Day 3 - College World Series, UM eliminates FSU 7-5

Hey gang,

Ready for the big must-win showdown between UM and FSU at 2 p.m. here at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha. The winner moves on to play the loser of the Stanford-Georgia game later on. That game would be Wednesday night at 7 p.m.

I'll be here live again during the game, available to chat about the game or anything in general as we both watch Miami try to keep its memorable season from ending sour.

UM is trying to avoid going 0-2 for only the second time in 23 appearances at the CWS. More importantly, it is trying to avoid the added insult of being eliminated from Omaha by their arch rivals from Tallahassee.

UM is trying to rally to win the national title after losing Game 1 for the first time ever. It's a hard task, but it has been done recently as Oregon State did it in 2006 after coincidentally UM beat them in the first game. The hardest one is the first one today. A win and you start believing again, everything feels a little better, and you start picking up momentum.

Plus, if the move by Jim Morris to start David Gutierrez pays off, he'll have his usual 2nd and 3rd starters - Eric Erickson and Enrique Garcia - ready for the next game, and so on.

In six starts this season, Gutierrez is 4-0 with a 3.48 ERA. He's won his past 3 starts (Georgia Tech, North Florida, Virginia), albeit spread out, and has a 3.18 ERA in those games. That's better than Erickson's 6.58 ERA his last 3 starts, but a little worse than Garcia's 2.41 ERA.

Gutierrez, however, has not given up more than 3 earned runs in any of his five starts this season.

Bottom line, Miami needs to hit consistently like they did in Game 2 against Arizona. That and game 3 of the Regional against Ole Miss are the only games where they consistently hammered the ball.

This team hasn't caught fire at the plate for more than one game yet in the playoffs. If they do, suddenly coming back looks a lot more realistic. All the best teams over the years I've watched this event have certainly had good pitching, but they've also had at least a couple of games where they've lit up another team the way Stanford and Fresno State have so far.

It should be a fun game. Jemile Weeks said it would be intense. We'll see soon. I'll be back at game time to follow it with you. For continuous game updates, also check www.ncaasports.com.

1st inning - FSU 1, UM 0: Jason Stidham was caught stealing at 2nd, after a base hit. But Buster Posey singled, Jack Rye walked, and Dennis Guinn hit a double to give the Noles the lead. Yonder doubled with two outs for UM, but Sobo popped up to strand him.

2nd inning - FSU 1, UM 0: David Gutierrez exited after a Tommy Oravetz line drive hit him just below his throwing shoulder. Erickson came in and gave up a single, but no runs. Adan Severino singled for Miami with one out, but Raben and DiNatale each hit liners right at people for outs.

3rd inning - UM 4, FSU 1: Nice glovework by Ryan Jackson on a grounder to short and a clutch strikeout by Erickson of Stuart Tapley got Miami out of a bases loaded jam.  Then Jemile Weeks hit his 2nd HR of the young tourney to put UM up after Grandal walked and Tekotte bunted him over. After a fly out by Alonso, Sobo walked, Jackson reached on an infield single to short and Severino walked to load the bases. Mohawk Man...I mean, Dennis Raben, singled in two runs.

4th inning - UM 4, FSU 2: Buster Posey delivered on an RBI double that scored Mike McGee from first base. A walk to Tekotte and a single by Alonso meant the end of the day for FSU starter Elih Villanueva. Ryan Strauss came in and induced Sobolewski to fly out to left.

5th inning - UM 4, FSU 2: A rare error by Ryan Jackson and a bloop single by Oravetz put 2 runners on for FSU. They executed a double steal to each move into scoring position. But Erickson worked his way out of it by striking out Tapley and inducing McGee to ground out to Sobolewski. Jackson led off with a single, but was stranded.

6th inning - UM 4, FSU 2: Great play by  Dennis Raben, who made his second tough catch in right field on a liner by Jason Stidham and then he doubled up Tyler Holt at 1st.  UM was retired in order in the bottom half.

7th inning - UM 6, FSU 2: Kyle Bellamy came in to relieve Erickson after a leadoff walk to Dennis Guinn. He struck out Delmonico, then gave up a single to Oravetz. Then, he struck out Tapley and got pinch hitter Ohmed Danesh to fly out to deep left. Sobolewski and Jackson singled, prompting an FSU pitching change to righty John Gast. Gast walked Severino to load them up. Jason Hagerty delivered a 2-run single to right that scored Sobolewski and Jackson, barely beating the throw from Rye.

8th inning - UM 7, FSU 2: Tekotte hit a solo shot to right field to extend the lead after FSU stranded its 14th baserunner in the top half of the inning. UM going to Carlos Gutierrez in the 9th.

Final - UM 7, FSU 5: Another scary ninth inning as FSU bats around, scores 3 runs off Carlos Gutierrez, but leaves the bases loaded. FSU left 17 runners on base.

Comments

[Canefan86]

i agree. this is just keeping me alive until football season starts. haha. 5 run lead makes me feel better. lets go canes

[green]

Carlos relieves ... redeem yourself

[green]

2 on

[Casual observer]

The gametracker I was using just did a number 2 and says FSU is leading 16 - 11. Almost threw up in my mouth.

[green]

runners advance ... 1 out

[green]

7-3 ... fielder's choice

[green]

7-4

[Casual observer]

O no, not another 9th inning collapse. Get'em out already!

[green]

7-5

[g8trH8tr]

OMG, where do we buy an out!???

[g8trH8tr]

What are we trying to set a record for walks in one inning here!!!!!?

C'mon Gut!!

[Casual observer]

Finally!! Bye-bye Noles

[g8trH8tr]

Woooohhoooooooo!!!

Go Canes.

C-A-N-E-S

CANES!!!

Too bad we got no confidence left in our closer....

[green]

bases loaded ... HIGHWIRE

[green]

REDEMPTION

[seattlecane]

PHEW!!!

[caneznbama]

CARLOS GUTIERREZ SUX!!!!!!!

Leave Kyle Bellamy in 2 close oUt the games!!

[So]

Gutierrez is an absolutely worthless baseball player and does not belong on the team, or any other team for that matter. Worthless.

[canesdominate]

Yeah they definitely need to leave Bellamy in for longer. But, for now, I'm just thrilled that the CANES won!!!

[canesdominate]

oh, and it was pretty typical of Mike Martin to not leave the dugout after the game.... what a great example for his players!

[TX Cane]

So, you know nothing! Have you seen Gutierrez stats? Every pitcher has bad outings but that doesn't mean he sux. Learn baseball before you write stupid stuff!

[Jim Fitzptrick]

MORRIS should've left-in Bellamy!!!

[green]

per canesport ... jacksonville DE Lawerence Henderson commits

[M.H.]

bad news..gutierrez lost his confidence.
18 hits and 2 errors.
Mike Martin is classless.
hope we get another shot at georgia.

[CaneinTenn.]

Gutierrez is a kid who is showing big stage jitters. Morris just needs to give him smaller portions of responsibility, but without destroying his confidence by yanking him from the closer role. Yes, leaving Bellamey would have worked but Morris needs to do the " Lets try something a little different to help you get your game back" speech with Carlos first---that's what he gets paid the big bucks for !!!!!

[canesncowboys]

Test scores are back, who qualified ? who didnt ?

[So]

TX Cane, I'm giving him a hard time of course but if you're interested in stats you should maybe take a peek at these

In two CWS innings, Gutierrez has faced 16 batters and allowed seven hits and seven runs, five earned. He's walked two and struck out two.

Not exactly closing out games very well. I understand that he's faced great hitters and these are the best teams and all that, but he's so far shown that he can't compete on this level. I agree with Morris.

Morris said. "If we're going to have a chance to come back and win this, Carlos Gutierrez is going to be in there at the end. He's a first-rounder, he's pitched for us all year and he's got great stuff. Certain guys have to get it done, and he's one of them."

But no one player has more to do with the canes being in the losers bracket than Gutierrez, which can't be denied. He's got to "get it done". They're fortunate to still be alive. 5 run leads with 3 outs to go ought to be fairly safe, but Gutierrez puts them in jeopordy with regularity.

He's our guy and if I were coaching I'd run him back out there Wednesday too. I'm just giving him a hard time b/c as of right now he has been worhtless.

[Das U]

Manny,

What's the word on Lawrence Henderson?

[canesrule]

You know your program is down and out when little known FIU gets the nod from ESPN as the team representing Miami, FL and the Orange Bowl.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/face/team?teamId=2229

Face of The Program http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/face/index

[roachcane77]

Nice article on a NO CLASS act.

http://thecollegebaseballblog.com/2008/06/16/class-move-by-martin/

[86Cane]

http://canespace.typepad.com/canespace/2008/06/knock-knock-kno.html

[green]

buy space on miamiherald.com ...
FREELOADER

[86Cane]

Back at U:

Buy space on Canespace FREELOADER!!!

[canesrule]

You know your program is down and out when little known FIU gets the nod from ESPN as the team representing Miami, FL and the Orange Bowl.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/face/team?teamId=2229

Face of The Program http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/face/index

[green]

the days of you USING miami herald & manny navarro are over ...
he who laughs last, laughs best

[M.H.]

georgia 4-Standford 3

[M.H.]

I believe the Martin/Morris feud goes back to Morris being accused of stealing signs...

from an SS poster:
http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080616/NEWS/80616072

Zack Kane in trouble..

[Hey...Ur Momma]

TX Cane, So has a point. C-Goot is a sinking ball pitcher, ala Maddux. So he gets guys to whiff over the ball or hit chopping grounders. Problem is, he's not Maddux, so the big boys know how to punch that through the holes or chop them over the infielders, and that's what we saw vs Arizona, UGA, and now FSU. We almost lost Game 3 vs AZ when he loaded the bases in the 8th, and FSU almost came back down 5. Meanwhile Bellamy blows it by everyone, which is what you want in a closer...why leave it to fielding or sloppy singles? C-Goot is good, no doubt, and tore through most of the ACC, but against the best he hasn't been unhittable, which is what you want in a closer. (Just look at UGA's closer, Josh Fields, for example, who was taken only 7 spots ahead of C-Goot.)

[green]

welcome, M.H.

post here, post often : )

[green]

"The Hurricanes have gotten an offer to play a nationally-televised game next season against a major basketball powerhouse on the road.”

Now that’s funny!!!

Posted by: canesrule | June 15, 2008 at 12:55 PM
kentucky

[caneznbama]

ok ok - sorry i started the whole gUtierrez sUx thing bUt he does!!! anyway who stole oUr bat bag??? we need 2 send the sUgar CANES back to the airport & check the lost lUggage room!!!

we are in good shape as long as we continUe to field well & we find the right bat bag cawz i think oUrs has a big "UF GAY-TURD" on the side of it!!!

GO CANES!!!!!!!!!!!