Fantastic CWS game

[MJ4H]

This is the a very good game. Arizona State took a 5-3 lead into the top of the 9th. Nebraska scored a run, then hit a three-run homer and took a 7-5 lead into the bottom of the 9th. Arizona State then got 1st and 3rd nobody out, hits a blooper into mid-shallow center, the centerfielder catches it at his ankles on a dead run, and doubles up the guy on first. The guy on third scores, but there is controversy about whether or not he tagged appropriately. They score the run, but there are 2 out. Then the guy for ASU that has already hit two solo homers in the game comes up to bat and tears into the first pitch, hitting it just over the center-field wall. Crazy game. Then a routine grounder to the second baseman to end the inning, but he throws it into the dirt, and the runner gets caught in a run down between first and second and they get him to end the inning. Now into the 10th. Watch if you are around, it may get crazier.

[sterlingice]

Since you beat me to the thread, I'll just post mine here (and delete my thread)

Ok, so this has to be the craziest turn of events I've ever seen in baseball.

Game between ASU and Nebraska is tied at 3 in the 7th. Apparently an error allows 2 runs in to make it 5-3 ASU. In the 9th, Nebraska gets an RBI single by (future Royal) Alex Gordon to make it 5-4. Another batter gets on and this is the point where they're talking about it on the radio so I turn the game on. Immediately, I see people cheering as a player for Nebraska hits a 3 run homer to turn the game from a 5-4 defecit to a 7-5 lead.

So, then we go to the bottom of the 9th. Grounder eats up a guy at 2nd so the leadoff runner is on. HE STEALS SECOND, DOWN BY TWO. Then an infield single puts runners at 1st and 3rd with nobody out. Shallow fly to center, centerfielder makes a great diving catch. The runner at third tags easily to make it 7-6. However, the runner at 1st was all the way to second. He gets doubled off so it goes from runner at 1st and 1 out to nobody on and 2 out, ASU still down by 1. The emotional pendulum for these teams must be going insane. And when they probably can't take any more of it: next hitter, gone, tie game 7-7. The next hitter grounds one to second- he's pretty much mentally fractured at this point after his error has allowed the game to be tied and he completely botches an easy throw to first. Runner starts to second- oops, the catcher was backing the play up perfectly- runner gets hung out between 1st and 2nd and gets nailed to end the inning and send them to extras.

SI

[Franklinnoble]

Go Sun Devils!

[valhalla]

WOW, this is the first college baseball game i have ever watched (wanted to see this Gordon guy and nothing else was on)... Its probably one of the most exciting baseball games i have ever seen.. Only game i can remember that was just as good was the 95 mariners beating the yankees in division series.. (im a huge mariners fan)

How about that guy from arizona with 3hrs in one game!

I will definatly have to start following college baseball more.

[MJ4H]

Great game. ASU wins in the bottom of the 11th, 8-7.

[Glengoyne]

Originally Posted by valhalla

WOW, this is the first college baseball game i have ever watched (wanted to see this Gordon guy and nothing else was on)... Its probably one of the most exciting baseball games i have ever seen.. Only game i can remember that was just as good was the 95 mariners beating the yankees in division series.. (im a huge mariners fan)

How about that guy from arizona with 3hrs in one game!

I will definatly have to start following college baseball more.

College baseball is a lot of fun. I remember back in the 80s when Fresno had one of the best complexes and teams in the country. We used to host NCAA regionals almost every year. Those were some great weeks of baseball. My friends and I still talk about the 500 and 600 foot homeruns we saw, the great defensive plays made, and even a unit of measure we dubbed, as in "That guy was out by a Vondran". Vondran being the name of Fresno States catcher who was thrown out at home trying to score from second on a ball that hit the wall in the left field corner.

[Balldog]

This was the first time that I have yelled "OOOOOOOOOOOH!" during a game in which I wasn't playing or coaching.

Unbelievable game, it better get some play on ESPN Classic.

[kingfc22]

Wow, the finish to the Baylor/Tulane game was great as well.

[LoneStarGirl]

Who won that game kingfc? I'm a huge Big12 fan.

[kingfc22]

Baylor was down 7-0 and came back to win in the late innings. Including 3 runs in the bottom of the 9th.

[LloydLungs]

Two great games today. I can't stand Tulane so thanks very much, Baylor!! I really enjoy college baseball, but I'm in a total hotbed of the sport in Louisiana. It's always a culture clash to get on a national (and international) message board like this and find NOBODY talking about it ever, because locally it's covered more than college basketball is. The state's had three CWS teams over the last five years (Tulane, LSU, UL Lafayette) with LSU being one of the all-time powerhouses, plus my UNO Privateers were the first Louisiana team to make it to Omaha in 1984.

It's pretty entertaining. I have a problem with the aluminum bats, and there was a time in the mid-90s when the sport was really becoming a farce with the 21-14 games, but the bats have changed since then and it's usually a lot more reasonable now. Nobody's scored over 8 runs in a game so far in this CWS.

[Pumpy Tudors]

My wife made me like Tulane, even though I'm a UNO alumnus. It was quite a way for them to lose the game. Nobody down here seems to remember (or care) that UNO was the first Louisiana team to get to Omaha. I wish the Privateers could just rebuild their program from the ground up and maybe become competitive again.

[Glengoyne]

Originally Posted by LloydLungs

...
It's pretty entertaining. I have a problem with the aluminum bats, and there was a time in the mid-90s when the sport was really becoming a farce with the 21-14 games, but the bats have changed since then and it's usually a lot more reasonable now. Nobody's scored over 8 runs in a game so far in this CWS.

I had forgotten about the bat change. I seem to remember the change, but not the specifics. How big of an impact has it had? I guess pretty big, since CWS games used to routinely run into double digits.

[LloydLungs]

Originally Posted by Pumpy Tudors

I wish the Privateers could just rebuild their program from the ground up and maybe become competitive again.

I think that's going to happen. They got a coach that built freakin' George Washington into a perennial A-10 power and NCAA regional team (they even came down here and beat Tulane in 2002). He should be able to do some serious damage at UNO where he has a lot more resources than at GW, where nobody knows college baseball exists.

Originally Posted by Glengoyne

I had forgotten about the bat change. I seem to remember the change, but not the specifics. How big of an impact has it had? I guess pretty big, since CWS games used to routinely run into double digits.

It's definitely had an impact, plus the nationwide pitching renaissance we're seeing in baseball has had an impact on the college ranks as well. You'll still see too many cheap base hits for my taste, but it's still entertaining, and like I said, as a Louisiana resident it's pretty much a requirement that I follow it. It's crazy down here.