Road to Omaha thread

Host San Diego, the national No. 8 seed in the tournament and hosting this regional, needs to win 4 games in 3 days starting with today's game vs. Minnesota in an elimination game. The Toreros, ranked 4th in the nation in one poll and sixth in another, lost 6-2 to Fresno State late last night. If San Diego craps out today, it'll take away everything they've built up all season as a school that is small and costs a fortune to attend, but set a school record for wins in a season, beat Texas 2 of 3 on the road (actually on a neutral field in Texas), beat Fullerton on the road, won 17 conference games in a row at one stretch, beat UC Irvine, Wake Forest (2 of 3 at SD) and so forth. One thing that I didn't hear much about leading up to this game -- Fresno State had beaten San Diego two of three earlier this season at Fresno State.

I'm a Fullerton grad and want to see them succeed, but I'd also like to see SD make a crazy run and somehow make it to Monday (the deciding game if necessary).

 

All right, I'll give you that Wake Forest didn't deserve its bid, based on first-game results.
But you also have one heck of a hard-on about the ACC......

 

A lot of people do, probably because every year they hear how powerful the ACC is, and every year the ACC gets another year removed from 1955, its last (and only) national championship in the sport.

 

Actually, I think his boner was directed at the SEC, but maybe I read wrong.

 

Florida State seems to have rediscovered how to hit the ball, but it could be the caliber of the opposing pitching.

 

Stetson has a reputation of producing good arms, and they've got some this year. On the third day of a regional, though, you're starting to tax even the best of staffs.



Edit: Just checked, and sophomore Jake Hitchcock started for Stetson. He's a good one. The Seminoles scored five runs against Hitchcock, who is a good pitcher (if not an ace). It's 11-0 now, and the Hatters are running reliever after reliever out there.

 

Checking in on the national seeds:

1. Vanderbilt: Winner-take-all vs. Michigan tomorrow
2. Rice: Through to SR
3. North Carolina: Needs to win 1 of 2 tomorrow
4. Texas: Needs to rally tonight against Cal-Irvine, win tomorrow
5. Arizona State: Through to SR
6. Florida State: Dead. Mississippi State advances
7. Arkansas: Dead. Oklahoma State advances
8. San Diego: Dead. Cal-State Fullerton advances

 

And your other eight regional hosts:

Virginia (vs. No. 1 Vandy): 2-0 with massive delays.
Texas A&M (vs. No. 2 Rice): Winner-take-all vs. ULL tomorrow
South Carolina (vs. No. 3 UNC): 2-0 with delays.
Wichita State (vs. No. 4 Texas): Winner-take-all vs. Arizona tomorrow
Ole Miss (vs. No. 5 Arizona State): Through to SR
Coastal Carolina (vs. No. 6): Must beat Clemson twice tomorrow
Missouri (vs. No. 7): Winner-take-all vs. Louisville tomorrow
Long Beach State (vs. No.8 ): Dead. UCLA advances.

 

The last two years, Wichita State entered the championship game in regional play as the only undefeated team, only to choke it away. This year, the Shockers are trying to do the opposite. The lost their first game to Nawlens, and they have now won three in a row, including a 4-3 win over Arizona.

If Wichita State wins tomorrow and gets a Super Regional, it would be one of the best atmospheres in college baseball. They sold out the first round, and I'm sure tomorrow will be capacity.

 

I would love to Shockers in the CWS again. It's been too long for Stephenson.

 

The chance is increasing. The Shockers are starting their ace, who was roughed up and lasted only 1 2/3 innings Friday. And Texas is in trouble against UC Irvine. An Anteaters vs. Shockers Super Regional would be in Wichita.

 

Cal State Fullerton, UCLA and c'mon UC Irvine. That's all I've got left to root for making it to Omaha and only one of these three (pending UCI's game with Texas) is likely to make it to Omaha. It would, however, be great for the Big West Conference to have both CSF and UCI in Omaha.