Gamecocks Take Home Final Title at Rosenblatt

South Carolina star junior Whit Merrifield drove this Dan Klein fastball--the final pitch at

Rosenblatt Stadium--into right field to give the Gamecocks their first ever national title.

The 2010 College World Series had its ups (spectacular web gems, great pitching performances, and extra-inning nail-biters) and its downs (weather, long games, and disappointing crowds). But the CWS ended on a fitting note last night as South Carolina topped UCLA in a riveting, hard-fought final game. Whit Merrifield's one-out single in the 11th off Bruins closer Dan Klein brought home the winning run and was the first walk-off hit to win the CWS in a decade. The Gamecocks certainly earned the title, as they won six consecutive games in Omaha after losing their opener to Oklahoma. SC's Jackie Bradley Jr., a sophomore outfielder, received the tournament's Most Outstanding Player award, although RHP Blake Cooper (a senior who did his best Jonah Nickerson impression and threw two straight games on three days' rest) also had a case.

Even if he thought teammate Blake Cooper was more deserving, Jackie

Bradley Jr. wasn't going to complain about more Erin Andrews time.

South Carolina is traditionally known as a team of mashers, but this club was built primarily on its pitching and defense. The 'Cocks didn't have a Justin Smoak or Phil Disher to rely on, but they had a strong 1-2 punch in the rotation and one of the best bullpens in the country. South Carolina and Florida were the class of the SEC pretty much all season long. While the young Gators stumbled in Omaha--as the Gamecocks did in the (decidedly less important) conference tournament--Carolina was able to pick up the second consecutive NCAA championship for the SEC. I still believe Texas, Virginia, etc. were even better, but kudos to the Gamecocks for an amazing postseason run and for beating a terrific UCLA team. I'm excited to see what JBJ, closer Matt Price, 1B Christian Walker and Co. have in store for an encore.

A couple of final screenshots and thoughts from the last College World Series at Rosenblatt Stadium:

Yes, even the big guys like Gerrit Cole and Matt Purke

take it hard when their team is eliminated.

Trevor Bauer is the most exciting player to watch in the nation. Knowing he enrolled at UCLA a semester early, is a long-toss freak, pitches like Tim Lincecum, and is one of the most dominant pitchers in the country, I've liked Bauer for a while. I didn't realize the extent of his quirkiness, however, until watching him in person and on TV in the CWS. Bauer has an insane conditioning and throwing routine. It was a treat to watch him do his crazy gyrations and exercises, then go out and put on a clinic on the mound. If UCLA got to Game 3 and won, Bauer likely would have gotten the CWS MOP, as his first two starts were masterful. The nation's leader in strikeouts, Bauer throws in the low-90s, has an extremely deep repertoire of offspeed pitches, and could be a 1st-round pick next year. Do yourself a favor: set aside an hour and search 'Trevor Bauer' on Google and YouTube.

Trevor Bauer mockingly gave the TCU symbol after he

decimated the Horned Frogs' lineup with 13 Ks in 8 IP.

Trevor Bauer didn't seem to be fazed by the loss. He even

asked to touch SC's trophy during postgame handshakes.

It was great to have some fresh blood at the CWS, with TCU a first-time participant and South Carolina a first-time winner.

ESPN still has work to do with its broadcasts. It is blatantly obvious that Mike Patrick, Orel Hershiser, et al. don't follow the college game until they cover the postseason. They are not familiar with the teams or players. On the other hand, Baseball America continues to do a fantastic job of covering the event and college baseball all season long.

The lights at Rosenblatt Stadium are finally off for good.

With summer leagues in full swing, the signing deadline for draftees on August 16, and next season less than 8 months away, it's time to look forward to 2011. I already can't wait.

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

It has been a woefully long time since I last posted, but I have caught my breath and am back to provide sweet baseball content all summer.

With all due respect to Andy Williams, the best time of the year occurs not in December, but June. School is out, the sun is shining, the MLB Draft was last week, and (most importantly) the NCAA playoffs are in full swing. Over the weekend, eight teams clinched a berth to the College World Series, which kicks off Saturday.

Bracket 1

TCU

Florida State

UCLA

Florida

Bracket 2

South Carolina

Oklahoma

Arizona State

Clemson

There has been little consensus this season in college baseball. Virginia and Texas were seen as two possible favorites, but both of those heavyweights were toppled in the Super Regional round. Most were also surprised to see Coastal Carolina, Louisville, and Cal State Fullerton go down. Each of the teams remaining has its weaknesses, and we could be in for a wild tournament. This is also the last year for Rosenblatt Stadium, the host of the CWS since 1950.

It is tough to know what to expect in the College World Series. Nearly anything can happen in the postseason, especially in the volatile hands of metal bats and the environment of the college game. Nonetheless, I will offer some fearless predictions:

Final

Arizona State over Florida in 3 games

The Sun Devils (52-8) have had an incredible season, but they are not perfect. Starting pitchers Seth Blair, Merrill Kelly, and Jake Borup typically keep their team in the game, but none posted a FIP below 4.40 this season. I could certainly see a situation in which opposing clubs batter the ASU starters in Omaha. The Devils also have only one player with more than 10 home runs this season. With that said, ASU is ridiculously deep and talented and I loved what I saw from them in March. The Sun Devils hit .338/.436/.539 with 314 walks as a team. From Riccio Torrez to Johnny Ruettiger to Kole Calhoun to Zach Wilson to Drew Maggi to Zack MacPhee (all of whom wield a .400+ wOBA), their offense has droves of patient hitters with dangerous sticks. The Sun Devils are relentless and rarely have problems putting runs up. They also have four shut-down relievers (Jordan Swagerty, Mitchell Lambson, Jake Barrett, and Brady Rodgers) and their defensive unit is very athletic and versatile.

If ASU's starting pitchers falter, they could be knocked out quickly. With their talented roster and experience from last season's Omaha trip, however, I'll give the Devils the slight edge in this field. Florida (47-15) has a spectacular team and lost just one (!) weekend series all season. Preston Tucker, Matt den Dekker, Austin Maddox, et al. are dynamite position players, while studs such as Alex Panteliodis, Hudson Randall, and Kevin Chapman give UF a formidable arms corps. For now, I'll wait until 2011 to label them as my championship pick.

Darkhorse

TCU

The Horned Frogs (51-12) have played incredible baseball all season long. Series wins at Cal State Fullerton and Texas highlight their resume. TCU is also one of the more complete teams in the field of eight, with talented hitters, pitchers, defenders, and bullpen options. Although they are making their first trek to the CWS, the Horned Frogs have absolutely no underdog status. Don't be shocked if Freshman of the Year candidate Matt Purke has a coming-out party in Omaha (see below), the crowd rallies behind the Omaha newcomers, and TCU's wealth of talented players (including Kyle Winkler, Bryan Holaday, Matt Curry, Jason Coats, and Taylor Featherston) carries the Frogs deep into the tourney.

Breakout Stars

Omaha is a perfect time for young players to have a coming-out party on the national stage. Hardcore college baseball fans may already know them as household names, but there will inevitably be some players (think UVa.'s Keith Werman last year and Fresno State's Danny Muno in 2008) who star at the CWS and raise their fame. After all, there will be many more mainstream fans watching on ESPN in June than there are devouring box scores in February. Here are a few freshman who could potentially burst onto the national scene with good showings at The Blatt.

Matt Purke, TCU

Not too often does a 1st-round pick turn down pro ball and make his way to college. Almost never, in fact. Purke did just that, though, and he hasn't disappointed in his initial campaign in Fort Worth. The electric 6'4 lefty posted a 2.19 FIP while punching out 133 and walking 28 in 103 IP, positioning himself to be a top-5 pick for next year. I could easily see Purke shutting down FSU in Game 1. Though he is one of the most dominant hurlers in the nation, he looks goofy on the mound, rocking goggles and a crooked, flat-brimmed hat. That could make Purke a fan favorite.

Deven Marrero, ASU

An unsigned 2009 17th-rounder out of American Heritage High in Florida, Marrero showed up in Tempe with high expectations. The exciting young shortstop has exceeded them, having won a starting job for the Sun Devils. Marrero is hitting .392/.439/.628 on the year.

Nolan Fontana, Florida

Fontana is about as polished as they come. The frosh shortstop has committed just three errors all season, and he's maintained a 49-28 BB-K ratio as the Gators' leadoff batter. His steady play should get noticed in Omaha.

Jackie Bradley, Jr., South Carolina

Okay, Bradley isn't a freshman. Still, the Gamecocks did not reach the CWS last year, and most fans do not know the sophomore star. Bradley is hitting .371/.477/.587 with a 38-31 BB-K ratio and 11 home runs. The 5'10 outfielder could make his name known with a big tournament.

Jeff Gelalich and Beau Amaral, UCLA

UCLA has a pair of dynamic starting freshman outfielders in Gelalich and Amaral. Both have speed and promising lefty swings. They are my picks to click, and will play important roles for the Bruins in Omaha.

LSU Wins the National Championship

The LSU Tigers outlasted Texas tonight, beating the Longhorns 11-4 to bring another national title to Baton Rouge. This is the 6th championship in the program's history, the first since 2000, and the 1st career title for coach Paul Mainieri. The Tigers (56-17) lost just once in the season's final month.

The game was actually much closer than the final score indicates. LSU got up early on a 3-run homer off the bat of CWS Most Outstanding Player Jared Mitchell, and they had that advantage for a couple of innings. That's when starter Anthony Ranaudo got very shaky in the middle of the game. He walked 4 in the 3rd inning and surrendered a 2-run home run to Texas OF Kevin Keyes in the 5th. Ranaudo had an elevated pitch count, UT starter Cole Green had already been lifted, and it looked like anybody's game.

The turning point came in the 6th. LSU OF Mikie Mahtook lined a 2-strike pitch from Brandon Workman into center for a double, driving in Mitchell. The Tigers tacked on more with an error, sac fly, 2 HBPs, and a 2-run single from Sean Oc

hinko. (All year long I was on the Ochinko bandwagon, and he definitely came through tonight; 4-for-5 with a HR and 3 RBI.)

LHP Chad Jones, the football safety/outfielder continued to emerge in a setup role. He recorded 5 outs of relief (and 2 strikeouts) with a fastball for strikes up to 92-93 mph and a pretty nice breaking ball. Fittingly, though, Mainieri put Louis Coleman on the mound for the last two innings. Coleman is probably the team MVP. He's a senior who came back to school specifically to get another chance to win a national championship, he was the SEC Pitcher of the Year, and he was extremely consistent and reliable all year long. The 6-4 righty got Texas OF Connor Rowe to wave at a slider for the final out of the game, and set off a wild celebration for the Purple and Gold and their thousands of rabid fans. It was a great end to a great CWS and a great season. Here's the box score from the game, which, unfortunately, will be the last for awhile.

College-wise, we've got the Cape Cod League and recruiting/draft signing to look forward to. Other than that, I'll just start counting down the days till the next season.

*Photo courtesy of www.espn.go.com

Jungmann Deals To Help Texas Tie It Up

LSU was one win away from a national title entering tonight's game against Texas. They are in the exact same spot now, as UT freshman Taylor Jungmann threw a masterful complete game to beat the Tigers 5-1. That sets up a decisive, winner-take-all game tomorrow night.

Jungmann, a 6-6 righty, was in control from the beginning, striking out two batters in a perfect first inning. He struck out 9 and allowed only 5 hits the whole way. Jungmann's 4-seamer ranged from 92-95 mph, and his 2-seamer got groundouts in the 87-89 range. He spotted his curve and change at will, and left the Tigers' vaunted bats hopeless all night. The only run came directly from an error in the field, but Jungmann shook it off and whiffed the next hitter. It was simply a dominating performance, especially for a freshman, and the 'Horns will now have a rested staff for tomorrow. Offensively, Russell Moldenhauer and Preston Clark were the stars, as they each pulled homers.

Moldenhauer's shot was his 4th of the year. Amazingly, all have come in Omaha. Clark's homer was his 3rd, and his 2nd in Omaha. The cozy dimensions at Rosenblatt are a stark contrast to Disch-Falk Field in Austin, and the Longhorns are showing that with their recent power surge.

LSU, on the other hand, was in a hole from the beginning of the game. Their #3 starter Austin Ross, a pretty good but inconsistent righthander, got the start while ace Anthony Ranaudo watched from the dugout. Ranaudo will pitch on 4 days' rest tomorrow. Ross was roughed up a bit, and so was LHP Ryan Byrd. I predicted LSU to win the series, but I definitely liked the Longhorns' chances tonight. They are swinging extremely hot bats, and their pitching was in a much more favorable situation coming into the game. Now it all comes down to Game 3. Buckle up, tomorrow's going to be an exciting night.

Tigers Take Back-and-Forth Game 1

Just when you thought the College World Series couldn't get any better, it did. Last night's LSU-Texas tilt, the opener of the championship series was a classic. The Tigers prevailed 7-6 in extra innings.

Ryan Schimpf got it started early for LSU, crushing a homer as the game's second batter. (The junior is only about 5-9, but he packs a ton of punch, and he's a good 5th-round pick for the Blue Jays.) Texas took Louis Coleman deep three times in the 4th inning, though, to dramatically shift the momentum. Travis Tucker, Russell Moldenhauer, and Kevin Keyes all hit solo shots. UT starter Chance Ruffin was on his game, fanning 10 and leaving with a 3-1 lead with 2 outs in the 6th.

Augie Garrido's choice to bring in LHP Austin Wood at that point, however, backfired. The Tigers brought Jared Mitchell, a lefty-swinger with a much lower average versus same-siders, to the plate with runners at the corners. Mitchell stayed on an outside offering beautifully and laced it into the left-center gap for a 2-run triple.

The teams kept trading homers until it was 6-4 Texas heading into the 9th. LSU got a couple of baserunners off Longhorn RHP Austin Dicharry, but Texas still seemed to be in control with 2 outs. At that point, LSU turned to D.J. LeMahieu, and he came up clutch, turning on a Dicharry changeup to deliver a game-tying double. (LeMahieu had a great day overall, going 2-for-4 with a homer and a stolen base.)

In the 11th freshman Mikie Mahtook lined a go-ahead RBI single to center off Texas reliever Brandon Workman. Mahtook was battling cramps and struggling to catch up to Workman's mid-90s heat, but he stayed back on a curve to get the big base-hit. LSU freshman closer Matty Ott worked 3 scoreless, hitless innings of relief to pick up the win. Texas hit 5 homers in the game, but they were all of the solo variety, ensuring that the Longhorns came up just short. They'll go with Taylor Jungmann tomorrow with their season on the line. LSU, which is resilient and seemingly unbeatable right now, will play for a national championship. Now this is Omaha.

Mikie Mahtook shook off 3 Ks to come up clutch late in the game tonight

*Photo courtesy of www.lsusports.net

Traditional Powers Ride Into CWS Finals

This year's College World Series Championship Series will pit two of the sport's heavyweights. LSU, unbeaten since the SEC Tournament, will face Texas, which has won 6 national titles all-time, one more than the Tigers.

LSU convincingly swept through its half of the bracket, going 3-0 against Arkansas and Virginia. The Tigers are clicking offensively, conjuring up Gorilla Ball memories from the '90s, and OFs Ryan Schimpf, Mikie Mahtook, and Jared Mitchell are all on a tear. The Tigers are performing strongly as a defensive unit as well, having played error-free baseball so far in Omaha. Making LSU even more dangerous, its pitching staff is lined up perfectly for the upcoming best-of-3 series. Ace Anthony Ranaudo bounced back from a rough intro to Omaha by stymying Arkansas yesterday, and the sophomore righty will be ready for either Game 2 or 3. Louis Coleman, who has been money down the stretch, just like he has been all year, is rested and ready for the opener. You can count on him getting the Tigers off on the right foot. Matty Ott, Austin Ross, Chad Jones, Paul Bertuccini, Nolan Cain, Daniel Bradshaw, Buzzy Haydel, Ben Alsup, Chris Matulis, and Ryan Byrd give the LSU staff surprising depth; the Bayou Bengals are really steady in all facets of the game. They are playing with extreme confidence, and if nothing goes awry, my national champion pick from Selection Monday will come true.

Texas, however, is also playing well. (What title contender isn't?) The Longhorns have found their power strokes in Omaha, especially in a thriller versus ASU last night. Trailing by a run with 1 out and nobody on in the 9th against Sun Devil closer Mitchell Lambson, the 'Horns bashed two solo homers to come out victorious. C Cameron Rupp bombed one over the batter's eye in center to tie it, and OF Connor Rowe walked off with a blast to left. Texas won't be a pushover. That offense is suddenly a factor to go along with their amazing pitching and defense. Look for Chance Ruffin, Taylor Jungmann, and Cole Green to get the ball in the championship series. Expect a healthy dose of Austin Wood and Austin Dicharry out of the bullpen, of course.

It will be fascinating to see the two superpowers duke it out for national supremacy in this year's finals, which begin Monday night. While underdogs are awesome to watch, the favorites prevailing restores your faith in normalcy and actually makes predictions look good. I can't wait for the games to begin, as it should be a classic, action-packed matchup. I'm picking (and rooting for) LSU.

LSU's defenders have been flying all over the place to make the plays this week

*Photo courtesy of www.mlb.com

ASU, Arkansas Stave Off Elimination

ASU and Arkansas will both live to play another day. The Sun Devils just got done taking care of North Carolina, while the Razorbacks outlasted Virginia last night in the most riveting game of the CWS so far.

Arkansas freshman lefty Drew Smyly got the ball last night against a fellow southpaw, freshman sensation Danny Hultzen. Hultzen turned in a gem (6.1 IP, 0 ER, 0 BB, 7 K) to solidify a spot on the Frosh All-American Team. 1B John Hicks and OF Dan Grovatt both went deep, and the Cavaliers held a 3-1 lead in the 9th. RHP Kevin Arico, usually a reliable closer, had the Hogs down to their last strike with nobody on base. 3B Zack Cox singled up the middle to keep it alive, and then CF Brett Eibner launched an absolute moonshot to left. Eibner was hitting .220, but it was definitely not a soft .220. The sophomore has incredible tools, and the homer was his 11th.

The Cavaliers still had plenty of chances to redeem themselves. They had the bases loaded with 1 out in the bottom of the 9th, but Hultzen grounded into a 6-4-3 double play. (To be fair, he did hit the ball sharply.) In the 10th, Virginia runners got to 2nd and 3rd with 1 out. Jarrett Parker and Hicks both struck out to end that rally. The Cavs also loaded the bases in the 11th and got a leadoff double in the 12th to no avail. Credit LHP Dallas Keuchel, the Razorbacks' ace, for getting through 4 pressure-packed innings performing numerous escape jobs. OF Andrew Darr hit a go-ahead double in the top of the 12th to join Eibner as an offensive hero. Last night's game was definitely Virginia's to lose, and, boy, did they ever lose it.

Tonight's ASU/UNC rematch was really a tale of two games. Carolina led 4-0 in the middle of the 5th inning. Sun Devil OF Kole Calhoun (a breakout star of this year's CWS) blasted a game-tying grand slam to tie it in the 5th, then ASU poured on 8 more in a crazy 7th inning to run away with the "W". Josh Spence (7 IP, 3 ER) was spectacular on short rest. Calhoun, 2B Zack MacPhee, C Carlos Ramirez, and OF Jason Kipnis all had good offensive games, but UNC's normally-stellar pitching was the real culprit. Matt Harvey walked 5 and gave up 3 runs in an abbreviated start; Colin Bates, Patrick Johnson, and Nate Striz all gave up multiple runs; and Brian Moran surrendered the grand slam. It has to be incredibly disappointing for UNC to get knocked out again after being so close. The Tar Heels made it to Omaha 4 years in a row (with college baseball's best hitter and an All-American pitcher for the last 3 of those), but they still haven't captured the national championship. That just goes to show how elusive the title is.

ASU's Seth Blair and Mike Leake will be counted on to beat Texas the next two days. Meanwhile, Arkansas will be a longshot against LSU, which hasn't lost since May 20 in the opener of the SEC Tournament. The Razorbacks have burned their 3 weekend starters, plus T.J. Forrest and Mike Bolsinger in the bullpen. Dave Van Horn will have to cobble together some pitching if his team wants to have a prayer against a rested Tigers team.

Brett Eibner was super-pumped after his 9th-inning bomb knotted the score at 3

*Photo courtesy of collegebaseballtoday.com

Catching Up With the CWS

I'm a little behind with recaps of all of the College World Series action. Here is what has happened so far:

Bracket 1

Texas- 2-0

North Carolina- 1-1

Arizona State- 1-1

Southern Miss- 0-2 (eliminated)

Texas has eked out a couple of wins. First, they toppled Southern Miss with a bases-loaded walk. Then, they overcame a 6-0 deficit against the nation's #2 ERA man to beat ASU 10-6. Cameron Rupp hit a pair of oppo homers and freshman Taylor Jungmann was tremendous in relief of starter Chance Ruffin, who was hit hard, to carry the Longhorns. UNC squandered an outstanding effort by Alex White (9 IP, 1 R, 12 K) with an extra-innings loss at the hands of ASU. They came back with a CWS record-tying 23 hits, including 5 from All-American 1B Dustin Ackley, to bounce Southern Miss. The Tar Heels have Matt Harvey, Patrick Johnson, and White lined up for a potential climb out of the loser's bracket. ASU's pitching situation is much more dicey, so they'll be a longshot from here on out. Texas has two chances to beat the winner of the ASU/UNC clash, and electric righty Brandon Workman will probably get the ball first.

Bracket 2

LSU- 2-0

Virginia- 1-1

Arkansas- 1-1

Cal State Fullerton- 0-2 (eliminated)

Cal State Fullerton, perhaps the slight favorite entering the CWS, played as poorly in two losing efforts this week as they played well in convincing runs through regionals and super regionals. RHPs Noe Ramirez and Daniel Renken were simply not themselves, and the rest of the team did not play "Titan Baseball". LSU has handled their foes with some old-style LSU Gorilla Ball and a solid start from Louis Coleman to take a commanding position in this bracket. It'll be tough for either Virginia (who knocked out CSF after losing to LSU) or Arkansas (who homered and Dallas Keuchel-ed their way to a win over Fullerton and then got trounced by LSU) to win 2 games against the Tigers with the way they are playing. The Bayou Bengals are clicking on offense, defense, and on the mound.

Change of Plans Can't Spoil Great Day of Baseball

The scene during the nightcap

My baseball games originally slated for Friday were postponed until Saturday because of torrential downpours, so the annual College World Series trip had to be moved back until today. No worries. Saturday's matchups were slightly better, but today also had 2 good games, especially a dandy in the afternoon.

First, Arizona State took on North Carolina. The Tar Heels are making an unprecedented 4th consecutive appearance in Omaha. ASU RHP Mike Leake, my favorite player, didn't start because of UNC's tendency to struggle against good lefties. The Sun Devils' #2 starter, Josh Spence, fits that description better than anyone in college baseball. Spence (the Angels' 3rd-rounder this year) came through with a 7-inning, 1-run performance, keeping UNC off balance with his usual array of crazy breaking pitches, deception, and command.

North Carolina ace RHP Alex White (the 15th overall selection last week) was even better, duplicating his dominating showing in the CWS last year. White gave the Devils a steady diet of 93-94 mph fastballs, darting sliders, and diving splitters to go 9 innings and allow just 1 run. He looked to be in complete control just about all game, and he fanned 12. White didn't have an overwhelming junior year, but he traditionally is a big-game pitcher (and he also tends to hit his stride late in the year). He certainly showed that today.

So after those two hurlers stole the show, the game went in to extras with the score at 1-1. Carolina RF Garrett Gore dropped a crucial fly ball in the 10th, and ASU capitalized. C Carlos Ramirez followed with an RBI single, and OF Kole Calhoun drilled a 3-run homer to left. Arizona State's closer, frosh lefty Mitchell Lambson, got the win with 3 outstanding innings of relief.

Here's the view from the bleachers

UNC has the pitching and veteran experience to go a long way in Omaha. Losing the opener in spite of a brilliant performance from its ace definitely is a blow to its chances. ASU, meanwhile, is in fantastic shape. Leake should be rested and ready to take on an anemic Texas offense on Tuesday. The Sun Devils are also full of fresh faces, and getting a win in the first game should get them to relax and get some confidence.

The nightcap pitted two much-less-exciting teams in Texas and Southern Miss. A standing-room-only crowd also meant I didn't have a good view until things settled down in about the 5th inning. That's okay too, though, because the main action was in the later innings.

Yeah, good seats are pretty hard to find for the evening games

Here's a much better view from the rightfield walkway, where I saw the last few innings

Texas was clinging to a 4-2 lead heading into the top of the 8th. (Starting pitcher Cole Green was excellent.) The Golden Eagles (and their fans) came alive in that frame, though, and USM scored 3 to go up 5-4.

The scoreboard says it all: Southern Miss just doesn't give up

Texas came back with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the 8th. USM pushed across another in the 9th, but then completely blew it. The game was decided by a play much more anticlimactic than the rest of the back-and-forth affair: a bases-loaded walk. Southern Miss showcased its sub-par relief corps in crunch time, as a HBP and 3 free passes constituted UT's "rally" for the victory. Collin Cargill, Josh Fields, and Jonathan Johnston all issued crucial free passes in the late innings. The Longhorns now move on to face ASU. The Golden Eagles will try to keep their Cinderella story alive in an elimination game against UNC. And I will anxiously look forward to returning to Omaha for the last year of the CWS at Rosenblatt Stadium in 2010.

Southern Miss shows its great fan support after a big run crosses the plate

I'm Omaha-Bound!

The College World Series starts this weekend, and I'm very happy to say that I will be at the 2 games on Saturday. Arkansas faces heavily-favored Cal State Fullerton in the first game, and Virginia takes on LSU in the nightcap.

I'm sure LHP Dallas Keuchel will start for the Razorbacks, but Fullerton made a surprising announcement that freshman RHP Noe Ramirez will get the ball in Game 1. I actually kind of like this move. Ramirez is normally the Titans' #2 man, but they are playing to win it all, so they'll save ace righty Daniel Renken, a sophomore, for a heavier-hitting lineup. Ramirez has been brilliant over the last two months anyway, so I don't foresee this strategy backfiring. The big story for Fullerton will be whether or not they can keep their run-and-gun offense clicking like it has been recently.

Virginia-LSU might be an even more exciting matchup. LSU was my pick to win it all at the outset of the tournament (one of many worthy candidates), while Virginia has stunned the college baseball world by knocking off teams like UC Irvine, San Diego State, and Ole Miss to reach Omaha. The Cavaliers are extremely talented, but many of their stars are freshmen or sophomores, so their success is a bit ahead of schedule. Look for UVa. to go with dynamic Fr. LHP Danny Hultzen in Game 1. The Tigers could start either Anthony Ranaudo or Louis Coleman. It should be a pair of great games; I can't wait!

*Photo courtesy of www.dawgsports.com