UC-Irvine up first in the CWS

[Lukus Alderman]

Just beat OKState to clinch a spot against us in the first round.

 

[Shevis Irons]

Think I'd rather face Okie State. UCI has a wicked good pitching staff. That Morales kid was just nails tonight.

 

[java]

When is our first game?

 

[joeywa]

When is our first game?

I believe Saturday at 2 PM CST. I'll verify tomorrow.

 

[J.B. TexasEx]

Think I'd rather face Okie State. UCI has a wicked good pitching staff. That Morales kid was just nails tonight.

Morales has the best curve ball that I've seen all year.  Brutal on both R and L handed hitters!

 

[utisdabomb12]

Hollingsworth didn't pitch all weekend. I kind of wonder if Augie throws him the first game and tries to save Thornhill's arm. 

 

[Sean Adams]

They have to win game one. Teams that win game one have so much of an easier time advancing. It is a big risk because you throw everything out there in game one and it is deflating when it does not happen.

 

[Matt Cotcher]

It's critical to get into the winner's bracket in Omaha. I don't think Augie will "save" anything. 

Morales was awesome last night. He's been like that for two years. Him being drafted so highly was not surprising.

This has shades of facing Mike Leake in '09.

 

[UTPhil2006]

Thornhill will undoubtedly go Game 1

 

[streettopeschel]

the consensus seems to be winning game one is better than not winning game one. i tend to agree.

 

[utisdabomb12]

I think Texas will go with Thornhill, but i won't be surprised if Augie takes a risk in the first game. 

Augie has taken risks in the first game at the CWS before. In 2002 Augie rolled with Simmons in the first game against Rice. Saved Bomer for the second game against Stanford. Not many expected him to make that move. There's no doubt a big risk to take with starting Hollingsworth in that first game, but there's also a huge reward if you get the W and have Thornhill and French for game 2/3. Really depends on how much he trusts Hollingsworth. Another reason Augie went with Simmons in game 1 that year was because he had a fresh arm. That allowed Simmons to pitch game 1 and 4. Not sure if Thornhill has the arm to go two games for the Longhorns, whereas Hollingsworth should since he hasn't pitched that much in the past month. These are the decisions that make a head coach, should be interesting regardless. 

 

[Topstarr]

Texas will win the first game with UCI....HOOK'EM

 

[java]

I know for certain that I don't want to play poker against Augie, and I am a tournament player (card player not poker). We may get beaten in Omaha, but we will not get out coached. When a team gets to the tournament, there isn't a better manager than Garrido. I think for him the season is simply preparation for Omaha, and it sometimes gets him in trouble with the fans.

Who was the Houston ace in 2002? He was the WP in the first game of the super regional against us, and we won the next two. He was drafted high that year.

 

[armadillo slim]

we need to send him a hooker on friday nite.  how much for a good, all night hooker in omaha?  anybody know?  one that likes to drink and talk a lot.

pretty even match between him and thornhill.  both have ERA's in the 1.50's.   morales strikes out a few more, but it's a pretty even matchup that probably look a lot alike.  morales strikes out more, thornhill throws more groundballs and has the "bugs bunny".  not a lot of differences between them.