Today's loss in Game Two of the Oxford Regional was a pretty big disappointment from my perspective. Ole Miss was unable to capitalize on opportunities and committed costly errors at all the wrong times. Nevertheless, because I feel confident that B-Dub-E will soon update the pessimistic among you, after the break are a few reasons I think we will win Game Three.
First, though, Drew Pomeranz deserves more credit after pulling seven innings of duty and recording somewhere around a dozens strikeouts. While he was not the super-human of Monday night, it was the type of performance that gets the win nine out of ten times when the rest of the team is doing what they are supposed to. Unfortunately, too many of the Rebels did not play at a level commensurate with Pomeranz's performance. Jordan Henry, I'm calling you out, man. If this team is going to make it to Omaha, you need to step up and play. Yesterday, you were not able to capitalize on Brett Basham-wow's uncharactistically high on-base percentage, and today's two-out ninth inning plate appearance was, well, uninspiring. Are you going to be the one or not?
Mike, if I see David Phillips or Evan Button playing tomorrow, I will be exceedingly confused. Not disappointed or mad; just confused. You see, Mike, I understand that you know a lot about baseball. More than me, for sure. But is Tim Ferguson going to make more errors than Evan Button or something? You know that Phillips and Button have never seen a two-out situation that cannot finish off. This team is going to need its bats tomorrow, so let the swingers swing.
By the way, didn't we used to have a reputation for being a solid team defensively? When did we become a couple of sub-humans with monkey crap for brains, screwing up routine plays? Correcting any of a few glaring errors (Phillips' inexplicable throw to the short stop in the third, Buttons low throw to first in the eighth, and Goforth's wild pick-off attempt come to mind) may have changed the outcome of this game. Just. Play. Smart.
All this aside, though, I would put my money on Ole Miss to win tomorrow for a few reasons. First, we have been here before. Teams that have experience in the high pressure of the late rounds of the playoffs, just do better. Second, the Rebels have more arms for tomorrow. Drew's gutsy seven innings kept us from using much of our relief, so if we can get a lead, then a rested Jake Morgan can take us home. What we need is, simply, for our offense to show up, for our leaders to lead, and for somebody to find the hole.
Oh, and for Evan Button and David Phillips to warm the bench so hard that the dugout catches on fire.