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The NCAA baseball tourney has been a non-stop thrill ride
Monday’s Say Hey, Baseball includes a wild weekend at the NCAA baseball tourney, Jonathan Papelbon’s new nickname, and another pitcher who wants to launch homers.
Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports
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This weekend at the NCAA baseball tournament, things were wild. Texas Christian University won its first game against Texas A&M on Friday on the back of Luken Baker’s mighty back and righteous wheels. He bashed a three-run home run and scored on a wild pitch from second base. On Saturday, a two-run single broke an extra-innings stalemate between Texas Tech and Eastern Carolina. But the real excitement came from the walk-offs, which were apparently on special this weekend. The University of Arizona made their way to the CWS via a heart-pounding walk-off single hit by Cesar Salazar on Saturday night. And on Sunday night, Coastal Carolina University won their series in a nail-biter. In the top of the ninth, a violent collision at first base on a bunt loaded the bases for Louisiana State University, eventually tying the game. LSU would strand further insurance runs and CCU loaded them up in the bottom of the ninth, winning in walk-off fashion for their very first trip to the CWS.
But the best moment of the weekend came from the game between the Louisville Cardinals and the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos on Sunday. It was a classic David & Goliath situation. Louisville is ranked second overall, and they’re alums of the tourney and College World Series many times over. UCSB is unranked, and they’ve been to the tournament just a handful of times, and never to the College World Series. UCSB had already beat the odds by winning the first game 4-2. Down 3-0 in the bottom of the ninth inning, UCSB loaded the bases against Louisville pitcher Zack Burdi, who hit 103 mph on the gun at one point. Catcher Sam Cohen came to bat with two outs and the bases filled, and he hit an unbelievable walk-off grand slam to give UCSB their very first trip to the CWS in school history.
The NCAA baseball tournament starts off like the famous basketball tournament. It starts with 64 teams ... and that’s pretty much where the similarities end. The structure is different, with alternating rounds of double-elimination and best-of-three. The tournament feeds into the College World Series, which starts June 18. The eight teams that have made it through the tournament play double elimination until just one team remains. Seven of the eight teams have punched their ticket to the CWS, with the final team playing their deciding game today. This wild weekend has led to five of the top eight overall seeds being eliminated -- Louisville, Texas A&M, Mississippi State, Clemson, and LSU -- and if Florida State beat Florida today, that will make it six. But today’s game, and the rest of the College World Series, will have a lot to live up to.
- Mets’ skipper Terry Collins was taken to the hospital for tests just 30 minutes before his game started yesterday. We don’t know a lot, but we’re all wishing him well.
- Just one pitch earned Fernando Salas a win. I can’t imagine anyone complaining about that.
- Poor Juan Uribe took a 106 mph Mike Trout liner in a place that guys never, ever want to take a pitch.
- Jayson Werth has given Jonathan Papelbon a new nickname.
- It wasn’t easy for the Rockies’ 2011 first-round pick to make it to the majors, but Tyler Anderson made it yesterday and he shined brightly.
- Adam Wainwright doesn’t want Madison Bumgarner to be the only pitcher who could possibly be in the Home Run Derby. He wants in, too!
- Tim Lincecum made a fantastic start for the Triple-A Grizzlies and he also made a new friend!
- Buster Posey got his bat stuck in the netting behind home plate. Again. For the second day in a row.
- After 19 years of work, former Royals pitcher Jeremy Guthrie got his college degree. Congratulations to him!
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