Gators Got Game

I hate the Florida Gators.

In spite of my best efforts and promising the Canespace crew and Hurricane fans everywhere that "I Got This", your Miami Hurricanes dropped game one of the NCAA Super Regional tournament in Gainesville Friday night. 

Miami, who came into the game as the 10th seed in the NCAA tournament, lost 7-2 to third seeded Florida at McKethan Stadium. The Gators scored three runs in the third inning and three more in the fourth and blew past the Hurricanes on their way to a five-run victory.

With the loss, Miami dropped to 43-19 while the Gators improved to 46-14. Miami now must win Saturday night to keep the series alive for a winner-take-all showdown on Sunday.

I hate the Florida Gators.

Despite the score, UM starter David Gutierrez actually pitched well enough to win but not without the support of the UM defense and lack of timely hitting.  Gutierrez was let down by the Miami infield on several occasions in game one in front of a highly charged crowd of over 5,400 fans. 

Gutierrez suffered the loss despite allowing just one earned run over four innings.  Five of the six Gator runs scored were a direct result of a pair of crucial UM errors.  If the Hurricanes are to be successful on Saturday night to extend the series that must change.

Jason "Oye Como Va" Santana came into the game in relief and pitched well in allowing one run on two hits while striking out five over the final four innings.

The Hurricanes may have been intimidated by the Gator faithful as they botched several routine ground balls and as a result missed out on several easy double plays.  The foul smelling Gator was everywhere and trust me, it was not a pleasent sight to behold.

Still, while most of the rowdy fans on hand were clad in Gator orange and blue it was nice to see patches of Hurricane orange and green throught the stadium.

I hate the Florida Gators.

The Hurricanes relied on ACC Player of the Year Yasmani Grandal to supply the offense.  Garandal belted a two-run homer in the top of the fourth to pull UM to within one run.  But that was all Miami could manage on a night when their bats went quiet and the ping of the aluminum fell silent.

For the dreaded Gators, both Jonathan "I am not a big, fat" Pigott and Brian "Magic" Johnson had two hits while Austin "Powers" Maddox and Mike "Pasta Bowl" Zunino each had two RBI. UF's "Steven" Tyler Thompson homered and scored a pair of runs.

Still we went to Gainesville and faced the Gator Nation with no fear and did our best to root on the Hurricanes to victory.  We fell short of our goal but walked away with a sense of good things to come for Head Coach Jim Morris and the 2010 UM baseball team.

Oh yeah, and by the way, did I mention: I HATE THE FLORIDA GATORS!

Comments

[Canesfan4life]

First?

[Canesfan4life]

2 years and my first #1.

Hopefully this is a good omen for the Canes, beat UF.

[Old Skool]

Curse foiled again

[Sebastian]

Very good article

I also HATE THE FLORIDA GATORS

A driving force is to 100% hate everything about the Florida Gators

Lets get it to game 3 guys

[Sebastian]

The fans

The city

The stadiums

The mascots

You name it and I hate it

[Sebastian]

I didnt know Martinez was going to be out

That sure makes it alot tougher on the O side of things

[SOUP]

2 years and my first #1.

Hopefully this is a good omen for the Canes, beat UF.

Posted by: Canesfan4life | June 12, 2010 at 07:01 PM

Email me at: [email protected]

To collect your Canespace gear!

[Captain Optimist aka Cavaleer]

Best lead ever! haha Well-done Charlie.

[SOUP]

I didnt know Martinez was going to be out

That sure makes it alot tougher on the O side of things

Posted by: Sebastian57 | June 12, 2010 at 07:19 PM

Me either, but he looked lost last night. He took two called third strikes.

[SOUP]

Best lead ever! haha Well-done Charlie.

Posted by: Captain Optimist aka Cavaleer | June 12, 2010 at 07:21 PM

I do what I do. LOL

[Sebastian]

No No No No No!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Sebastian]

Terrible baserunning

[Canesfan4life]

3 pitch inning we needed that. Let get some O.

[SOUP]

LETS GO CANES!

Nice pitching from Hernandez.

Miami has to hit and score runs to win.

If the Canes can score 3-5 runs and quiet the crowd then UM can win.

If not...

[Canesfan4life]

Just like a chicken gaytor.

[Six]

What the f*ck is Perez doing, right in front of the umpire - that was beyond intentional

He would've been hosed at 3rd anyway if he hadn't done that

[Sebastian]

How many darn errors are the `Canes going to commit in this series

Thats 4 errors and 2 runs scored

[MaryLouAlumni]

I hate the Gators too, especially three days in a row. Doesn't look good at all.

[canesteeler]

Our defense up the middle, primarily short and second are the worst UM has had in the past 10 years.

[Six]

canesteeler - put up a big top tent over the middle infield of the Canes ... might as well throw some damn elephants and clowns out there as well ... charge some admission and it's straight up Barnum and Bailey

[canechic]

These announcers on my last nerve...The SEC is tough in baseball? Come on man and if MR. UCLA says Kevin O' Sullivan one more time......

[Six]

Canes fielding in the post season:

ACC Tourney - 6 errors in 3 games

Regionals - 8 errors in 3 games

Super Regionals - 4 errors in 2 games so far

[canesteeler]

Six I don't understand it. All of these kids were recruited by the big schools and they cannot make routine plays. I stole a saying from Chuck tanner former coach of the Pittsburgh Pirates who use to field a meajor league team "one must make the oridinary play extrodinary"

[canesteeler]

Eric Byrnes is the worst!

[Sebastian]

At least put some kind of pressure on this pitcher

[Sebastian]

6 of the 8 runs scored this series are unearned

[Six]

canesteeler - thing is though, we don't really know who these kids were recruited by, it's not as easy to find out like it is with college football

You notice the difference between the Crocs fielders and pitchers, as opposed to the Canes?

Look at who the Crocs pitchers are and what years they are

Panteliodis - Soph (96 IP)
Randall - Frosh (88 IP)
Johnson - Frosh (70 IP)
Chapman - Jr (42 IP)
Larson - Soph (35 IP)
Barfield - Sr (34 IP)
Toledo - Soph (25 IP)

You see who their workhorses are? A Soph, 2 Frosh and finally a Jr. What's that say about who they're recruiting and how they're recruiting - not to mention, the kind of confidence they have in these kids

Panteliodis (Soph) dominated the Canes last night. The Canes can't hit Randall (Frosh) tonight at all

Look at who the Crocs Frosh fielders are and what they've accomplished

Four of their Frosh are Louisville Slugger All-Americans - SS Nolan Fontana, 3B Austin Maddox, LHP Brian Johnson, RHP Hudson Randall

They're just as young as the Canes

Crocs:
4 Frosh, 2 Sophs, 1 Junior and 2 Seniors in the field tonight for them (Frosh pitcher)

Canes:
4 Frosh, 2 Sophs, 2 Juniors and 1 Senior in the field tonight for them (Junior pitcher)

You have Kevin O'Sullivan, who was the pitching coach for Virginia for a couple of years ('96 - '97) and then was at Clemson for a long time ('99 - '07) as pitching & assistant head coach. He's a recruiting machine - and you see the difference in kids

His first year with the Crocs in 2008, he took them to a Regional - their first since 2005. The next year, a Super Regional. This year, a Super Regional with the overall #3 seed

You have JD Arteaga, who is the recruiting coordinator and pitching coach. He's been the pitching coach since '03

Eyes don't lie. You look at the difference in the pitching staffs and players between the two schools

[Six]

This game was over when it was 1-0

0 and 2 barbeque

See ya next year Canes

[Old Skool]

Just for yucks I checked out one of London's tabloid newspapers (News of the World). Here are their headlines from the game:

Hand of Clod
SHOCK 'N' DRAW
Yankee doddle to Yankee doodoo

[canesteeler]

Six I was pretty active in baseball in the south fl area for the past 6-7 years and I know the kids going to UM are suppose to be top notch. However you are correct the team UF has put on the field is better than the team UM fields. I have 2 friends who are local HS baseball coaches and they say it is still a big deal to be recruited by UM!

[canesteeler]

THIS SHAT IS OVER!

[Sebastian]

After all the talk about that goal I had to take a look at it

That was pretty bad on that goalies part. If I was him I would get my family the heck out of town

They take their soccer real serious

[Canesfan4life]

Come one Grandy!!!!!!!!!!!

[Six]

canesteeler - you know what else though, we don't know who all the Canes have missed out on due to them being drafted .... but even then, that's a pretty far fetched excuse

The kid they had a verbal from in Cali, got picked 23rd overall by the Marlins - Christian Yelich

A kid that was a verbal to the Crocs, got picked in the top 10 overall

I'm sure some of the kids on the Canes were sought after by some other big name schools, but to see what O'Sullivan has done in recruiting with him only being in his 3rd year is crazy by looking at his lineup and pitching staff

Sebastian brought this kid up a few days ago, Lance McCullers from Jesuit High here in Tampa, has said he's going to the Crocs - and that kid is going to be hitting 100 mph this year on the radar with his pitching ... now, they'll most likely lose him to the MLB draft, but the fact that he's on the Crocs leash says what kind of job O'Sullivan is doing

Remember that pitcher from Mitchell High School that threw 4 consecutive no-hitters, Patrick Schuster? Ya, he was a Croc commit ... but he went to the Diamondbacks in the 13th Round last year

So, exactly who have the Canes pulled in as pitchers on Arteaga's watch within the past 3 years

[Sebastian]

He!! yes baby

That fat lady best sit her azz down

[canesteeler]

Wow!

[Six]

canesteeler - there's no doubt that being recruited by the Canes is a big deal, I remember in high school having some Cane people come to our games and they signed our best pitcher, Allan Westfall

He went to Miami and started some games, then went to the bully. He was actually warming up right next to Robbie Morrison during that LSU game in the College World Series, just waiting to be called in .... Morrison came in, Warren Morris stepped up to the plate - and I literally couldn't speak for 20 straight minutes after that ball went over the fence

I don't know what else to say but, look at the two different teams and look at where they're going in these past 3 years since O'Sullivan took over at UiF

[canesteeler]

Six I know two local kids UM signed for next year were both picked in the first round of this past draft. No telling how many have gotten away.

[Six]

Ya, that kid that I was telling you guys about from Lakeland High, Yordy Cabrera, was picked 60th overall by Oakland

Hopefully he doesn't go

I don't get it then. Is it b/c the Canes pick the kids that are too good and who end up going high in the draft? I can't believe that's it, b/c it happens to all the other big programs as well

Programs like Arizona State, Texas, Cal State Fullerton, UiF, Rice, etc. all have kids that get swept up in the draft

[Sebastian]

I talked to that umpire I know for about an hour the other day and he said that kid McCullers has untouchable stuff

He can hit spots and throws in the upper 90`s and has been clocked at 100 a few times. His breaking stuff is in the upper 80`s and falls off the table

But yet can rake the ball with the best of them

[Six]

Sebastian - I guarantee that kid isn't human. I bet he's like that guy in Terminator Salvation, who has a human body and thinks he's human - but he's really a machine on the inside

Can you even imagine stepping up to the plate against him and he throws a couple balls up there at 96 mph or 97 mph .. then comes back with the exact same arm speed, but it's a 84 mph change up

You just start walking back to the dugout with the bat on your shoulder after the last pitch and tell the ump to save his breath on calling you out

[Sebastian]

He told me that McCullers came in to face a kid that was the #4 hitter from some ranked team(the name of the team escapes me)he threw 2 fastballs that he found out later hit 99 and 98 then a curveball that made the kid jump back and it broke right over the middle at 85 mph

He was the homeplate ump for the game

[Sebastian]

Why oh Why!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[canesteeler]

worst fu_king infield I have ever seen

[canesteeler]

please don't hit the ball on the ground!

[canesteeler]

what the fu-k did I say?

[Canesfan4life]

I'm done.

[woobirdsatsunlife]

OMG

[Sebastian]

Can someone please put this into words for me?

[BEERicane]

canes got no defense. this is embarassing. i've never really said this, but they deserve to lose. go home to the gables fellas