[StanfordMatt]

I was there today as well. The team just came out flat. Bellafronto’s lackadaisical tag in the first inning was representative of the entire’s club’s approach through the first 7.1 innings. Esquer’s ejection completely changed the tenor of the game. Two batters latter we had cut the deficit in half and got unlucky with a couple hard hit balls from Wilson and Handley that were outs killing rallies in the 7th and 8th innings, respectively. There’s little doubt in my mind that we would’ve completed the comeback had the game gone another two innings. We simply ran out of outs.

On the one hand, you don’t like coming out flat in any game. On the other hand, it’s bound to happen a few times over the course of the season, especially with exams coming up next week. I liked seeing the fire the club showed at the end. That’s the energy they’ll need to carry them to Omaha.

As far as the umpires, the home plate umpire’s biggest blown call in my opinion was not calling interference on USC’s second hitter in the first inning. After Miller struck him out, he stepped over the plate and restricted Handley’s ability to throw out the leadoff runner attempting to steal second. If he had gotten that call correct, there never would have been an issue with Bellafronto’s tag at 3rd or Handley’s at home.

[StanfordMatt]

I was there today as well. The team just came out flat. Bellafronto’s lackadaisical tag in the first inning was representative of the entire’s club’s approach through the first 7.1 innings. Esquer’s ejection completely changed the tenor of the game. Two batters latter we had cut the deficit in half and got unlucky with a couple hard hit balls from Wilson and Handley that were outs killing rallies in the 7th and 8th innings, respectively. There’s little doubt in my mind that we would’ve completed the comeback had the game gone another two innings. We simply ran out of outs.

On the one hand, you don’t like coming out flat in any game. On the other hand, it’s bound to happen a few times over the course of the season, especially with exams coming up next week. I liked seeing the fire the club showed at the end. That’s the energy they’ll need to carry them to Omaha.

As far as the umpires, the home plate umpire’s biggest blown call in my opinion was not calling interference on USC’s second hitter in the first inning. After Miller struck him out, he stepped over the plate and restricted Handley’s ability to throw out the leadoff runner attempting to steal second. If he had gotten that call correct, there never would have been an issue with Bellafronto’s tag at 3rd or Handley’s at home.