2012 CWS Thread - Official

[Bayou Tribe]

The final 8 are set for Omaha. Four of the original national seeds have been eliminated (North Carolina in the Regionals; LSU, Baylor and Oregon in the Super Regionals). In the final field of 8 you also have 2 schools punching their first ever ticket to Omaha - Stony Brook and Kent State.


The Brackets

Bracket One
Stony Brook
UCLA
Arizona
Florida State

Bracket Two
Kent St
Arkansas
South Carolina
Florida


The Schedule

Friday, June 15
Game 1 – 4 p.m. (ESPN2/ESPN3) (V) Stony Brook (52-13) vs. (H) No. 2 UCLA (47-14)
Game 2 – 8 p.m. (ESPN2/ESPN3) (V) Arizona (43-17) vs. (H) No. 3 Florida St. (48-15)

Saturday, June 16
Game 3 – 4 p.m. (ESPN/ESPN3) (V) Kent St. (46-18) vs. (H) Arkansas (44-20)
Game 4 – 8 p.m. (ESPN/ESPN3) (V) No. 8 South Carolina (45-17) vs. (H) No. 1 Florida (47-18)

Sunday, June 17
Game 5 – 4 p.m. (ESPN2/ESPN3) Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2
Game 6 – 8 p.m. (ESPN2/ESPN3) Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2

Monday, June 18
Game 7 – 4 p.m. (ESPN2/ESPN3) Loser Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4
Game 8 – 8 p.m. (ESPN2/ESPN3) Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4

Tuesday, June 19
Game 9 – 7 p.m. (ESPN/ESPN3) Winner Game 5 vs. Loser Game 6

Wednesday, June 20
Game 10 – 7 p.m. (ESPN/ESPN3) Winner Game 7 vs. Loser Game 8

Thursday, June 21
Game 11 – 4 p.m. (ESPN2/ESPN3) Winner Game 9 vs. Winner Game 6
Game 12 – 8 p.m. (ESPN2/ESPN3) Winner Game 10 vs. Winner Game 8

Friday, June 22
Game 13 – 4 p.m. (ESPN2/ESPN3) or 8 p.m. (ESPN/ESPN3) Game 13 will be necessary if the winner of Game 9 also wins Game 11. If it is the only game scheduled for that day, the game will start at 8 p.m.

Game 14 – 8 p.m. (ESPN/ESPN3) Game 14 will be necessary if the winner of Game 10 also wins Game 12. If it is the only game scheduled for that day, the game will start at 8 p.m.


MEN’S COLLEGE WORLD SERIES FINALS
Sunday, June 24
Game 1 – 7 p.m. (ESPN2/ESPN3) Bracket One Winner vs. Bracket Two Winner

Monday, June 25
Game 2 – 7 p.m. (ESPN/ESPN3) Bracket One Winner vs. Bracket Two Winner

Tuesday, June 26
Game 3 – 7 p.m. (ESPN/ESPN3) Bracket One Winner vs. Bracket Two Winner
(if necessary)

[Bayou Tribe]

Storylines (from BA)

The big story is the pair of Northern teams crashing the party. No team from Ohio or further Northeast has been to Omaha since Maine in 1986, and this year's field will include two such teams. Kent State is the first team from the Buckeye State to reach Omaha since Ohio University in 1970, and the first Mid-American Conference team to make it since Eastern Michigan in 1976. Stony Brook is the first team from the Empire State to make it since St. John's in 1980.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/college/2012/06/cws-field-loaded-with-intriguing-storylines/

[noles1]

Have to feel like Florida is the clear favorite in the field and I would be stunned if at least didn't make the championship.

[Govbarney]

Clear up some confusion for me , its round robin in your 4 team bracket and the championship is best out of three with the winner of the other bracket, correct?

[Bayou Tribe]

Clear up some confusion for me , its round robin in your 4 team bracket and the championship is best out of three with the winner of the other bracket, correct?

Pretty much, yes. It's really just a repeat of what we've seen the last two weekends. Two separate "regionals" with 4 teams playing a double elim tourney, and then the respective winners whiping the slate clean to play a 2 of 3 "super regional" for the title.

[pup]

Been a long time since #1 overall took the title, Florida has that going against them. But they are really freaking god.

South Carolina is the favorite until someone knocks them off that mountain top, IMO.

Florida State's sticks really came alive last weekend, can they carry it over (been hot for a while now, so could be).

Arizona is going to nickle and dime you to death, but was really impressed with them last weekend as well.

Kent and Stony, great stories, unbelievable they got to this point and they should be recognized for that...but I think those dreams are going to get smacked early and often. Would not surprise me to see them go 0-4 with close to a negative 30 run differential.

Didn't see much of Arkansas or UCLA through the super regionals.


End of the day, I think I am going with the Seminoles to get that monkey off their backs.

[Bayou Tribe]

I'm with you on all of that, Pup. I think Stony Brook has no problems with their lineup (1-4 especially will be as good as anyone in Omaha), but their starting pitchers are just soft tossers who hit spots. That was good enough to shut down LSU's lineup, but LSU was a piss-poor hitting team all season. A good hitting team is going to take bp off those 85 mph fastballs, and it may very well start with UCLA.

Carolina vs Florida State on championship weekend, and Mike Martin gets a well-deserved title.

[Goozer]

Kent and Stony, great stories, unbelievable they got to this point and they should be recognized for that...but I think those dreams are going to get smacked early and often. Would not surprise me to see them go 0-4 with close to a negative 30 run differential.

Kent State's pitching and defense is much too good to get smacked that hard, although certainly at this level anything can happen. But at the same time the bottom 1/3+ of the Flashes lineup will likely be overmatched by pitching at this level.

Quite honestly, KSU has a very favorable matchup against Arkansas in their first game - keeping in mind that the Hogs finished 5th (or 6th?) in the SEC and KSU just smacked Kentucky twice in the mouth in the Regionals - and the Wildcats finished 3rd in SEC and were actually ranked #1 in the country for a quick bit earlier in the season. Back to Arkansas, from what I understand, they aren't necessarily an offensive juggernaut so it's about as good of a draw as KSU could have hoped for. Likely a similar game to the final two in Orygun where the first to 3 runs may win.

[Bayou Tribe]

Kentucky absolutely fell off of the earth in their last two SEC series and thereafter. Not sure what happened there.

I'd imagine Starn will start game 1 for KSU. He hasn't been unhittable, but he has scattered those hits and gave them a chance to win so you gotta like that. The big challenge is always staying out of the loser's bracket early. If you start stacking that extra game on yourself, it gets exponentially tougher.

[Goozer]

Their weekend rotation has went Starn (7th round/Braves), Bores (27th round/Rangers) and Skulina consistently all year and I doubt that will change now. Skulina is the best pro prospect amongst the three, although he isn't draft eligible until next season.

Starn isn't a power guy but mixes it up well and is tough on lefties. He was nibbling/all over the place against Orygun and was lucky to survive as long as he did in Game 1 against them.

[pup]

Kent and Stony, great stories, unbelievable they got to this point and they should be recognized for that...but I think those dreams are going to get smacked early and often. Would not surprise me to see them go 0-4 with close to a negative 30 run differential.

Kent State's pitching and defense is much too good to get smacked that hard, although certainly at this level anything can happen. But at the same time the bottom 1/3+ of the Flashes lineup will likely be overmatched by pitching at this level.

Quite honestly, KSU has a very favorable matchup against Arkansas in their first game - keeping in mind that the Hogs finished 5th (or 6th?) in the SEC and KSU just smacked Kentucky twice in the mouth in the Regionals - and the Wildcats finished 3rd in SEC and were actually ranked #1 in the country for a quick bit earlier in the season. Back to Arkansas, from what I understand, they aren't necessarily an offensive juggernaut so it's about as good of a draw as KSU could have hoped for. Likely a similar game to the final two in Orygun where the first to 3 runs may win.

0-2 and -15 in the old run differential.

[Bayou Tribe]

To recap the action thus far...


Bracket One:
Arizona 2-0
UCLA 1-1
Fla St 1-1
Stony Brook 0-2 (eliminated)

Florida State and UCLA will play tomorrow night (8 EST) in an elimination game. Winner will have to beat Arizon twice in two days (Thur and Fri) to move onto the final weekend.



Bracket Two:
Arkansas 1-0
Carolina 1-0
Kent St 0-1
Florida 0-1

Two games today. The afternoon game (5 EST) is Kent vs Florida, loser goes home. The night game has Arkansas and South Carolina, with the winner getting the day off and awaiting Bracket Two to play out.




The UCLA/Fla State game tomorrow night should be great baseball. Both teams are talented and very capable, and I really thought they would have been the class of Bracket One. I had not followed Arizona at all this year though, so I really didn't have any idea of what they brought to the table.

South Carolina seems to hit another gear when they get to Omaha. It starts with their ace (Roth), and trickles down to the whole team. Tanner really knows how to get these guys playing their best ball when it counts. If they beat Arkansas tonight (which they should), then they are in line for the championship series. Once they are there, you've got to like their experience on that stage.

[pup]

Wish the Flashes the best, but I don't know there is a less enviable position to be in right now. That is going to be one real annoyed Gator team. Kent will have played well to keep the loss in single digits.

[Bayou Tribe]

Wish the Flashes the best, but I don't know there is a less enviable position to be in right now. That is going to be one real annoyed Gator team. Kent will have played well to keep the loss in single digits.

Yeah. I was hoping to see them or Stony Brook do some damage, but it doesn't look likely now. Hope they give Florida hell, though.

[Bayou Tribe]

Wow!!! Kent St with a 5-4 win over Florida. They went to the Bob Wickman school of closing out games, but fuck it. A win is a win is a win.

Geaux Flashes!

[Erie Warrior]

Awful last few innings. I'm really not sure what Stricklin was thinking, not sure why you stay with a guy who can't throw a strike. As in singular. Nearly cost them the game.

[pup]

Wish the Flashes the best, and I don't know there is a more enviable position to be in right now. That is going to be one real stressed out Gator team. Kent will have played well to win by a single digit.

Told you so.

[pup]

Wish the Flashes the best, but I don't know there is a less enviable position to be in right now. That is going to be one real annoyed Gamecock team. Kent will have played well to keep the loss in single digits.

[Bayou Tribe]

Wish the Flashes the best, but I don't know there is a less enviable position to be in right now. That is going to be one real annoyed Gamecock team. Kent will have played well to keep the loss in single digits.

Yeah. I was hoping to see them or Stony Brook or Florida do some damage, but it doesn't look likely now. Hope they give South Carolina hell, though.

[dmiles]

Kent having to run the SEC gauntlet here. Be interesting to see if FSU stumbles again this year. I went to watch them over at UCF, and to get there so often and not win a single title. Now they have to battle back through as well.

[jb]

Wish the Flashes the best, but I don't know there is a less enviable position to be in right now. That is going to be one real annoyed Gamecock team. Kent will have played well to keep the loss in single digits.

Yeah. I was hoping to see them or Stony Brook or Florida do some damage, but it doesn't look likely now. Hope they give South Carolina hell, though.

Sherman was from Ohio....

[e0y2e3]

Can't wait for Can't Read, Can't Write Kent State to finally fucking lose.

Christ this is gettin old.

[Goozer]

Can't wait for Can't Read, Can't Write Kent State to finally fucking lose.

Christ this is gettin old.

Tool. Call me when they aren't the best baseball program in the state - not that it ever meant much until now, so surprised you even feel compelled to post. Columbus couldn't get it right when Stricklin interviewed there two years ago. Should have followed the Bob Todd hire from many moons ago.

I'll say this, if they can find a way to scrap out 4 runs tomorrow - and it won't be easy - I'll take my chances with Tyler Skulina on the mound. Best pitching prospect they have.

Back to hibernation.

[e0y2e3]

Gov. Strickland calling them The Zips yesterday was especially hilarious.

[pup]

Gov. Strickland calling them The Zips yesterday was especially hilarious.

Says way more about him than them.

Just sayin

[peeker643]

Can't wait for Can't Read, Can't Write Kent State to finally fucking lose.

Christ this is gettin old.

My God.

You're like a little party in every post. Miserable fuck. Lars was all over it even if JB can't bare to read it

[jb]

Gov. Strickland calling them The Zips yesterday was especially hilarious.

Almost as hillarious as not knowing who the Governor is....

[e0y2e3]

Oh yeah, it's that Republican dude that is going to get shot for going after unions.

Sorry, can't keep track of all the dumbasses in Ohio.

[Triple-S]

Can't wait for Can't Read, Can't Write Kent State to finally fucking lose.

Christ this is gettin old.

going to happen sooner, rather than later.

it's a cool story though.

From what I've seen KSU is definitely more conservative with athletic funding.

[jb]

Oh yeah, it's that Republican dude that is going to get shot for going after unions.

Sorry, can't keep track of all the dumbasses in Ohio.

Easier to keep track of the dumbsses that left...

[jb]

going to happen sooner, rather than later.

I ask again, "why"?

Not sayin they will win it, but isn't the resume loaded up with enough big boy pelts to garner some respect by anyone other than the hatin' Chowd transplant?

[Triple-S]

going to happen sooner, rather than later.

I ask again, "why"?

Not sayin they will win it, but isn't the resume loaded up with enough big boy pelts to garner some respect by anyone other than the hatin' Chowd transplant?

We're playing the defending National Champs, aren't we?

We'll see. Go Flashes. :)

[Erie Warrior]

We're playing the _____________________, aren't we?

Insert any team they've beaten so far and your message is the same. No reason they can't win the entire thing. Not probable but entirely possible.

And they haven't played a complete game yet.

I know it's good because Eyo hates it.

[jb]

I know it's good because Eyo hates it.

^^^^^

Sig line material in perpetuity

[Bayou Tribe]

Kent State and South Carolina tonight at 8 EST. After that is sorted out, we'll have the field of 8 cut in half.


Thursday you'll have two games: Fla St (2-1) vs Arizona (2-0) and then the winner tonight (2-1) vs Arkansas (2-0). Friday games available if necessary. Day off Saturday, final 2 of 3 on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday (if needed).

[pup]

That is some stones on the Arizona 3B to make that play.

[skatingtripods]

Looks like Carolina is probably done.

Hell of a run. 3 straight appearances in the finals is impressive.

[pup]

[pup]

How can so many do exactly the right thing on the same play?

Great pitch, great piece of hitting, great defensive play, great baserunning.

Gamecocks still breathing.

[skatingtripods]

How can so many do exactly the right thing on the same play?

Great pitch, great piece of hitting, great defensive play, great baserunning.

Gamecocks still breathing.

Definitely a great play all around.

Carolina just didn't hit in the CWS this year. Lost so much offense from the '10 and '11 teams.

Wish Roth would have signed with the Indians when they drafted him last year. Not the greatest stuff, but some big stones and a lot of big game pitching experience.