On To The Sweet 16…I Mean Super Regionals!

The feature was written exclusively for Canespace by blogger JC...

College baseball has much less familiar names for its tournament than other well-known college sports. In basketball, we’ve got the Big Dance, March Madness, the Final Four. In football we’ve got the bowls, the B(C)S and the National Championship Game. Heck, even collge hockey has the Frozen Four. In baseball, besides the CWS and Omaha, we’ve got… the regionals and Super Regionals. What the heck?

Well Canes fans, you better get familiar with this stuff if you aren’t already, because the Canes OWN the NCAA baseball tournament, particularly when hosting it at Mark Light. Once upon a time only 48 teams made the NCAA tournmanet in baseball, and were placed in one of eight true regional tournaments (i.e. East Regional, Midwest, etc).

Now 64 teams make it, just like in basketball, but unlike basketball they play in double elimination mini-tournmants still called regionals, followed by the Super Regionals, a three game series to advance to the CWS. Under Jim Morris, the Canes have never lost a home regional or Super Regional, and up until last year had won an astounding 11 straight regionals.

This past weekend gave us more of the same as the Canes won the Coral Gables regional in a clean sweep, beating all three participating teams: Bethune Cookman, Missouri, and Ole Miss, in that order. The draw was regarded as one of the toughest in the country and seemingly unfair for the #1 overall seed, while #7 seed and NCAA darling LSU and two-time national runner up UNC got cakewalk brackets.

As Yonder Alonso said, if it ain’t hard, it ain’t worth doing at the U. The Canes sure made it look hard against BCU and Mizzou. In Game 1, the Canes took on the beasts of the MEAC, Bethune. Despite always winning their conference, BCU always comes to the Gables or some other in-state regional site and get whipped (1-16 all time, only win against FIU).

On Friday they played tough behind national ERA leader and starting pitcher Hiram Burgos. BCU jumped out to a 2-0 lead and had it tied at 4-4 in the 5th as the Canes chipped away at Burgos but UM starter Enrique Garcia struggled relatively. But the bullpen slammed the door and the Canes added some insurance runs thanks to Blake Tekotte to win 7-4.

In Game 2, the Canes faced Mizzou and were fortunate not to face 13-0 Aaron Crow, who won in dominating fashion in his game against Ole Miss. The Canes jumped out to a 5-0 lead early as ace Chris Hernandez was wheeling and dealing from the mound. But Mizzou tagged the apparently mortal Hernandez for three runs in the 5th. Keep in mind though, this was Chris’ first postseason start (he’s only a frosh). He got into occasional trouble but was bailed by the defense time and again til giving way to Bellamy in the 7th, who got the Canes out of a jam.

But in the 8th, Bellamy made things interesting giving up a 2 run shot tying the game at 5. Perhaps the most dramatic moment at the Light was catcher Yaz Grandal’s RBI single to put the Canes ahead for good 6-5. From what I understand, the crowd was electric and went bezerk. 

Game 3 was anticlimactic as the Canes faced an exhausted Ole Miss team and crushed them 11-2. The best news here was Eric Erickson finally overcoming his sloppiness and pitching well after giving up 2 in the first inning. Though some say it was his injury that kept him from being the same, Erickson did pitch well in a couple games after coming back against FSU.  It was against UNC and in the ACC tournament he lost control. But his curve ball was back and he mowed down the Rebels. The Canes need this to continue to win the title. Overall, the whole team played well, especially Ryan Jackson who batted over .500 and won regional MVP.

The Canes now move forward to play Arizona in the Super Regionals, which is the baseball equivalent of the Sweet 16. It’s the 9th Super Regional in 10 years for the Canes. Arizona was preseason top 3 in all polls and is a dangerous squad, winning their regional on the road at Michigan. Nationwide, this is shaping up to be a tournament for the favorites, as only for the fourth time since the new format in 1999 have all eight national seeds advanced. As per the tournament format, the national seeds ALWAYS host Super Regionals.  Overall, 13 of 16 No. 1 seeds won their regionals, with only Long Beach, Nebraska, and Okie State failing at home.

The myth was the Canes record was inflated by a weak conference, but so far the ACC has done the best, sending four of six teams to Super Regionals, and with Georgia Tech almost upsetting #8 UGA on the road and Virginia fighting hard in a losing effort in Fullerton. The Pac 10 went 3 of 5, and is about to be at least one team shorter after Arizona goes down. And the mighty SEC, with 9 teams in the tournament, only has 2 left standing. Can you say overrated?

All it takes is two wins in three games to send the Canes to the College World Series yet again. Keep it up Jackson, step it up Raben, go Hernandez, go Erickson, go Canes!

On to Omaha!

Comments

[OCALACANE]

Bam

[OCALACANE]

Great read!!!
Go CANES...

[Old Skool]

tres ok

[JC]

No photos? Why'd the formatting come out like that? I can re-email if you like.

[miamimike01]

I'll let 86 break it.

UM beats the Cats in 2 games. The guys are playing pretty well. They have a goal and are focused on accomplishing that goal.

[SuperCooper]

So, where are the 12%ers? Not looking so good right about now. Especially with the horror that Young will have to deal with at DE. 8-4 might be generous

[miamimike01]

DE shaping up to be a problem.

What about moving Kylan, Futch, or another LB, TE, or FB?

[SOUP]

Format is messed up, back in a few and will add photos...

BIG NEWS COMING UP...A VERY FAMOUS AND WELL KNOWN FORMER PLAYER INTERVIEW!

[Calvin]

Somebody call ww17 a.k.a. willie williams and see if he's busy. As far as the injuries go, it'll only make guys want to committ here and make the guys coming up a lil more hungry. Injuries happen and are probably going to happen more, who knows, but the thing is, guys are getting hurt during non-contact football which shows the team is working harder already. I rememebr the year frank gore went down, and some guys i know from out of town couldn't wait to find me and say, guess what, your starting runningback went down, yall finish, i said no problem, because the guy behind him is just as good (willis mcgahee).

They kept saying, he was your starter for a reason i said yeah, not because the guy behind him is not good, it's just frank gore was just that good, but wait ou'll see, of course yall know the rest.

Now i'm not saying whoever is behind courtney harris will tear it up, because this team is just starting to get retooled, but shannon will let guys know, somebody has got to step up, he did it when he went to dallas so h's looking for who wants to do it again at UM.

[SOUP]

Format fixed, photos to follow...

[JC]

Sweet.

Injuries are a fact of football people. Miami has had crippling ones, plus ones we've forgotten about because the Canes overcame them.

I feel bad for Courtney. I'm sure the NCAA will give him another year of eligibility to compensate via medical redshirt.

The results of this remain to be seen. Don't fret.

[MDCane]

CANES will play the Gayturds in prime time. Miami-Florida football game on ESPN at 8 p.m. The Miami-Florida football game will be televised in prime time by ESPN on Saturday, Sept. 6, the Atlantic Coast Conference announced.

[SOUP]

Photos up...still working!

Gators vs Canes at 8 PM in the Swamp?

OH MY! Get your game on NOW!!!

[MDCane]

Via the Palm Beah Post:

ACC TV schedule (first three weeks)

Thursday, Aug. 28 Time TV

Jacksonville State at Georgia Tech 7:30 p.m. ESPN360

Charleston Southern at Miami 7:30 p.m. ESPN360

N.C. State at South Carolina 8 p.m. ESPN

Wake Forest at Baylor 8 p.m. FSN

Saturday, Aug. 30 Time TV

Virginia Tech vs. ECU Noon ESPN

USC at Virginia 3:30 p.m. ABC (and ESPN2)

Delaware at Maryland 3:45 p.m. ESPNU

McNeese State at North Carolina 6 p.m. None

James Madison at Duke 7 p.m. No TV

Boston College at Kent State 7:30 p.m. ESPNU

Alabama vs. Clemson 8 p.m. ABC

Saturday, Sept. 6 Time TV

Georgia Tech at Boston College Noon Raycom

Furman at Virginia Tech 1:30 p.m. None

Mississippi at Wake Forest 3:30 p.m. ABC (and ESPN2)

The Citadel at Clemson 3:30 p.m. ESPN360

Richmond at Virginia 3:45 p.m. ESPNU

Western Carolina at Florida State 6 p.m. None

William and Mary at N.C. State 6 p.m. None

Northwestern at Duke 7 p.m. None

Maryland at Middle Tennessee 7 p.m. CSS

Miami at Florida 8 p.m. ESPN

Thursday, Sept. 11 Time TV

North Carolina at Rutgers 7:30 p.m. ESPN

Saturday, Sept. 13

Navy at Duke Noon ESPNU

N.C. State at Clemson Noon Raycom

California at Maryland Noon ESPN or ESPN2

Georgia Tech at Virginia Tech 3:30 p.m. ABC (and ESPN)

Chattanooga at Florida State 3:45 p.m. ESPNU

Virginia at Connecticut 7:30 p.m. ESPNU

[CanezNC]

I wonder if Spencer Adkins (who's one of the strongest guys on the team) could play some DE?

[CanezNC]

I wonder if Spencer Adkins (who's one of the strongest guys on the team) could play some DE?

[SOUP]

NC...maybe they will try that. Didn't Adkins test out as one of the STRONGEST Canes?

[M.H.]

A lot of LB's are going to be tryng out for DE.

[CanezNC]

Everything I've heard is the Adkins is much better coming off the edge as a ruch LB than playing in space...and yes, he is one of the strongest guys on the team.

[Esteban]

sucks about Harris. i thought he was prime to have a breakout year. hardin get them grades yet? we'll need him, andrew smith and robinson ready.

[MDCane]

So, where are the 12%ers? Not looking so good right about now. Especially with the horror that Young will have to deal with at DE. 8-4 might be generous

Posted by: SuperCooper | June 03, 2008 at 08:07 PM

12%ers are still alive and well. So long as Moncur doesn't get hurt we'll be fine. Harris played some DE last year and Bailey hasn't played a down at DE so we still don't have a proven DE to line up on the other side of Moncur if they were not hurt.

Some candidates that can step up: Ojomo, Wesley and possible Gordon.
Incoming freshman that can possible switch position: Regis, or Lewis.

[CanezNC]

One thing's for sure - the young guys have a shot to play early and often (all over the field)...

[CanezNC]

good point MDCane about Gordon at DE...

[Alex D]

I guess we'll just have to go back to the ol Miami mentality. D Linemen with dancing bear feat, converted LB's to quick DE's and undersized sideline to sideline that are now capable of blitzing up the middle. Now its time to possibly look into getting all of the best players on the field even if you have to move C. McCarthy or D. Sharpton to DE if they are beaten out of their positions by Spence and Brown.

[SOUP]

2008 University of Miami Hurricanes Football Signees

Name Position Ht. Wt. Hometown High School/Prep School/Junior College

Travis Benjamin WR 5-11 160 Belle Glades, Fla. Glades Central HS

Arthur Brown* LB 6-1 210 Wichita, Kan. Wichita East HS

Ramon Buchanan LB 6-1 181 Melbourne, Fla. Palm Bay HS

Laron Byrd WR 6-3 205 Boutte, La. Hahnville HS

John Calhoun* FB 6-2 233 Micco, Fla. Sebastian River HS

Theron Collier WR 5-9 163 Miami, Fla. Booker T. Washington HS

Taylor Cook QB 6-7 230 Eagle Lake, Texas Rice Consolidated HS

Marcus Forston* DT 6-2 286 Miami, Fla. Northwestern HS

Jordan Futch LB 6-3 202 Hollywood, Fla. Chaminade Madonna College Prep

Gavin Hardin LB 6-4 240 Jackson, Tenn. Central-Merry HS

Antonio Harper LB 6-3 220 Memphis, Tenn. Melrose HS

Brandon Harris CB 5-11 185 Miami. Fla. Booker T. Washington HS

Jacory Harris* QB 6-4 170 Miami, Fla. Northwestern HS

Patrick Hill#* FB 5-10 248 Torrance, Calif. Fairfax HS (Calif.) / El Camino C.C.

C.J. Holton S 6-2 195 Crawfordville, Fla. Wakulla HS

Aldarius Johnson* WR 6-2 200 Miami, Fla. Northwestern HS

Davon Johnson WR 5-11 170 Miami, Fla. Booker T. Washington HS

Ben Jones OT 6-5 280 Miami, Fla. Northwestern HS

Zach Kane FB/LB 6-3 220 Toms River, N.J. Toms River North HS

Jeremy Lewis DT 6-3 295 West Palm Beach, Fla. Palm Beach Lakes HS

Brandon Marti LB 6-0 196 Miami, Fla. Gulliver Prep

C.J. Odom S 6-0 210 Fort Myers, Fla. Fort Myers HS

Micanor Regis DT 6-3 300 Pahokee, Fla. Pahokee HS

Marcus Robinson LB 6-2 210 Homestead, Fla. Homestead HS

Andrew Smith DE 6-3 240 Coconut Creek, Fla. Monarch HS

Cannon Smith* QB 5-11 200 Chatham Va. Olive Branch (Miss.) HS / Hargrave Military Academy

Sean Spence* LB 6-0 186 Miami, Fla. Northwestern HS

Tommy Streeter WR 6-4 190 Miami, Fla. Northwestern HS

Vaughn Telemaque S 6-2 190 Long Beach, Calif. Long Beach Poly HS

Kendall Thompkins WR 5-10 165 Miami, Fla. Northwestern HS

Brandon Washington G 6-4 315 Miami, Fla. Northwestern HS

Jake Wieclaw* PK 6-2 180 New Lenox, Ill. Lincoln Way Central HS

Joe Wylie S 6-2 172 Lauderdale Lakes, Fla. Boyd Anderson

*Enrolled at UM for the spring 2008 semester
# Junior-college transfer

[SOUP]

Alex...great post! Dancing Bear Feet? Russell Maryland? Shane Curry? Dan Stubbs? Rusty Medearis? Jimmie Jones?

[SOUP]

Some candidates that can step up: Ojomo, Wesley and possible Gordon. Incoming freshman that can possible switch position: Regis, or Lewis.

Posted by: MDCane | June 03, 2008 at 09:05 PM

Maryland...there it is right there.

[Esteban]

remember william joseph started out at DE. so a guy like lewis who's supposed to be athletic might find a home there for a year or two.

[AvaCane96]

i think we'll be fine...Shannon and Young will be on it and make all the necessary changes.

the one that really hurts tho is Allen Bailey, as there is no one else on the team like him. Hopefully he recovers fast.

[Esteban]

Ava, i expected more from Harris this year than Bailey. But i hope Bailey recovers fast, too.

[Montreal-Cane]

Arizona has a strong Bullpen but their starting pitchers are good but not great...
The best way to beat them is to score as many points as early as possible in the game...

[SOUP]

MONTY...yes, that is correct. Score early and often ALWAYS works.

Ocala and I will be at the Titanic blogging LIVE from 5-6 PM on Friday and Saturday and then in the stadium trying to blog LIVE also.

JC....GREAT feature article. U are the best of the BEST! I'd put that blog up against ANYBODY!

GO CANES HARDBALLERZ!!!

[darCANEgel]

This'll be a tough series...y'all better be there --- loud.

I sure wish the Football team would score early and often again...

I'm not looking to get to the NC game (Jan 8) in JRS...
(sorry, 12 step-ers...)

But back in the OB game??? (Jane 1)

Fudge, yeah...
85 days, 21 hrs.
Who dem CANES!

[OCALACANE]

I'm Back!!!

Lizard Land in the House...
Sucks about injury. I think someone will step up!
I am more concerned about Harris and the injury. Recovery and football career right now. C. H. Get better soon!
Shannon and Young have the tools in the shed to fix this IMO...

[SOUP]

This'll be a tough series...y'all better be there --- loud.

Who dem CANES!

Posted by: darCANEgel | June 03, 2008 at 09:58 PM

Darc...Ocala and I will be there, U can bet on that. Locked and loaded!

I got FOUR for Friday and Saturday = two extras each day. Cat5, 1982, Keoki, Aqua...let me know what's up ASAP!

If LUCKY, we may be in the company of one of your friends and ALL TIME great Canes. Can't say who yet, but trust me: U will LIKE!

[darCANEgel]

BTW, Cal...
I agree
with your pedagree...

but question: what is the intangible the O is missing? your gut reaction---
- Coach (Nix?)
- Depth on OL?
- WR's?
- Anything?

See, I think the QB's are okay for what they are (highly recruited frshmen, the WRs will step up - some -- and the RBs are the sheet...
so what is it -- if anything, that worries U why we wont run/ pass the ball on ALL cylinders?? i dont have that gr8 feel yet...but I aint ready to say its all the coaches...I got faith in Nix...
So ---

They recruit
They motivate
Sheet -- they got us by the collar ---
I sure as f*hk HOPE they can coach the O!

Lets go CANES

[SOUP]

The Cane we are talking meeting up with in CG could definitely help the Canes on offense!

[Seoul Cane]

Wow,

After just reading without posting, I've noticed how nice it's been here the last few days...without Carlos...

[darCANEgel]

Right on, 86 - I'm fired up your going...
and I LOVE the intrigue...who is it?

well, since the kicker usually is the high scorer on a football team...are U going with Bosher? LOL...

c, a, n, e, s
CANES!

[solarcane]

Arizona news clipping
peace

Cats have few shots at Goliath, er, Miami
Opinion by Greg Hansen
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 06.03.2008

To get a sense of how long it has been since an NCAA tournament baseball game was played in Tucson, try this: If another 16 years pass without the Arizona Wildcats hosting a baseball regional, it will be 2024.
UA baseball coach Andy Lopez will be 70.
Here's another way of looking at it: Since Arizona last hosted an NCAA playoff game, the Miami Hurricanes have played 48 such games at Mark Light Field.
It has been so long that UM's baseball facility is now antiquated. By next June, the Hurricanes will be playing at Alex Rodriguez Park, a $4 million makeover of Light Field with the perfunctory VIP suites and new everything else: press box, video room, weight room, dressing room and trophy room.
It won't make the Hurricanes any better, but those who follow UM baseball will at last be able to follow the nation's top college baseball program in comfort and style.
When assessing Arizona's postseason assignment a few days ago, Lopez asked a question to which he knew the answer.
"When was the last time Tucson was the site of an NCAA regional?''
He answered his own question: "It was 1992, right? I was coaching in it. I had Pepperdine across my chest.''
Here's what I'm getting at: When the Wildcats embark on their best-of-three journey to Coral Gables, Fla., their chances can best be compared with those softball teams that have come to Tucson for the NCAA playoffs at Hillenbrand Stadium.
Arizona's softball team is 50-5 in NCAA games at Hillenbrand dating to the UA's last postseason home baseball game. Nobody beats the Wildcats at Hillenbrand. Similarly, nobody beats the Hurricanes at Light Field, where the most popular concession-stand item is the Omaha Express.
Get it? Omaha? Site of baseball's College World Series.
Miami was last eliminated in a home playoff series in 1990 — that was 54 home playoff games (and 14 home playoff series ago) — by The Citadel.
Perhaps Arizona's rallying cry should be "Remember The Citadel!''
Arizona's timing is not necessarily good. The Hurricanes have played in a record 36 consecutive NCAA tournaments, and just 14 of those teams failed to reach Omaha. That's ridiculously good.
In January, when UM coach Jim Morris was introduced to the school's new athletic director, Kirby Hocutt, the Miami Herald reported that Morris divulged "this is as talented a team as we've ever had.''
Miami has scored 106 more runs and hit 21 more home runs than Arizona. Its team batting average is .328.
"They're so good offensively; they just put so much pressure on you in so many ways," Ole Miss coach Mike Blanco told reporters after losing 11-2 to the Hurricanes in Sunday's regional final at — where else? — Light Field.
"They can hit the ball out of the park," said Blanco. "They can steal. They do so many things well."
Not that Arizona is a struggling mediocrity. The Wildcats have won 40 games in back-to-back seasons for the first time in more than 20 years. They have what is possibly the nation's best bullpen and five formidable hitters: C.J. Ziegler, T.J. Steele, Jon Gaston, Brad Glenn and Colt Sedbrook.
Arizona's "other guys" in the pitching rotation, Eric Berger and David Coulon, are a cumulative 16-6.
At any other time, against almost any other opponent, Arizona would be a trendy choice to burst through a super regional, any super regional, and take its swings in Omaha.
You don't want to play an Arizona softball team in Tucson in May. You don't want to play a Miami baseball team in Coral Gables in June.
The Hurricanes start four position players ranked in the top 65 of Baseball America's draft projections, including three likely first-round selections. First baseman Yonder Alonso is No. 12. Second baseman Jemile Weeks is No. 27. Outfielder Dennis Raben is No. 34.
And that's not all. Freshman left-hander Chris Hernandez, who is possibly the No. 2 starter, not the staff ace, is 11-0. Closer Carlos Gutierrez can match the numbers posted by Arizona's superb closer Jason Stoffel.
What Lopez would most like is for Stoffel to pitch in the top of the ninth and for the Hurricanes to leave home for the weekend, preferably to Tucson.
Barring that, the Wildcats must do what the last 38 post-season opponents have failed to do at Light Field — beat the Hurricanes on their turf.
Derailing the Omaha Express is overdue.

[SOUP]

DarC...nah, he would be more help than that!

Here's a hint, but don't say it out loud because it is NOT confirmed he will be there or not, but I think he wore the same # as Bennie Blades??? Or the square root of 1296?

[darCANEgel]

He called it Light Field??

Yeah, you know what else is overdue, Greg?

Quality journalism @ the Daily Star...dats what!

BRING IT!

CANES

[darCANEgel]

McNeal?

No --- he's what 33
...who's 36???

---

never mind...

Kylan.

Really?

NICE!
CANES

[SOUP]

You have the # correct, but it is NOT a current player, a former player...

[SOUP]

Current players are OFF limits (for now) according to the BOSS and UM. But former players we are connected with...

[SOUP]

Here's another hint:

WE READY, WE READY!!!

[darCANEgel]

Sikes wore it...but thats DFense...
ummm...
ummm
UM

sheet!!

[darCANEgel]

DAMN!!!Recent graduate and all round GOOD GUY...LAMAR THOMAS...

F!!K yeah!

CANES

[SOUP]

YUP!

[SOUP]

You have won a Mo Sikes autographed photo!

I'll get one from Lamar too when I see him...