There was great drama and excitement built up around this year’s College World Series between the Virginia Cavaliers and last year’s winners, the Vanderbilt Commodores. It looks like I will have to wait a whole year to buy a new Vandy hat after a very disappointing loss in game three. We had game one and Nashville was already planning a parade in hopes of back-to-back national championships.
Last year after Vanderbilt’s win I went out and picked up the hat you can almost always catch me out and about in. I figured with the other well-known team in the state having such a huge following, the least I could do is buy a hat in support of a College World Series victory. Also the fact I just really do not look the best in orange helped with my choice.
Anyway, after a very convincing 5-1 win in the first game. The Commodores were led by Carson Fulmer who was the No. 8 pick in the draft this season. Fulmer pitched a magnificent seven and two-thirds innings and struck out seven.
Vanderbilt was holding all the momentum going into game two, Virginia decided to make a series of it and to Vandy’s surprise the Cavaliers took game two by a final score of 3-0 to force game three.
In the third game, Vanderbilt knocked a pair of home runs in its very first at-bat. This was a good start to game three. A coach could not have asked for better but as we always say around here, it’s not where you start, it’s where you finish. It takes nine innings to decide a winner and the Commodore pitching was just not good enough when they needed it most and Virginia made plays and just got it done.
I have made comments about basketball officials. Now umpires are human but I will say two plays in my opinion could have been called differently. A runner popped up in the way of a throw to first base and he took the throw directly in the helmet. The second was on the bunt, when the Cavalier batter did not take off until the catcher attempted to make a play on the ball, then grabbed his glove as he ran by.
Would those two calls have made the difference? More than likely not, but Virginia made plays when it needed to and the coaching staff deserves credit as well. The pitching from Virginia was very strong, that slider toward the end was nasty, and had me swinging from my chair. It was a great game. It was a great run through the tournament and after all Vanderbilt did win a women’s tennis title this year. So maybe there will be a new hat in my future. Hail to the V. Right on.