Gator Baseball Super Regional vs. the Clowns

[Gatorbait25]

The home blue was driving me crazy with his zone. I have to commend Puk for the way he handled it. In a game with both of the team's seasons on the line it would've been easy to give the jackass an earfull and end up getting tossed.

 

[gatordad3]

Early on the bad calls went both ways and I could have sworn there were at least 5 strike pitches from Puk that were called otherwise. I also noticed that during the first of 3 games against Mizzou.

 

[MidwestChomp]

On the way back to Tallahassee the team was so distraught this happened:

 

[ATXGator]

You forget, Rog, the park at Omaha is where HRs go to die. That park is huge and ever since it has opened the small ball hitting teams have been the most successful there.

That is a really good point. I also do think our pitching will be a difference. I know LSU has great pitching as well, but they might have been a little cocky against CCU. Our boys are in Omaha with a job to do. They need to stay focused. Shore has been fantastic so if he can keep the momentum going we move CCU to the losers bracket and get the winner of Texas/Texas Tech. The key is to win the first two games. That really sets up your pitching for success.

 

[Jbossgator8]

I hope we can have a good showing. Our bats seem to always go cold in the CWS. We have the pitching but will we have the bats to advance far?? Go Gators!!

 

[Yankeetown]

Alonso's return seems to have really re-awakened the Gator offense. (Thank God. We'd been scarily anemic at the plate for a month.) Obviously anything can happen and you don't usually recover from bad games in knockout tournaments, but gotta like our chances ... we're the #1 seed, and playing very well now.

Plus the top 8 national seeds were totally upended in the SuperRegionals ... I think only 3 of the top 8 survived.

And then there's the fact already mentioned that the field is huge and home runs are few. The commentators seem to spend 10 minutes talking about this during every game of the CWS. Handicaps those teams that depend on HRs.

AND we have high-level pitching to go game after game after game.

Go Gators!!!

 

[2ndAmend]

Bring home the elusive nc2a baseball 'ship!

 

[GatorBart]

6 things (added 2 more):
1. We've beaten FSucks 7 of the last 8 and 12 of the last 15.
2. We ended their season at our park two years in a row. Mike Martin was quoted as saying he doesn't ever want to come back to Gainesville for another super regional.
3. We struck out their #2 hitter, Sansone, who sports a .370 BA, three times last night, including the game ender.
4. 22 consecutive scoreless innings the enemy
5. They only scored 7 runs in 6 games against us this year.
6.

 

[GatorBart]

Is it safe to be happy?

Yes, but only temporarily. ;)

 

[LagoonGator68]

That is a really good point. I also do think our pitching will be a difference. I know LSU has great pitching as well, but they might have been a little cocky against CCU. Our boys are in Omaha with a job to do. They need to stay focused. Shore has been fantastic so if he can keep the momentum going we move CCU to the losers bracket and get the winner of Texas/Texas Tech. The key is to win the first two games. That really sets up your pitching for success.

CCU is the scrappiest bunch I've seen in years. Their left fielder, #29, plays like a young Pete Rose.

 

[NCOGator]

I really like our chances to take it all this year. The big challenge will be TCU IMHO. They have the arms and could give us some trouble. The other that worries me a little is CCU. All underdogs have that one big upset in Omaha....I would like that to be TCU in the loser bracket.

 

[SaltGator]

I especially enjoyed the shot of the clown dugout watching our boys celebrate in the infield when it was over. Nothing like ending the clowns post season while we advance to the series.

 

[NCOGator]

I especially enjoyed the shot of the clown dugout watching our boys celebrate in the infield when it was over. Nothing like ending the clowns post season while we advance to the series.

Did you hear that heckler near the end of the game? He said to one of the clowns batters..."Hey man you are only down 7-0 you don't have to swing the bat." I loved it

 

[SaltGator]

I heard him a lot, he was pretty vocal.

 

[G8RATL]

CCU is the scrappiest bunch I've seen in years. Their left fielder, #29, plays like a young Pete Rose.

He bet on the game?

 

[LagoonGator68]

He bet on the game?

He may have? Wait til you see that sucker on the base paths....

 

[ATXGator]

He may have? Wait til you see that sucker on the base paths....

Hoping to wait until game 2 to see him on the base paths.

 

[Captain Sasquatch]

Coastal Carolina relies heavily on home runs, and not only do we have the starting pitching to shut that down in a hurry, that baseball field is like the Grand Canyon with the wind blowing in. So barring some weird stuff happening like in game 1 against FSU, I think we're ok in that one. TCU's starters more or less match up with ours, so hope that they get taken out by Texas Tech in the first game.

 

[Double Gator Dad]

Let's be honest here. We are the best and most complete team heading to Omaha period.

The question is whether or not the best team wins. Unfortunately, we have been the best team before but......

 

[Gatorphan]

Let's be honest here. We are the best and most complete team heading to Omaha period.

The question is whether or not the best team wins. Unfortunately, we have been the best team before but......

I think this is our first time as #1 seed, which means little. I hope we can break the streak of number one seeds not winning the title at 16 years. Last one was Miami in '99.

I've enjoyed this team and watching almost every game this year. I'd like us to win the title, but I won't be upset more than a day if we don't. Heck, 5 of the 8 national seeds failed to make it to Omaha.