 p.m. (ESPN2)
Ole miss jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the second, but it was all Louisiana-Lafayette from there. The Cajuns scored a run in the bottom of the second, then took the lead with five runs on three hits in the third, taking advantage of two walks and a hit batsman by Chris Ellis to kickstart the rally. Tyler Girouard's three-run homer highlighted that rally, and the Cajuns tacked on three more in the fifth, capped by another mammoth homer by Dylan Butler, a solo shot. ULL's combination of power, speed, base-hit bunts and plate discipline was simply overwhelming. And Austin Robichaux (7 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 3 BB, 4 K) settled down after a rocky start to earn the win, helping the top-ranked Ragin' Cajuns draw within one win of their first Omaha trip since 2000.
LOUISVILLE SUPER REGIONAL
Friday: Louisville 5, Kennesaw State 3
Saturday: Louisville 7, Kennesaw State 4 | Louisville wins super regional
Cole Sturgeon
Cole Sturgeon (Photo by Andrew Woolley)
For the second straight game, Kennesaw State built a two-run lead by the middle innings, and for the second straight game Louisville stormed back to win. Max Pentecost hit an RBI single in the first and a two-run double in the third to help the Owls carry a 4-2 lead into the fifth inning, when Louisville surged ahead with three runs, highlighted by Nick Solak's two-run homer. Cole Sturgeon added a two-run single in the sixth to give the Cardinals some breathing room, helping Anthony Kidston (6 IP, 9 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 7 K) improve to 9-0 on the season. Four Louisville relievers combined to work three innings of two-hit, scoreless relief, capped by Nick Burdi (1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K). The Cardinals are 10-0 in regional and super regional games over the last two years, and they'll have more CWS experience on their roster than any other team in Omaha.
LUBBOCK SUPER REGIONAL
Saturday: Texas Tech 1, College of Charleston 0 | Texas Tech leads best-of-three series 1-0
Sunday: 2 p.m. (ESPNU)
Chris Sadberry (8 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 8 K) was brilliant for Texas Tech, out-dueling Taylor Clarke (8 IP, 5 H, 1 ER) in a brisk 1-0 affair. The Red Raiders scored their lone run in the third inning, when Stephen Smith singled with one out and scored on Tyler Neslony's RBI triple. Sadberry took it from there, and Jonny Drozd worked a 1-2-3 ninth for the save, helping Texas Tech pull within one game of its first-ever CWS appearance.
NASHVILLE SUPER REGIONAL
Friday: Vanderbilt 11, Stanford 6
Saturday: Stanford 5, Vanderbilt 4 | Series tied 1-1
Sunday: 2 p.m. (ESPN2)
The Cardinal evened the series with a 5-4 win on Wayne Taylor's walk-off homer in the ninth, capping a riveting back-and-forth affair. Vanderbilt took a 1-0 lead on Cal Quantrill (7 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K) in the second inning, and the Cardinal went ahead with two runs in the fourth against Carson Fulmer (6.1 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 0 BB, 9 K). Stanford added two more in the seventh on RBI singles by Taylor and Brett Michael Doran, but Vandy responded with two in the eighth and another in the ninth on a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch to tie the score. That set the stage for Taylor's latest big home run; his three-run shot in the eighth inning last Sunday helped come from behind to beat Indiana. This one came on a 95 mph fastball from Adam Ravenelle that Taylor deposited over the right-center-field wall.
STILLWATER SUPER REGIONAL
Friday: UC Irvine 8, Oklahoma State 4
Saturday: UC Irvine 1, Oklahoma State 0 | UC irvine wins super regional
Irvine ace Andrew Morales was brilliant in his third shutout of the season, holding Oklahoma State's high-powered offense to five hits and two walks while striking out eight. Morales retired the final 10 hitters of the game, and 15 of the last 16, to make an early 1-0 lead stand up. The Cowboys started bullpen stopper Vince Wheeland (6.2 IP, 9 H, 1 ER) with their season on the line, and Irvine got to him for a run in the first on Jonathan Munoz's RBI double down the left-field line. The Anteaters squandered a couple of opportunities to pad the lead, but it proved to be enough for the masterful Morales, who also earned the win in Irvine's regional opener against UNLV and then threw 4.1 strong innings on two days' rest in Monday's regional final against Oregon State.
The Texas-Irvine game in Omaha should be a real treat, featuring two of college baseball's most brilliant strategists and masters of small ball. Gillespie and Garrido also happen to be two of the sport's most colorful personalities, and their press conferences might be as much fun as the game itself.
BA - Super Regional Roundup: UT, UL, UCI Advance
CBT: Three In, Five To Go. Follow The Yellow Brick Road.
Day two of the Super Regionals is in the archives and we've already scanned three tickets to Omaha as Texas, Louisville and UC Irvine advanced to the promised land with series wins over Houston, Kennesaw State and Oklahoma State respectively. Five other teams hope to avoid the green-skinned witch and her flying monkeys before they get to meet the Wizard who grants their wishes of making the Field of Eight.
With those three slots filled already, here are three things I'm thankful for.
1- I'm thankful that Texas didn't pull the plug on Augie.
You know how big-money programs are. They think they are SEC football programs who will fire their coach for one season of .500 play. When Texas didn't make the last two NCAA tournaments ? even suffering a last place finish in the Big 12 ? UT fans wanted to put the kibosh on old Augustus Garrido. But coach was defiant. He said last year, "This can be fixed. And I'm the one who can fix it."
Sure enough. The old war horse with the Hall of Fame smile did it. Our own Mike Rooney even predicted Texas would win the national title back in the preseason, albeit it was a "Drunk Uncle" prediction. Now, a national title would really put it in the face of all those UT curmudgeons who wanted Augie gone.
Augie Garrido has now led Texas to its record setting 35th appearance in Omaha
Augie Garrido has now led Texas to its record setting 35th appearance in Omaha
Tell you what, all you Texas fans who wanted Augie fired, you are not allowed to come to Omaha. And as I tweeted earlier, you must watch the College World Series on a black and white TV in your basement.
2- I'm thankful UCI didn't sustain another painful Super Regional loss.
The last two times UCI went to the Supers they were within one strike of making it to Omaha but lost gut-punching games to LSU and Virginia on the road in 2008 and 2011. If that had happened again this year, I'm fully convinced Mike Gillespie would've reverted to his 60s roots and gone to the desert and taken more peyote than Jim Morrison for a month.
But this time Andrew Morales was spot-on the entire nine innings, holding the Cowboys of Oklahoma State to five hits, two walks and tossing eight strikeouts. No painful endings this time.
Another weekend, another weekend where we get a picture of UC Irvine dogpiling after knocking off a black & orange OSU team.
Another weekend, another weekend where we get a picture of UC Irvine dogpiling after knocking off a black & orange OSU team.
3- I'm thankful that Louisville made it to Omaha as a mid-major one last time.
Not that I'm not going to pull for them next year when they move on to the ACC, but it's cool that for the third time the Cardinals will play in Omaha from a mid-major conference. It just sets a good example to follow for other mid-majors. Their inclusion once again says, "Hey Southern Conference team, you can do this." "Hey Big 10 Conference team, you can do this." And, "Hey Mountain West Conference team, you can do this."
For the third time in eight years, Louisville dogpiled over getting a chance to go to Omaha again.
For the third time in eight years, Louisville dogpiled over getting a chance to go to Omaha again.
.
The rest of Day Two of the Super Regionals in a snapshot or two.
BIGGEST WIN:
- Stanford's jog-off.
Think about what the Cardinal were looking at going into today. They lost game one by an 11-6 count. They were facing Vanderbilt ace All American Carson Fulmer. They were throwing a freshman against him. And yet, the Trees still won? Wow.
The Stanford Cardinal celebrate the jog-off home run from Wayne Taylor which took down Vanderbilt.
The Stanford Cardinal celebrate the jog-off home run from Wayne Taylor which took down Vanderbilt in the 9th inning.
Although it seemed like they tried their damnedest to give it away by getting all walk-happy in the 8th and 9th innings and even having nearly been a victim of the dreaded dropped third strike where the runner made it to 1st base. Still they won and advanced their season one more day at least.
.
BIGGEST LOSS:
- College of Charleston.
Saturday was their chance to put the Raiders on their heels. But the Cougar offense could only muster four hits and no runs against Texas Tech. This all wasted a great effort from CofC starter Taylor Clarke, who went the distance and gave up only five hits. Now, the Coogs are going to have to face Dylan Dusek in game two, whose last outing was throwing 8.0 innings of four-hit work in a 3-0 shutout at Miami.
.
BEST BET TO GO THREE GAMES:
- Maryland at Virginia.
The Terrapins looked good. Damn good. That first game win at Davenport Field is pretty impressive for a team that hasn't sniffed any kind of post-season experience. But you know Virginia is going to shake the cobwebs and get things straight on Sunday. There's no way they go belly up in two, right?
.
BEST BET TO END AFTER TWO GAMES:
- Louisiana over Ole Miss.
When the Cajuns knocked out Rebel ace Chris Ellis in the 3rd inning, it sent a shockwave signal that this wasn't going to be one of those pitching-first weekends. Sure enough, the Cajuns ended up blasting 11 hits and two home runs in their 9-5 win. A five-run 3rd and a three-run 5th put the Rebels in a ditch they could never get out of. Just like last weekend, the baseball-playing Cajuns got all those crazy Cajuns in the stands to adrenalize them and I'm not sure if the Magnolia Staters can rebound against that momentum.
Although the crowd was announced to be 4,278 inside Tigue Moore Stadium, there were thousands of Cajun fans outside the stadium watching the game on giant 90-foot TV screens in the parking lot.
Although the crowd was announced to be 4,278 inside Tigue Moore Stadium, there were thousands of Cajun fans outside the stadium watching the game on giant 90-foot TV screens in the parking lot.
.
PLAY OF THE DAY:
- Charlie White's diving catch, relay throw to home.
In the bottom of the first with the bases loaded, Virginia's Kenny Towns sliced a liner to centerfield, which White made a diving catch of, bounced up and threw to Blake Schmidt, who wheeled and threw to catcher Kevin Martir, who tagged Mike Papi out at the plate. That play saved a number of runs from scoring and putting the Terrapins in a serious hole..
Now I wish I would've at least gotten a screen grab of it. Curses!
.
TOUR DE FORCE:
- Chris Sadberry, Texas Tech
Nothing sad here for Sadberry, especially after being drafted by the Marlins in the 6th round on Friday. But to put it bluntly, the Red Raiders would've lost today if not for the stout lefty, who gave up just four hits with eight Ks in his 8.0 innings of work. The Raiders look to close out the Cougars of College of Charleston on Sunday and make their first-ever trip to Omaha.
.
TOUR DE FORCE II:
- Josh Vidales, Houston
The Coogs might not've advanced to Omaha, but you can't blame J.V. as he went 6-for-7 in the two games and gave the Coogs their only RBI of the weekend. Houston went 18-for-67 in the two games overall.
.
NOT READY FOR PRIME TIME PLAYERS:
- Houston's 1-thru-3 batters
In the two games vs. the Longhorns, the top three hitters in the batting order went just 4-for-24. Three of those hits were by Josh Vidales today (he hit in the 7-spot on Friday), but could get no support around him.
.
SAY GOODBYE TO:
- Kennesaw State.
A great run for the Owls. You guys had the attention of the entire nation and it was fun to watch. Anything that reminds us of the runs by Fresno State, Stony Brook and Kent State is a good thing, even though the Owls couldn't quite make the magical run end in Omaha. Major kudos to coach Sansing and Co., they've had a great season and deserve our accolades.
- Houston
A school-record tying 48 wins and a remarkable performance in last week's wins over LSU will be a lasting legacy to this year's team. It's been an incredible run of success for the UofH program since Todd Whitting took over four years ago. This weekend's 0-2 performance shouldn't sour that.
- Oklahoma State.
The Cowboys were just squashed by a pair of soul-killing Anteater pitching performances. And yes, their defense was a little befuddled with that frustrating west coast offense that Irvine employs. Either way, it was a great season for the Pokes, making it to the final 16, winning 48 games and hosting a Super Regional. You can officially say it now, Oklahoma State baseball is back again.
.
BEST LINE
- Mike Patrick on Robbie Coman, who came in to pinch hit for the final at-bat of the game for Virginia.
"Right now the butterflies have to be flying in formation."
.
ANOTHER GOOD LINE.
- Tom Hart, after Ole Miss thumper Sikes Orvis legged out a double, beating the relay throw.
"Somewhere along the way from Oxford to Lafayette he bought some wheels."
.
BEST TWEET OF THE NIGHT:
Here's one I saw while tweeting for ESPNU today:
Usually college football teams have a display that counts down to opening day. At Stanford, the in-locker room countdown is for when exams begin. Damn smart boys.
StanfordTweet
.
.
QUICK HITS
- As reported a number of times already today during the games on TV, in the 15 years of the Super Regional play, the team that won the first game has gone on to win 78% of the time. And of course, add Texas, Louisville and UC Irvine to that list.
Thanks to this Caleb Adams catch at the wall that kept Ole Miss from scoring two or three runs, the Cajuns keep their winning ways alive, meaning they're one of those first-game winners who have won 78% of the time in the Super Regionals.
Thanks to this Caleb Adams catch at the wall that kept Ole Miss from scoring two or three runs, the Cajuns keep their winning ways alive, meaning they're one of those first-game winners who have won 78% of the time in the Super Regionals.
- Going into this weekend, the SEC has had a streak of 21 straight years of teams in Omaha for the CWS. The Pac 12 is second in the streak business with 17 straight years of having a team in the field of eight. Tomorrow's Vanderbilt-Stanford game three could decide which streak ends this year, depending on how the Louisiana-Ole Miss series ends up of course.
- Louisville is now 39-0 when scoring five runs or more, the best record in the country.
- Texas is now 8-1 in Super Regional games, the best such record in the country. Secondly, is North Carolina who has a 6-1 mark in Super Regional games.
- Virginia gave up five runs today in the loss to Maryland, after having given up only three runs all weekend in the Regional round.
- With his eight strikeouts in tonight's win over Oklahoma State, UC Irvine's Andrew Morales moved into a tie with Middle Tennessee's Zac Curtis for the most strikeouts this season with 136. LSU's Aaron Nola is next with 134 Ks and Maryland's Jake Stinnett is fourth with 130 K's, although he only picked up two more punchouts in today's win over UVa.
Okay StitchHeads, time to put head to pillow. Hope you dig my stuff.
G'night.
CBT: Three In, Five To Go.
Day two of the Super Regionals is in the archives and we've already scanned three tickets to Omaha as Texas, Louisville and UC Irvine advanced to the promised land with series wins over Houston, Kennesaw State and Oklahoma State respectively. Five other teams hope to avoid the green-skinned witch and her flying monkeys before they get to meet the Wizard who grants their wishes of making the Field of Eight.
With those three slots filled already, here are three things I'm thankful for.
1- I'm thankful that Texas didn't pull the plug on Augie.
You know how big-money programs are. They think they are SEC football programs who will fire their coach for one season of .500 play. When Texas didn't make the last two NCAA tournaments ? even suffering a last place finish in the Big 12 ? UT fans wanted to put the kibosh on old Augustus Garrido. But coach was defiant. He said last year, "This can be fixed. And I'm the one who can fix it."
Sure enough. The old war horse with the Hall of Fame smile did it. Our own Mike Rooney even predicted Texas would win the national title back in the preseason, albeit it was a "Drunk Uncle" prediction. Now, a national title would really put it in the face of all those UT curmudgeons who wanted Augie gone.
Augie Garrido has now led Texas to its record setting 35th appearance in Omaha
Augie Garrido has now led Texas to its record setting 35th appearance in Omaha
Tell you what, all you Texas fans who wanted Augie fired, you are not allowed to come to Omaha. And as I tweeted earlier, you must watch the College World Series on a black and white TV in your basement.
2- I'm thankful UCI didn't sustain another painful Super Regional loss.
The last two times UCI went to the Supers they were within one strike of making it to Omaha but lost gut-punching games to LSU and Virginia on the road in 2008 and 2011. If that had happened again this year, I'm fully convinced Mike Gillespie would've reverted to his 60s roots and gone to the desert and taken more peyote than Jim Morrison for a month.
But this time Andrew Morales was spot-on the entire nine innings, holding the Cowboys of Oklahoma State to five hits, two walks and tossing eight strikeouts. No painful endings this time.
Another weekend, another weekend where we get a picture of UC Irvine dogpiling after knocking off a black & orange OSU team.
Another weekend, another weekend where we get a picture of UC Irvine dogpiling after knocking off a black & orange OSU team.
3- I'm thankful that Louisville made it to Omaha as a mid-major one last time.
Not that I'm not going to pull for them next year when they move on to the ACC, but it's cool that for the third time the Cardinals will play in Omaha from a mid-major conference. It just sets a good example to follow for other mid-majors. Their inclusion once again says, "Hey Southern Conference team, you can do this." "Hey Big 10 Conference team, you can do this." And, "Hey Mountain West Conference team, you can do this."
For the third time in eight years, Louisville dogpiled over getting a chance to go to Omaha again.
For the third time in eight years, Louisville dogpiled over getting a chance to go to Omaha again.
.
The rest of Day Two of the Super Regionals in a snapshot or two.
BIGGEST WIN:
- Stanford's jog-off.
Think about what the Cardinal were looking at going into today. They lost game one by an 11-6 count. They were facing Vanderbilt ace All American Carson Fulmer. They were throwing a freshman against him. And yet, the Trees still won? Wow.
The Stanford Cardinal celebrate the jog-off home run from Wayne Taylor which took down Vanderbilt.
The Stanford Cardinal celebrate the jog-off home run from Wayne Taylor which took down Vanderbilt in the 9th inning.
Although it seemed like they tried their damnedest to give it away by getting all walk-happy in the 8th and 9th innings and even having nearly been a victim of the dreaded dropped third strike where the runner made it to 1st base. Still they won and advanced their season one more day at least.
.
BIGGEST LOSS:
- College of Charleston.
Saturday was their chance to put the Raiders on their heels. But the Cougar offense could only muster four hits and no runs against Texas Tech. This all wasted a great effort from CofC starter Taylor Clarke, who went the distance and gave up only five hits. Now, the Coogs are going to have to face Dylan Dusek in game two, whose last outing was throwing 8.0 innings of four-hit work in a 3-0 shutout at Miami.
.
BEST BET TO GO THREE GAMES:
- Maryland at Virginia.
The Terrapins looked good. Damn good. That first game win at Davenport Field is pretty impressive for a team that hasn't sniffed any kind of post-season experience. But you know Virginia is going to shake the cobwebs and get things straight on Sunday. There's no way they go belly up in two, right?
.
BEST BET TO END AFTER TWO GAMES:
- Louisiana over Ole Miss.
When the Cajuns knocked out Rebel ace Chris Ellis in the 3rd inning, it sent a shockwave signal that this wasn't going to be one of those pitching-first weekends. Sure enough, the Cajuns ended up blasting 11 hits and two home runs in their 9-5 win. A five-run 3rd and a three-run 5th put the Rebels in a ditch they could never get out of. Just like last weekend, the baseball-playing Cajuns got all those crazy Cajuns in the stands to adrenalize them and I'm not sure if the Magnolia Staters can rebound against that momentum.
Although the crowd was announced to be 4,278 inside Tigue Moore Stadium, there were thousands of Cajun fans outside the stadium watching the game on giant 90-foot TV screens in the parking lot.
Although the crowd was announced to be 4,278 inside Tigue Moore Stadium, there were thousands of Cajun fans outside the stadium watching the game on giant 90-foot TV screens in the parking lot.
.
PLAY OF THE DAY:
- Charlie White's diving catch, relay throw to home.
In the bottom of the first with the bases loaded, Virginia's Kenny Towns sliced a liner to centerfield, which White made a diving catch of, bounced up and threw to Blake Schmidt, who wheeled and threw to catcher Kevin Martir, who tagged Mike Papi out at the plate. That play saved a number of runs from scoring and putting the Terrapins in a serious hole..
Now I wish I would've at least gotten a screen grab of it. Curses!
.
TOUR DE FORCE:
- Chris Sadberry, Texas Tech
Nothing sad here for Sadberry, especially after being drafted by the Marlins in the 6th round on Friday. But to put it bluntly, the Red Raiders would've lost today if not for the stout lefty, who gave up just four hits with eight Ks in his 8.0 innings of work. The Raiders look to close out the Cougars of College of Charleston on Sunday and make their first-ever trip to Omaha.
.
TOUR DE FORCE II:
- Josh Vidales, Houston
The Coogs might not've advanced to Omaha, but you can't blame J.V. as he went 6-for-7 in the two games and gave the Coogs their only RBI of the weekend. Houston went 18-for-67 in the two games overall.
.
NOT READY FOR PRIME TIME PLAYERS:
- Houston's 1-thru-3 batters
In the two games vs. the Longhorns, the top three hitters in the batting order went just 4-for-24. Three of those hits were by Josh Vidales today (he hit in the 7-spot on Friday), but could get no support around him.
.
SAY GOODBYE TO:
- Kennesaw State.
A great run for the Owls. You guys had the attention of the entire nation and it was fun to watch. Anything that reminds us of the runs by Fresno State, Stony Brook and Kent State is a good thing, even though the Owls couldn't quite make the magical run end in Omaha. Major kudos to coach Sansing and Co., they've had a great season and deserve our accolades.
- Houston
A school-record tying 48 wins and a remarkable performance in last week's wins over LSU will be a lasting legacy to this year's team. It's been an incredible run of success for the UofH program since Todd Whitting took over four years ago. This weekend's 0-2 performance shouldn't sour that.
- Oklahoma State.
The Cowboys were just squashed by a pair of soul-killing Anteater pitching performances. And yes, their defense was a little befuddled with that frustrating west coast offense that Irvine employs. Either way, it was a great season for the Pokes, making it to the final 16, winning 48 games and hosting a Super Regional. You can officially say it now, Oklahoma State baseball is back again.
.
BEST LINE
- Mike Patrick on Robbie Coman, who came in to pinch hit for the final at-bat of the game for Virginia.
"Right now the butterflies have to be flying in formation."
.
ANOTHER GOOD LINE.
- Tom Hart, after Ole Miss thumper Sikes Orvis legged out a double, beating the relay throw.
"Somewhere along the way from Oxford to Lafayette he bought some wheels."
.
BEST TWEET OF THE NIGHT:
Here's one I saw while tweeting for ESPNU today:
Usually college football teams have a display that counts down to opening day. At Stanford, the in-locker room countdown is for when exams begin. Damn smart boys.
StanfordTweet
.
.
QUICK HITS
- As reported a number of times already today during the games on TV, in the 15 years of the Super Regional play, the team that won the first game has gone on to win 78% of the time. And of course, add Texas, Louisville and UC Irvine to that list.
Thanks to this Caleb Adams catch at the wall that kept Ole Miss from scoring two or three runs, the Cajuns keep their winning ways alive, meaning they're one of those first-game winners who have won 78% of the time in the Super Regionals.
Thanks to this Caleb Adams catch at the wall that kept Ole Miss from scoring two or three runs, the Cajuns keep their winning ways alive, meaning they're one of those first-game winners who have won 78% of the time in the Super Regionals.
- Going into this weekend, the SEC has had a streak of 21 straight years of teams in Omaha for the CWS. The Pac 12 is second in the streak business with 17 straight years of having a team in the field of eight. Tomorrow's Vanderbilt-Stanford game three could decide which streak ends this year, depending on how the Louisiana-Ole Miss series ends up of course.
- Louisville is now 39-0 when scoring five runs or more, the best record in the country.
- Texas is now 8-1 in Super Regional games, the best such record in the country. Secondly, is North Carolina who has a 6-1 mark in Super Regional games.
- Virginia gave up five runs today in the loss to Maryland, after having given up only three runs all weekend in the Regional round.
- With his eight strikeouts in tonight's win over Oklahoma State, UC Irvine's Andrew Morales moved into a tie with Middle Tennessee's Zac Curtis for the most strikeouts this season with 136. LSU's Aaron Nola is next with 134 Ks and Maryland's Jake Stinnett is fourth with 130 K's, although he only picked up two more punchouts in today's win over UVa.
Okay StitchHeads, time to put head to pillow. Hope you dig my stuff.
G'night.
CBT: Three In, Five To Go.
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