Who gets to bat last? is the big question looking ahead to Sunday’s elimination game between Virginia and Florida State.
The trend in this NCAA Tournament, and the College World Series, is, walk-off.
It’s almost like, it’s scripted.
(I’m a big ‘rasslin fan, so, I know scripted.)
As I write this, late Saturday night, I’m not seeing a call on who gets the final AB.
That should be key.
One meeting in 2024
FSU (47-16) beat Virginia (46-16) in the teams’ only 2024 matchup to date, 12-7, at the ACC Tournament, last month.
Put an asterisk beside that one.
Already up 7-2 with two outs in the seventh, Daniel Catu hit a fly ball to deep left-center that UVA centerfielder Bobby Whalen caught, before hitting the wall, taking a couple of steps, then dropped the ball as he was stumbling to regain his balance.
That wasn’t just a catch in baseball; if this was a football game, Whalen made the catch and then a football move.
Second-base umpire Greg Street ruled that the ball was still live, and Catu reached third with what appeared to be a two-run triple.
Brian O’Connor challenged the call on the field, because obviously, but, incredulously, the call was upheld on replay, keeping the two runs on the scoreboard.
Alex Lodise and Drew Faurot followed with back-to-back two-out RBI hits, extending the FSU lead to 11-2.
It didn’t seem that big a deal at the time, until the ‘Hoos rallied for five runs in their half of the seventh, on two-run homers from Ethan Anderson and Luke Hanson, and a solo shot from Casey Saucke, that made it 11-7.
Which means, yeah, yeah, woulda been a different game without the gifted runs.
Elimination game starters
FSU coach Link Jarrett is going with Carson Dorsey (7-4, 4.67 ERA, 1.56 WHIP, 81 Ks/35 BBs in 69.1 IP) as his starter on Sunday.
Dorsey pitched in the ACC Tournament game, and not well: giving up four runs without recording an out in that one.
He has two starts in the 2024 NCAA Tournament: going 14 innings, giving up three runs, two earned, in wins over Stetson and UConn, striking out 13, walking four, and allowing 13 hits over those two outings.
O’Connor is going with Jay Woolfolk (4-1, 5.95 ERA, 1.68 WHIP, 64 Ks/37 BBs in 59.0 IP), who has two wins in NCAA Tournament action in 2024, over Mississippi State and Kansas State, in which he has pitched 14.1 innings, striking out 14, walking three, and allowing 14 hits over the two outings.
Guys to watch: FSU
- James Tibbs III (.369 BA/1.287 OPS, 28 HRs, 94 RBIs)
- Cam Smith (.401 BA/1.177 OPS, 16 HRs, 57 RBIs)
- Jaime Ferrer (.321 BA/1.082 OPS, 20 HRs, 62 RBIs)
- Marco Dinges (.327 BA/1.019 OPS, 15 HRs, 68 RBIs)
- Max Williams (.302 BA/.949 OPS, 13 HRs, 44 RBIs)
- Daniel Cantu (.309 BA/.924 OPS, 8 HRs, 40 RBIs)
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Chris Graham
