Loving Every Minute Of It

Head Coach Jim Morris and his University of Miami Hurricanes baseball team continued their winning ways on a hot, humid afternoon in Jacksonville on Saturday by out pitching and out scoring North Carolina State 5-2.  The Wolf Pack trailed the entire game and attempted several rallies but the Canes pitching staff that included starter Enrique Garcia, reliver Kyle Bellamy and closer Carlos Gutierrez shut down the Wolf Pack offense to preserve the win.

Garcia, who struck out seven and gave up three hits, pitched seven scoreless innings before turning the game over to Bellamy.  Assistant coach and former UM player J.D. Arteaga has done a great job with the Canes pitching staff throughout the season and hopes to have his hurlers in top form for the upcoming regionals leading to the college World Series.

While college basball is usually about the "PING" of the bat and how many runs your team can score, consistent and effective pitching cannot be overlooked as a key part of the game.

The Canes took an early lead on a three run home run over the right field wall by Jemile Weeks in the third inning.  From the moment Weeks, seen here being interviewed after the game, made contact with the ball there was never any doubt that it was "outta here"!  The Canes added two runs in the fourth inning playing small ball with timely hitting and an RBI double by Dave "Heavy D" DiNatlie and another RBI single by catcher Jason Haggerty.

The play of the game though may have been when the Canes were in the field playing their usual stellar defense.  Left Fielder Don Severino fielded a base hit to shallow left and came up throwing to gun down a Wolpack runner at the plate on a picture perfect throw and great play by UM cathcer Jason Haggerty to block the plate.  Canes fans who were at the game in large numbers were on their feet and chanting: "Let's Go Canes" after the play.

I was only supposed to be at the first two games of the in Jacksonville on Wednesday and Thursday and was scheduled to leave on Friday morning.  But after two great games and two Hurricanes victories, I just couldn't leave until I got in one more game.  As I mentioned previously, the location and the fans here are just awesome!  From the parking, to the stadium, to the field and into the stands the place is top notch. And if I have to remind you, even the concessionaires love Canespace!

The Canes and Head Coach Jim Morris face the Virginia Cavaleers today at 1 PM for the ACC championship.  We went deep undercover to ask a "inside source" who would win the championship game.  The Chick-fil-A cow told us under the strictest confidentiality to eat more chicken and GO CANES!!!

Comments

[SOUP]

Studly...welcome to Canespace, but a word of caution...be careful, very careful. Do NOT post garbage (i.e. Kyle/Kirby are great!) just to get attention, that will not fly here. Post here, post often, post smart.

Souper...welcome to Canespace! I think you should change you blog name so we do not get confused. Surely, there must be another name out there you like that doesn't have SOUP in it and is more Canes related?

[SOUP]

Mitch...happy birthday bro'!

JC...don't get your knickers all in a wad! We got this:

WE READY, WE READY!!!

[Hurricane Mitch]

Thank you very much SOUP.

[SOUP]

JC...just read the article. Love it, good stuff!

NEW BLOG UP TONIGHT AT 8 PM.

JC's take on the Canes hardballers and complete UM baseball season recap.

[Jer]

Happy Birthday Mitch!

My birthday is this friday and I agree on the early birthday present!

[JC]

Some interesting Q&A over at Baseball America:

"Q: Buddy Grimes from Georgia asks:
I wish someone could please explain to me how UGA has stayed in the Top 10 and hosting after being ousted in two straight in the SEC Tournament? It is crazy the way in all sports it is catered to SEC teams when the ACC is by far the best in the nation. GT got shafted bad I mean UGA won the regular season title and had a worse record then the 5th and 6th team in the ACC. Please tell me why this is happening this way?
A:

Aaron Fitt: Well, to be fair, the ACC is a much shallower conference than the SEC -- the conference records for Miami, UNC and Florida State are inflated by all those games against the soft underbelly of the league. There are no Virginia Tech-Boston College-Maryland type teams to pad your record against in the SEC. I don't think the SEC really got more than it deserved -- the SEC will only host two regionals compared to the ACC's four. The SEC stands out for its depth more than its top-end teams, and as such I think it's appropriate that nine SEC teams got into the tournament. I don't think Georgia really deserved a national seed after the way it played the final two weekends -- I would have gone with Oklahoma State -- but it's not indefensible. Finishing first in that conference during the regular season is really difficult.

Q: Andrew from Athens, GA asks:
Did Miami get the worst regional for the #1 ever? Ole Miss and Mizzou could both knock out the Canes in my opinion and not be a shocker.
A:

Aaron Fitt: It's utterly shocking how tough of a draw the Hurricanes got. John Manuel and I talked about this on today's podcast -- North Carolina's road to Omaha is immeasurably smoother than Miami's, yet Miami is the tournament's top seed. Missouri and Ole Miss are bona fide Omaha contenders with a wealth of talent, particularly on the mound. And Arizona, Michigan or Kentucky will be a challenging super-regional matchup as well. Hard to believe how badly the Hurricanes got hosed after the way they dominated all season long.

Q: Rick from St. Louis, MO asks:
So did Missouri get the worst draw? Not only do they have to be in with #1 seed in the field, but they have to face Lance Lynn in their first game. And to top it off, aren't they travelling the furthest of any 2 seed?
A:

Aaron Fitt: Well at least the Tigers can counter with Aaron Crow in that opener -- that's got the makings of a classic pitching matchup. Unfortunately, Missouri will probably have to face Miami in the next game if they win. I might have taken Missouri all the way to Omaha in any other regional, but that one's going to be very tough. Check back later this week in the special regional preview college podcast to get my picks and John Manuel's picks in all 16 regionals."

http://www.baseballamerica.com/chat/chat.php?id=2008052601&rnd=2

[JC]

Also, BA has Miami back at #1. I'm sure everyone else will too. No shock.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/college/top-25-tracker/2008/266156.html

[Jer]

Nice posts JC. Even the people who aren't Miami fans think we were dealt a unfair hand.

[Calvin]

The good thing is jim morris has been at Miami long enough to know what time it is. He knows they don't want us getting another championship, they hate anything UM, morris knows what to tell the team, it'll be along the same lines as what soup said below:

It's all good, bracketology goes against us, no problem, bring it!
We got somethin' for ya'! And the last sound you will hear before the ball goes "over Yonder" and the Canes beat your sorry behinds is a loud PING!!!
Posted by: SOUP | May 26, 2008 at 02:18 PM

That'll make the championship that much sweeter knowing that you hd to play against all odds. If we get basic to good pitching, we'll be hard to beat, we have the bats. This baseball team right now without a championship can be compared to almost any championship claiber UM football team, nothing but stars up and down the roster, bu right now if i had o compare this team to any UM team, it would be the team with warren sapp and company, championship defense and running game, no qb, right now our pitchers are playing like ryan clements.

[SOUP]

Calvin...U got that right! Against all odds is the Hurricane way, nothing else will do!!!

[SOUP]

CBS ad is up, left column, we are getting PAID boys and girls!!!

[Jer]

Does it help if we click the ads?

[Calvin]

I laugh when they think they are making it tough on us, jim morris knows the HURRICANE way, and he'll let the boys know, we are the best so we want to play the best. I'm dissappointed some of yall are crying for an easier schedule, phuck em, we don't want cup-cakes, what we want is for opposing baseball teams to start trying to figure out a way to take us off their schedule as well, just like football.

[Calvin]

That's the ultimate sign of respect, to say you don't want to play us anymore proves that we are the best, i don't know of any other college team who has more teams not wanting to play them and scheduling around them, it's time to startd dialing up ucla again, does usc want some anytime soon, how about cal, hell about the only team that seems to be on the verge of trying to man-up was standford from the leadership down.

I got a question, for those of you who've seen tyrelle pryor play, what was your impressions of him.

[Jer]

Amen Calvin!

[OCALACANE]

Soup...
CBS Awesome bro...
Good for U!!!
Great game coverage!

[Calvin]

soup, someone else thinks LIKEWISE!

We're Miami – nothing's easy, and if I want a ring I want in the hard way," Yonder Alonso said. "I want to earn everything that I get here at Miami, and so does the team. So it's okay."

DOMINATE ONE 3!

[SOUP]

Ocala...I'm working over here! Up to my @$$ in alligators, still trying to drain the swamp, going to baseball tournaments all over the State and still blogging with everything I got!

CBS is just the beginning...

[SOUP]

You don't have to click the ads just watch a sports video once a day and we are set!

[SOUP]

Calvin...U should have been with me up in JAX at the ACC tourney. The 305 took over the 904 with ease. U should have heard the Let's Go Canes chants!

No contest, U know why?

WE READY, WE READY!!!

[solarcane]

we win a Championship, the next day everybody's pizzed about the brackets...
you guys ARE cokerizd!
Spend 48 hours enjoying the Championship.

If we are as good as we seem, who cares who we eliminate first second or third?

soup nice going bro..(CBS) I'm very happy for you.
peace

[Jer]

Any links that send me to videos of Maria Sharapova is ok by me!

[Montreal-Cane]

If we are as good as we seem, who cares who we eliminate first second or third?

soup nice going bro..(CBS) I'm very happy for you.
peace

Posted by: solarcane | May 26, 2008 at 06:26 PM

solar now you talk!

[solarcane]

just saw Tuberville Richt, and Randy on TV being thanked by Dubya for visiting our Troops.

Pretty cool having Canes taking time to go over seas and thank the service men and women.

peace

[solarcane]

wad up monte?
Champs baby! I know you are loving it.

I was out all over the mountains on job related stuff for a lot of the games but soup kept me informed, I watched everything on DVR last night.

Georgia Tech is going to win their regional up this way.

I'd love to see the ACC teams plow through the other conferences.

peace

[solarcane]

I'm sutre this has been posted but just in case
ESPN on Miami being #1 seed

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=3412908

peace

[solarcane]

nice spelling, I'm tired
peace

[M.H.]

Congrats to 86..

[dj moonbat]

"You don't have to click the ads just watch a sports video once a day and we are set!"

It's mostly stuff I might actually want to see, too. Dolphins cheerleaders? Check. Sparano talking about the Taylor situation? Check. Maria Sharapova? Check.

[solarcane]

from an FSU blog jubilent that EA sports is out of their minds, as per usual.

...And I'm appreciative but a 92 on offense and 99 on defense? I know the EA Sports offices are located in Orlando and I'm sure a fellow grad has spiked the Seminoles' ratings a tad.

But seriously?

peace

[solarcane]

JC here is Ole Miss results wouldn't we and half the ACC beat any of these teams?
just wondering
peace

Fri, Feb 22 Minnesota 4 - Oxford, Miss. 3:00 p.m. 8 - 1 (W)

Sat, Feb 23 Minnesota 4 - Oxford, Miss. 1:30 p.m. 22 - 5 (W)

Sun, Feb 24 Minnesota 4 - Oxford, Miss. 1:00 p.m. 15 - 4 (W)

Tue, Feb 26 Northwestern State 2 - Oxford, Miss. 3:00 p.m. 15 - 4 (W)

Wed, Feb 27 Northwestern State 2 - Oxford, Miss. 3:00 p.m. 14 - 1 (W)

Fri, Feb 29 Indiana State 2 - Oxford, Miss. 6:30 p.m. 6 - 4 (W)

Sat, Mar 01 Indiana State 2 - Oxford, Miss. 3:30 p.m. 11 - 4 (W)

Sun, Mar 02 Indiana State 2 - Oxford, Miss. 1:30 p.m. 6 - 5 (W) 11

Tue, Mar 04 Southern Miss 2 - Oxford, Miss. 3:00 p.m. 8 - 5 (W)

Wed, Mar 05 Arkansas State 2 - Oxford, Miss. 6:30 p.m. 5 - 7 (L)

Sat, Mar 08 TCU 2 - at Fort Worth, Texas 12:00 p.m. 3 - 1 (W)

Sat, Mar 08 TCU 2 - at Fort Worth, Texas 4:00 p.m. 4 - 5 (L)

Sun, Mar 09 TCU 2 - at Fort Worth, Texas 1:00 p.m. 1 - 2 (L)

Tue, Mar 11 Western Kentucky 5 - Oxford, Miss. 6:30 p.m. 10 - 3 (W)

Wed, Mar 12 Western Kentucky 5 - Oxford, Miss. 6:30 p.m. 5 - 8 (L)

Fri, Mar 14 Mississippi State * 5 - at Starkville, Miss. 3:00 p.m. 15 - 6 (W)

Sat, Mar 15 Mississippi State * 5 - at Starkville, Miss. 6:00 p.m. 11 - 6 (W)

Sun, Mar 16 Mississippi State * 5 - at Starkville, Miss. 1:30 p.m. 0 - 4 (L)
CSS

Tue, Mar 18 Central Arkansas 8 - Oxford, Miss. 6:30 p.m. 3 - 4 (L)

Wed, Mar 19 Arkansas - Little Rock 8 - Oxford, Miss. 5:30 p.m. 12 - 5 (W)

Fri, Mar 21 Florida * 8 - Oxford, Miss. 6:30 p.m. 5 - 4 (W)
SUN

Sat, Mar 22 Florida * 8 - Oxford, Miss. 1:30 p.m. 4 - 6 (L)
SUN

Sun, Mar 23 Florida * 8 - Oxford, Miss. 12:00 p.m. 2 - 10 (L)

Tue, Mar 25 Southern Miss 15 - at Pearl, Miss. 7:00 p.m. 2 - 3 (L) 10
CSS

Fri, Mar 28 Alabama * 15 - at Tuscaloosa, Ala. 6:30 p.m. 5 - 6 (L)

Sat, Mar 29 Alabama * 15 - at Tuscaloosa, Ala. 4:00 p.m. Postponed

Sun, Mar 30 Alabama * 15 - at Tuscaloosa, Ala. 12:00 p.m. 3 - 5 (L)

Sun, Mar 30 Alabama * 15 - at Tuscaloosa, Ala. 2:45 p.m. 2 - 1 (W) 9

Tue, Apr 01 Memphis 23 - at Memphis, Tenn. 6:30 p.m. Cancelled

Wed, Apr 02 Memphis 23 - Oxford, Miss. 6:30 p.m. 5 - 4 (W)

Fri, Apr 04 Vanderbilt * 23 6 Oxford, Miss. 6:30 p.m. Postponed

Sat, Apr 05 Vanderbilt * 23 6 Oxford, Miss. 1:00 p.m. 7 - 6 (W)

Sat, Apr 05 Vanderbilt * 23 6 Oxford, Miss. 4:30 p.m. 8 - 0 (W)

Sun, Apr 06 Vanderbilt * 23 6 Oxford, Miss. 1:30 p.m. 11 - 6 (W)

Tue, Apr 08 South Alabama 18 - Oxford, Miss. 6:30 p.m. 6 - 5 (W) 10

Wed, Apr 09 South Alabama 18 - Oxford, Miss. 6:30 p.m. 10 - 2 (W)

Fri, Apr 11 LSU * 18 - Oxford, Miss. 6:30 p.m. 2 - 1 (W)

Sat, Apr 12 LSU * 18 - Oxford, Miss. 4:00 p.m. 7 - 1 (W)

Sun, Apr 13 LSU * 18 - Oxford, Miss. 1:30 p.m. 2 - 8 (L)

Tue, Apr 15 Mississippi State 16 - at Pearl, Miss. 6:30 p.m. 5 - 6 (L)
CSS

Fri, Apr 18 South Carolina * 16 10 at Columbia, S.C. 5:00 p.m. 2 - 6 (L)

Sat, Apr 19 South Carolina * 16 10 at Columbia, S.C. 3:00 p.m. 5 - 2 (W)
FSN

Sun, Apr 20 South Carolina * 16 10 at Columbia, S.C. 11:00 a.m. 1 - 4 (L)

Tue, Apr 22 Murray State 21 - Oxford, Miss. 6:30 p.m. 15 - 5 (W)

Wed, Apr 23 Arkansas State 21 - at Jonesboro, Ark. 6:30 p.m. 9 - 4 (W)

Fri, Apr 25 Arkansas * 21 - Oxford, Miss. 6:30 p.m. 12 - 4 (W)

Sat, Apr 26 Arkansas * 21 - Oxford, Miss. 4:00 p.m. 11 - 13 (L) 10

Sat, Apr 26 Arkansas * 21 - Oxford, Miss. 7:30 p.m. 4 - 12 (L)

Tue, Apr 29 Memphis 25 - at Memphis, Tenn. 6:30 p.m. 10 - 1 (W)

Wed, Apr 30 Jackson State 25 - Oxford, Miss. 6:30 p.m. 5 - 3 (W)
Colonel's Kids Day
Fri, May 02 Georgia * 25 8 at Athens, Ga. 5:30 p.m. 4 - 5 (L)

Sat, May 03 Georgia * 25 8 at Athens, Ga. 2:00 p.m. 9 - 4 (W)
ESPNU

Sun, May 04 Georgia * 25 8 at Athens, Ga. 1:00 p.m. 4 - 11 (L)

Fri, May 09 Auburn * - - Oxford, Miss. 6:30 p.m. 7 - 6 (W)

Sat, May 10 Auburn * - - Oxford, Miss. 4:00 p.m. 1 - 11 (L)
XM 199
Sun, May 11 Auburn * - - Oxford, Miss. 1:30 p.m. 5 - 2 (W)

Thu, May 15 Kentucky * - 20 at Lexington, Ky. 5:30 p.m. 4 - 12 (L)

Fri, May 16 Kentucky * - 20 at Lexington, Ky. 5:30 p.m. 0 - 9 (L)

Sat, May 17 Kentucky * - 20 at Lexington, Ky. 12:00 p.m. 7 - 5 (W) 11

[Savitza]

I say:

Gutierrez - Game 1
Garcia - Game 2
The Frosh - Game 3

**If by some rare chance Erickson in game 4

Super Regionals

Garcia - Game 1
The Frosh - Game 2
**Need be, Erickson - Game 3