(Tempe, AZ) – Who Is Mike Jones? The Arizona State version of Mike Jones is now the answer to a trivia question. A three run home run over the right field wall in the sixth inning complimented a couple of great catches in center field on Saturday night. But the question is, name several Arizona State athletes who have hit both a home run and caught a touchdown pass for the Sun Devils? [Thanks for the question TerryLee]
Aaron Baker looked great for Oklahoma with two home runs on the night. However the entire rest of the Sooners roster were only half as effective as Baker, with just the one other run between them all.
Unfortunately Carl Spackler has no “Cinderella story” left here in Tempe. After an inspirational performance on Friday night the Stony Brook Seawolves were eliminated during the day game. Head coach Matt Senk was quoted stating “Arizona State and Vanderbilt are tremendous teams and it was an honor to compete against them.” Well coach Senk, it was an honor to watch your team play. Your players and fans represented the America East conference well. Not Masters champions this year, but maybe you can pull off the miracle next year. [Caddyshack 1980]
Why is the NCAA so lame? I understand the idea of equality, but shouldn’t there be some advantage to hosting a Regional. It just seemed really strange to see the ASU Sun Devils sitting in the first base dugout. I’m fine with switching off home team and visiting team, but what is the point of the dugout shuffle. Word is that ASU is not allowed to use their clubhouse during the game either. Might be trivial, but seems really silly to me. At least none of the players made a wrong turn and headed back to the third base dugout, that would have been embarrassing.
In addition former ASU assistant coach Mike Rooney has been working some games as a field reporter assisting in the radio broadcast from the corner of the dugout this season. His reports have provided timely insight but because this the NCAA Regionals, that is not allowed. But wait, here is the hypocrisy, no problem if ESPN wants to do it. You need proof for this argument; I’ve been watching the Women’s College World Series and ESPN just went to Holly Rowe interviewing Arizona State head coach Clint Myers for an “ESPN IN THE DUGOUT” here in the top of the fourth inning of the Alabama versus Arizona State game.
On the way home from Packard last night we got into the customary “why is (insert team name) even in the tournament” talk. In this case Oklahoma was the victim of the discussion. 34-24-1 overall record but just 9-17-1 in conference. Yet the Big 12 gets five at large teams and the automatic qualifier for a total of six. And the SEC getting nine teams in is nothing but absolute garbage. Performance so far by both the SEC and Big 12 seems to back up that the committee got it wrong again this year. [Chris Kelley]
Were there really only 3,744 people at Winkles Field – Packard Stadium at Brock Ballpark for the night game? The stands were packed, the berms filled and the aisles full of baseball fans but they count less than 4,000 people in attendance. I think someone must have left a gate open because it sure looked like more people than that too me.
Losing the night game on day 2 is likely a death sentence in the Regional, especially here in the desert. Oklahoma gets to return to the field tomorrow and play at 1:00 when it is likely to be well over 100 degrees. Then if they win that they get to come back and play again at 6:00. Win that and you get to play Monday night too. No one wants to go home, but it seems like a tough task. I would assume Vanderbilt will be in better shape to play the early game tomorrow.
