World Series Games

A&M > Tennessee in every way save for possibly color and fight song.  Tennessee in baseball is obnoxious, moreso than possibly any other school in the SEC, save maybe Arkansas and LSU.

I hope that Tennessee wins at least one, but I am rooting for A&M to win in three.

Oregon State was better than UCLA in 2013.  The Beavs won two-of-three at Jackie Robinson and finished three games up in conference play.

The difference in the teams came in the Super Regional.

Both first games went to extras.  Kansas State prevailed against Oregon State 6-2, but UCLA beat Fullerton 5-3.

Six of the eight teams in Omaha swept through the Super Regionals with only the two highest-rated teams to make it to Omaha dropping a game, #1 North Carolina and #3 Oregon State.

And both teams with less time to prepare, North Carolina and Oregon State, dropped the first game.

For Oregon State, because the Kansas State series went three, and the third game was stupid tight and the bullpen was generally wildly unreliable (compared to the starters), Boyd was called on one day's rest to finish.  Because Boyd finished up on Monday, Casey started Moore on Saturday in Omaha, possibly intending to use Boyd like Joe Paterson in 2007, to shore up the lack of good left-handed relievers.

Also, Oregon State drew the short straw and got the early game, which never seems to work out well for the Beavs, when playing a team from the Southeast.  Oregon State scored two unearned runs in the first.  Moore allowed the first five baserunners to reach in the second, allowing three runs to score, the third on an error by Dylan Davis.  It could have been worse, but, fortunately, Mississippi State bunted.  And Conforto turned what looked like a sac fly into a double-play by gunning the Bulldog down at the plate.  3-2.  Oregon State got one back in the fifth on a Keyes triple and went ahead after Davis grounded out to score Peterson after Conforto's double.  Moore was strong after the second into the eighth but was allowed to throw to one too many batters, who singled.  Boyd came on but gave up a hard luck infield single and then a bases-clearing double before settling down.  Smith singled in the ninth, and Conforto walked.  With two outs, Danny Hayes hit one deep that was kept in, because it was still day, the baseballs were wrong at the time, and the stadium is oriented poorly.  Hunter Renfroe jumped into the padding in right to make the final out.

Mississippi State's staff included Kendall Graveman and a dynamite bullpen but basically no other starters to speak of.  Oregon State was forced to start Wetzler on Monday and Boyd on Wednesday.  No rain like in 2018 to make the path back easier.  Because of the format at the time, there were six days between the first game and the rematch.  Graveman and Moore were each tabbed with starting in the rematch.  It was a pitchers' duel 0-0 in the fourth.  The second time through the order, Moore allowed on run to score on an infield single.  A second run would have likely scored, but Conforto threw another guy out at the plate.  1-0 in the fifth.  Moore got the first two outs.  However, the lineup then ticked over to the top of the order, third time through the lineup.  Adam Frazier started the two-out-rally with a base-hit, and the batter following kept it going with a second base-hit.  Hunter Renfro then hit one into the stands for a 4-0 lead.  Jace Fry came on and pitched masterfully thereafter, but it was too late.  The offense finally got to Graveman in the sixth, but the bullpen shut Oregon State down.  4-1.

Mississippi State, by starting Graveman against Oregon State, had doomed themselves.  UCLA had kept their normal pitching order, meaning that the Bruins' ace, Adam Plutko, started against Mississippi State's nobody pitcher.  And then UCLA's Saturday starter beat Mississippi State's Sunday starter.

Graveman was slated to pitch the third game of the Championship Series but did not get the chance, because of the Bruins' sweep.

So, UCLA won a National Championship with a big assist by Oregon State.

2011 South Carolina was also perfect in the postseason.

And there are older teams that also were perfect in the postseason, 2001 Miami, for example.

The thing of it is that 2011 South Carolina, 2012 Arizona, and 2013 UCLA are the only three to go 10-0.

Of course, then you get back to like 2000 LSU, which went a perfect 9-0 in the postseason and 4-0 in the SEC Tournament.  13-0 in the postseason.

Miami went a perfect 9-0 in 1999 and 2001, as well, but were not in a conference at the time.

Before 2000 LSU, the only thing comparable to going 10-0 in the postseason was USC's 1978 run.  USC beat Wazzu in two games in Pullman, won the three games in the West Regional at Dedeaux (Arizona, Fullerton, & Arizona), and then five games in Omaha (Miami, Michigan, Arizona State, North Carolina, & Arizona State).

A&M tying run to plate no outs.....I'd be nervous as hell if I was Tennessee. A&M has a clutch lineup.

That's pretty insulting to horses. What we need him to do is stand directly behind a horse and carry on like that. Would be end of attitude problem.

When was the last time the winning team didn't dog pile? Looked like Tennessee tried to, but they couldn't tip it over. Either way, they're the champions.

No affiliation here either however according to a website I found my great-great grandfather on my dad's mom's side of the family was born in the middle of Tennessee back in 1840 so I guess I will tip one back tonight in his honor