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Monday - June 26, 2006

CWS - Day 9

North Carolina v. Oregon State.

I had to work late this evening. At about 4 o'clock I started trying to remember if I'd told TiVo to record the game or not. I finally decided that I had so didn't worry about it again. I got home about 8:10, made a sandwich, called my grandmother and casually did my usual "I'm home now" stuff before heading over to the TiVo. And...no game. Damn.

So I tuned into the live action. I'm sure I missed some good stuff but, whew. I didn't miss the best stuff. Things were tied 2-2 in the top of the 8th with a runner at 1b and no outs. I checked GameTracker to discover that Johan Nickerson had gone 6.2 for the Beavers. Joe Patterson faced one (and walked him) before Eddie Kunz went in for the last out of the 7th. Kunz started the 8th by walking Josh Horton. And, I tuned in right after that. After Flack singled to put runners at 1b and 2b with no outs, Dallas Buck went in. He got a ground out to 1b. Runners at 2b and 3b. He intentionally walked Federowicz to load the bases and then struck Williams out on three pitches. Then, with a 1-2 count to Johnson (batting right handed), Horton tried to steal home. Johnson swung at the pitch and Mitch Canham held on to the ball for the strikeout. Wow! If he'd dropped that ball, Horton might well have been safe. Wow. Good stuff.

Daniel Bard had started for the Tar Heels and was still on the mound when North Carolina took the field in the bottom of the 8th. Canham, who'd just made the great catch to end the top of the inning, came up to bat and grounded out to 1b. Gillespie lined out to 2b. Then, Rowe walked. Graham hit a bloop single over the third baseman's head to put runners at 1b and 2b. 2 outs. NC sent Andrew Miller in to pitch. Miller got Gipson (pinch hitting) to hit a routine ground out ball to 2b. Alas, the North Carolina second baseman (Bryan Steed) threw the ball wide and the first baseman could not get to the ball! Wow. Poor guy. He'll be stewing on that throw forever. On the error, Rowe scored from 2b, Graham moved to 3b, and Gipson ended up at 2b. North Carolina sent Hovis to the mound and he got Kunda to pop out to ss.

In the top of the 9th, Buck stayed on the mound and Bryan Steed (he of the errant throw in the 8th) was the first batter due up. He went to the plate and struck out swinging. Cavasinni singled up the middle. Wow. Shelton walked on a full-count pitch. Tying run at 2b. Go ahead run at 1b. Kevin Gunderson went in to pitch for the Beavers. Things were so tense, ESPN did not go to commercial during Gunderson's warm-up tosses. Horton at the plate. He reached on a fielder's choice (36). Oregon State tried to turn the double play (361) but Horton just beat out the throw. Entertainingly, Gunderson lost his shoe as he ran off the mound to cover 1b. Chad Flack (with runners at the corners and 2 out) hit a fly ball to shallow cf to end the game. Oregon State won the game 3-2.

Oregon State is the 2006 NCAA Baseball Champion. Congrats to them. And, to North Carolina for making such a great series of the whole thing. Wow.

Posted by Joanna at 9:51 PM