Posted by Brandon Rink on June 21, 2011 under ACC Baseball | Comments are off for this article
UNC throwing RHP Greg Holt Wednesday night in his first start since the ACC Tournament against Miami (Pic per OrangeandWhite.com).
No. 3 UNC (51-15) vs. No. 6 Vandy (53-11)
Vandy scouting report
Notable: The first of two CWS rematches for the ACC teams in elimination games – UNC struggled to get runners around, where as Vandy didn’t in a 7-3 win last Saturday. The ‘Dores played over the course of two days against Florida and managed only one run – falling 3-1 to the No. 2 national seed. Good news for UNC is that each of Vandy’s aces have been hit this tournament – and the 99 pitches from Gray this past Saturday probably ensures he’ll only have an emergency relief role in the game. Florida shut down two hot Vandy hitters in 1B Aaron Westlake and 3B Jason Esposito for a combined 0-8 with five strikeouts. Actually, those two were hot – in the CWS, Westlake is 0/7 with an RBI and Esposito is 0-for-9. ‘Dores LF Tony Kemp hurt the Heels with a 3-for-4 day with a run scored and a RBI last week – CF Connor Harrell added two RBIs.
Top Bats: 3B Jason Esposito (.345 avg/9 HR/59 RBI), 1B Aaron Westlake (.343 avg/17 HR/55 RBI), C Curt Casali (.301 avg/6 HR/52 RBI), DH Conrad Gregor (.345 avg/3 HR/31 RBI).
Top Available Arms: RHP Sonny Gray (12-3, 2.12 ERA), RHP Taylor Hill (5-1, 2.84 ERA), RHP Navery Moore (4-2, 1.21 ERA, 11 saves), RHP T.J. Pecoraro (7-0, 1.59 ERA), LHP Corey Williams (2-0, 4.71 ERA, 2 saves).
UNC Notes: The Heels are going with RHP Greg Holt in his second start of the season – the senior started game one of the ACC Tournament against Miami and went 5.2 IP with 6 hits/3 ER/4 BB/6 K. Holt had pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings before a two-out single by the Hurricanes’ Zeke DeVoss led to much, much more in the 7-5 UNC loss. With freshman Kent Emanuel’s complete game shutout Monday, UNC will have the whole bullpen at their disposal for this one (and that’s a big bullpen). Heels 3B Colin Moran is 4/9 with 2 RBI in the CWS. UNC CF Ben Bunting is hitting .452 on the NCAA Tournament.
Projections
(Picks in bold)
Wednesday (starters)
6/18 UNC (RHP Greg Holt, 7-1/3.57 ERA) vs. Vandy (RHP Taylor Hill, 5-1/2.84 ERA) 7 p.m. ET, ESPN2
Why UNC?: Because the SEC’s dominance over the ACC in the CWS has to end some time? After last night’s game and last Saturday, you really (and I) should have zero confidence in this pick. But, UNC went toe-to-toe with the ‘Dores and left 16 on base last time – that doesn’t happen again (the lots o’ stranded runners part I think).
Posted by Brandon Rink on June 20, 2011 under ACC Baseball | Comments are off for this article
Will Virginia have anything to celebrate against the defending champs Tuesday night? (Pic per OrangeandWhite.com).
No. 1 Virginia (55-10) vs. No. 4 South Carolina (51-14)
South Carolina scouting report
Notable: For the second time this tournament, we take a look at South Carolina after NC State’s quick exit from the Columbia Regional. The Gamecocks cruised through their home regional and super regional – edged out Texas A&M Sunday on a walkoff single by 2B Scott Wingo to advance on to the winner’s bracket matchup versus Virginia. South Carolina ace Michael Roth gutted-out 7 1/3 innings against the Aggies with 122 pitches for a no-decision.
SC’s Ray Tanner only used two relievers after that and his closer Matt Price earned the win with 2/3 of an inning pitched. Sophomore RHP Colby Holmes (6-3/3.60 ERA) is the probable starter Tuesday for the Gamecocks – he pitched 4 1/3 innings against UConn and allowed two runs on five hits in a no decision. Against Stetson in the regional, Holmes went 6 2/3 and allowed four runs on seven hits in an 11-5 win.
During the season, the Gamecocks rolled with series wins over national seeds Florida and Vandy – rivals Clemson and Georgia fell in weekend matchups as well.
Top Bats: 1B Christian Walker (.357 avg/10 HR/60 RBI), 2B Scott Wingo (.350 avg/4 HR/28 RBI [4-for-4, RBI in CWS opener]), C Brady Thomas (.305 avg/4 HR/39 RBI), CF Jackie Bradley Jr. (.259 avg/6 HR/26 RBI).
Top Available Arms: RHP Forrest Koumas (6-1, 3.13 ERA), RHP Matt Price (6-3, 2.13 ERA, 18 saves), RHP Colby Holmes (6-3, 3.60 ERA), RHP Jose Mata (3-0, 1.76 ERA).
Virginia Notes: For 6.5 innings, Virginia and Cal traded missed opportunities with runners on base, but in the 7th, catcher John Hicks and 3B Steven Proscia knocked in runs to make it 2-0. The ‘Hoos added two more in the eighth for the 4-1 win. Much like SC’s Roth, Cavaliers ace Danny Hultzen reached deep for a 113-pitch outing in a no-decision. Virginia starter/reliever Tyler Wilson went 2 1/3 innings for the win – Branden Kline earned the save.
RHP Will Roberts is the probable starter for the Cavaliers. Roberts got a no decision against UC Irvine in the deciding game of the Charlottesville Super Regional with 7 1/3 innings of five-hit ball with a run allowed. He opened the Charlottesville Regional with a complete game, four-hit shutout against four-seed Navy. Roberts pitched the eighth perfect game in college baseball history against George Washington earlier this season.
Projections
(Picks in bold)
Tuesday (Starters)
6/21 Virginia (RHP Will Roberts, 11-1/1.58 ERA) vs. South Carolina (RHP Colby Holmes, 6-3/3.60 ERA), 7 p.m., ESPN.
Why Virginia?: Surprise, surprise – the guy that runs a site called ‘ACCBlogger.com’ is picking the ACC team against a SEC team, but I swear I have good reasons.
It’s funny thinking back to last year at this time when I was convinced that Clemson wouldn’t let history repeat with another 0-and-2 performance in Omaha against the Gamecocks. Don’t get me wrong at all, I have full respect for what this South Carolina team can do. They (and their fans) should have all the confidence in the world to win this game.
Virginia demonstrated against a pesky Cal team that pitching can win out in this CWS, but the ‘Hoos won’t get the W by not scoring early against the reigning champs. Brian O’Conner’s club has to get to Holmes early and have Roberts pitch with a lead, a position he can really settle in and dominate – as he’s shown all season. Virginia is a team that’s learned how to beat teams without power playing in a cavernous ballpark in Charlottesville – the bats click for the ‘Hoos early and they edge out the Gamecocks.
Posted by Brandon Rink on June 19, 2011 under ACC Baseball | Comments are off for this article
It's NCAA Tourney elimination game time for UNC and Texas...and this pic has nothing to do with it. (Pic per OrangeandWhite.com)
No. 3 UNC (50-15) vs. No. 7 Texas (49-18)
Texas scouting report
Notable: Texas hasn’t done it easy this postseason. In a home regional, they dropped a contest to three-seed Kent State – battled out of the loser’s bracket by beating the Golden Flashes twice. In a home super regional, the ‘Horns fell in game one to Arizona State – battled back with two close wins to advance to Omaha. And in game one of the College World Series, Texas dropped game one again to find themselves facing the Tar Heels.
Though Texas A&M won the Big XII title, the Longhorns did their damage out of conference with wins over Stanford, Texas St. and Dallas Baptist – took series from K-State, Oklahoma and the Big XII champ Aggies as well.
Top Bats: 3B Erich Weiss (.353 avg/4 HR/45 RBI), SS Brandon Loy (.346 avg/30 RBI/19 SBs), 1B Tant Shepherd (.304 avg/5 HR/41 RBI).
Top Available Arms: LHPSam Stafford (6-2/1.72 ERA), RHP Cole Green (8-3/3.03 ERA), RHP Corey Knebel (3-2/1.13 ERA/19 saves), LHP Hoby Milner (7-4/2.52 ERA).
UNC Notes: The Heels’ CWS opener was an exhibition of the opposite of clutch hitting – 16 runners left on base in the 7-3 loss to Vandy. The Tar Heels will start freshman LHP Kent Emanuel as the first freshman to start a CWS game since another UNC pitcher, Matt Harvey, in 2008. He pitched six innings with one run allowed on five hits with five strikeouts in the Omaha-clinching win over Stanford.
Projections
(Picks in bold)
Saturday (Starters)
6/20 UNC (LHP Kent Emanuel 8-1/2.55 ERA) vs. Texas (RHP Cole Green, 8-3/3.03 ERA) 2 p.m., ESPN.
Why UNC?: Vandy was a game where you could close your eyes and pick it out of a hat – definitely not representative of a No. 3 national seed versus a lesser team. With this one, UNC looks like the better team on paper and have a guy on the mound that has some confidence right now in Emanuel. Texas’ Augie Garrido has done this CWS thing a time or two though – should be a good one.
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