Game 75 - Virginia at Georgia Tech

April 10 at Russ Chandler Stadium in Atlanta, GA

We had to wait one hour, 42 minutes for this one to start as a rain storm hit the midtown-Atlanta area an hour before the regularly-scheduled first pitch.

Once things got started, the Virginia offense unloaded on Tech's Jonathan King. The Cavaliers, ranked No. 22 by Baseball America, scored seven runs in the top of the third and picked up a 14-4 victory in the first game of an Atlantic Coast Conference weekend series.

The inning started ominously for Tech as King hit Ernie Clement with a pitch and Robbie Coman bunted for a hit with Clement moving to third on a throwing error by third baseman Brandon Gold. That began a string of six consecutive batters to reach base for the Cavaliers, including a three-run double from Matt Thaiss to make it 5-0 and after RBI hits by Pavin Smith (single) and Clement (triple) it was 7-0 following an 11-batter frame.

* And that was probably the first time I've ever used the word ominously and it certainly took me long enough to get it right. Four misspellings: ominiously, ominisly, ominisley, omonously.

* We're going to start tracking home plate umpire strike calls. Tonight we had Jacob Asher:

HRike! 
 

Game 30 - Cal State Bakersfield at New Mexico State

March 14 at Presley Askew Baseball Field in Las Cruces, NM
espn3.com (Aggie Vision)

It's been a difficult 2015 season for New Mexico State, which came into Saturday's game 1-15 overall and having given up an average of nine runs during a six-game losing streak. I watched Matt Loeffler surrender a two-run home run to Mylz Jones in the top of the second and figured the Aggies were headed for loss No. 7. But Loeffler settled in enough, allowing just two more runs in five innings of work, and Daniel Kennon brought the Aggies back to win 6-4.

Kennon, a junior shortstop, snuck a solo home run over the left field wall leading off the seventh to tie the game at 4-4 and an inning later delivered a two-out, two-run single for the winning runs.

Kennon came into the day hitting .116 and without a home run.

* Time to play Is That A Name?

Mylz Jones?

Miles is a name.

Myles, I suppose, is another way to spell the name.

But MYLZ? Come on now.

Game 23 - Kent State at Liberty

March 8 at Liberty Baseball Stadium in Lynchburg, VA
Liberty Flames Sports Network

Color commentator Matt Warner provided another extensive list of Baseball Phrases. Let's take a look at his Sunday Masterpiece:

"Cut down at the dish"
"RBI knock"
"Positive vibes"
"Let's see if he can roll one up"
"Filling up the zone"
"Stabbing at the baseball"
"Flag it down"
"He brings an energy level"
"Two schools of thought"
"He did a great job blocking it up"
"He went fishing for it, came up empty"

* Nice day for the Liberty offense, which had six different players drive in at least one run and 14 hits to win the game 8-3 and the series 2-games-to-1.

* I'd call this not quite a capacity crowd

* And finally, let's play Is That A Name?

Kent State junior third baseman Zarley Zalewski.

Game 20 - Notre Dame at Georgia Tech

March 6 at Russ Chandler Stadium in Atlanta, GA

The Irish and Yellow Jackets opened up ACC play on a late-Friday afternoon and what started as a pitcher's duel - Tech's Jonathan King tossed seven innings of two-run ball and Notre Dame righty Scott Kerrigan also allowed two runs in 6 1/3 - ended with a Notre Dame run in the 10th and a 3-2 victory.

Kerrigan

Notre Dame got singles from Lane Richards, Jake Johnson and Kyle Fiala, the last of which chased home Richards to make it 3-2. Tech, the defending league champions, lined into a double play (the fourth twin-killing of the day for the visitors from South Bend) to end the day.

* Time to once again play Is That A Name?

Today's contestant is Cavan Biggio, Notre Dame second baseman. Sure, Biggio is the son of Astros' Hall of Famer Craig Biggio and he came into the day leading the club with a .525 batting average and a .950 slugging percentage, but that doesn't mean naming him Cavan was the right thing to do.

Game 3 - Nicholls State at LSU

February 18 at Alex Box Stadium, Baton Rouge, LA
espn3.com (LSU sports radio network feed)

Couple quick things from this game, which Nicholls State won 6-3.

1. Our first installment of Is That A Name?

Nicholls State infielder Eagle Wuestney.

2. The LSU announcers provided out first extensive list of Baseball Phrases.

"Loose arm"
"Whip motion"
"Responding to adversity"
"Baseball maturity"
"Go oppo"
"Fohawk"
"Feast or famine innings"
"His mechanics are quiet"
"Texas leaguer"
"It fell in a Bermuda triangle"
"That's how the baseball gods work"
"You need a little HBA, head and body awareness"
"He had to put some mustard on that throw"