Evansville’s Heart Is Bigger In Charlottesville NCAA Regional Championship

There’s an old Mark Twain saying, “It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in a dog, ” that rings true about the play of the 2006 Missouri Valley Conference champion Evansville Purple Aces in the NCAA regional championship series at Charlottesville VA this past weekend.

You can’t measure a baseball team’s heart by any magic statistic – you have to wait to see how they play the game.

The #3 seed Evansville Purple Aces didn’t give up against overwhelming odds.

Rained out Friday and losing to SEC champion #2 seed South Carolina in a tough fought first game Saturday morning 4-2, they faced what appeared to be a mission impossible.

They’d have to beat Lehigh in a second game Saturday, turn around to beat UVA, and South Carolina Sunday and then beat South Carolina again on Monday to win the Regional NCAA championship.

They’d have to win four straight games against Patriot, and super baseball power ACC, and SEC teams without a loss.

And this had to be done by a small 2,300 student body school nestled on a horseshoe bend in the Ohio River in Indiana across from Kentucky where the median income per household is $31,963 compared to a $41,091 national income.

Down 6-3, they waited until two outs and a 3-2 count on the batter in the 9th to fight back against Lehigh.

Junior SS Robbie Minor got the hit sign after 5 straight takes, and drove the ball far over the left center field fence for a walk off grand slammer and his first collegiate HR to beat the Mountain Hawks 10 – 6.

Next came ACC #1 seed host UVA Sunday throwing one of their ace lefthanders, Jacob Thompson (10-3 W-L, 2.20 ERA).

In the bottom of the first inning, DH Pat Tumilty kept UE momentum going with a 2-out 2 run homerun and the Purple Aces kept it going scoring 15 runs on 16 hits off VA highly acclaimed pitching staff to win 15-4.

1B Kasey Wahl chipped in 4 hits, including a homerun and two doubles, to drive in 5 rbi..

Sophomore OF, Jim Visconi went 3 for 4, scoring four times and driving in 2 rbi.

RHP Scott Souther was the winning pitcher mowing down the opposition for 7 innings allowing 7 hits, striking out 8 and walking 2.

Two freshmen hurlers, lefthander Jeremy Kuester and right hander J.R Carbonell turned in an inning of relief each.

The scene was set for an easy win by the South Carolina Gamecocks Sunday night
against a tired Purple Aces team playing their fourth game in two days.

DH Phil Disher didn’t make UE feel any more rested hitting a 3-run homerun to give Gamecocks a 3-0 lead in the top of the 3rd..

But in the bottom of the inning, SC defense made UE adrenalin flow again when it collapsed giving up 12 runs on only 5 UE hits, 3 errors, 6 BB, and a hit batter.

Going on to score 3 more runs, UE beat SC 15-5 with senior starter Mitch Prout (2-1) getting the win for 6.2 innings work.

After the game, UE Coach Dave Schrage described the importance of Monday’s game championship game against South Carolina, “Tomorrow’s game is a big game for our program, we have a chance tomorrow to really put our program on the map, and I’m sure that our team will be ready to go.”

Whatever happens Monday night against South Carolina, we know for sure that Evansville’s heart is bigger than the other teams at Charlottesville.

They may win the whole shooting match.

The winner of the Charlottesville regional Monday night goes on to a 3-game series in the super regional against the winner of the Florida State/Georgia game.

UVA Hosts Regional NCAA Championship

UVA’s Davenport Field was selected to host one of the 16 regional sites in the 60th Annual NCAA Division 1 Baseball Championship June 2 – June 5.

#1 seed Virginia (46-13) will face off against #4 Lehigh (28-26) in the first game 3 PM Friday June 2 and #2 seed South Carolina (37-22) against #3 Evansville (40-20) in the second game at 7 PM.

The winners of the games and the losers of the games Friday will play each other Saturday in the continuation of a double game elimination.

UVA’s Davenport Field Will Host NCAA Regional

Clemson Wins ACC Championship Series

Sean Clark pitched the #1 seed Clemson Tigers to an 8-4 victory over North Carolina State to win the ACC baseball title at Jacksonville FL Sunday.

#1 Seed Clemson was an overall 47 -14 and had the best ACC record this season
at 24-6.

#6 seed Florida State knocked #3 Seed UVA out of the tournament 11-0 Friday.

UVA was trying to come out of the loser bracket after losing to ACC championship series runner ups NC State in a close game Thursday 4-3.

UVA won the opening game from Florida State 6-2.

Rodger Picks the Virginia Cavaliers To Win the ACC Championship Tournament

The #1 Seed Clemson and #2 Seed North Carolina go into the ACC Championship
Series starting Wednesday at the Baseball Grounds, Jacksonville FL as favorites,
but don’t count out #3 seed Virginia whose starting nine beat both top seeded teams
five of six games during the regular season.

Virginia faces off against #7 seed Florida State at 10 AM Wednesday in the double elimination tournament which continues with daily games until the 1 PM Sunday championship match between the winner of winners’ bracket and the winner of the loser bracket.

The Cavaliers strong starting rotation of a pair of southpaw starters, ACC Player of the Year, Sean Doolittle (10 – 1, 1.90 ERA), senior Mike Ballard (8-2, 3.00 ERA),
sophomore RHP Jason Thompson (9-2, 2.30), combined with junior stopper, Casey Lambert (8 saves), can hold its own against any lineup.

All 9 UVA starting position players hit 300 BA during the regular season.

If the Cavs can continue to get the good pitching, mistake free defense, and timely hitting that characterized the team the regular all season, they will come back from Florida in the winners’ circle.

Jacob Thompson and Cavaliers Starting Three Face Off Against Powerhouse ACC teams in Conference Championship Series

#9 UVA Wins Series From #1 North Carolina

Playing error free baseball, getting timely hitting and solid 9 inning pitching,
#9 UVA beat #1 North Carolina 9-2 in the 3-game series finale to advance within a game of first place in the ACC Coastal Division.

1B Sean Doolittle drove in 4 runs supporting the 8-hit pitching of starter Mike Ballard,
Michael Schwimer, and stopper Casey Lambert, who came in to force a game ending double play in the 9th to seal the win.

UVA improved its season overall record to 41-11, and 18-9 in the ACC.

UNC fell to 41-11, but at 19 -8 in the ACC is still in first place and a game ahead of UVA in the ACC Coastal Division standings.

Ballard and Doolittle Team Together To Beat UNC.

Wilmington 3B Andrew Pinckney Starts Hitting At Potomac

Coming off an all star season with Bosox Sally League affiliate Greenville,
Wilmington 3B Andrew Pinckley got off to a slow start against tough Fast A
Carolina League pitchers until he erupted with 4 hits and 3 rbi in a 4-game series
against the Potomac Cannons this past week.    
 
In an interview, which will be published on this web page next week, Andrew tells
how he rose from an unsung 34th draft pick to one of the top ranked 3B in the Boston Red Sox minor league organization. 
    

There’s No Other Ball Park I Would Rather Be At Than Hagerstown!

It’s always a pleasure seeing a ball game at Hagerstown’s Municipal Stadium.

President/GM Kurt Landes and Assistant GM Will Smith and the Hagerstown
Suns’ front office staff have made the old stadium come alive.

It’s buzzing with family fun, reasonable ticket and concession prices, a play area for
kids, lots of promotions and between innings specials.

It’s been made alive by a continual growing number of cheering fans and youngsters in their first full professional season playing the game the way it is supposed to be played – with lots of hustle, enthusiasm, and competitiveness.

Suns 17-year OF Fernando Martinez At Plate Against Lakewood and Phillies’ 2004 #1 Draft Pick Greg Golson At Hagerstown

Heat Rally In 2nd Half to Beat Wizards

Shaquille O’Neill and the first place Miami Heat came back strong in the second half Saturday night to beat the Washington Wizards 99-86.

Trailing by five points, 56-51 after 30 minutes, the Wizards held their own.

Scoring 55 points between them, Gilbert Arenas (30) and Antonio Daniels (25) almost made up for the loss of Caron Butler and tough rebounding Etan Thomas from the home team starting lineup.

Making shots at will at critical junctures in the game, Shaquille O’Neal turned around the
game in the second half with 27 points.

City of Fairfax Honors Mason’s Final 4

In Fairfax VA today, marching bands, cheerleaders, waving politicians, and school officials joined together to honor the George Mason basketball team.

The “little engine that could” put local life on a high with their accomplishments
during the joyous moments of this past NCAA March Madness .

The little upstart school accomplished what mid conference schools can
usually only dream about. .

They upset powerhouse basketball schools, Michigan State, North Carolina, Wichita State, and Connecticut before falling to Florida, who may also be another dynasty
in the making.

Our hats are off to these young athletics – today’s parade was just one way we can show
our pride in them and their 2006 accomplishments.

Caps’ Alex Ovechkin Is A Very Special Player!

Caps fans, if you don’t realize already, 20 -year Alex Ovechkin
is a special person who is going to be a legendary hockey player.

He can fly down the wing, rock the puck away from bruising defenders in the
corners, get back on defense, and score goals with an abandon at any time.

In this his rookie season, he has already scored 48 goals and 50 assists

He also plays the game zealously both ways like nobody on ice since a young
Gordie Howe back in the 1950s, and he is only going to get better.

The smiling young Russian loves the game and the home team fans.

He lives an unassuming life, which in this “modern day” of multi-million
dollar athletes makes him a special commodity.

We don’t want to see this young athletic hurt or slowed down by opponents, press, management, fans or anyone else taking cheap shots.

We have to join together to protect him from the elements.

He’s only going to get better with age and become that very special hockey
player the fans in Washington have dreamt about for 32-years.

Wizards Route Knicks

Winning 105 -90, Washington made it no contest at the Verizon Center Tuesday night against the NY Knicks.

Wearing 1972-73 Baltimore Bullet uniforms, the Wizards turned back the clock, tuning up for a back – to back away game against the 10th place Boston Celtics Wednesday
night and a step closer to a 2006 NBA playoffs.

Leading their hapless last place opponents by 25 points early in the 3rd Period, Wizards Coach Eddie Jordan emptied the bench to finish up the game.

Wizards Caron Butler, Antawn Jamison, Etan Thomas, Jared Jeffries, Gil Arenas, Antonio Daniels all scored in double figures, and a eventh, Brendan Haywood
scored 9.

Give my star of the game vote to Wizards guard Antonio Daniels, for leading the
offense with his all out play.

Maryland Ex Steve Francis Fails In Effort To Score

George Mason Lose On Score Board but Win Everything Else!

Finding Lee Humphrey’s potent 3-point shooting at the beginning of the second half, Florida beat George Mason in the NCAA Final 4 at Indianapolis Saturday night.

Down 5 points but in the game at half time, George Mason came out cold in the second half to be out rebounded, miss 3-pointers, and sorely outplayed the first 7 minutes to fall behind as many as 20 points..

As much as they tried – and they did not give up – Mason was overwhelmed by the
Gators’ depth and furious assault.

It was clearly no contest, but, woe behold Gator fans, the bottom line is still the same.

Florida won on the scoreboard, 73-58, but David’s smaller, big school overlooked,
hard working team players, who played for a “good guy” coach, will always be our American giant killer.

College Baseball Debut - Norfolk State versus UVA Baseball

I’ll always need to do something different to jump start me every year.

2006 is no different – and rather than starting the major and minor baseball season
with Arizona and Florida spring training again this year, I’m trying something new. .

I am scheduled to be at the 5 PM March 29th Norfolk State/UVA college baseball
game at Charlottesville.

Well before the game I’ll focusing in on UVA 1B/LHP Sean Doolittle in a
special photo shoot, then both teams’ pre-game practice, and then 9 innings of
good old fashioned baseball.

I got smitten by college sports this past Fall and Winter shooting college football and basketball for the first time.