What: NCAA Baseball Tournament, Houston Regional
Where: Houston, Texas | Reckling Park (5,368)
Who: K-State (41-16-1) vs. Xavier (38-19)
When: May 29, 2009 | 2:00 p.m.
Media: 1350 KMAN | Rice Live Webcast
Follow the Bat Cats today as they make their first NCAA Tournament appearance in baseball. Coach Brad Hill has decided to roll the dice and start Lance Hoge instead of A.J. Morris, gambling that Hoge can get us the win over Xavier and saving Morris for a potential winners'-bracket matchup with Rice.
For those unfamiliar with baseball Regionals, here's how it works. It's a four-team, double-elimination bracket. Top-seeded Rice plays fourth-seeded Sam Houston State, while second-seeded K-State plays third-seeded Xavier. The losers of those two games play on Saturday in an elimination game, while the two winners play in the winners' bracket game. The winner of the elimination game squares off with the loser of the winners' bracket game on Sunday in another elimination game. At that point, the team that survives the second elimination game would have to defeat the 2-0 team twice in order to advance.
Go Cats!
0 recs | 63 comments
If you're interested in watching or listening to other games online, use this website as a guide...
http://www.ncaa.com/brackets/2009/ncaa_bracket_DI_baseball.html
Panjandrum - May 29, 2009
Good luck K-Staters.
See you in Omaha!
James Quinn - May 29, 2009
I would die with joy if that happened
TB - May 29, 2009
Here is a better link...
…to the CBS webcast.
Hoge set ’em down in order in the top of the first. Good start. Cats coming to the plate.
TB - May 29, 2009
Jurica rips a one-out double...
…good to get that out of a .362 hitter.
TB - May 29, 2009
And Martini singles him home!
1-0 Cats. Even better news, the Cats are really hitting the ball hard right now. Muenster popped out to lead off, but he ripped a foul ball down the first-base line that would have been a double had it been fair.
TB - May 29, 2009
And sure enough, I say that...
…and Bloxom rips a single. I like.
TB - May 29, 2009
King with a single to drive in Martini...
…2-0 Wildcats, one out, runners at 1st and 2nd.
TB - May 29, 2009
Cruz hits a looper into center...
…the CF dives, misses, and K-State has two more runs. 4-0 BatCats
TB - May 29, 2009
Vaughn ends the inning on a deep drive caught at the warning track...
…the Cats are just killing the ball right now. Need to keep that up and keep getting zeroes on the board from Hoge.
TB - May 29, 2009
Someone on one of the message boards posted...
that Xavier has an unbelievable amount of comeback victories this year.
We need six or seven good innings out of Hoge. We need to keep the pen fresh this weekend.
Panjandrum - May 29, 2009
Hoge survives a couple two-out singles in the second...
…but the Cats failed to get anything going in the bottom of the 2nd.
Smoller just replaced Wyatt on the broadcast. Yay.
TB - May 29, 2009
Smoller and Walters talking about humidity...
…makes me nostalgic.
TB - May 29, 2009
Damn...
…now Hoge is struggling. 1st and 2nd, nobody out.
TB - May 29, 2009
Jeez
We’re up 4-0 and Hoge can’t find the strike zone at all.
TB - May 29, 2009
Coaxes a groundout...
…runners at 2nd and 3rd, one down.
TB - May 29, 2009
Five-pitch walk
He’s not even close to the zone right now. Bases loaded.
TB - May 29, 2009
Whew!
Big strikeout there of one of Xavier’s best hitters. The curveball was wicked.
TB - May 29, 2009
Bloxom just golfed a pitch out...
…and when I say golfed it out, I mean it literally. He looked like Phil Mickelson on that swing. Cats lead 5-0.
TB - May 29, 2009
And a walk by King and a Biery single...
…puts two on for Jordan Cruz.
TB - May 29, 2009
And that's a BOMB!!!
Cruz hits one that probably ended up in the Texas Medical Center, and it’s 8-0 BatCats.
TB - May 29, 2009
This pitcher doesn't appear to be any better...
…Rob Vaughn just roped a double. Pour it on!
TB - May 29, 2009
Yelovich K, Muenster walks
Jurica to the plate.
TB - May 29, 2009
And a walk loads the bases...
…with Martini coming up.
TB - May 29, 2009
And he loops an opposite-field single...
…to score two. 10-0 Cats.
TB - May 29, 2009
Thanks for the updates TB
I was kinda hoping that holding Morris would pay off for KSU (Hell if Nebraska can’t be in KSU might as well enjoy the ride). If KSU wins this one having Morris for the next game is HUGE for winning the regional. Rice then has to go deep in the rotation while KSU can sit back at 2-0. Post season is all about winning early.
Glad to see the bat cats have well, hot bats in the post season, especially good way to start a post season.
JLew - May 29, 2009
Thanks JLew...
…are you still in Manhattan? I’m going to be there tomorrow.
TB - May 29, 2009
Yep sitting on campus right now.
Nice that the students are gone, I just wish could get some stuff done. Supposed to be really nice this weekend.
JLew - May 29, 2009
Bloxom with a two-run double...
…and it’s 12-0 Cats.
TB - May 29, 2009
Wow, the rout is on.
JLew - May 29, 2009
It's only the 3rd inning?!?
Is there a mercy rule in the regional?
JLew - May 29, 2009
I wish...
…even though we’re up big, I just want this thing over with.
TB - May 29, 2009
Aaaand...
…Xavier is on the board.
TB - May 29, 2009
Bases loaded, nobody out
C’mon Lance, get it together.
TB - May 29, 2009
HBP brings in a run
Damn it.
TB - May 29, 2009
What is he doing?
Did he sit too long? Grooving pitches, and then hits a guy.
Maybe I should turn off the radio?
JLew - May 29, 2009
Just lost his edge a little, I think...
…he sat for almost 30 minutes during that marathon inning. Just got a run-scoring double-play, so now we have two outs. Fortunately, we have enough cushion such that three runs isn’t the end of the world.
TB - May 29, 2009
Seems he settled down some
So I’ll keep the radio on.
I love Andy Sawyer being in your dugout BTW (just mentioned him on the radio)
You’d like to ride Lance has long as you can. KSU keeps scoring, maybe a complete game? Longest prior was 7 innings, so maybe that’s a stretch. But with a big lead you can throw the second tier relievers, or run a new pitcher out every inning, Creighton style.
JLew - May 29, 2009
It's funny...
…I vividly remember Sawyers getting tossed in Manhattan back when he was coaching at Nebraska. Joba Chamberlain was pitching very poorly and Sawyers was letting the umpire hear about the strike zone. Ump had enough, tossed him, and Sawyers jumped over the dugout rail like he was George Brett going after the ump.
TB - May 29, 2009
Was at that game.
Joba was off, (hurt shoulder) and KSU won, NU came back and won the next 2.
Sawyers got his moneys worth that’s for sure.
JLew - May 29, 2009
Smoller just mentioned...
…that Cruz and Bloxom are 3/4s of the way to the cycle.
TB - May 29, 2009
Just what the doctor ordered...
…Hoge gets a quick 5th inning after a double play.
TB - May 29, 2009
5 pitches.
Nice.
JLew - May 29, 2009
BOOM
2 run homer.
TB you watching the game? How long was it?
JLew - May 29, 2009
I didn't have the video up when he hit it...
…and CBS isn’t showing replays. I can, however, vouch that the first homer Bloxom hit was freaking mashed. It cleared the trees beyond the fence at Reckling.
TB - May 29, 2009
Bloxom just destroys another one
Two home runs on the day for Blox. Cats lead 14-3.
TB - May 29, 2009
Hoge is done after 5
Freshman Evan Marshall takes over.
TB - May 29, 2009
Why pull Hoge?
Can Marshall eat some innings? Or will there be a new pitcher every inning?
JLew - May 29, 2009
I'm a little surprised...
…I would have left Hoge in there until he was worn out. He only threw 81 pitches, and it’s not an especially warm day in Houston (88 degrees, only 41 percent humidity). Marshall can definitely eat up some innings, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him finish the game if he’s throwing well.
TB - May 29, 2009
Maybe save Hoge
in case you need him later?
JLew - May 29, 2009
Maybe
Hill may be thinking about Monday. Given that we’re holding Morris back, he obviously won’t be available should we end up playing on Monday. Perhaps the idea is that Hoge will fill that role should we need a guy who’s been in big situations late in Monday’s game.
TB - May 29, 2009
Well, never mind
Marshall pitches well, but now Kyle Hunter is in.
TB - May 29, 2009
Well experience is good
It would take a major melt down for this to go badly for KSU.
JLew - May 29, 2009
Mike Clark on the broadcast now...
…he’s pretty excited to see the Cats in a Regional.
TB - May 29, 2009
Carter Jurica with a triple...
…and two more runs are in, and it’s 16-3.
TB - May 29, 2009
I should note...
…that the crowd is terrible. Apparently sitting out in the sun and watching an NCAA Regional isn’t high on the list of entertainment on a Friday afternoon for Houstonians.
TB - May 29, 2009
Probably stuck in traffic
Did not care for Houston when I was there.
JLew - May 29, 2009
Ha
I really liked it. Traffic definitely sucks, though.
TB - May 29, 2009
Announcers seem bored
Not good right now, hard to tell what is happening.
JLew - May 29, 2009
Yeah
Not much happening. Going to the 8th, Cats lead 16-6.
TB - May 29, 2009
Announcers keep bagging on the bullpen
but different situations, different players, not a big deal IMO.
Nice win by KSU, congrates on the first victory in the post season ever.
JLew - May 29, 2009
Thanks again
Definitely a few comments on the bullpen toward the end, but I’m not terribly concerned right now. It’s hard to be 100 percent focused when you have a big lead. Also, in that situation, you’re just trying to hit the strike zone, so inevitably you’re going to give up some hits.
TB - May 29, 2009
That's the ballgame!
K-State wins, 16-8. In their first NCAA Tournament, the Wildcats are in the winners’ bracket and will play the winner of Rice and Sam Houston State.
TB - May 29, 2009
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