[16BBall Fan]

Final the Cats will take on the Gators tomorrow night at 7:00pm on ESPN in an elimination game.

[Bluecat]

Not a good day at the plate at all. Brutal 6th inning

[Cactus Jack]

Started well enough. Wheels kind of fell off midway. Thought we were going to be able to stage a bit of a comeback late, but it wasn't meant to be.

After a couple of A&M errors in the 6th, we had runners at first and second with one out when Devin Burkes made good contact but grounded into a 6-3 double play.

In the bottom of the 7th, Kentucky had runners at 2nd and 3rd with two outs and pinch hit Patrick Herrera & the Aggies made a pitching change. Missed opportunity there.

In the 8th, there were two outs and runners on first and second and when Nick Lopez hit a screamer down the line in right that was just foul. Had that gotten down, it would have at least been more interesting.

It will be extremely tough, but winning three straight isn't impossible if the bats get hot. With the way A&M will be able to stack their rotation, I don't really like banking on Kentucky's chances of winning a pair of 1-0 or 2-1 type contests.

[jetpilot]

My take:

1. Mangione coach of the year.
2. Wish I was there.
3. 95% off speed junk by UK pitchers. You have to stop trying to hit corners/fool the hitters at some point and come at them and if they hit it you have the best defense in the tournament.
4. FFS and the love of god please stop saying someone has the advantage in a baseball game after 2 days because someone played later than you. Good lord in no way was TAM more tired than UK and everyone on the planet knows it.
5. Almost impossible to win from the loser's bracket.
6. Tennessee and Texas A&M are probably the best 2 teams.
7. Anything can still happen.
8. Go Cats, what a year. So proud.

[Van Hagar]

Right on the money. I think a win today, which would make us one of the last four standing, would satisfy me, because it’s not realistic to think we can win three more in three days, especially with Pooser and Moore unavailable. Not that I won’t be pulling like hell for us to do it.

[Bluecat]

Early in the game we missed a chance to score first on the squeeze but A&M made a great play. We get that run first and maybe a bit different of a game. Hard to play the IF game though. Prager was on his game from the start and we just could not adjust. Had a couple runners on and couldn't get them in. This is one of those games you just tip your hat to the other team. Winning 3 in a row is tough but not impossible. We did it last year to advance out of the regionals. Just gotta put this one behind us. Go Cats!!!!!!!!!

[Van Hagar]

And now that I think about it, Pooser could come back Thursday if we get that far, he threw on Saturday so that would give him four days rest. It would make it tougher in the final series, but if you’ve made it back to there, who cares? Throw everybody we’ve got at the Vols, who should win their bracket.

[Bluecat]

And now that I think about it, Pooser could come back Thursday if we get that far, he threw on Saturday so that would give him four days rest.  It would make it tougher in the final series, but if you’ve made it back to there, who cares? Throw everybody we’ve got at the Vols, who should win their bracket.

Yes I can see Pooser coming back Thursday if we make it there. Moore could possibly be a relief spot as well. And like you said the key right now is to make it to the Final Series. Worry about the arms if you get there. Gotta be in survival mode at this point. Live to fight another day.

[Cactus Jack]

My take:

1. Mangione coach of the year.
2. Wish I was there.
3. 95% off speed junk by UK pitchers. You have to stop trying to hit corners/fool the hitters at some point and come at them and if they hit it you have the best defense in the tournament.
4. FFS and the love of god please stop saying someone has the advantage in a baseball game after 2 days because someone played later than you. Good lord in no way was TAM more tired than UK and everyone on the planet knows it.
5. Almost impossible to win from the loser's bracket.
6. Tennessee and Texas A&M are probably the best 2 teams.
7. Anything can still happen.
8. Go Cats, what a year. So proud.

You are my guy and I greatly respect your opinions, but I have to disagree with the bolded. That one is my hill to die on.

May be an issue of semantics and how much of an advance a few additional hours of rest actually is, but I can't see how additional time for recovery, treatment, and game prep isn't an advantage.

[Bluecat]

My take:

1. Mangione coach of the year.
2. Wish I was there.
3. 95% off speed junk by UK pitchers. You have to stop trying to hit corners/fool the hitters at some point and come at them and if they hit it you have the best defense in the tournament.
4. FFS and the love of god please stop saying someone has the advantage in a baseball game after 2 days because someone played later than you. Good lord in no way was TAM more tired than UK and everyone on the planet knows it.
5. Almost impossible to win from the loser's bracket.
6. Tennessee and Texas A&M are probably the best 2 teams.
7. Anything can still happen.
8. Go Cats, what a year. So proud.

You are my guy and I greatly respect your opinions, but I have to disagree with the bolded. That one is my hill to die on.

May be an issue of semantics and how much of an advance a few additional hours of rest actually is, but I can't see how additional time for recovery, treatment, and game prep isn't an advantage.

I feel it can be an advantage if they would have had to play the next day. Having the next day off to recover probably evened the playing field. Now if they would have had to play the next night it would have played a role in the game. But what beat us was facing a superior pitcher and us having one blowup inning.

[Bluecat]

My take:

1. Mangione coach of the year.
2. Wish I was there.
3. 95% off speed junk by UK pitchers. You have to stop trying to hit corners/fool the hitters at some point and come at them and if they hit it you have the best defense in the tournament.
4. FFS and the love of god please stop saying someone has the advantage in a baseball game after 2 days because someone played later than you. Good lord in no way was TAM more tired than UK and everyone on the planet knows it.
5. Almost impossible to win from the loser's bracket.
6. Tennessee and Texas A&M are probably the best 2 teams.
7. Anything can still happen.
8. Go Cats, what a year. So proud.

You are my guy and I greatly respect your opinions, but I have to disagree with the bolded. That one is my hill to die on.

May be an issue of semantics and how much of an advance a few additional hours of rest actually is, but I can't see how additional time for recovery, treatment, and game prep isn't an advantage.

I feel it can be an advantage if they would have had to play the next day. Having the next day off to recover probably evened the playing field. Now if they would have had to play the next night it would have played a role in the game. But what beat us was facing a superior pitcher and us having one blowup inning.

Well I guess we will see how it affects team now. They have moved the game to Wednesday morning at 11 due to incoming storms. If they win they'll play again later at 7. Of course I hope this is an issue we have to deal with as it means they have won.

[jetpilot]

If I hear one more time we lost because we were sleepy or the sun got in our eyes or we didn’t have enough time for game prep or any other excuse I’m going to simultaneously shoot myself, slit my throat, punch myself in the face and jump off a bridge. Best teams in the country left on the biggest stage for all the marbles and almost zero margin for error. If you lose you just got beat period.

[Bluecat]

If I hear one more time we lost because we were sleepy or the sun got in our eyes or we didn’t have enough time for game prep or any other excuse I’m going to simultaneously shoot myself, slit my throat, punch myself in the face and jump off a bridge. Best teams in the country left on the biggest stage for all the marbles and almost zero margin for error. If you lose you just got beat period.

Don't think anyone made that excuse. We lost to a more dominant pitcher and we had one bad inning where A&M got 5 across on us. But you are right, at this stage you gotta be ready or your season is over. Today we will see what this team is made of. They have their backs against the wall and gotta get it together to survive to another day.