Crimson Tide falls 10-6...

The Alabama Baseball team dropped a 10-6 decision to the Oklahoma State Cowboys on Friday afternoon at the NCAA Clemson Regional. Tom Belza who had hit only two homeruns in the first 52 games of the season, connected with the long ball three times against the Tide, including a grand slam in the top of the first inning. Alabama fell behind quickly down 8-0 before going through their batting order once.

The Crimson Tide mounted a comeback cutting the lead to 8-5 at one point in the game, but could not stop the Cowboys offense who seemed to always have an answer, either with their bats or forcing Alabama to leave runners on. The Tide's seventh inning rally was halted when Ross Wilson grounded into a 5-4-3 double-play to end the inning leaving two runners on and Kent Matthes in the on-deck circle. It should be noted that Wilson had only grounded into two double-plays in his previous 254 at-bats (as the announcer bragged just moments before).

Alabama, now in the loser's bracket, will return to the diamond tomorrow afternoon in an elimination game against Tennessee Tech. The Tide is expected to send Freshman RHP Adam Morgan to the mound in tomorrow's game. Facing elimination, the Tide must and will play their hearts out to keep the 2009 season alive. Once the bats got going today, Alabama really had no problem making contact with the baseball. Unfortunately, Oklahoma State had already done enough damage to keep them ahead of what was a surging Tide in the middle innings of the contest.

Tomorrow afternoon is when you get to see how a team responds when their backs are up against the wall... win and you live to play another day, lose and it's time to pack the bags and head back to Tuscaloosa. My guess is Coach Wells' and the boys will come out and play like the BAMA team we have enjoyed for much of this season and put a pounding on Tennessee Tech.

In non-Alabama news and thoughts for today... I bought tickets this afternoon to the New York Yankees vs. Atlanta Braves game on June 24th... and I'm pretty pumped about getting to see my Yanks.

If you missed the NBA Western Conference Finals Game 6 tonight... then you didn't miss much competition. Kobe and the Lakers came to the Pepsi Center tonight and took care of business against Carmello Anthony and the Denver Nuggets to advance to their 30th NBA Finals... which being a big Kobe and Phil Jackson fan, I'm excited about! Unless LeBron (which never count him out) can pull off a miracle in the Eastern Conference Finals... the mighty Lakers will meet the Orlando Magic in the Finals. If that's the case, I'm calling it NOW... Lakers in 5 games!

Until tomorrow... Goodnight and ROLL TIDE!