The 2009 College Baseball Season

[Izulde]

What's the rest of the home schedule look like?

[JonInMiddleGA]

#8 Georgia Tech wins a rain-delayed Friday game on Saturday afternoon with three hits in the bottom of the ninth to prevail 8-7 but then blows a big lead in the nightcap as #11 Virginia scores 6 times in the top of 9th of win 11-10.

[cartman]

Texas got a huge three game sweep of Oklahoma over the weekend. This puts them in the driver's seat for the Big 12.

[JonInMiddleGA]

#10 Ga Tech sweeps Wake Forest on the road, completes a perfect week that started with wins over UGA & Georgia State. The wins keep GT one game ahead of UNC in the Coastal Division, 1.5 ahead of FSU in the conference overall.

#1 Georgia takes two of three from visiting Arkansas, Razorbacks avoid the sweep with a one-hitter, winning Sunday's game 2-0. First time UGA has been shut out since April 2007, first one-hitter against them since GT did it in April 1994.

[MJ4H]

The first two games of the Arkansas-Georgia series that Georgia won were almost identical. Arkansas scored to take the lead, Georgia came back and took the lead, Arkansas scored a single run to tie it, and in the bottom of the 9th in both games, Georgia scored a run to win 4-3. Really bizarre. The 3rd game was a fantastic pitching performance from Brett Eibner who was making his first weekend start of the year. He is also breaking out of a hitting slump in a major way, lately, becoming a force at the plate.

Encouraging to see that pitching performance as our other weekend starters aside from Dallas Keuchel have started struggling the last few weeks, suddenly.

[SnDvls]

The season will be a week longer on the front end starting next season. Sucks for the "Northern" schools, but will be better for the "Southern" schools for travel situations midweek.

[Thomkal]

Coastal Carolina has had its ups and downs this season, a winning streak of a few games, then a losing streak of a few games. More importantly they are losing more to Big South Conference teams, leaving them in third place coming into this weekend series against front runner Liberty. Coastal is coming off a win against Wake Forest that broke a losing streak, but it didn't look like the streak was going to go past one after they were down by five runs early. But they rallied back and the bullpen put in a strong effort, leading to a 13-7 win for Coastal in game one of the series. Better yet, the game was nationally televised on ESPN U.

[MJ4H]

Well I guess I can update on Arkansas. Had a good week, taking 2 of 3 from Tennessee (should've swept but Saturday was like a freak show of bad fortune and wound up losing by a run in the bottom of the 9th on a throwing error) and winning in dramatic fashion over Oklahoma at home on Tuesday.

This weekend's series is with LSU is obviously huge, and very unlikely to happen. Might get 2 games in tomorrow, but it is supposed to rain constantly for like, well forever is the best I can make out of the forecasts. Haven't thrown a pitch yet this weekend. Supposed to meet again to discuss possibilities at 3pm today.

[Tigercat]

At first I was disappointed that I wouldn't be able to make it up for a game or two, now it looks like I may not have been able to see a game friday or today anyway.

Hasn't Arkansas already lost one SEC game completely this year due to weather?

[MJ4H]

Looks like they are going to try to play 2 tonight starting at 5pm. I'm going to throw my kid at my mom and see if we can get there and get 2 games for the price of 1. Weather looks okayish for the remainder of the evening.

[StLee]

So far so good for the Tigers. Hitting it hard today with their best pitcher on the mound, the same who struck out 16 in 8 innings last week. LSU up 3-1 in the 4th.

[StLee]

Apparently I typed too soon. Ranaudo is struggling this inning, walking two batters and giving up two doubles.

[StLee]

Arkansas up 5-3 after 4 innings.

[MJ4H]

Arkansas won the first game 11-4 and lost the second game 5-0. Whoever the pitcher was in the second game (Coleman) threw a masterpiece. Razorback hitters never got a clue.

[JonInMiddleGA]

#7 Georgia drops a pair to Florida at home, 7-6 and 10-9. That knocks them out of both first place in the SEC and first place in their division.

#10 Georgia Tech beats Presbyterian 9-8 in a non-conference weekend series (they're coming off exam week) although it took 10 innings to do it.

[Thomkal]

Coastal had a nice pitching performance by Nick McCully who lasted into the 9th innning before being replaced as they won the second game of the series against Liberty 4-1

[Tigercat]

Great series between LSU and Arkansas (LSU takes it 2 games to 1) in spite of the weather. Aside from LSU's pitching in the first game, great pitching all around. Both teams have a decent amount of young players, Arkansas's freshman at catcher has a howitzer for an arm.

As a LSU fan, I continue to be impressed by how good we are in spite of the fact that our hitting has never gotten in sync this year. I said it earlier in this thread, if the hitting ever does wake up to to the talent that is there, this is the best team in college baseball. Hopefully that happens by the time we get to Omaha... If not we may not be consistent enough at the plate to win it all this year.

[cartman]

Texas sweeps Baylor over the weekend, and clinches the Big 12 title. They are also in a great position to get one of the coveted top 8 seeds for the CWS.

[MJ4H]

Originally Posted by Tigercat

Great series between LSU and Arkansas (LSU takes it 2 games to 1) in spite of the weather. Aside from LSU's pitching in the first game, great pitching all around. Both teams have a decent amount of young players, Arkansas's freshman at catcher has a howitzer for an arm.

As a LSU fan, I continue to be impressed by how good we are in spite of the fact that our hitting has never gotten in sync this year. I said it earlier in this thread, if the hitting ever does wake up to to the talent that is there, this is the best team in college baseball. Hopefully that happens by the time we get to Omaha... If not we may not be consistent enough at the plate to win it all this year.

Just got home. I attended all 3 games of the series. Arkansas starting pitching let them down in games 2 and 3. Bullpen didn't allow a run all weekend. Frustrating.

LSU 4, Arkansas 11
LSU 5, Arkansas 0
LSU 4, Arkansas 3

[Tigercat]

Originally Posted by MJ4H

Just got home. I attended all 3 games of the series. Arkansas starting pitching let them down in games 2 and 3. Bullpen didn't allow a run all weekend. Frustrating.

LSU 4, Arkansas 11
LSU 5, Arkansas 0
LSU 4, Arkansas 3

I don't know, I think as talented as LSU hitting is, the starting pitching did a good job. The second game, that is just one of those instances where a great pitcher pitches a gem, nothing any team can do about that.

Today's game, I would say if any part of Arkansas's team came up short it was the hitting. Ross's fastball is pretty flat, that's why his ERA was just barely sub 5 before this game. If you are a good team with clutch hitting playing at home, like Arkansas is, you have to score more than 3 against a pitcher like that. Leaving the bases loaded and getting picked off at second was particularly costly.

[MJ4H]

Agreed. But my point was that the bullpen was better than the starters this in game 2 and 3.

[SnDvls]

ASU lost it's 1st weekend series of the year vs. Oregon St., but they still have a firm grasp on the Pac-10.

[Thomkal]

Coastal swept Liberty to get back in the driver's seat for the conference title.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Friday night sees #8 Georgia Tech pound #6 FSU 12-3, ending the 'Noles 14 game winning streak.

Another streak continues however, as Vandy wallops #13 UGA 10-2, the 7th straight loss for the Dawgs. Vandy pitching held Georgia to just two runs in spite of 9 walks, escaping a pair of bases-loaded one out jams with 3 K's and a ground ball.

[StLee]

#3 LSU beat #14 Florida 10-1, 4-0 to take the series and will have at least a 1.5-game lead going into the last four games of the season. LSU pitching has been outstanding so far this weekend.

[JonInMiddleGA]

GT loses to FSU 8-6, Vandy jumps on UGA early again with 4 in the first en route to a 9-2 win.

[JonInMiddleGA]

After beating GT at Turner Field midweek, Georgia completes their second half collapse by getting swept at South Carolina.

Ranked #1 twice during the season, the Dogs have lost 10 of their last 12 overall and 10 of their last 12 in the conference. They'll be either a 5th or 6th seed in the conference tournament next week while the Gamecocks are the SEC's hottest team with 7 straight wins while LSU and Florida will be the top two seeds.

Meanwhile 7th ranked Georgia Tech drops 2 out of 3 at Duke and looks to have slipped back to a #4 seed in the ACC tournament that starts Wednesday in Durham, NC. FSU, UNC, and Clemson all look to be safely ahead of the Jackets in some order.

[Tigercat]

Ole Miss finished the season pretty hot as well, tying LSU for the SEC regular season championship with a sweep against Arkansas. (Who also tanked to end the season.)

Leon Landry for LSU, a guy who has been benched for most of the season due to early SO problems, had 5 hits today including 3 HRs. If he can provide that second fearsome bat in the lineup besides Dean, he may be the piece LSU needs to achieve up to the scoring potential that has alluded them all season long. If that happens LSU will be very, very tough to beat on the road to the CWS.

With all the parity in the SEC this year the tournament at Hoover should be a good one.

[MJ4H]

Originally Posted by Tigercat

Arkansas. (Who also tanked to end the season.)

Tell me about it. I had to stop watching several games. Ugly, ugly, ugly collapse.

[mauchow]

Bryan Fuller of Campbellsville pitched 21 shutout innings to get to NAIA World Series - ESPN

What an incredible story... I figured this would be worthy of its own thread but I decided not to clutter.

[Thomkal]

Coastal has won the Big South. They only had two series left against weaker conference foes and have won all five with one left to play. They also have the most wins of any NCAA team, which I find hard to believe given their mutliple losing streaks this season. They still may need to win the Big South Conference tournament to get a home regional and even that might not be enough given the number of other teams in the same geographic area that could get a home regional.

[SnDvls]

ASU sweeps Oregon for at worst a share of the Pac-10 title, but with one win vs. UCLA (or a Washington St loss) next weekend will clinch it outright and have their 3rd straight title.

[Poli]

Tennessee's third baseman is off the team after an argument with the manager. The player failed to run out a dropped third strike and instead walked to the dugout. After the argument, the player was told to leave the field and that he'd be taken back to Knoxville.

Not to be outdone, the player arranged for his own flight back instead of waiting for arrangements to be made.

[JonInMiddleGA]

NCAA announces baseball tournament's regional sites - ESPN

The complete pairings for the 2009 field will be announced during Monday's The Road to Omaha selection show (ESPN, 12:30 p.m. ET).

Each regional features four teams playing in a double-elimination format.

The road to Omaha begins with regional play at the following sites/hosts:
• Atlanta/Georgia Tech
• Austin, Texas/Texas
• Baton Rouge, La./LSU
• Chapel Hill, N.C./UNC
• Clemson, S.C./Clemson
• Fort Worth, Texas/TCU
• Fullerton, Calif./Cal State Fullerton
• Gainesville, Fla./Florida
• Greenville, N.C./East Carolina
• Houston/Rice
• Irvine, Calif./UC Irvine
• Louisville, Ky./Louisville
• Norman, Okla./Oklahoma
• Oxford, Miss./Mississippi
• Tallahassee, Fla./Florida State
• Tempe, Ariz./Arizona State

Florida State is hosting a regional for a record 28th time. Arizona State and LSU each are hosting for the 19th time.

The eight super regional hosts will be announced at 11 p.m. ET on June 1.

The College World Series begins June 13 at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, Neb.

[cartman]

Texas beats Mizzou 12-7 to win the Big 12 tourney. The Horns should be a lock to land one of the 8 super regional host spots.

[Thomkal]

Coastal Carolina had to come through the loser's bracket to win the Big South tournament, which probably cost them a regional host spot, but even then it might not have got one given the number of host teams in the Carolinas and the one in Georgia. It'll be interesting to see where they end up. Shame they didn't get to host this time around, they would have played it in the minor league Myrtle Beach Pelicans stadium instead of their homefield, which would have been a great place to play.

[JonInMiddleGA]

6th-seeded Virginia wins it in the ninth, claiming the ACC title over FSU 6-3.
#1 seed LSU beats Vandy 6-2 to claim their second straight SEC title.

[k0ruptr]

LOL Fresno St. the defending champs went from being in last place in the WAC about a month ago to winning the WAC tourney and getting a spot again! watch out people, they're back!

[Thomkal]

well the teams in the regionals have been announced:

2009 NCAA Baseball Bracket - ESPN

Coastal Carolina as expected did not get a #1 seed despite having the most wins of any team. Was hoping for East Carolina's, Clemson, or Georgia Tech's regional, but instead they got sent to North Carolina's regional. Some bad blood there (Coastal's fault) between them from when Coastal got knocked out in the Super Regionals last year in two straight blow out games by Carolina. Coastal did beat Carolina in a one game series in February, but then they had beat Carolina during the regular season last year too.

Feel bad for #1 UC Irvine who gets the defending champ Fresno State, Virginia, and San Diego State with the #1 pitching prospect in the nation in their regional. See some big conference teams got in after playing poorly at the end of the season-Baylor and Oklahoma State is what the ESPN "pundits" pointed out.

[JonInMiddleGA]

GT has no one to blame but themselves really, although I'm sorry to see Georgia State get stuck in the same bracket with the Jackets. The team that actually worries me in that foursome is Elon who wouldn't surprise me at all if they advance.

Not happy to see Florida as the looming super regional opponent for the Jackets, I don't see any way they get past that one unless Miami pulls the upset in the all-Florida quartet (with Jacksonville & Bethune-Cookman).

[Tigercat]

I cannot believe what an overall HORRIBLE job this committee did. The worst thing you can do is only favor one indicator for success, to the benefit of mostly one conference. The committee seemingly only looked at RPI for regional births, giving two teams with horrible resumes out of the Big 12 births. (One team, Oklahoma State, missed a conference tournament that takes the best 8 teams out of 10!)

And what conference has an official as the head of the selection committee? The Big 12.


*And don't even get me started on the pathetic job they did this year in regional and super regional matchup considerations.

[Huckleberry]

Originally Posted by Tigercat

I cannot believe what an overall HORRIBLE job this committee did. The worst thing you can do is only favor one indicator for success, to the benefit of mostly one conference. The committee seemingly only looked at RPI for regional births, giving two teams with horrible resumes out of the Big 12 births. (One team, Oklahoma State, missed a conference tournament that takes the best 8 teams out of 10!)

And what conference has an official as the head of the selection committee? The Big 12.


*And don't even get me started on the pathetic job they did this year in regional and super regional matchup considerations.

Are you serious, Clark?

Oklahoma State is not a terrible selection. College baseball is completely dominated by the West. Out of 62 CWS titles, 44 have been won by teams west of the Mississippi, 10 by teams east of the Mississippi, and 8 by teams on the Mississippi.

Anyway, the RPI is pretty much solely responsible for screwing western teams, not helping them, every year.

I take all this back if you're a fan of a California or west coast school. They indeed do get hosed every year. Oregon State's 3 seed, for example, is a damn joke.

[cartman]

I was a little surprised to see Texas get the #1 overall seed, when they were ranked #5 in the last poll. But no team looks to have an easy path to Omaha. There are a ton of talented teams this season.

[Tigercat]

Originally Posted by Huckleberry

Are you serious, Clark?

Oklahoma State is not a terrible selection. College baseball is completely dominated by the West. Out of 62 CWS titles, 44 have been won by teams west of the Mississippi, 10 by teams east of the Mississippi, and 8 by teams on the Mississippi.

Anyway, the RPI is pretty much solely responsible for screwing western teams, not helping them, every year.

I take all this back if you're a fan of a California or west coast school. They indeed do get hosed every year. Oregon State's 3 seed, for example, is a damn joke.

This isn't about East or West, I don't even consider the Big 12 the "West" when it comes to college baseball.

Check in with Baseball America, who every year pimps Western teams exclusively if they can. (And were big Big 12 conference supporters before this year.) They are absolutely killing the committees selections, for the same reasons I am. Oklahoma St and Baylor had no business being in the field this year. The only thing OSU and Baylor had going for them is RPI and my other complaint, non conference scheduling.

Heavily rewarding teams in college baseball for scheduling strong non conference teams is horrendous bullshit. Any person who has followed college baseball for a long time knows that you are almost just as likely to lose to a decent small conference team in the mid week games or in the early season as you are really good teams. This is because your rotation isn't set or used for those games, it gets set and prepared for conference games.

To reward Oklahoma State heavily for squeaking by good teams in OOC when both teams aren't throwing their regular pitches or the bullpen isn't at full strength yet, and then to ignore the fact that when Oklahoma State does come at full strength in the conference slate Oklahoma State was HORRIBLE..... How can anyone defend that?

RPI alone, and especially RPI influenced by OOC scheduling has no buisness being the sole factor determining the field of teams for college baseball, period. And this year it was.

[SnDvls]

Originally Posted by cartman

I was a little surprised to see Texas get the #1 overall seed, when they were ranked #5 in the last poll. But no team looks to have an easy path to Omaha. There are a ton of talented teams this season.

Fullerton does...they can pretty much punch their ticket to Omaha. If they fail it will be a major failure.

[Huckleberry]

Originally Posted by SnDvls

Fullerton does...they can pretty much punch their ticket to Omaha. If they fail it will be a major failure.

ASU's is almost as easy.

The Road to Omaha | Barking Carnival

Originally Posted by Tigercat

This isn't about East or West, I don't even consider the Big 12 the "West" when it comes to college baseball.

Check in with Baseball America, who every year pimps Western teams exclusively if they can. (And were big Big 12 conference supporters before this year.) They are absolutely killing the committees selections, for the same reasons I am. Oklahoma St and Baylor had no business being in the field this year. The only thing OSU and Baylor had going for them is RPI and my other complaint, non conference scheduling.

Heavily rewarding teams in college baseball for scheduling strong non conference teams is horrendous bullshit. Any person who has followed college baseball for a long time knows that you are almost just as likely to lose to a decent small conference team in the mid week games or in the early season as you are really good teams. This is because your rotation isn't set or used for those games, it gets set and prepared for conference games.

To reward Oklahoma State heavily for squeaking by good teams in OOC when both teams aren't throwing their regular pitches or the bullpen isn't at full strength yet, and then to ignore the fact that when Oklahoma State does come at full strength in the conference slate Oklahoma State was HORRIBLE..... How can anyone defend that?

RPI alone, and especially RPI influenced by OOC scheduling has no buisness being the sole factor determining the field of teams for college baseball, period. And this year it was.

Well, I agree that college baseball RPI is terrible. But Okie State had more than just that going for it. They're a good baseball team, they split two games at East Carolina, beat Oregon State at that neutral site, split with Fullerton at home, etc.

And if you don't reward teams for scheduling tough non-conference games, then you encourage them to schedule weak non-conference games. Furthermore, with the condensed schedule these days, winning mid-week games now that there are usually two and not just one requires pitching depth, something that can come up again during the regionals.

[digamma]

Trying to bust out of work early on Friday to see the Strasburg kid pitch against Virginia. We'll see how that goes.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Huckleberry

And if you don't reward teams for scheduling tough non-conference games, then you encourage them to schedule weak non-conference games.

While I don't have a problem with the use of the RPI for seeding, or even to send a message about the committee's desire to see quality teams schedule other quality teams, I just hope that the end result is that teams will be less likely to treat midweek games as glorified exhibitions as seems to often be the case.

[MJ4H]

Spontaneous dance-off during a 5 hour rain delay in the big east tournament. Pretty funny. I like to see the teams having fun together like this.

[Huckleberry]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

While I don't have a problem with the use of the RPI for seeding, or even to send a message about the committee's desire to see quality teams schedule other quality teams, I just hope that the end result is that teams will be less likely to treat midweek games as glorified exhibitions as seems to often be the case.

I agree.

Also, I don't have a problem with the RPI as far as its supposed intent, I have a problem with it because the NCAA's RPI formula simply can't work for baseball. There is not enough interregional play during the season in baseball.