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shoutingncu
06-15-2009, 12:38 PM
Both ACC teams fell over the weekend, so Virginia plays its elimination game today at 2 PM eastern, and unc plays tomorrow.

History is now against either winning the championship.

whereinthehellami
06-15-2009, 01:21 PM
ASU-UNC was a good game. I taped it on the DVR and missed the end as it ran over.:mad: I thought for sure UNC was going to pull it out though. I liked that ASU pitcher Josh Spence alot. He really mixed things up nicely with his speed, location, and delvery.

shoutingncu
06-15-2009, 02:49 PM
ASU-UNC was a good game. I taped it on the DVR and missed the end as it ran over.:mad: I thought for sure UNC was going to pull it out though. I liked that ASU pitcher Josh Spence alot. He really mixed things up nicely with his speed, location, and delvery.


Yeah, you can't really ask for more than Ackley up with the chance to win, except of course, for him to not strike out.

Spence was awesome... and I believe he's their second best pitcher.

I hope Carolina gets to play them again on Friday.

Olympic Fan
06-15-2009, 03:24 PM
It's amazing that the ACC has been so good for so long in baseball with so little success. Over the last decade -- and certainly over the last five years -- it's challenged the SEC as the nation's best conference. In the 20 years before that, the ACC has had some spectacularly talented teams at Clemson, Georgia Tech and UNC especially.

Just look at the recent draft -- four of the top 15 players taken came from the ACC and two more of the top 15 were high school players slated to play for ACC teams.

Yet, it's been 54 years since the ACC won a CWS title ... Wake Forest in 1955 (although I believe both FSU and Miami won titles before joining the ACC).

It's almost the same in women's basketball -- year in and year our, the ACC is the best or second best conference in the sport. But the titles are few and far between ... UNC in 1994, Maryland a few years ago.

Devilsfan
06-15-2009, 04:11 PM
I can honestly say I was pulling for the ACC to have one team in the winners bracket, that being Virginia.

jimsumner
06-15-2009, 04:13 PM
Miami won the CWS four times prior to joining the ACC. 1982, '85, '99, 2001.

FSU has advanced to the CWS 19 times. They are 0-19. Truly hard to believe and hard to explain.

Likewise, the ACC's long record of not getting it done in Omaha. Sure we can lament the dominance of the SEC and the Pac 10 and maybe the Big 12 but somehow Rice, Cal State-Fullerton, and Fresno State have managed to pull it off just in this decade.

I actually thought this was UNC's year; in fact I said so in print and no I wasn't trying to jinx anybody. They have still have a chance but it's an uphill fight.

Speaking of Ackley's ninth-inning K, am I the only one who thought the plate umpire really extended his zone? I thought Ackley took five balls and still got punched out.

merry
06-15-2009, 05:33 PM
I can honestly say I was pulling for the ACC to have one team in the winners bracket, that being Virginia.

Me too! That dropped fly ball in the 10th was play of the game.

Olympic Fan
06-15-2009, 06:09 PM
Just an update -- Virginia beat Fullerton State 7-5 this afternoon.

That eliminates Fullerton and Virginia stays alive.

gw67
06-16-2009, 07:51 AM
As Olympic pointed out, the Cavs continued their improbable post season journey by defeating another high ranking team. The last four games (Super Regional and CWS) have been played with their best hitter, Parker, mired in a slump. Virginia meets Arkansas Wednesday in an elimination game to win the right to play a rested LSU (ouch!).

Many years ago I coached the all star teams from our Babe Ruth league in the region double elimination tournament. Losing early and getting into the loser's bracket is a real burden on your pitching staff. One year we lost our first game and came all the way back to the championship but none of our pitchers had anything left in the tank and we lost decisively.

Virginia is in the same situation unless there are rainouts. O'Connor will have to cobble together his starters and relievers against Arkansas and LSU, presuming that they are able to win Wednesday. LSU is not only the best team in their bracket but their pitchers will be the most rested. That is a huge advantage, IMO.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/15/AR2009061502492.html

gw67

A-Tex Devil
06-16-2009, 09:28 AM
Speaking of Ackley's ninth-inning K, am I the only one who thought the plate umpire really extended his zone? I thought Ackley took five balls and still got punched out.

That ump wasn't very good. And the home plate ump in the UT-USM game was even worse. Pitchers and hitters for both teams had NO idea what might get called a strike. Especially if it was borderline high and outside. I think it played a role in getting in the pitchers heads, especially USM. That's no excuse for not being able to throw it down the middle on 3-0, but it really was god awful pitch calling. It's OK to have a "different" strike zone, I guess, but you have to call it consistently.

gw67
06-17-2009, 08:17 AM
The Post article this morning on Virginia indicates that O'Connor is thinking about starting his fourth starter, senior Robert Poutier, against Arkansas tonight with the hope that Poutier plus the Virginia relief pitchers can hold the line against the Hogs. If they win tonight, that would set them up for using their top starter, Hultzen, against LSU on Friday. He would be rested but it is taking a chance in tonight's game.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/16/AR2009061603069.html

gw67

whereinthehellami
06-17-2009, 09:04 AM
The Post article this morning on Virginia indicates that O'Connor is thinking about starting his fourth starter, senior Robert Poutier, against Arkansas tonight with the hope that Poutier plus the Virginia relief pitchers can hold the line against the Hogs. If they win tonight, that would set them up for using their top starter, Hultzen, against LSU on Friday. He would be rested but it is taking a chance in tonight's game.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/16/AR2009061603069.html

gw67

I like Hultzen of UVA alot. He has that ice in the veins vibe about him. Kind of a thowback player. I love how he chokes up on the aluminum bat. He is only a freshman too!

roywhite
06-18-2009, 07:23 AM
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/baseball/recap?gameId=2916802581

Wow, what a tough loss for the Cavs. They were up 3-1 in the 9th and Arkansas was down to 2 outs, nobody on base, and 2 strikes on the batter. He lined a single to center and the next batter smashed a HR to tie the game. Then the Cavs had the bases loaded in the bottom of the 9th but failed to score.

Lost 4-3 in 12 innings. Now down to UNC as the lone ACC representative.

weezie
06-18-2009, 08:00 AM
Yeah, so many marooned on base. That 'hoo freshman pitcher/2nd baseman/good batter who looked like Beaver Cleaver was something else. Very cool under pressure.
No way holes, let's go sun devil.

BlueDevilBaby
06-18-2009, 10:34 AM
I was rooting for AR (family on both sides originates from there), but would not have minded if UVa had advanced. BUT, I turned it off before the 9th after seeing AR was down and missed the HR. Had to stay up and watch the couple extra innings. Very exciting. Go AR and ABC!

DUKIE V(A)
06-18-2009, 03:53 PM
Frustrating loss for UVA. Having gone to grad school there and following several of their players in high school baseball I was rooting for them. A little venting about the umpiring...If it is a ball in the first inning, it has to be a ball in the bottom of the ninth with a 3-0 count and the bases loaded. Brutal strike call on the 3-0 pitch. Still, UVA had their chances and didn't execute. Got to give Arkansas lots of credit for a great comeback and gusty pitching and fielding when they needed it.

I have nothing against Arkansas but I will be rooting hard for LSU as I feel they have a better chance to knock off Carolina -- just in case they find a way to weasel their way into the final series. Don't like Texas much either.

shoutingncu
06-18-2009, 04:13 PM
I have nothing against Arkansas but I will be rooting hard for LSU as I feel they have a better chance to knock off Carolina -- just in case they find a way to weasel their way into the final series. Don't like Texas much either.

I, too, will be rooting for an LSU / Carolina final. ;)

dbd4ever
06-18-2009, 10:41 PM
The Arizona State Sun Devils that is. I couldn't resist with the constant chants of "Let's Go Devils" during the whole game with Ol' Roy sitting in the stands. It's satisfying to see any devil beat the heels!!

shoutingncu
06-18-2009, 10:49 PM
The Arizona State Sun Devils that is. I couldn't resist with the constant chants of "Let's Go Devils" during the whole game with Ol' Roy sitting in the stands. It's satisfying to see any devil beat the heels!!

Wonder if Sendek's there.

At least they took the heartbreak out of it this year. The embarrasment they left in, but the heartbreak was over eight batters ago...

kmspeaks
06-18-2009, 11:06 PM
The Arizona State Sun Devils that is. I couldn't resist with the constant chants of "Let's Go Devils" during the whole game with Ol' Roy sitting in the stands. It's satisfying to see any devil beat the heels!!

Shoot it's satisfying to see anybody beat the heels!! :D

JStuart
06-19-2009, 06:51 AM
The Arizona State Sun Devils that is. I couldn't resist with the constant chants of "Let's Go Devils" during the whole game with Ol' Roy sitting in the stands. It's satisfying to see any devil beat the heels!!

Post-of-the-week/month!!!
Couldn't have said it better.

gw67
06-19-2009, 07:46 AM
The Post has a very nice article on the Virginia baseball team. As noted in the article they have nearly everyone back next year (I believe that they lose their 3rd and 4th starters) and have a good recruiting class. O'Connor is not only an excellent coach and a class act, but based on his last three recruiting classes, he understands how to get top youngsters to come to Charlottesville. Expectations will be high next year.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/18/AR2009061802026.html

gw67

roywhite
06-19-2009, 08:11 AM
The streak of ACC futility at the CWS continues. As noted earlier in this thread, not since Wake Forest in 1955 has there been an ACC team take the championship. There've been dozens of very good ACC teams make it to Omaha during the last 50+ years, but none have made it all the way.

This is almost approaching Clemson's 0--forever in basketball at Chapel Hill as a notable streak.

Devilsfan
06-19-2009, 09:31 AM
Fell asleep with the college of chapel hill up 4-0 in the sixth. Woke up to roars of the croud (people watching in our house). Next thing I know it's 12-4.
Go heels, directly to the airport that is. Have a safe trip home.

heyman25
06-20-2009, 02:10 AM
Glad they got a good whupping!