Hoos Upset Strasburg, ESPN
Friday, May 29 2009 by Tiki
The Hoos opening NCAA tourney game was broadcast tonight on ESPNU. Was this because the Hoos are ACC champions, and a top 10 team? No. This was because the Hoos were facing the top college pitcher in the land, and the presumptive #1 pick in this June’s MLB draft, Stephen Strasburg.
Just to piss off ESPN, the Hoos decided to send Strasburg into the pros with a loss. Not that Strasburg wasn’t his usual dominating self. He struck out 15 of the 30 batters he faced. But he also gave up a season high 8 hits and 2 runs (equaling his season high).
Robert Morey started for the Hoos, and matched Strasburg pitch for pitch. He went 6 shutout innings, striking out 9.
Phil Gosselin HR’d off Strasburg in the bottom of the first, giving the Hoos an early lead. In the bottom of the 2nd, Steven Proscia led off with a hit, advanced to 2nd and 3rd on a couple of wild pitches and then scored on Jarrett Parker’s 2 out RBI single.
Those two runs would be all the Hoos needed, but for good measure, they added 3 runs in the bottom of the 8th, on a 2 run HR from Proscia, and then back-to-back-to-back base hits by Franco Valdez, Kyle Werman and Jarrett Parker.
Tyler Wilson gave up the Aztec’s lone run in the top of the 8th, then Matt Packer came in to get out of the inning. Kevin Arico pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to shut the door.
Due to the UC-Irvine’s win over Fresno in the nightcap, the Hoos will face the host Anteaters in tomorrow’s Game 4. On the hill for Irvine will be Daniel Bibona, a lefthanded junior who was 11-1 on the season, with a 2.65 ERA. Bibona may not be as hyped as Strasburg was, but make no mistake, this guy can bring it. He strikes out a batter an inning, rarely walks guys, and will certainly make the Hoos earn every run.
Going for the Hoos will be Danny Hultzen, also a lefty. Hultzen is a freshman, but has not played like it. Hultzen was 8-1 on the year, with a 2.21 ERA. Hultzen also batted .337, with an 874 OPS. Now, for the bad news. It appeared that Hultzen hurt his right (non-pitching) hand in the game today. Hopefully, he will be able to go tomorrow. If not, we are likely to see Carraway go in his place.
All in all, a good day to be a Wahoo baseball fan. And a bad day to be an ESPN scheduler, or deputy director of the Big 12 and chairman of the NCAA Baseball Selection Committee.
3 comment(s) and 1 trackback(s)
Yeah, you're right. I guess I just assumed Irvine would hold their ace for the 2nd game.
Irvine's second starter is Christian Bergman, a JR righthander who is not as good as Bibona.
9-2 with a 3.33 ERA. Good control, doesn't walk guys, but not overpowering. Gives up well over a hit an inning, and a fairly low K-rate for college bball.
Hoos should score some runs on him. Come down to Hultzen shutting down the Anteaters.
The Hoos beat the top seeded Cal-Irvine last night, 5-0, putting then a win away from reaching their first super regional.  Freshman starter Danny Hultzen was phenomenal, going 7 1/3 of shutout innings, before ceding to the bullpen.  Hultzen
Take THAT espn....
Did you see the SC highlights from this game? It was all about how dominant Strasburg was. Hard to tell we won the game based on ESPN's recap.
But I'll take a win over SC highlights anyday :)
I think Bibona pitched last night...