Tigers Tolerate Totally Tubular Time Torching and Trouncing Texas

The LSU Tigers won their sixth national baseball title Wednesday by defeating the Texas Longhorns in a decisive Game 3 College World Series contest. LSU’s decorated 11-4 victory is the first national championship for coach Paul Mainieri, a former Tiger player. The wining athletic tradition of the school continues with another trophy to close in the college case. Starter, Anthony Ranaudo was not spectacular but got the win for the champions. He allowed four runs on eight hits in 5 1/3 innings. Ranaudo issued five Texas walks for the pre-seasons number one ranked Tigers.
The Longhorns forced a third game Tuesday when Taylor Jungmann heroically held LSU to five hits and Texas topped the Tigers 5-1. Texas’ task last night was to take down the Tigers for the second consecutive game, a feat not accomplished by any other team this season. Jared Mitchell helped LSU build a 3-0 lead with a three-run blast in the first inning of Texas starter, Cole Green. The robust Ryan Schimpf clocked an RBI single the next inning to increase the lead to four. The Longhorns pulled even but would not score any more runs in this battle. The LSU bullpen had an outstanding stint in shutting down the Longhorn offense, while Brandon Workman suffered the loss for a breakable Texas squad. Ranaudo loaded the bases in the first and third innings. He escaped the jam the first time around but was unable to keep the Texas tallies off the board during his outing. Ranaudo walked in a run during the third and allowed another runner to get into scoring position on a double steal. The runner reached home safely on what could have been a double play to end the third. In the fifth inning, Ranaudo allowed Texas to tie the game on a two run tater by Kevin Keyes.
Mikie Mahtook hit a tie-breaking double off Workman to ignite the LSU offense in the sixth. The mistake-prone Longhorns would not get through the frame without a wild pitch, and error, a passed ball, two hit batters and two walks. LSU capitalized on the miscues and the offense came alive following Mitchell’s walk and Mahtook’s double to right center field. After a misplayed bunt, LSU again had runners at the corners and a one-run lead. A sacrifice fly scored Mahtook, and the Tigers tacked on more runs from there. The Longhorns summoned their ace southpaw, closer Austin Wood, from the bullpen. Texas would use six pitchers to try to tame the Tigers in Game 3.
Wood missed his spots and could not control his pitches on the mound. He loaded the bases when a pitch got away from him and sailed straight into Schimpf standing in the batter’s box. Then, he hit Blake Dean to give the Tigers their third run of the sixth inning. Sean Ochinko stepped to the plate to plant a two-run single off the struggling Texas hurler. Sean’s stroke off the strike knocked in two more LSU runs for a secure 9-4 lead. Ochinko was 4 for 5 with 3 RBIs Wednesday night. The Tigers bashed and batted around in the big inning, ending it with the man who began the snappy surge, Mitchell. The talented slugger lined out to finish the frame.
Augie Garrido’s Longhorns were not in celebratory mood when Chad Jones successfully relieved Ranaudo to end the bottom of the sixth. Texas’ chances of coming from behind for a dramatic win were slim. The BCS football title-winning tosser struck out the two lefty batters he faced with a monstrous slider. Jones pounded the zone to force the Longhorns hitters to stumble and be puzzled plate players. The pitcher pursued the seventh inning with more of the same, allowing a single Longhorn to reach base on his way to completing three outs. LSU put up a one-run eighth and one-run ninth inning for their final two plate crossing. Ochinko’s majestic long ball in the ninth was the icing on the cake for the champion Tigers. Louis Coleman pitched the final frames for LSU, on just one day’s rest. He also won a championship with LSU as a safety for the football team in 2007. Coleman fanned the side in the ninth, ending the game at Rosenblatt Stadium by sitting Connor Rowe down on three blazing called strikes.
Mitchell was voted the College World Series’ Most Outstanding Player, and he really did shine in Omaha this month. Mitchell was a wide receiver for the 2007 Tiger football team that won the BCS title. The Chicago White Sox drafted him in the first round earlier this month. Last night, his LSU team had an answer to everything Texas offered and throughout the playoffs, were unstoppable. The entire roster had integral roles on the Tigers march to the College World Series. LSU captured a well-deserved sixth championship with an omnipotent offense of physical power and a no-nonsense devastating defense.

Parting points: I am happy for Francisco Cervelli for clubbing his first homerun last night for the Yankees.

Longshot Longhorns

Height hypes rivalries. The celebrated college football rivalry known as the Red River Rivalry recurs Saturday at noon in Texas’ Cotton Bowl. This time, the visiting Sooners from Oklahoma are the top ranked collegiate team. The game is being plugged as the next game of the year (after the OSU-USC debacle) and the publicity is prevalent. The intensity and build-up of bitter rivalries earns exuberance especially if there is a history behind the competition. Ohio State-Michigan takes the cake for college’s consummate, chief contest. But this year’s Red River Rivalry in Dallas is exciting because both Big 12 teams are undefeated and ranked. Both teams illuminate with talent and towering quarterbacks. This weekend could also witness a college football record breaking game if the Sooners score 10 points. Oklahoma will become the first college team to score 30,000 points.
The BCS picture is still murky in Mid-October. Most teams have yet to make a statement or seal their fate in a top bowl game. There are inconsistencies throughout each conference but the early returns show the Big 12 is probably the most competitive. You could make an argument for the aggressive SEC too. The Texas Longhorns are one of five undefeated teams in the Big 12. Sharing that honor, of course, is Oklahoma. Other Big 12 unbeatens include Texas Tech, Oklahoma State and Missouri. Missouri and Oklahoma are glamorous picks to take home the Big 12 crown. I believe the Sooners will conclusively win the Big 12. But the Longhorns are, in my opinion, the conference’s runner up team.
Coach Mack Brown led Texas to a national championship in 2005. The team he assembled this season is not as good as the 2005. However, they have a strong quarterback in Colt McCoy. Number 12 McCoy needs one more touchdown to become the all time career leader for Texas. He already has four rushing touchdowns this season too. With McCoy’s versatility, he seldom throws to any receivers except Quan Cosby and Jordan Shipley. Cosby has 416 receiving yards on the year and Shipley has scored 7 total touchdowns. That amounts to about 60% of the yards on offense for Texas. McCoy needs to utilize other players such as Brandon Collins or James Kirkendoll if the Longhorns are going to put up some points this Saturday. Running backs, Cody Johnson and Chris Ogbonnaya, are effective in the backfield. Johnson has rushed for 6 touchdowns and Ogbonnaya had a huge game last weekend.
The pass defense for Texas is also crucial and could determine the success or demise of Texas. The secondary is made up of mostly freshmen. An inexperienced defense playing in a big time rivalry game is glaring. DTs Ray Miller and Aaron Lewis need to become leaders of the defense and attack and apply pressure on Bradford. Lewis has one interception return for a touchdown but the overall defense doesn’t force turnovers often enough. They do, however, lead the nation in average sacks per game.
Missouri is on the horizon after the Red River Rivalry, so Texas’s schedule doesn’t get any easier. If Texas can keep Oklahoma from scoring early in the first quarter, they have a good chance of making this a close game. The Sooners have outscored opponents 103-3 in the first quarter so far this year. Their balanced offense is 4th in scoring and one of the best in college football. Bob Stoops’ offense likes to use the triple threat trampling team of junior running backs Chris Brown, DeMarco Murray and Mossis Madu. Brown has a half a dozen touchdowns and Murray has 5. Madu has carried the ball 52 times this year. Wide receivers, Manuel Johnson and Juaquin Iglesias, scored 5 touchdowns each as well. Ryan Broyles is a speedy punt return receiver who could make a difference flying under the radar for Oklahoma. The Sooners exude pressure and pound away at their opposition. Look for another win for the number one team on Saturday.

Parting points: Here are my ALCS and NLCS predictions and MVPs:
ALCS: Red Sox in 6 MVP: Jon Lester
NLCS: Phillies in 7 MVP: Chase Utley