Cal Baseball vs. Alcorn St. NCAA Regional gamethread
Time: 12:00 pm PST
Video Stream: Riceowls.com
Audio Stream: KALX radio
Gametracker
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Cal couldn't complete what would have been a pretty epic comeback against Baylor, finally falling 6-4. Alcorn State never got close to a comeback, allowing runs in six different innings during a 14-2 loss. Both teams will be playing to continue their season today.
I haven't been able to find any confirmation, but I have to assume that Justin Jones will be pitching for Cal against the Braves. It wouldn't shock me if Coach Esquer tried to save Jones for a potential game three against the Rice/Baylor loser, assuming that his offense and either Kevin Miller or Dixon Anderson would be enough to beat an inferior Alcorn St. team. But I'm guessing he wouldn't risk heading home without putting his best on the mound.
The key to stopping Alcorn St. is to stop their running game - the Braves have the 3rd most steals in the NCAA. Rice did it by keeping them off the base paths in the first place, but pressure will be on Cal's pitchers and Chadd Krist to stop Alcorn St. from running wild. And the goal at the plate is to abuse a pitching staff that was roughed up badly by Rice and has generally struggled all year long. It's do-or-die time the rest of the weekend, and this is a team that should know what it feels like to play baseball on the brink. Go Bears!
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Go Bears!
Adopted Giant: Ryan Verdugo. The next Javier Lopez.
goldenbearlair.com
Interesting
It’s Kevin Miller on the mound. Is Esquer saving Justin Jones for tomorrow?
The #1 greatest threat to America: BEARS
I'd guess so
You’d hope that you could save your #2 starter for the tougher game.
Adopted Giant: Ryan Verdugo. The next Javier Lopez.
goldenbearlair.com
Whoa.
Cal Football: I loved them once and they broke my heart. Let that be a lesson to you. Never love anything.
You mean like Justin Jones' fastball blew away Alcorn State in the 5th inning?
Keeping January 1 open. You know, just in case.
Nasty pitch from Miller
to get the K. Pitching much better than he was last Saturday.
Adopted Giant: Ryan Verdugo. The next Javier Lopez.
goldenbearlair.com
two away now in the 1st
throwing strikes, that’s what he needs to do.
Adopted Giant: Ryan Verdugo. The next Javier Lopez.
goldenbearlair.com
3-0 Alcorn State
Alcorn still batting with runners on 1st and 2nd and 1 out in the 2nd.
Keeping January 1 open. You know, just in case.
Make that 4-0
After another base hit, Alcorn’s 6th hit of the game already.
Keeping January 1 open. You know, just in case.
Whew, Jones gets us out of it
LONG fly ball to center field for the final out of the inning.
4-0 Alcorn State, End 2nd.
Keeping January 1 open. You know, just in case.
With a runner at 1st, Austin Booker was robbed by the Alcorn St. right fielder
Great diving play out there. Good thing our runner wasn’t doubled up.
At least we’re hitting the ball hard.
Keeping January 1 open. You know, just in case.
Cal might have something going here in the 3rd
An infield hit for Renda puts Cal runners on 1st and 2nd with 1 out. Krist up.
Keeping January 1 open. You know, just in case.
Yeah, Krist comes through with a 2 RBI double
4-2 Alcorn State. Cal still batting, 2nd and 3rd with 1 out
Keeping January 1 open. You know, just in case.
Correction, 2 on, 2 out for Delfino
E-5 on the Alcorn 3rd baseman scores Krist from 2nd.
4-3 Alcorn State, Cal still batting in the 3rd inning. Tying run at 3rd.
Keeping January 1 open. You know, just in case.
Cal takes the lead!
Bunting hits the 2-out double to score 2. 5-4 Cal.
5-run inning for the Bears.
Keeping January 1 open. You know, just in case.
Mathews doubles
6-4 Cal. 3rd double in the inning for Cal.
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And that will be it for Alcorn State's starter
We chase him after 2 2/3.
I kinda like our position now. 2 run lead, we’ve chased away their starter, and we have Justin Jones on the hill now.
LET’S. GO. BEARS.
Keeping January 1 open. You know, just in case.
Alcorn State brings in a lefty
Who has a 9.68 ERA this year.
Keeping January 1 open. You know, just in case.
Meanwhile back to the action
Bruno is batting with Matthews on 2nd base, 2 outs.
Keeping January 1 open. You know, just in case.
Bruno strikes out to end the inning
Cal settles for a 6-run inning.
Cal 6, Alcorn 4, Mid 3rd.
Keeping January 1 open. You know, just in case.
Jones walked a guy and hit a guy. 2 on, 2 out, and a guy hit a ground ball to short that Semien couldn’t handle. Luckily, though, the Alcorn State runner from 2nd took too big a turn around 3rd and Semien threw behind him. 3rd baseman tagged him out to end the inning.
Keeping January 1 open. You know, just in case.
Alcorn State fails to score in the 3rd
Jones walked a batter and hit a batter, but Alcorn strands 2.
Keeping January 1 open. You know, just in case.
In case anyone is wondering, this is Cal's lineup
Booker LF
Renda 2B
Krist C
Semien SS
Rodriguez 1B
Delfino 3B
Bunting RF
Matthews CF
Bruno DH
Keeping January 1 open. You know, just in case.
Cal off to a good start in the 4th
Renda walks. Cal puts on the hit and run and Krist singles. Cal with 1st and 3rd, none out.
Keeping January 1 open. You know, just in case.
Yes, the lefty is still in there
Renda out at home on a fielder’s choice. Cal still with runners on 1st and 2nd.
Keeping January 1 open. You know, just in case.
Cal leaves them loaded in the 4th
Delfino grounded out to end the inning.
Cal 6, Alcorn State 4, Mid 4th
Keeping January 1 open. You know, just in case.
End of the 4th
Still 6-4 Cal.
Jones walked a guy to lead off, but then got a strikeout and a 5-4-3 double play to end the inning.
Keeping January 1 open. You know, just in case.
Interesting
Runner at 2nd, 1 out in the 5th. Esquer sends in Toboni (.222 avg) to pinch hit for Bruno.
Keeping January 1 open. You know, just in case.
Esquer might seen an opportunity here
Toboni is .333 vs. lefties.
Wild pitch sends Bunting to 3rd with one out.
Keeping January 1 open. You know, just in case.
Toboni strikes out
Couldn’t bring the runner home from 3rd with less than 2 out.
Up to Booker now
Keeping January 1 open. You know, just in case.
Booker flies out to end the inning
Cal has stranded 7 through 5 innings
Keeping January 1 open. You know, just in case.
Jones has it going now
Just got a called 3rd strike on a nasty curve.
He has yet to give up a hit in his 2-2/3 innings of work
Keeping January 1 open. You know, just in case.
A 1-2-3 inning for Jones and the Bears
Announcer says Jones’ fastball was clocked at 91 MPH that inning.
Keeping January 1 open. You know, just in case.
Excellent

Cal Football: I loved them once and they broke my heart. Let that be a lesson to you. Never love anything.
followup from earlier
It’s amazing how much faster the ball travels when thrown overhand as opposed to underhand
Renda being Renda
The Pac-10 POTY leads off the 6th with a single. He’s 2 for 3 with a walk today
Keeping January 1 open. You know, just in case.
I think I need to write a post about how many outs we waste in the basepaths
The #1 greatest threat to America: BEARS
by norcalnick on Jun 4, 2011 2:13 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
Mid 6th
Cal doesn’t score in the 6th. Bears still lead 6-4.
Keeping January 1 open. You know, just in case.
Thanks for the updates OB
Following things from a BD party
The #1 greatest threat to America: BEARS
by norcalnick on Jun 4, 2011 2:12 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
Cal does not score in the 7th
Stretch time. 6-4 Cal, mid 7th
Hopefully, Jones will keep rolling
Keeping January 1 open. You know, just in case.
Delfino with a tremendous play to get bang-bang out at first
2 out in 7th. Close play. Alcorn argued it.
Jones has retired 10 in a row.
Keeping January 1 open. You know, just in case.
String of 10 straight broken on next batter
Infield hit for Alcorn State. Tying run at the plate.
Keeping January 1 open. You know, just in case.
But Jones gets his 8th K to end the inning
Cal 6, Alcorn State 4, end 7th
Keeping January 1 open. You know, just in case.
New pitcher for Alcorn State in 8th
So we failed to score against the guy with the 9.68 ERA and the 2:1 BB to K ratio.
:(
Keeping January 1 open. You know, just in case.
Booker RBI single!
Scores Matthews from 2nd with 1 out in the 8th.
7-4 Cal.
Booker to 2nd on the throw home
Keeping January 1 open. You know, just in case.
Alcorn holds Cal to the one run
Renda popped out and Krist struck out to end the inning
Keeping January 1 open. You know, just in case.
Jones back out to pitch the 8th
He’s gone 5-1/3 innings of relief, giving up only 1 hit
Keeping January 1 open. You know, just in case.
A sick 1-2-3 8th for Justin Jones
A groundout and 2 K’s. He has 10 K’s in 6-1/3 innings.
Cal 7, Alcorn State 4, end 8th
Keeping January 1 open. You know, just in case.
1st and 3rd, 1 out in the Bears 9th
Chad Bunting is batting
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Sac fly to center by Matthews
Semien scores. 8-4 Bears!
Keeping January 1 open. You know, just in case.
Hey Josie!
cal: 5 - 1 - 2 lad: 6 lal: 16 cfc: 4 lag: 1 - 2 gbp: 13
twit | "NOT IF I BAN MYSELF FIRST wait what" - bluexfalcon
Two runs score on an error by Alcorn State!
10-4 Bears, still batting in the 9th
Keeping January 1 open. You know, just in case.
Twas a throwing error by the shortstop on a routine play
Keeping January 1 open. You know, just in case.
I understand we're in Texas
but KALX playing “The Eyes of Texas” just makes me think of Texas Longhorn football
Alcorn State has only 1 hit since the 2nd inning
The 9th inning begins with a 2-base error by Semien
Keeping January 1 open. You know, just in case.
A bit sloppy
The teams have combined for 7 errors (3 by Cal)
Keeping January 1 open. You know, just in case.
10-5
Alcorn gets its 2nd hit since the 2nd, an RBI single.
Still no outs in the bottom of the 9th
Keeping January 1 open. You know, just in case.
Okay, starting to get a little uncomfortable
Jones walks the next batter.
1st and 2nd, none out.
Pitching change coming up…Flemer in to try and close it.
Keeping January 1 open. You know, just in case.
Justin Jones' line
6-1/3 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 10 K.
He is responsible for the runners on 1st and 2nd.
Keeping January 1 open. You know, just in case.
Can he pitch the next game too? Please?
Cal Football: I loved them once and they broke my heart. Let that be a lesson to you. Never love anything.
Don't know about that
But Miller only went 1-2/3 today. He could be available tomorrow!
Keeping January 1 open. You know, just in case.
Force out at 2nd
Runner scores from 3rd to make it 10-6. Two out in the 9th.
Keeping January 1 open. You know, just in case.
Base hit keeps Alcorn alive
1st and 3rd, 2 out. tying run in the on-deck circle.
Keeping January 1 open. You know, just in case.
Cal will play tomorrow vs. the loser of Rice vs. Baylor
Keeping January 1 open. You know, just in case.
At least they didn't do this (as far as I know).

cal: 5 - 1 - 2 lad: 6 lal: 16 cfc: 4 lag: 1 - 2 gbp: 13
twit | "NOT IF I BAN MYSELF FIRST wait what" - bluexfalcon
Wow. Slipped out to do some grocery shopping and I get home to see a big Bears comeback. Sorry I missed it but glad they did it. On to the next game. Will have to go back to the posts above to see how they came back.
Basically, it was the 6-run 3rd inning
Cal never trailed after that. The 3-run 9th, aided by a bad error by Alcorn, gave some cushion.
Justin Jones was great in relief and that was key.
Keeping January 1 open. You know, just in case.
So, Dixon Anderson with Miller, Flemer and Porter in reserve?
Hopefully Baylor and rice play 15 innings tonight
The #1 greatest threat to America: BEARS
by norcalnick on Jun 4, 2011 4:08 PM PDT via mobile reply actions
Cal will play Rice at 12:00 noon PT Sunday
Baylor beat Rice 3-2 on Sat night.
The winner of Cal vs. Rice will play Baylor at 4:00 pm PT.
If necessary, a winner-take-all game vs. Baylor will be Monday at 4:00 pm PT.
Keeping January 1 open. You know, just in case.





























































