Again, a rush job because I'm tired as fuck. I look forward to this being the last time I need to do this under such circumstances:
Positive Numbers: Gopher softball (Last Week: 0). This was a great week for local sports, possible the best ever in WMNSS history. And it's all led by the University of Minnesota softball team, which completed its second Regional title yesterday/Monday by beating Georgia, 8-1. Of the three Games the Golden Gophers played in the Regional they hosted, the toughest was their first go-around with the Bulldogs, on Saturday evening. The U. was actually down 1-0 in the last chance Seventh Inning, but MaKenna Partain singled up the middle to bring in Ali Lindner to tie the game.
Then in the bottom of the Eighth (and I tried to find video, but I can't and again, I'm tired), on the second pitch of her at-bat, Hope Brandner (a transfer from Oregon St.) launched the ball past the wall in Left-Center Field to walk off the game for Minnesota. (Oh, the team began Regionals by blanking North Dakota St. Friday, 3-0; and Drake was the other participant in the Regional.)
The U. now advances to its second-ever Super Regional (the other time was 2014), and it'll be the first they've ever hosted. The opponent for the overall #7 Seed Gophers? The over #10 Seed LSU. The best two-out-of-three series is this/Memorial Weekend. Sunday at 3 is far from an ideal time, but I think I can make that Game -- if it goes that far.
#0: Twins (Last Week: -1). You know, this has been a superlative week for the Twins. Sure, they couldn't complete a four-Game sweep of the Mariners in Seattle, falling to them Sunday, 7-4. But that was this squad's only loss in a 6-1 screening week. Moreover, they have become the first team in Major League Baseball history to hit five or more Home Runs in five Games before June 1. This team is on a power surge. You wonder, in fact, if this club has peaked.
They have two more games in Anaheim. Then, after taking Thursday off, they host the White Sox for three over the weekend and Milwaukee for one of those strange two-Game series starting on Monday.
#-1: United FC (Last Week: -3). I could not pass up recognizing a team that had a tremendous week even with one defeat because 1) these guys are doing things no previous Twins iteration has done before and 2) the Twins have sucked for far too long. Nonetheless, I also want to recognize the Loons for eking out a 1-0 win at Allianz Saturday over Columbus, their only Game of consequence. The winning Goal, off a Free Kick, was a thing of beauty: Darwin Quintero lofting the ball just to the right of goal; Brent Kallman laying out the body to make sure he headed the ball towards the far side of the net before the ball went out of bounds; and Ethan Finlay being one of about a baker's dozen United FC team members who was able to pounce on the ball and kick it into the wide-open net. They have still yet to lose at their new home.
This Saturday they host Houston, but not before a Wednesday home Friendly against German club Hertha Berlin. I am still vacillating on whether to go; I have work, but I also have already bought a ticket.
#-2: Gopher baseball (Last Week: -2). I don't want that this squad has fallen by the wayside. After all, they finished their regular season over the weekend by winning two-of-three vs. Northwestern. But there remains no talk of Minnesota making the NCAA Tournament.
Their fate lies in winning the Big Ten Tournament, and the automatic bid that comes with it. I'm kind of surprised that Minnesota snagged the four-Seed. As such, the Gophers begin play Wednesday night versus Nebraska. This is a double-elimination tourney, so they will face either top-Seeded Indiana or eighth-Seeded Iowa, either with a win or a loss, the next day. The tournament, which is being held in Omaha, Neb., ends Sunday.
Positive Numbers: Gopher softball (Last Week: 0). This was a great week for local sports, possible the best ever in WMNSS history. And it's all led by the University of Minnesota softball team, which completed its second Regional title yesterday/Monday by beating Georgia, 8-1. Of the three Games the Golden Gophers played in the Regional they hosted, the toughest was their first go-around with the Bulldogs, on Saturday evening. The U. was actually down 1-0 in the last chance Seventh Inning, but MaKenna Partain singled up the middle to bring in Ali Lindner to tie the game.
Then in the bottom of the Eighth (and I tried to find video, but I can't and again, I'm tired), on the second pitch of her at-bat, Hope Brandner (a transfer from Oregon St.) launched the ball past the wall in Left-Center Field to walk off the game for Minnesota. (Oh, the team began Regionals by blanking North Dakota St. Friday, 3-0; and Drake was the other participant in the Regional.)
The U. now advances to its second-ever Super Regional (the other time was 2014), and it'll be the first they've ever hosted. The opponent for the overall #7 Seed Gophers? The over #10 Seed LSU. The best two-out-of-three series is this/Memorial Weekend. Sunday at 3 is far from an ideal time, but I think I can make that Game -- if it goes that far.
#0: Twins (Last Week: -1). You know, this has been a superlative week for the Twins. Sure, they couldn't complete a four-Game sweep of the Mariners in Seattle, falling to them Sunday, 7-4. But that was this squad's only loss in a 6-1 screening week. Moreover, they have become the first team in Major League Baseball history to hit five or more Home Runs in five Games before June 1. This team is on a power surge. You wonder, in fact, if this club has peaked.
They have two more games in Anaheim. Then, after taking Thursday off, they host the White Sox for three over the weekend and Milwaukee for one of those strange two-Game series starting on Monday.
#-1: United FC (Last Week: -3). I could not pass up recognizing a team that had a tremendous week even with one defeat because 1) these guys are doing things no previous Twins iteration has done before and 2) the Twins have sucked for far too long. Nonetheless, I also want to recognize the Loons for eking out a 1-0 win at Allianz Saturday over Columbus, their only Game of consequence. The winning Goal, off a Free Kick, was a thing of beauty: Darwin Quintero lofting the ball just to the right of goal; Brent Kallman laying out the body to make sure he headed the ball towards the far side of the net before the ball went out of bounds; and Ethan Finlay being one of about a baker's dozen United FC team members who was able to pounce on the ball and kick it into the wide-open net. They have still yet to lose at their new home.
This Saturday they host Houston, but not before a Wednesday home Friendly against German club Hertha Berlin. I am still vacillating on whether to go; I have work, but I also have already bought a ticket.
#-2: Gopher baseball (Last Week: -2). I don't want that this squad has fallen by the wayside. After all, they finished their regular season over the weekend by winning two-of-three vs. Northwestern. But there remains no talk of Minnesota making the NCAA Tournament.
Their fate lies in winning the Big Ten Tournament, and the automatic bid that comes with it. I'm kind of surprised that Minnesota snagged the four-Seed. As such, the Gophers begin play Wednesday night versus Nebraska. This is a double-elimination tourney, so they will face either top-Seeded Indiana or eighth-Seeded Iowa, either with a win or a loss, the next day. The tournament, which is being held in Omaha, Neb., ends Sunday.
No comments:
Post a Comment