MINNESOTA tugging the BIG10 line at the NCAA's!
Posted by UFreak in 
The goph’s of ‘Sota surviving in a hostile neighborhood, too…..The NCAA’s BEST field of 64 resides here:..BRACKETS HERE.
FULLERTON, CA – Minnesota’s Matt Puhl drove home the go-ahead run with an RBI single in the top of the 10th and closer Scott Matyas struck out the final eight batters he faced to earn the win and lead the fourth-seeded Golden Gophers to a 6-4, 10-inning victory over No. 3 New Mexico on Saturday night at Goodwin Field.
Minnesota (32-28, 2-0 in NCAA Regional play) is now in the driver’s seat at the Fullerton regional, needing just one more victory to advance to the first NCAA Super Regional in the history of the program.
The Lobos (38-21, 1-1) will face elimination on Sunday at 4 p.m. PDT, clashing with host and top-seeded Cal State Fullerton, a 6-5 winner over Stanford earlier in the day. The victor will advance to face the Golden Gophers in the first of two possible regional championship contests beginning at approximately 8 p.m. PDT.
Matyas (5-1), who earned the save in Minnesota’s 3-1 win over the Titans on Friday night, pitched the final three innings, allowing only one baserunner on a walk to John Michael Twichell – the first batter he faced in the eighth. He then got a fly ball for the first out of the inning before embarking on his strikeout string, getting six of his eight victims to chase strike three.
The Golden Gophers battled back from deficits all night long, trailing 3-0 after two innings and 4-3 entering the eighth when they were able to push across the tying run on a balk with runners at the corners to force extra innings.
In the 10th, Minnesota broke through in a big way against UNM reliever Gabe Aguilar (1-1), stringing together four consecutive hits to snap the deadlock after the Lobo reliever had retired five straight.
Kyle Knudson got the rally started with a lead-off single on the first pitch he saw and moved to second on Nick O’Shea’s single to center. Puhl, who finished 3-for-5, then battled to a 3-2 count before lacing his winning hit through the right side to make it 5-4.
Kyle Geason then followed with a single to left, plating O’Shea with an insurance run, giving the Golden Gophers a 6-4 advantage.
Matyas then shut the door emphatically, striking out the side in the 10th to cap an impressive night of work and give Minnesota the victory.
The Golden Gophers outhit the Lobos, 15-7, paced by three hits apiece from Puhl and Michael Kvasnicka while three other players also finished with multiple hits. Cameron Smith led UNM at the plate, going 2-for-4 with an RBI.
News out of the Gainesville Regional: (cuz you know, you need to know!):
Top-seeded Florida (44-15) used a seven-run third inning to post a 10-2 win over third-seeded Oregon State (32-23) in a winner’s bracket game of the NCAA Gainesville Regional on Saturday night at McKethan Stadium. Sophomore left-hander Alex Panteliodis (Tampa, Fla.) (10-2) matched his career high with eight strikeouts over five innings and earned the win to become the first Gator pitcher with 10 victories since Alan Horne went 10-2 in 2005. Seven of Florida’s 14 hits went for extra bases, with three homers, two triples and a couple of doubles.
The Beavers will meet second-seeded Florida Atlantic (36-23) in an elimination game tomorrow at 1 p.m., with the survivor needing to defeat the Gators twice to advance to next weekend’s NCAA Super Regional.
Gators capture SEC Title on the Road!
The 39th and 40th victories of the season, and the ones that secured the SEC Title, came tUFf at USCe IN Prime Time and in front of 8,188 and 8,240 screamin’ Gamecock fans! That’s getting it done! The Pittsburgh Pirates count gate receipts like that as a good day!
UFlorida and USCe were all tied up heading into the Thursday-Saturday 3-game series,….UF sitting at #4 in the country, and USCe ranked #6….Aside from both being top tem teams, each was sitting at 20-7 in the SEC, with an SEC Championship and #1 Seed in the Tourney hangin’ in the balance.
Two games into the set though, and its ALL over. Florida took the first two games (3-2 and 5-2), and will enjoy the spoils: The SEC Title, #1 Seed in the SEC Tourney, and (almost assuredly) Host in the Super Regional and Regionals. USCe and Auburn will finish in the top 3, with few teams in the country playing a well as Auburn of late!
UKentucky, with a win yesterday would have hooked THEIR wagon (once again) into the Tourney but have been denied 2 straight times against Jawja!…..JAWJA!….who had just 3 SEC victories ALL year entering this series!!!, Yeah!,..THEY beat UK 8-6 on Thursday and 20-0 UFriday night!…This follows a weekend sweep by the ‘Kats over Reigning Champ LoSerU, that had them back in the hunt! That’s got to sting a little….Too bad John Wall can’t play baseball too?!?!
Response to Union Boy
..or “girl”, I can’t be sure.
I was challenged in a poorly written email, on my inferred stance on Unions in this country. While its true, my original mention of it was Sports related. In reply to “Brad” (if that’s your real name), here’s the reasoning, or, my beef with unions.
Back in the day, mostly the 1800′s through the mid 1900′s, the Unions did some great things for the American workers. Sure!,..Back in those times if employers had their way, you would work 12 hours a day feeding stank-ass paper pulp into a printing press in some hot dangerous factory for starve-wages. Then at the end of your shift, to clean out the machinery, they would have you run your scrotum through the “gears” a few times in order to get all the extra ink out of there. You’d go home with “bells” that looked like a goo-wad of Silly Puddy, that had been “pressed” on to the classified section of your local Cincy Enquirer! Try and get “serviced” with your “yad-kuhs” looking like THAT! Yeah, those were not envious times to be an American factory worker, as The Man was always out to screw you and pinch himself a few more pennies.
So along came unions and changed all that. Because of the contributions of many courageous individuals, they were able to lower the work day from 1412 hours to eight. They improved safety regulations and established workers’ compensation. In fact they fixed everything up all nice and dandy. So if everything got fixed, why are unions still around today? ….-and therein lies the problem with them. They have outlived their usefulness.
I will illustrate this point with an overly graphic analogy: Imagine you are a woman who has a little case of “feminine itch.” You go to the gynecologist and he does his thing and fixes your problem –YEA YOU!. AH!,..but even after the problem is fixed, he follows you home and keeps diddling with your crotch! In this illustration, you are “America” and the gynecologist is the “union”. It inspires this new work related slogan: For the love of God, you union bastards! Show some respect and get your fingers out of the “AEV”! …*(American Economic Vagina!)….Now again, this is just a hyped illustration, as the fem itch could come back, and yes, you need gyno’s in your World. The point – they just need to know when to stop, and stop costing you $$$ and jobs! We pay Firefighters even when they DO NOT do anything for us individually, but Unions are not Firefighters!
This also applies to the Football, Baseball, and all Sports-run Unions. Stop ruining the game for the people you all CLAIM to be playing it for!…The fans! Of course NO one is naïve enUFf to think any Pro Sports figure is playing the sport for ANYTHING except the money,…BUT!, still, since THEY use it, I will! Unions collect dues, and therefore HAVE to make it look like they are always “doing” something…even when there is little to nothing to do…So, they create issues and make it appear as if they’ve still got a lot more to do. They don’t! Unions now are costing Americans far more than they are contributing…..of course telling that to a Union Worker is akin to telling Oprah to put DOWN that 4th ham!
Brad, I encourage you to write me YOUR supportive views on Unions in America…just please make it easier to read than your hate e-mail was. Thanks!
PIRATES = Yankees vs the Reds
Another uncompetitive loss to the flippn’ Pirates????…12-2??? TWELVE TO TWO!?!?!?….We lost to the GAWD damn Pirates!…12-2????? …Holy $12.00 Hot Dog Batman!!!.Have we REALLY slipped that far down the slope of mediocrity?…..Can it be that bad? I ran across an old newspaper today. One from July 4th, 2009. The Reds were 39-39, and limping towards the All-Star break, after flirting with competing for the division! One player from Cincinnati represented the team in that All-Star game, and he was (still is) the man we refer to as Coco Codero. The Reds have 49 million wrapped up in this guy, and despite his good work this year, he’s way over-paid by this team and a drag on our future. The Reds were unable to deal him, and now look like they’re gonna be limited in 2010 by his stupid ass FAT contract.
Meanwhile, the team will finish a ninth straight season under .500, and this year a horrible fall of near epically embarrassing proportion. By the end of June they were in the race, but since the All-Star break they are, like, 6-25? Six wins, and twenty-five losses! ?!?!? Me and 9 guys on this web site would have gone 6 and 25!! There is simply NO ACCOUNTABILITY in this town…Losing is just too easy! Its accepted as a birthright, and its freakin’ time to make it stop! Sell the team!…move the freakin’ team to a city that will demand they play ONE freakin’ season out of ten as a contender! SAVE the franchise! The current philosophy is NOT WORKING! SET the team free, and let them compete!
I’d take my kids to more Reds games but the last 10 we went to, they left thinking winning wasn’t a reachable goal. That’s all nice in those patsy-time leagues they play for “funzies” these days, but the ones we pay $191.92 a game to watch, NOT!! This town enjoys losing, its really the only way to explain the YEARS of sucking and the little change that follows. We take “it” like a New York Hooker takes to Linkin logs! The odd thing is you could HAVE the New York Hooker for the same price, if you ditch the beers at the game!…and, of course, YOU’D be “winning” with the hook!….OK, so maybe either way, its a loss!…still, losing is losing! At least here its close to disease free!
Still, can you name another town is such dire straights than this one, from a Sports perspective?…..Thank gawd for the cyclones, huh !?!?!? We make the Sacramento Kings look like Ohio State Football!….at least THEY get to the post-season!
The Red Moves
Alex the over-priced-cant-hit-a-lick Gonzo is gone! The Reds sent him and his buy-out money to beantown for a 23 year old “ss” who’s still in Single A ball. Hairston Jr was sent to the best team in the Majors, for a low-ball prospect (too)….and Weathers = the infamous: “PTBNL” (player to be named later). Some good moves, some ???, some had to happen,..& some still might!
Then there’s the 34 year old Scott Rolen!…As much of a fan as I was of getting him, and getting RID of “EE”, there has to be some kinda of focus on turning this around quick. He counts a heavy price towards next year, particularly if we’re just gonna dial it in again. Kick in that the two arms given away in that Rolen”EE” swap (deal) were considered STRONG prospects, and it makes you cringe a little — again if this wasn’t done with something “now‘er” in mind.
With Volq shelved until what will be 2011, the lingering effects of a poor economy and little wiggle room in getting rid of those 2 over-priced arms; there might be sound reason for “buying” more time. That time being the 2010 season….of course, Harang and “Straight leg the guitar man” could both turn it around and have fantastic years in 2010,..but who’s gonna forecast that?
If that’s the case (another “prep” year in 2010), then Rolen was brought here for no other reason than 2 teams getting rid of bad deals; and, advantage Blue Jays!
Toronto, who is markedly better than the Reds, is dumping big contracts (thanks in part to a stupid White Sox team) in what might be an attempt to reposition themselves for a run in the most competitive division in baseball….?? (They know Roy Halladay is not coming back)..maybe? What is it the Reds are doing?…sending mixed signals?
How long does this (Reds) team pay Yonder Alonso to piddle in the minors?….particularly considering his brash claims that he’s Pro ready, already? (Mark Light Stadium is a lefty’s wet dream, btw….The Parking complex in right field creates a jet stream that often favors guys like Yonder..-and few schools still play more home games than the ‘Canes.)
The Reds had a shot this year!…Your buddy Baker might not have been THE only reason for the failure, but…there he is again, amidst another team that’s under-achieved. Considering his age, this is Baker’s last stop. He’s somehow been able to build a resume others in Baseball find attractive but, even with that, his days are numbered (here a Faber). They (The Reds brass) will keep him on for next year though, through another trying season; and then move on with a fresh approach in 2011 (We hope!)
That’s my take anyway…..jump in here: http://www.fatguysports.com/forum/showthread.php?p=6858#post6858 and give YOURS!
YAWN,…National League fails again! (4-3)
Did anyone even watch that All-Star game last night? FULL STORY …..I found myself longing for some competitive skating after ’round the 4th inning! OK, it wasn’t that bad, and I’m not that gay! Still, there isn’t enUFf “game”, its all just another FOX reality show. Are they kidding?…36 man rosters? 15 pitchers?!?! 36 freakin’ players for EACH team?; That’s (slightly) more people than Allen Iverson takes to a bar with him! There were, collectively, eight First Baseman there last night…EIGHT!…NINE if you count Fielder’s fat ass twice, like they do on a plane!
If you need 36 players a team, play 2 fuckin’ games….and stop taking a player per team. That’s just rewarding some random “kind-worthy” guy for being on a loser team, not as an all-star! Cocco might have deserved some kind of recognition for his efforts so far this year, but c’mon, an ALL-STAR??!?!…NO! 72 “All-Stars” kinda cheapens the whole idea, take 20 and PLAY BALL!
What do YOU think?…tell us!
John Fay, to Reds’ fans,..
…QUIT HATE’n on Duh’sty!…..oh, and he and Jerry Hairston Jr think if you don’t like current Reds’ manager Duh’sty Baker, it just might be because you’re a racist!….HA!..yeah, isn’t THAT nice to know? Apparently, if you call into question some of the moves Duhsty’s made here, its GOT to be for that one ready to use reason. ”That there” is some cutting edge reporting, Johnny Boy!! He quotes current Red and former Baker player at Chicago, Jerry Hairston Jr to help illustrate his point!
NOTE TO John Fay AND J Hairston Jr!……STFU, jerkasses!
Hey, if you don’t like MY opinion, here?..You hate modestly mid-eastern blooded, slightly French & German Gators fans!…Just to warn you!….See?..and you didn’t think you were a racist either! Well; Welcome to your Awarness Day!
What a bunch of crap. Seems only blind unconditional puppy love, is acceptable here for this Coach……is this fandom, or some evil HR driven corporate promotional film?
J-Hair said in Chicago, they were critical of Duhsty….but he says nothing about the “In Dusty we Trust” promotion that ran through that town his first year in, NAH!…that would hurt his chances of spreading his race agenda. Duhsty’s first year in Chicago was quite memorable, if you recall. In his first year with Chicago he inherited a SOLID team, and “took” them to the playoffs, only to MONUMENTALLY Fail against the Florida Marlins. In the Cubs’ case, of course, that’s just business as usual. They collapsed (and here’s where its kinda erily close to our ’09 Reds) despite a super pitching staff of: Woods, Prior (both before Baker burnt their arms up), Zambrano and Matt Clement!, who ALL won 13+ games that year!. They dropped the final 2 Home games, in the NLCS, and missed out on going to the World Series for the first time, in, like 4200 years!
Guess who (collectively) the city of Chicago blamed for that now infamous 2003 playoff loss? Baker, the manager?…NOPE!…Alex (not the Reds “ss” now) Gonzalez who booted an EASY DP ball?….NOPE AGAIN! ….Anyone ELSE on the team? No, guess who those RACIST Cub fans blamed for that 8-run 8th inning, and ugly ass loss in Game 6?…(For the record, they also got this guy on the hook forthe loss in Game seven?…yeah, and the manager and players involved were ALL given a “FREE PASS”!)……yeah, they blamed a skinny goofy white kid named Steve!! The scrawny ass white guy had to escape town, because the “racist Cub fans” wanted him dead!…NOT the manager or players, Jerry Jr! NO!,…NOT the people directly influencing the game by PLAYING in it,..no, they fried a kid who touched a foul ball, that Moises Alou later admitted he wasn’t going to catch anyway! Jer’?..Let’s say YOUR credibility on this issue is not quite up to reality, huh?……about like the fans hate toward Steve Bartman was, for the game 6 loss wasn’t quite long on reality. The kid had to LEAVE the stadium, in fear for his safety…but old “Boot-the-Ball” Gonzo at shortstop?…NOTHING!…no one even MENTIONED his bone-head play for MONTHS down the road! The Cub fans just tired of Bake’s act and disappointing finishes with GOOD teams, and it took them 4 years to get to that point!
So Reds fans are a bit critical of a manger with a tempid history, making questionable player moves ?…and for that we’re linked to racism?, WOW!?!?!!…..yeah, WOW,…with such a qualified argument, who could dispute that notion, huh!?!?…I mean, after all, Duh’sty IS a black man, and there are a lot of fans that dislike him, so…FAHQ!,…they all must be racist! (note SARCASM please)
Isn’t Cincinnati the same town that has been OVERBOARD in their devotion of one Marvin Lewis?…..So much in fact, that after failing to win even ONE post-season game in 7 years, that he’s still over-whelmingly supported in this NUT of a Football town?…..(Not by me, though!…., waaaaaait a damn minute!..now even I’m getting suspicious of “me”!?!?!?!-why is winning more important than blind support of your head coach?). Marvin Lewis doesn’t even have a “plus” .500 record here! Hhhmmmm, John Fay and Jerry Hairston Jr,…are either of you aware that there is a Football team here in town? admitingly, they haven’t been DOING well; -and for a long time. So you may not recognize them by looking at them, but they do carry American Express cards…Of course, with the Bungles they are all STOLEN AMEX cards, but still…..
Back to the article, in Sunday’s Enquirer….and I understand if most people don’t know of the article, hell, readership is down to,like, 140 I hear….The Fay’ster and Hairston jump right in about how UNbelievable it is that Baker gets so much hate….never ONCE stopping to think, maybe ALL the fans are right, and his BUDDY Jerry might be the biased one?….Maybe, just MAYBE, a guy that followed him over from Chicago (like a few others) might be GREATFULL for the opps he’s getting here?…and that maybe his support is what’s tainted, not the “dis-love” the fans have for Baker?…NNNOOO,…yeah, people who hate Duh’sty are just racist, sure,..yeah, let’s go with that thought line instead!
Wasn’t it DUH’sty that said the crap about Black players and White players, and hot & cold weather, and all that silly stUFf that would of had another manager fired?….And wasn’t it DUH’sty who had his very young grand kid serve as batboy during Giant games, only to have some COLD WEATHER player scoop him up and carry him out of harm’s way, when the kid went out during a play at the plate?…Yeah,….but to consider even for a second that Baker uses questionable mental soundness in an area of concern for Reds fans, would be ludicrous, right?…yeah,…”No way, HITLER!, you just hate!”….He sits 3 guys hitting over .320, to play 3 guys who collectively weren’t hitting .300?….and you find fault in that?…-OH NO, YOU must be a Klansman, dude!….What a cop out!. Not for a second could it be that he actually isn’t the greatest in the business (after all, he’s here, right?)….NO WAY!,..or maybe he’s “lost” it?…. in over his head?,..Nah, impossible…the fans are just racists!
Mr Fay is trying to sell more papers, &/or trying to become the imbedded patsy-boy for the Reds organization. Either way it has nothing to do with Baker’s love level here ( or in Chicago or ’Frisco). Since Fay quoted the one player who infused the discussion with racial overtones, I feel safe saying there was a purpose behind him using ONLY Hairston’s comments!…That, or maybe the other players think Fay is an ass, and dont bother talking to him???? After reading his article in Sunday’s paper, who could categorically rule that out?
Thanks Mr Fay!….I’m sure more people now like YOU less, must make us all some kind of heathen, huh!?!?!- jerkass!
Brandon Phillips, as he goes, Reds go!
Brandon Phillips is heating up, and the Reds 20-14 record reflects that surge!
Void of any competition as “Team Leader” or “Face of the Franchise”, Brandon has done well as a leading force;- AND in rebounding from a poor start. His position within the team is not discounted by the fact “NO ONE” else could step into that position. Collectively the Pitching staff has been a SOLID base for the team, but they need an every day face to go out and lead; and Phillips is the man! (ol Taco Bell ).
By showing 100% effort (not always his calling card in the past), his actions have fed the rest. He may have tanked it at times last year, and even early THIS year, but not lately! He’s made fielders pay for their lack of enthusiasm, like he did by taking 2nd off Eric Byrnes the other night; and making opposing pitchers think twice about his early hitting slump, by raking up timely rbi’s (of late) like they’re free!
I’m as surprised as most by the 20-14 start, and hope like hell they keep it up. Pitching is tUFf, hitting is coming around ( and they’ve averaged 4.6 runs a game over-all) and not shabby defense (not surprising that “EE” has been OUT!). The lone bad spot is Duh’sty,…but they could win despite his dellusions…..and if those two Gonzo and “EE” can just stay hurt?..well,….????
9th inning heroics, can’t outlast Dickerson!
Save for the two HORRIBLE Dickerson AB’s, WHAT A GREAT GAME!. As now GREEDY fans, I think most of us suspected another DOMINATING performance from “Mr Steady”. The Reds were gonna ride the VOLQ’swagon to a sweep of top place St Lou, on Mother’s Day! It didn’t happen, of course, but the game was not without some great moments.
The immortally great Pete Rose said, reportedly, as he ran off the field after game #6 of the 1975 World Series,…”That was the greatest game”!….or some thing erily similar. Sparky Anderson had to remind Pete, he thought, that the Reds just lost the game to Boston-forcing a Game 7. Pete shrugged it off, and continued, “Yeah, we’ll win it tomorrow, but that was one great game”……Yesterday’s mini-classic was FAR removed from that dramatic WS Classic, when some virtual unknown Beantown hero hit a sh.tty ass home Run to win game 6…but it was one of the best Reds games I can remember listening to on the radio,……while watching my kid play soccer,…ON Mother’s Day, for GAWD sake!
Volquez wasn’t throwin’ his “A” stUFf,…that or The Cards were really lucky!….or some level of combination of both…who knows??. The Reds were down 7-4 going into the bottom of the 7th,…then faced a 2-run deficit in the 9th AND that rediculously effective Cards Closer; Bonnie Franklin (not his real first name). Miss Ramano entered the day not having been scored on in 13+ innings (yeah, apparently she’s still frigid!….and “Schnieder still ain’t tappin’ that ass!). Jerry Hairball Jr opened the inning with a solo shot, and 2 outs later in a battle at the plate, Micah Owings hit a 3-2 offering out to tie it up! A pitcher pinch-hitting, working the count, fighting off pitches, then hitting his first Home Run of the year off a great closer to tie the game!?…YE-UH!…go baseball!
The Reds would put 2 runners on after that, but Dickerson failed AGAIN!….like he did 2 innings before. Is this guy really just Chris Stynes?….Actually, Stynes wasn’t THIS bad after having HIS “Late-Season-call-up” success the September before. Can we send Dick and McDick down, and bring up the dude from doubleA?…the kid with the power? I can’t imagine he’d be any worse, though he plays 3rd, not OF.
Still, great 3-game set against the Cards!…they were lucky to get out of here with one win. Baker is still the worst manager in the league, but these guys are playing a little now.. Hernandez is hitting, and maybe guys are discovering that if you don’t give the effort, there just might be some one there to take your spot!..yeah, even on the REDS!….”EE” and Gonzo,..STAY HURT GUYS!!!!
DUH’sty reads FGSports.com?
WAIT!?!?!…Duh’sty can read?……
“Nix is in, Dickerson is out as Baker goes with hotter bat”….and the sage advice his assistant read to him on FatGuySports.com!”….Its in The Enquirer today…Go ahead, read the Sports page!..Yeah, and help increase the circulation of that Commie-Rag trash paper. Well, if you’re like me, you probably don’t (often) get your paper before you leave for work, and didn’t GET to read that. The paper delivery people we get make it about 3 times a week. Some people think more timely deliveries would actually HELP sales,…but who knows???….
Anyway, NIX, Hanigan and Janish got starts, and !…..REDS WIN 6-5 ! Now, if only Gonzo and Double “E” can stay the HAIL away, maybe the Reds can stay above .500 for awhile. Sadly, it was but a token start for Hanigan. Baker will never let him start 2 games in the same week….He’d rather quit Toothpicks “cold turkey”!