Corky's Revenge!

After our state spotted the world a 4 game start, Corky Palmer's USM Golden Eagles destroyed Tulane last night to the tune of 15-2. The game was called due to the 10-run rule after 8 innings.

My mind wants to wonder in two directions after this outcome...Scenario A: It's meant to be and Corky and the Eagles are going to be one of our state's great sports stories of 2009 by winning the tournament and making a regional run. Scenario B: They used up all of their runs against Tulane and they'll fall flat on their face today.

Of course, I'm rooting for A. Hoping B won't happen, and thinking that realistically they'll probably fall somewhere in the middle. But after all the hell Tulane has given them over the years in championship situations (pre Rice in C-USA) it was good to see Corky's bunch exercise some of those Green Wave demons and get the last laugh...unless the meet up again later this week.

So the state went a collective 1-4 but, thanks to the theory of double elimination, will all play again today. Hey! We're guaranteed at least one win today as two will play each other...

Today's schedule:
OLE MISS vs. Florida
SOUTHERN MISS vs. East Carolina
ALCORN STATE vs. MISS. VALLEY STATE
JACKSON STATE vs. Alabama A&M

The only club of the 5 that can afford to lose today is USM. So we know at least 2 schools will still be alive headed to Friday.

Ole Miss vs. Florida is big! This, in all likelihood, is an elimination game for one of the national seeds. Both needed wins yesterday. Both played like a bag of doorknobs. The loser is 2 and BBQ and that won't reflect well toward getting a seed with the fact that Florida State beat a decent BC team badly yesterday, East Carolina beat an average Central Florida team, and Rice destroyed Marshall in 7 innings.

Today Rice plays UAB who beat them in a series last weekend to open up one of those national seeds that was previously on ice.

Let's win some games!!!

Mississippi Burning...uh...Losing!

College baseball tournaments start all over the country today.

5 of Mississippi's 6 Division 1 teams are in action...everyone save Mississippi State that is.

Alcorn blows a 5 run lead to Arkansas-Pine Bluff, loses 6-5. MS falls to 0-1.
JSU falls behind Grambling 8-0, rallies furiously but falls short, 9-7. 0-2.
Ole Miss jumps up 1-0, gives up a grand slam, game. set. match. UGA 6-3. We're 0-3.
Currently listening to Valley's punchless effort versus Texas Southern. Down 4-0 in the 7th.

On the flip side, in Hattiesburg, we could really see something special at Pete Taylor Park this week. Corky Palmer is retiring and this weekend could be his last stand.

USM is on the College Baseball tournament bubble, but realistically is on the outside looking in. However, the Conference USA tournament this year happens to be at Pete Taylor Park in Hattiesburg.

Could Coach Palmer, who has done so much good at USM, give the Eagles one last run to remember him by? It starts tonight versus longtime C-USA baseball rival Tulane. A team Palmer has never had good fortune against.

The Green Wave also have motivation. They, like the Eagles, are squarely on the bubble and MUST play well this week at the Pete to continue on with their season.

On a side note, Ole Miss is playing for a national seed in Birmingham this week, important only because it guarentees home field should they make the super regional round. The Rebs are in the running for the last two national seeds (there are 8) with a group of 5 other schools, two of which happen to be playing in Hattiesburg this week.

TODAY'S RESULTS:
Georgia 6, OLE MISS 3
Arkansas 8, FLORIDA 5
RICE 13, Marshall 0 (7 innings - 10-run rule)
Miami 8, GEORGIA TECH 6
FLORIDA STATE 7, Boston College 1 Top 8
Central Florida 3, EAST CAROLINA 2 Bot 7

So, as you can see, the Rebs are not alone in choking on it here in the clutch.

Maybe we can get better tommorow!?