Saturday NCAA thoughts...

So much for strong pitching matchups. Technically I got two things right with my predictions yesterday: 1) Mizzou would win, and 2) there would be more runs scored in the first game than the second. Beyond that? Yeah, I pretty much struck out. Am thinking I'll just pick winner/loser now...my score-predicting abilities are sorely lacking...so without further adieu...

2 Miami-FL vs 4 Kent State - Day One really couldn't have worked out any better for Mizzou. Not only did Louisville beat Miami-FL, but while Aaron Crow pitched a complete game for the Tigers, Miami and Louisville both had to use about 18 pitchers to get through the game. Not that that will make so much of a difference today, but as the weekend wears on, staff fatigue starts to play a part. The only way Mizzou was able to win 4 in a row and come back from a Friday night loss in the '06 Malibu regional, was by getting complete game wins from Rick Zagone (2-1 over UCLA) and Aaron Crow (4-1 over Pepperdine) on Sunday. An early loss (especially one that requires six pitchers) really damages Miami-FL's chances. Coming back is not impossible, as Mizzou proved last year, but there is now significant pressure on the Hurricane pitching staff. I assume freshman Eric Erickson will shut KSU down relatively easily, and that will help get the staff some rest. But even with a win today, Miami will have to win three more to escape the regional. Eh, screw it...I'll post score predictions...I ain't scared...Miami 11, Kent State 3.

1 Missouri vs 3 Louisville - Rick Zagone vs (I assume) Justin Marks. I could think long and hard about how the run-'n'-gun Louisville offense will put pressure on the Mizzou defense and other matchup issues...but instead, I'll just close my eyes and recall that in Zagone's last postseason start, he came through unbelievably. He'll do so again today. Missouri 5, Louisville 2.

Oh, and here's a list of Friday upsets...just because...

In Charlottesville...
3 Oregon State over 2 Rutgers, 5-2 (You had to figure the defending champs would bring it...)

In Columbia, SC...
3 Charlotte over 2 NC State, 6-3

In Fayetteville...
3 Oklahoma State over 2 Creighton, 6-4 (Go Pokes!)

In Long Beach...
4 UI-Chicago over 1 LBSU, 4-1

In San Diego...
4 Fresno State over 1 San Diego, 6-2
3 CS-Fullerton over 2 Minnesota, 7-1

In Wichita...
4 New Orleans over 1 Wichita State, 7-6 (scoring 3 in the 9th)

Other Big XII Scores

In Tempe...
2 UC-Riverside over 3 Nebraska, 10-5

In Round Rock...
1 Texas over 4 Brown, 8-2 (it was 3-2 in the 7th...interesting for a while...)

In Houston...
2 TCU over 3 Baylor, 3-2

In College Station...
1 ATM over 4 Le Moyne, 7-2

Go Tigers! The weather was kind yesterday, most of it moving south of Columbia...we'll see if we get as lucky today...