[EaglesPhan36]

Rice certainly appears to have all their cogs pumping now. Offense and pitching. They'll be tough to beat. They whooped UNC tonight.

[EaglesPhan36]

2 more games on tap for Monday. The first, an elimination game at 2pm ET. Keep in mind UCI & Fullerton are both from the Big West, so they know each other well. UCI took two of three from Fullerton @ CSF. Here's the probables:

UC-Irvine
Wes Etheridge 12-4, 2.49 ERA
*Etheridge's last outing was in UCI's clincher in the Super Regionals against Wichita State. He went 8 1/3 yielding two unearned runs in the 3-2 Anteaters win. Etheridge had perhaps his worst start of the season vs. CSF giving up 7 earned runs in just 3 innings in a 10-2 Titans win earlier this year.



Cal-State Fullerton
Jeff Kaplan 11-3, 3.16 ERA
*Kaplan pitched a gem against UCLA in the clincher in the Super Regionals, yielding one unearned run in 6 2/3 innings of work in a 2-1 win. Kaplan pitched the Titans to their lone victory over UCI in the regular season. He went 7 1/3 and gave up two runs. CSF beat up UCI's Wes Etheridge in that one.

This should be a tight ballgame between two teams and two coaches who know each other well. UCI showed itself to be taken seriously by pushing Arizona State hard in a 5-4 loss in their CWS opener. Fullerton lost a 3-2 decision to Oregon State, but faced a far less opponent in my mind. Based on what we saw there and UCI taking 2 of 3 from CSF during the regular season, you'd be inclined to take UCI. However don't forget that CSF's lone win in that 3 game series was against Monday's probable Anteaters' starter Etheridge. CSF also has the experience of coach George Horton on their side. This is another pick 'em game, so I would again advise going with the team with the better odds at game time. Difficult to say where the line will come out ... based on all the reasoning above, you'd think UCI would be the slight fave - but something tells me the books are gonna tag CSF the fave to see if the public jumps on the familiar CWS name.

[Crayzee]

uci-215

az st -250

big favorites

[EaglesPhan36]

Yeah I guess the books liked UCI's 1st game and them beating CSF twice. CSF at +180 is the only way I can see going in this 1st game.

[bigboydan]

Thats the way I'd have to play that game as well Mr.Eagles.

[EaglesPhan36]

Maybe we can get AJ to text his boy Clark and tell him we've got alot of $$$ riding on this game & that a win would be much appreciated.

[JBrown1045]

Maybe we can get AJ to text his boy Clark and tell him we've got alot of $$$ riding on this game & that a win would be much appreciated.

AJ's boy Clark just made a diving catch in Center to save a few runs and keep CSF up 3-1 at the end of 5.

[EaglesPhan36]

Tonight's probables in a Pac 10 clash.

Oregon State (+230)
MIke Stutes 10-4, 3.93 ERA
*Stutes went 8 strong innings in the Super Regional clincher over Michigan, yielding 2 runs on 3 hits. Stutes went 7 innings against ASU, surrendering 4 runs on 10 hits in a 4-3 ASU win during the season.

Arizona State (-270)
Josh Satow 13-3, 2.41 ERA or Brian Flores 11-1, 3.74 ERA
*Satow pitched 8 innings of scoreless ball in a 3-0 win over OSU this season. He's also coming off a 7 inning shutout performance over Ole Miss in the Super Regional clincher.

*Flores has not made a start since the regionals, an 8 inning, one run performance vs. Monmouth. He did pitch two innings in relief vs. Ole Miss on June 9th. Flores twirled a CG one hitter against the Beavers in an 8-1 ASU win during the season.

Season Series: ASU 3-0

Arizona State is clearly the superior team heading into this match-up regardless of what pitcher the Sun Devils choose. I think offense will make the difference tonight and that means ASU has the advantage. For OSU to pull an upset, Stutes will have to be over powering and I think the Beavers will need some breaks and not give up more than one homer to the homer happy Sun Devils. That being said, the play would be ASU although it might be a bit too rich for my blood unless the price drops.

[AJ]

AJ's boy Clark just made a diving catch in Center to save a few runs and keep CSF up 3-1 at the end of 5.

hahaha.... i sent him a text after the first lose... just saying... "wtf" he never wrote back.... since i'm new to this board i didnt know the addy so while i was at work, i couldnt find the site... the site i got here from was blocked so i was sh!t creek with no paddle.... i'll wait till he gets back before i talk to him again... i know they really thought they were gonna do well.... not a just a 2 and out...

sad thing, i figured it was a pick em game so i didn't really try to place anything at work, had i seen that they were a huge dog... i woulda prollyy bet my gf.... maybe next year... clark is gone though... he won't be returning.... **sigh**

sorry my alma matter let everyone down...

AJ

[EaglesPhan36]

That game sucked for Titans backers at least. When that game went to extra innings, I knew I was doomed. Still the +180 price was the right play there because CSF could have won that one. Shocked that the Beavers are burying ASU early in their game 6-1. But there is an eternity to go.

[pico]

That game sucked for Titans backers at least. When that game went to extra innings, I knew I was doomed. Still the +180 price was the right play there because CSF could have won that one. Shocked that the Beavers are burying ASU early in their game 6-1. But there is an eternity to go.

still not looking good for asu

[pico]

the asu hitter wears glasses. this is the first time i see a hitter wearing glasses.

[pico]

12-4...8 more runs to tie

[EaglesPhan36]

Well we just saw the first upset in the CWS in my opinion even if it was the defending champions. OSU clobbers ASU 12-6. Guess that heart of a champion thing is in play now!

So here's an up-to-date recap of the CWS:

Eliminated: Mississippi St., Cal-State Fulleton
1 Loss: Arizona State, Louisville, North Carolina, UC-Irvine
No Losses: Oregon State, Rice

[EaglesPhan36]

TUESDAY'S DAY GAME
Louisville vs. UNC: Elimination Game 2pm ET

Probables:
LOU: Colby Wark 3-3, 3.63 ERA
UNC: Luke Petkonen 7-1, 4.7.4 ERA

Both these starters have not gone deep into games in the post season. Petkonen went 3 1/3 in his last start vs. South Carolina in the Super Regionals. Wark has gone barely over three innings in each of his last two starts in the regionals and super regionals. He has only given up two runs per start. The bullpens will obviously factor huge into this match-up as I expect a pretty good offensive display from both teams. Louisville will have some confidence coming off a big elimination win vs. Miss State. UNC will have to battle back after Rice demolished them 14-4.

A week or so ago, I would have taken UNC no doubt when the line comes out, however, times they are a changin'. The Heels pitching has been atrocious and their bullpen now has some wear on it from the Rice game. The Cards meanwhile should be pretty fresh with their starter having gone deep into the last game. The line should be interesting in this one, I'm leaning to Louisville especially if they're + odds.

TUESDAY's NIGHT GAME
Arizona State (-230) vs. UC-Irvine (+190) 7pm ET

[EaglesPhan36]

Louisville +175
North Carolina -210

*I think all the value lies with Louisville at this price. They've played pretty well in their first two games, especially offensively. The only thing consistent for UNC has been poor pitching. I don't doubt that the Tar Heels will likely win this one, but this is a game that should be close and with a +175 tag - take the dog!

[pico]

Louisville +175
North Carolina -210

*I think all the value lies with Louisville at this price. They've played pretty well in their first two games, especially offensively. The only thing consistent for UNC has been poor pitching. I don't doubt that the Tar Heels will likely win this one, but this is a game that should be close and with a +175 tag - take the dog!

i put a dollar on louisville. game starts soon

[pico]

UC Irvine 5, Cal State Fullerton 4, 13 innings

By ERIC OLSON, AP Sports Writer
June 18, 2007

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) -- Longtime friends Dave Serrano and George Horton shared an embrace moments after UC Irvine had beaten Cal State Fullerton 5-4 in the longest game in College World Series history Monday.

The two coaches just as easily could have collapsed together in exhaustion after a tense elimination game between Serrano's upstart Anteaters and his mentor's tournament-tested Titans.

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"I told him I loved him and thanks for everything," Serrano said. "He said. 'I'm proud of you. Continue to move on and win this thing.' "

Bryan Petersen's run-scoring single to center field in the bottom of the 13th inning ended the 5 hour, 40 minute affair and sent the Titans home after two games for the first time in nine CWS appearances since 1990.

Meanwhile, the Anteaters (46-16-1) play on in their first trip to Omaha, meeting the loser of Monday night's Arizona State-Oregon State game on Tuesday. Fullerton (38-25) was knocked out after losing for the third time in four games with the Anteaters this season.

The 97th meeting of the neighborhood rivals came more than 1,500 miles away from their Orange County campuses, on the game's biggest stage.

It was emotional on a number of fronts.

Serrano pitched for Horton at Cerritos College and later served under him there as pitching coach. Serrano later coached under Horton at Fullerton before taking the UC Irvine head coaching job in 2004.

"The bad news is I had to say goodbye to my mentor, coach, friend, my second father, a guy I love a lot," Serrano said. "That's the toughest part about it, seeing his team eliminated. I wish our win hadn't been at their expense, but we went into this knowing one of us would be happy and one of us would be sad."

The time of the game beat the old CWS mark for longest game -- set in 1981 by Oklahoma State and Arizona State -- by 40 minutes.

Tension ran high, with a CWS record eight batters getting hit by pitches.

Despite committing a season-high six errors, UC Irvine came back three times to tie the Titans before overtaking them in a tense 13th inning that had Horton ejected for arguing a hit batsman call.

Petersen's winning hit came after Fullerton left fielder Josh Fellhauer had thrown out Taylor Holiday at home plate.

Holiday appeared to lean into a Bryan Harris pitch leading off the bottom of the 13th and was awarded first base by home-plate umpire David Buck. A steamed Horton argued and was tossed after Holiday was hit by a pitch for a third time in the game.

"It wasn't about him not moving," Horton said. "He stuck his arm out."

Holiday tried to score from second on Matt Morris' single. Fellhauer came charging in, picked up the ball and threw it on a line to catcher John Curtis, who blocked the plate and easily put the tag on Holiday.

Petersen followed with his hit to center, which scored Cody Cipriano from third. After Petersen touched first base, his teammates rushed out of the dugout and mobbed him in a dogpile.

Petersen also was the batter who doubled in the winning run in the bottom of the ninth in UC Irvine's 3-2 super regional-clinching victory over Wichita State on June 10.

"That hit helped me a lot today," Petersen said. "I was more nervous before I hit in Wichita than I was here. I knew I had done it before. This is a big time of year, and I'm just trying to enjoy it."

Dylan Axelrod (6-4) pitched 4 2-3 innings of relief to get the win, allowing one hit and striking out seven.

Harris (2-3) worked the last five innings, giving up three hits and the winning run.

Holiday's first home run since April 1 pulled UC Irvine into a 3-all tie in the sixth. As Holiday watched his opposite-field drive land deep in the seats in right, he raised his right fist and pumped it before speeding up his home-run trot while rounding second.

Fullerton regained the lead in the seventh without getting a hit.

After Anteater starter Wes Etheridge walked Nick Mahin, Tom Calahan came on and walked John Curtis and intentionally walked Matt Wallach to load the bases. Calahan hit Jones on the right hand to force in a run.

Cipriano hit his school-record 13th home run leading off the bottom half to tie it 4-4.

"We hoped to go deeper in the tournament, but all the teams at the College World Series have momentum and visions of getting the trophy," Horton said. "It was a tough way to lose a game. I know the baseball purists were on the edge of their seats. Two teams went toe to toe, and unfortunately we came out on the short end."

[EaglesPhan36]

Serrano should have been more accomodating and lost so that we could have won yesterday

[EaglesPhan36]

Louisville doing a nice job of throwing away some runs early with an error. 3-1 UNC in the 2nd. 2 scored on the error.

[pico]

Louisville doing a nice job of throwing away some runs early with an error. 3-1 UNC in the 2nd. 2 scored on the error.

hope lousiville can come back and win this. 2 runs is not that much in ncaa bb.

[EaglesPhan36]

I am shocked by the pitching on both sides today. Figured this to be more of a slug fest. Running out of time for the Cards.

[dtryanxpress]

tar heels a go?

[bigboydan]

tar heels a go?

I actually am liking Rice in this game. The problem is I can't lay -170 though.

[BigBollocks]

Who are the projected starting pitchers tonight? Thanks in advance if anyone knows...