[Papa John]

And it's a final, Vandy 11, Stanford 6. Although I don't often say this about five-run losses, it could have been a lot worse. Stanford only allowed 1 run after the third inning and closed to within 10-6 in the fifth. But the good guys couldn't quite muster enough hits to pull off a comeback for the ages.

The silver lining is that Stanford pitches its ace, C a l Quantrill tomorrow.

[Papa John]

And it's a final, Vandy 11, Stanford 6. Although I don't often say this about five-run losses, it could have been a lot worse. Stanford only allowed 1 run after the third inning and closed to within 10-6 in the fifth. But the good guys couldn't quite muster enough hits to pull off a comeback for the ages.

The silver lining is that Stanford pitches its ace, C a l Quantrill tomorrow.

[fullmetal]

Win it all from here on out.

[fullmetal]

Win it all from here on out.

[martyup]

We got two-in-a-row against Indiana.  We've got to go two-in-a-row again to stay alive.  LET'S GO CARDINAL!

[martyup]

We got two-in-a-row against Indiana.  We've got to go two-in-a-row again to stay alive.  LET'S GO CARDINAL!

[martyup]

Sending out positive thoughts from Utah to Tennessee for the Cardinal baseball team.

[martyup]

Sending out positive thoughts from Utah to Tennessee for the Cardinal baseball team.

[martyup]

Up 2-1 top of the 5th. Whiting with a 2 RBI double. Slater and Hoff got on with singles.  GO CARD!

[martyup]

Up 2-1 top of the 5th. Whiting with a 2 RBI double. Slater and Hoff got on with singles.  GO CARD!

[Leftcoast]

Still 2-1 in the top of the 7th but a lead off double means our ace is pitching out of the stretch.  Pitcher's duel between two aces.  In Quantrill we trust.

[Leftcoast]

Still 2-1 in the top of the 7th but a lead off double means our ace is pitching out of the stretch.  Pitcher's duel between two aces.  In Quantrill we trust.

[washingtonismoney]

Marquess called for a bunt to move a man from second to third? You've got to be kidding me.

[washingtonismoney]

Marquess called for a bunt to move a man from second to third? You've got to be kidding me.

[washingtonismoney]

Inserting someone specifically to bunt? Can someone from the statistics department do a presentation on this to Marquess?

[washingtonismoney]

Inserting someone specifically to bunt? Can someone from the statistics department do a presentation on this to Marquess?

[82 Card]

Apparently the boys have managed to score in spite of the leader's purported cluelessness. 4-1 after 7. Pitching change for Vanderbilt.

Once again the terrorists won the 7th inning stretch. Nothing against God Bless America, just don't want it in 7th inning stretch. When we allow terrorists to change our traditions, the terrorists win.

[82 Card]

Apparently the boys have managed to score in spite of the leader's purported cluelessness. 4-1 after 7. Pitching change for Vanderbilt.

Once again the terrorists won the 7th inning stretch. Nothing against God Bless America, just don't want it in 7th inning stretch. When we allow terrorists to change our traditions, the terrorists win.

[PrinceLightfoot]

Worst....relief....effort....ever!  :'(

[PrinceLightfoot]

Worst....relief....effort....ever!  :'(

[Leftcoast]

Up by one entering the 9th.  By the way I misspoke earlier.  Even though the game is at Vanderbilt, Stanford is the home team and bats in the bottom of the 9th .... although we all hope they don't need to.

[Leftcoast]

Up by one entering the 9th.  By the way I misspoke earlier.  Even though the game is at Vanderbilt, Stanford is the home team and bats in the bottom of the 9th .... although we all hope they don't need to.

[PrinceLightfoot]

We hit the batter with bases loaded. Game is tied at the top of 9th, 4-4 with 2 outs.

[PrinceLightfoot]

We hit the batter with bases loaded. Game is tied at the top of 9th, 4-4 with 2 outs.

[SeattleTree]

Choke.  City.  Ugh.  :(

[SeattleTree]

Choke.  City.  Ugh.  :(

[Kathy]

Woo! One more day in Nashville! Walk-off HR by Wayne Taylor!!

[Kathy]

Woo! One more day in Nashville! Walk-off HR by Wayne Taylor!!

[Leftcoast]

Choke?  Not exactly .  Walk off homer puts Stanford just one game away from the CWS.  Sweet !

[Leftcoast]

Choke?  Not exactly .  Walk off homer puts Stanford just one game away from the CWS.  Sweet !

[PrinceLightfoot]

Walkoff homerun does it again! Live to see another game!  ;D :D :) 8)

[PrinceLightfoot]

Walkoff homerun does it again! Live to see another game!  ;D :D :) 8)

[martyup]

Yeah baby!!!  Way to go Stanford!!  That was a nail biter.  I thought we were toast in the top of the ninth with the bases loaded and the score tied.  Wow, what an ending.

[martyup]

Yeah baby!!!  Way to go Stanford!!  That was a nail biter.  I thought we were toast in the top of the ninth with the bases loaded and the score tied.  Wow, what an ending.

[washingtonismoney]

Well, my belief -- pretty well-supported by statistics -- is that you should rarely bunt, not that the identity of the bunter matters terribly much.

[washingtonismoney]

Well, my belief -- pretty well-supported by statistics -- is that you should rarely bunt, not that the identity of the bunter matters terribly much.

[CowboyIndian]

You all have more endurance than I. When Vanegas hit that guy to tie it up I had to go walk the dogs....and it's 105 here today. All's well that ends well, I guess, but those last two innings were pretty frustrating.

[CowboyIndian]

You all have more endurance than I. When Vanegas hit that guy to tie it up I had to go walk the dogs....and it's 105 here today. All's well that ends well, I guess, but those last two innings were pretty frustrating.

[washingtonismoney]

If you think bunting is in general a bad strategy, that's a different argument. But once you've decided to bunt, why would the identity of the batter not make a difference? Bunting is a skill. Some guys have it, some don't, and some just float around in between.

Sure. But my complaint was about the bunting, primarily. But even if I grant your remise, it still looks questionable to me. Presumably Jose is a better player than Klein; if he weren't, why is he starting? So it seems terribly silly to remove a player for, essentially, one play. Perhaps Klein has some other aspects of his skillset that make up for it. Still, given the general inadvisability of bunting, adding collateral damage makes the decision all the more unwise.

[washingtonismoney]

If you think bunting is in general a bad strategy, that's a different argument. But once you've decided to bunt, why would the identity of the batter not make a difference? Bunting is a skill. Some guys have it, some don't, and some just float around in between.

Sure. But my complaint was about the bunting, primarily. But even if I grant your remise, it still looks questionable to me. Presumably Jose is a better player than Klein; if he weren't, why is he starting? So it seems terribly silly to remove a player for, essentially, one play. Perhaps Klein has some other aspects of his skillset that make up for it. Still, given the general inadvisability of bunting, adding collateral damage makes the decision all the more unwise.