LSU and Ole Miss one win away from meeting in Omaha

Louis Coleman will take the mound tomorrow at 4 pm with the chance to send LSU back to Omaha for the 2nd straight year.  LSU won the first game of their super regional tonight 12-9 to set the table for Coleman and the Tigers to win the series.  The game will be aired on ESPN for those who care to tune in.  Ole Miss first baseman Matt Smith hit a 12th inning walkoff solo HR to give the Rebels the first game over Virginia.  Ole Miss will try to take the series and earn a trip to Omaha tomorrow at 11 am.  If LSU and Ole Miss both make it to Omaha they will meet in the first round.  Side note:  Ole Miss was in this position a few years ago when they had Texas down 1-0 after the first game but were unable to seal the deal as the Longhorns took the next two game to send the Rebels packing.  Tune in tomorrow to see if they choke again or break the curse and finally get to Omaha.

To the motorist of Greenwood,

I would like to thank you for making my few times a week exercise trips via bicycle more interesting. I am not sure what I would do if it were not for you. You keep me focused, you keep me alert and you continually keep a mundane 45 minute ride as dangerous as it possibly can be.

The problem I have is in the realm of your mind does it really register to swerve at the bike rider? Is this really necessary? I enjoy a good ditch just as much as the next guy but that doesn't mean I want to spend my entire ride in them. I feel like I am being put in the wall at Talladega. I can count on at least four trips to the ditch per bike excursion. Which I suppose is a small amount, but these are rather unforgiving ditches that ironically you choose to try and put me in.

So please, if you see some person peddling away, don't swerve. It has gotten to the point where the middle finger exercise is getting closer to going into effect. And if you don't like that, track me down and we can have words or fisticuffs, whatever you like. Of course, I hope it doesn't come to either. I just want some peaceful sharing of the road.

Thank you,

Crockett

Louis Coleman

Since Crockett beat me to punch on the article about Louis this weekend, I though I would post some stats that I found of his career at LSU. His freshman and sophmore year things weren't so good for the SEC Pitcher of the Year. His stats for the first two years were...

127 1/3 innings pitched
99 Ks to 43 BB's
5.94 ERA
7-9 W/L record
0 saves

Now fast forward to his Junior year. LSU got Louis to try a new arm slot and things just took off. Here are his numbers for the last two years...


161 1/3 innings pitched
181 K's to 29 BB's
2.45 ERA
20-3 W/L record
2 saves

Those are what you would call video game numbers. WIth a possible three more starts donning the purple and gold, let's hope Louis can close out his career in style. LSU's games this weekend are Fri. at 6pm on ESPN, Sat. at 4pm on ESPN and Sunday (if necessary) at 6pm on ESPN2. If things play out for the Tigers Louis will start the saturday game, but it's do or die time so he very well could pitch in relief on Fri. and start Sunday.

LSU to host Super Regional... Coleman still hot

I know what you are thinking... Crockett posting about LSU...well I am only doing this because a native of our area and a product of the same high school I went too pitches for them and Mac is too busy at the moment to do so, otherwise it would have been up yesterday. I want Louis Coleman to do well. I am friends with him and his family so of course I want to see him be successful even if it means putting aside my loyalties long enough to put a post up about LSU.

Baseball Blasts Minnesota, Advances to Super Regional

BATON ROUGE -- Catcher Micah Gibbs’ four-hit performance led LSU’s 17-hit barrage as the Tigers stormed past Minnesota 10-3 to capture the NCAA Baton Rouge Regional title Sunday night at Alex Box Stadium.
The Tigers (49-16) captured their 18th NCAA Regional title. LSU will host an NCAA Super Regional next weekend at Alex Box Stadium against the winner of the Houston Regional, either Kansas State or Rice.
The NCAA will announce tomorrow at 10 p.m. CT if the Super Regional will begin on Friday or Saturday of this week.
LSU baseball season tickets holders have until Tuesday at 5 p.m. to purchase books to the NCAA Super Regional. These can be purchased online, in person at the LSU Athletics Ticket Office, or by calling (225) 578-2184.
LSU extended its win streak to eight games in capturing the 18th NCAA Regional title in school history. The Tigers captured the regional title after winning the SEC regular-season and SEC Tournament championships over the previous two weekends.
“Obviously, we’re very excited to have won the regional and get a chance to advance to the next level,” LSU coach Paul Mainieri said. “This makes three weekends in a row that we’ve won a championship. I don’t think winning championships ever gets old; it’s always a lot of fun. This championship is a unique one because there are no trophies given for this championship – we have to win next weekend to get another trophy.”
Louis Coleman (12-2) had another brilliant performance, throwing 7.2 innings and allowing one run on five hits while walking none and striking out eight. Coleman was named to the All-Regional team along with catcher Micah Gibbs, shortstop Austin Nola, first baseman Sean Ochinko and outfielder Jared Mitchell.
LSU right hander Anthony Ranuado was named Most Outstanding Player at the Baton Rouge Regional for his magnificent nine inning performance Saturday night against Baylor when he allowed only three hits and struck out 14.
Along with Gibbs’ four hits, the Tigers were paced offensively by Ryan Schimpf, who went 3-for-5 with two RBI. Derek Helenihi, DJ LeMahieu and Jared Mitchell also collected two hits apiece for LSU.
LSU took a 3-0 lead in the second inning when DJ LeMahieu doubled to right center, scoring Micah Gibbs and advancing Sean Ochinko to third. The next batter, third baseman Derek Helenihi singled up the middle to score Ochinko and LeMahieu.
Ryan Schimpf doubled a few batters later to score Helenihi and put the Tigers up 4-0.
The Tigers increased their lead in the third to 5-0 when Blake Dean belted a solo homer over the wall in left. It was Dean’s 15th homer of the year.
LSU continued scoring in the third when Ochinko singled to right to plate Gibbs and give the Tigers a 6-0 advantage. LeMahieu followed with a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Mikie Mahtook and putting LSU ahead 7-0.
The Tigers added two more in the sixth when Dean singled home Jared Mitchell and Gibbs followed with an RBI double to make the score 9-0 in favor of LSU.
Minnesota got on the board in the bottom of the seventh when catcher Kyle Knudson hit a solo homer to left center off Coleman to make the score 9-1. It was Knudson’s fourth homer of the season.
In the top of the eighth the Tigers responded when Schimpf blasted a solo homer deep over the right field wall to increase the LSU lead to 10-1. The homer was Schimpf’s 18th of the season.
Minnesota added two runs in the ninth when first baseman Nick O’Shea launched a two-run homer to left to make the score 10-3.

Super Regionals are set...

Gonna be some great baseball played next weekend

2009 NCAA Baseball Bracket
Super Regionals June 5-8
Best of Three Series

Texas vs. TCU

Southern Miss vs. Florida

Arizona State vs. Clemson

East Carolina vs. North Carolina

CS Fullerton vs. Louisville

Florida State vs. Arkansas

Virginia vs. Mississippi

Rice vs. LSU

Pomeranz pitches a gem and the Rebs advance

Wow. I hate I missed most of that one due to a pre arranged birthday I had to attend. Nonetheless, outstanding. I couldn't help but think, oh shit!! when they tied it late in the 7th inning. I mean look at yesterdays game. We squander a 6 run lead over the last three frames and they win it in the 9th. You gotta give the Hilltoppers a bunch of credit, they are a good ball club and they played there ass off but they ran into a buzzsaw this evening by the name of Drew Pomeranz. A complete game, 2 hitter with 16 K's, which coincidentally tied a school record. It is pretty safe to say the walk to Power was huge and gave the Rebs an additional boost of momentum and they were able to capitalize with no outs in the 9th. The bats came through when they had to and I believe they call that the clutch. It was enough to get to the next round and to also host the Super regional

Here is the complete recap courtesy of Ole Miss Sports

OXFORD, Miss. -- It was a night for heroics as sophomore left-hander Drew Pomeranz pitched a complete-game with a career-high 16 strikeouts to tie the school’s single game record as No. 9 Ole Miss (43-18) defeated Western Kentucky (42-20) by a score of 4-1 on Monday to advance to an NCAA Super Regional in the NCAA Tournament.

Ole Miss will now host Virginia in the Super Regional with a best-of-three series beginning at 1 p.m. on Friday at Oxford-University Stadium/Swayze Field The game will be televised by ESPN2. It marks the fourth time in the last five years the Rebels have advanced to the Super Regionals as Ole Miss also advanced in 2005, 2006 and 2007.

Pomeranz (8-4) turned in his most dominant performance of the season on three days rest as the southpaw held a no-hitter heading into the seventh inning and limited the Hilltoppers to one unearned run on two hits. He walked one batter and struck out 16. The 16 strikeouts tied the single-game record set by Robert Earl Siedell in 1962 and was matched by Kenny Carlyle in 1992 and Jamey Price in 1995.

Western Kentucky starter Matt Ridings worked an impressive 7.0 innings and held the Rebels to one run on seven hits with four strikeouts and took no decision as he left the game with the score tied at one. Reliever Chad Adcock (1-3) took the loss as he allowed three runs on two hits with a walk. The loss came just one night after Adcock picked up the win over Ole Miss in relief to force Monday night’s game.

The Rebels got on the board in the sixth inning when Matt Smith scored from first on a double to the wall in right center from Kyle Henson. Smith opened the inning with a single then legged out the double sliding in ahead of the play at the plate to score the first run of the game.

Western Kentucky answered in the seventh as the Hilltoppers took advantage of a fielding error to knot things at one. Chad Cregar singled before stealing second to get into scoring position. With two outs on the board, Matt Hightower hit a liner back up the middle off the leg of Pomeranz to reach safely, but the ball was misplayed at second and allowed Cregar to score from third.
The Rebels pushed back into the lead for good in the eighth as Logan Power drew a lead-off walk before moving to third on a single from Matt Snyder. Both runners scored on a triple to right center from Matt Smith to push Ole Miss out to a 3-1. Western Kentucky’s Adcock then struck out the next two batters before a double from David Phillips drove in Smith and gave the Rebels the 4-1 lead.
That proved to be the final margin of victory as Pomeranz retired the side in order in the ninth with a pair of strikeouts and a fly out to secure the Regional Championship.
Smith led the Rebels at the plate as the sophomore was 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI. Logan Power also posted a multiple-hit game with a 2-for-4 performance with a run scored.

A day with an 8 year old

So today, since it is my day off, I decided to take my nephew Thomas down to Jackson to the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science. We struck out a little after 8 in the morning and headed South. There wasn't much dialogue on the trip down there other than ten minutes into the trip he needed to go to the bathroom. So we stop in Winona and he is just completely in awe of the truck stop. I have to agree, I thought they were cool when I was a kid as well. Hats, hot dogs, slushies, you name it. Paradise for a youth. After some gentle persuasion, I talk him out of the hot dog and pink lemonade. Its 8:30 in the morning, I just could not allow it to happen, even though I wanted too. So we get back on the road and talk a little bit and he tells me that he about what he wants to do when he grows up and too my surprise he wants to work in the kitchen with me at night and cut grass during the day. I found this interesting as it would be possible to do so and his logic explained that clearly because he said, he had to have something to do during the day, so why not cut grass. Then he proceeded to ask me if 'Sponge Bob' was my favorite cartoon when I was his age. I could almost see the disappointment when I told him that 'Bob' wasn't around back them. His reply was, " Really, then what was on". I guess Sponge Bob is held in high esteem these days in his world and that is fine. He-man was the shit when I was a kid. He then proceeds to take a nap and wakes up a little bit before we get there. He is pumped, I am pumped so we roll up to the museum and as I expected a modest crowd and thank heavens for it. The museum is nice. It is not to big and it is not to small. It is really the perfect size. Completely equipped with fish that are indigenous to the Mississippi area in perfectly sized aquariums with details on the side to assist in identifying the species. We had a good bit of fun doing that. On the back wall there are stuffed creatures that you would find in the State as well. They are depicted in scenes that would evoke there natural habitat. He was really drawn to the bears for some reason.

As we progressed through the museum, we came upon the infamous two headed snake. A rattler to be exact and he was in complete awe, as was I, of this specimen. He stared at it for at least 5 minutes. I don't know if it was fear or confusion, but I broke his attention with a gentle, hey check out that turtle. You can really blow through the museum pretty fast but I wanted to see everything it had to offer and I wanted to make sure he did as well so we went back through it a time or two more. The five young alligators was another crowd pleaser, although it was rather scary with them just staring right at you. Its like they were tempting you, waiting, judging, sizing you up. Letting you know that you had better pray to god this damn tank doesn't burst open or me and my friends will be all over you. So we finish up the exhibits and hit up the souvenir shop. He gets some dinosaurs and bugs that expand when soaked in water for a few days for him and his brother to play with, and a kaleidoscope for his little sister, which is pretty cool. I get a t-shirt.

After the museum, we decided to grab some lunch. Initially he had decided on Back-yard Burger, but all it took was the Rat on a pole aka the sign to Chuck E. Cheese for a quick change of the mind. After an evasive three lane switch in 65 mile per hour traffic we landed safely on the exit ramp to get to the famed mouse haven. Apparently Chuck is feeling the effects of the world we live in today as well. Its not cheap. An individual pizza with 6 small slices is $7 and you have to pay for the drink separately. No big deal, I just thought they would have a pizza, drink and a few tokens for $10 kinda thing going on. Nonetheless, we ordered and then cashed in some bucks for some coins to play games. He rocked out on the skeeball and the wave runner game before eating. After we finished the meal, we slid the ole credit card in the machine and scored some more coins. You gotta keep the party going, you know. We burned it up for about twenty minutes or so more and at that point my pocket was overflowing with tickets. It was getting close to the time that I wanted to try and get out of town so we cashed in our chips and went to the store to see what we could get. Too my surprise, he picked out stuff for his older brother and his little sister before he even acknowledged getting anything for himself. What a good kid I thought. That is twice today he has acknowledged his siblings even though they aren't here. They were not in attendance because of prior engagements on both of there parts. He had nothing to do or no activities planned, hence the reason we went.

All in all, it was a fun day. The museum was cool and I think he liked it as well. It is kinda hard to displease a kid with Chuck E. Cheese. If there is a fault to be had from the day, it is where the hell are the singing Beatles that used to occupy Chuck E. Cheese? Nowhere to be found. Nowhere. However, the mind of an 8 year old in unique. Still developing and hungry for knowledge. I think I did a small part in adding to that knowledge today.