National Championship predictions
I think Coach Hutch will start Wagner tonight and bring Betsa in if Wagner starts to get hit around. This allows Aidan Falk to bat instead of Wagner which adds more pop to the lineup. We win game one 5-3 and come back tomorrow to eke out a 2-1 nailbiter to bring home the trophy. The Wolverines start next year's polls as the unanimous # 1 with us bringing back romo, Lawrence, Christner, Susalla, and Betsa among others.
Don't you jinx this!
Hope you are right...
...but I think this one goes three games. Should be a great series to watch.
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Sounds like we were competitive in the first two games against Florida, just couldn't hold on at the end. First game lost in the final inning on a Florida walk off HR. Second game led early 4-0, then Florida scored 7 unanswered. Hopefully those games left a huge chip on their shoulders.
Game 1 was the first game of the year and the other was nearly three months ago. Since then they've beaten 9. Baylor, 14. Minnesota twice, 19. California, 14. Georgia twice, 5. Alabama, 7. UCLA, and 8. LSU. Granted, those teams are not Florida but they won convincingly in all of them. They've won what, 28 in a row now? If they're not primed to take down Florida after that run then you just have to tip your cap to the Gators. It seems like the tournament really did yield the top two teams. Here's to a great series and another national title for Hutch!
Agreed. Although for my health, I hope they don't fall behind early again for the third game in a row.
I was at the first game and I definitely see a lot of progress with this team. Blanco looked like a project hitter at that point, Betsa started the second game later that night and got pulled against an inferior USF team, and Christner has had a metoritic rise since then. A crazy ending kept it 3-2 in their favor, and Haeger didn't throw, but I'm still optimistic that tonight will have an obviously improved result.
I didn't get to see or watch the second game, but like you say there's been a lot of softball since.
Michigan 8 Florida 6 in game #1.
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I'm just glad Romero didn't get hurt by that LSU gal sliding outside of the baseline to break up the throw to first. Hopefully it pissed her off enough to hit about five dingers against Florida!
That should have been an immediate double play called. She wasn't near the bag.
I don't care about the outcomes of the previous games with Florida, Michigan is playing at a different level and its performance in this tourament since the opener has only strengthened that belief. Look, you know the lineup is strong top to bottom. But what separates this team from its competitors is that nothing will stand in its way.
Look, the only issue at this point is failure to execute and communicate as a champion needs to. We've already seen the resiliency, the inherent belief in their capacity to suceed no matter what. When you are good, know that only your poor effort can beat you, and that you are at the top of your game, you enter with all the confidence that you need to succeed. That is the way I feel about this team.
That's just the first inning.
So basically second game rescheduled for Fourth of July weekend 2016, and 3,498 open threads totalling 239,047,787 replies?
Or, as the English call it, cricket.
Test match cricket - that's the ticket!
nerves, anger, yelling, and hopefully elation - all in the comfort of my own living room.
There were two teams in the WCWS that I really didn't want to have to deal with - Florida and Oregon. Oregon was taken care of, happily, by others, so we didn't have to worry about that. Now we get to face the other one.
The thing that worried me about these teams is that they (Florida especially) are the only ones who have a pitcher who I really think can battle with our hitters for 7 innings. Everyone else we've faced in recent months can maybe hold us down for one trip through the line-up, but then on the 2nd time through, we make adjustments & blow the doors off. Haeger, I fear, might be able to make adjustments right with us and, at the very least, keep the Gators within striking distance.
I hate making predictions because superstition, but here's what I'll say. No matter what happens in the first 2 innings tonight, don't panic. Wait 'til our line-up gets through twice, and then evaluate. If we start getting to Haeger on the 2nd and 3rd trips through, then even if we can't get the W in our 1st try, I'll believe we have a very real chance to get the job done. If Haeger keeps us off balance all game, though, it will be time to worry, and Wagner & Betsa will need to play their best softball of their careers to keep us in it.
No matter what, this team has made us all tremendously proud this season. I just hope they get the ending they deserve! I'm already feeling sick to my stomach from the tension... Let's go Blue!
and UF, but watching UF yesterday and seeing Haeger give up 11 hits I'm not nearly as concerned about her as I was. Hopefully the team isn't discounting her as much as I am. I think M wins tonight and wins the whole thing in 3.
I think this one goes to 3 games. We win it all if we win the first one. Lose if we have to try to take 2 in a row.
Who will pitch along side of Betsa next year?
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I'm pretty sure Blanco is a pitcher-in-waiting on this team
Blanco will be really good at some point (freshman this year, as you know), Driesenga will hopefully be able to return as a RS Senior after an injury earlier this season.
I wonder if Harbaugh will make a surprise appearance in OKC. I'll counter-jinx us and take Florida 2-0. Both games will be really close.
I hear he has some experince as a base coach.
That's what they called me in prison...
those are my N.C. predictions for this year. Football in 3 years. That's what you meant right?
I am hopeful this will negatively affect her on the mound.
Sorry was watching the Florida auburn game yesterday and they mentioned it 1000 times.
If Wagner starts game 1 we win.
Do the right thing Hutch!
Yep - that is a key question - who's starting. Wagner is the hot hand.
is this going down tonight?
8 EST on ESPN2
LOL I'm glad I'm not you...
Florida in 2 games. Lauren Haeger is on a mission from God, as Elwood Blues would say.
I'd love to be wrong though.
It's going to be close, obviously, but Michigan has been able to handle the rest of the SEC, and while Florida is a step above the likes of Alabama and LSU, it's not like they are light-years better. It'll proabbly go 3, but UM is playing amazing ball right now and can just grind down you as a pitcher. I'm predicting some late-inning heroics in at least one of these games for the good gals, and UM wins its second title.
It probably makes perfect sense to judge the POY based on one game. She did throw a lot of pitches though.