Last night, Jordan Sheffield couldn't find the strike zone, we couldn't defend, and many of the AoG faithful secretly pined for the not-even-cromulent performance of Ro Coleman in LF. I think it's fair to say that no one expected that.
Whatever. This is why double elimination tournaments are fun. In a single elimination tourney, today would be Ole Miss v. LSU in the Finals. Ackbar v. Possum. Instead, we have Vandy v. aTm 2: Electric Boogaloo and Jortsville v. Starkghanistan - all teams who either lost yesterday or the day before, fighting for the right to erase that loss from their memories like we all tried to do last night with liquor.
As it's the 2nd time we're playing aTm in the past 3 days, not much has changed from Wednesday morning's preview. The main change is we've got the man who has clearly become our Ace on the mound in Kyle "The Stuff" Wright (8-3, 1.76), and aTm is countering with Kyle "The Turd Who No-Hit Us" Simonds (8-3, 2.93). Kyle versus Kyle! Two Kyles enter; one Kyle leaves! A Kyle for the ages! A Kyle for all seasons! A Battle of the Network Kyles!
I have no idea where I'm going with this, either.
Point is, this has all the makings of a pitcher's duel/revenge game/sick-of-seeing-each-other's-faces all out war. If Wright has his Stuff, and if our bats take being no-hit earlier this year personally, I like our chances. Our approach at the plate must change from the first time we faced Simonds (i.e. "hit every first pitch, weakly"), of course, but I think they all know that.
Regardless, aTm, whether it's your lesser of two Kyle's, your odd decision to go to Hoover instead of the Big XII Tourney, or your horrifying practice of making Grode Jars: this song is for you.
See you at 3pm CT on SECN.
Hugs and kisses,
-Andrew