It's games like this that make me wonder why more people don't watch college baseball.
Yeah, Fresno State, if you'd love to keep writing the plot for Slumberwood for me, that'd be great.
When I originally mapped out Slumberwood's plot, I imagined that they'd reach the CWS (after winning their school's conference for the first time in half a century), battle their way to the finals (I am even contemplating sending them through the loser's bracket, although that seems rather cliche...then again, them winning the whole way would be cliche, too, so either way you look at it...), and would then be up against a team a lot like Georgia. It wouldn't be the number one team in the nation, because then it would be a predictable underdog story, but it would win the first game, and Slumberwood would be forced to win the next two.
Georgia, the seeded team, won the first game with a comeback. Now Fresno State is fighting for its life and is putting up runs like crazy. This was how I envisioned Slumberwood's run - they'd have a fantastic second game (including putting their freshman battery into the lineup in their first high-stakes game) and would have a nail-biter third game. I still haven't decided whether I want to make them win or lose yet, so if Fresno State pulls this one out tonight I'll let them dictate that based on what they do tomorrow. But for senior catcher Gage Wetterman's sake, I'd kind of like to see them win. (So win, Fresno. C'mon.)
Also, Steve Susdorf has one of the most beautiful swings I've ever seen. It's so fluid and natural and level. I wish more people swung like that.
The Sox pulled out a win tonight! I wasn't around for the game - I was watching gaijin on a game show in Japan on ABC - but to switch over to the College World Series and to see Chris Smith's name on the ticker being credited with the win made me all happy inside. Congratulations on your first win, Chris! (I'm sure you threw a lot better than me today - my bullpen session today was horrible. I couldn't hit the strike zone to save my life...)
EDIT: I was reading Hideki Okajima's Wikipedia page, and I noticed this bit about his delivery:
Okajima is said to have mimicked his pitching form after a pitcher in Yoichi Takahashi's manga Ace! who torqued his head so much after every pitch that it always caused his hat to come flying off. Apparently, Okajima thought that this would be cool to try and emulate.
I just had to look into this, and here's the cover of volume one.
Yeah, I can see Okaji's delivery in there, actually.
(Also, Fresno State "pulled out" a 19-10 win! I'd love to see them take it all tomorrow, wouldn't you?)
When I originally mapped out Slumberwood's plot, I imagined that they'd reach the CWS (after winning their school's conference for the first time in half a century), battle their way to the finals (I am even contemplating sending them through the loser's bracket, although that seems rather cliche...then again, them winning the whole way would be cliche, too, so either way you look at it...), and would then be up against a team a lot like Georgia. It wouldn't be the number one team in the nation, because then it would be a predictable underdog story, but it would win the first game, and Slumberwood would be forced to win the next two.
Georgia, the seeded team, won the first game with a comeback. Now Fresno State is fighting for its life and is putting up runs like crazy. This was how I envisioned Slumberwood's run - they'd have a fantastic second game (including putting their freshman battery into the lineup in their first high-stakes game) and would have a nail-biter third game. I still haven't decided whether I want to make them win or lose yet, so if Fresno State pulls this one out tonight I'll let them dictate that based on what they do tomorrow. But for senior catcher Gage Wetterman's sake, I'd kind of like to see them win. (So win, Fresno. C'mon.)
Also, Steve Susdorf has one of the most beautiful swings I've ever seen. It's so fluid and natural and level. I wish more people swung like that.
The Sox pulled out a win tonight! I wasn't around for the game - I was watching gaijin on a game show in Japan on ABC - but to switch over to the College World Series and to see Chris Smith's name on the ticker being credited with the win made me all happy inside. Congratulations on your first win, Chris! (I'm sure you threw a lot better than me today - my bullpen session today was horrible. I couldn't hit the strike zone to save my life...)
EDIT: I was reading Hideki Okajima's Wikipedia page, and I noticed this bit about his delivery:
Okajima is said to have mimicked his pitching form after a pitcher in Yoichi Takahashi's manga Ace! who torqued his head so much after every pitch that it always caused his hat to come flying off. Apparently, Okajima thought that this would be cool to try and emulate.
I just had to look into this, and here's the cover of volume one.
Yeah, I can see Okaji's delivery in there, actually.
(Also, Fresno State "pulled out" a 19-10 win! I'd love to see them take it all tomorrow, wouldn't you?)