Congratulations to NC State - they earned it. As for us, we went a long way with relatively poor hitting. To compete at this level, we need to get better hitters or hitting coaches. But all in all, our guys played hard and we should all be proud of them.

Well, great season nonetheless. I know the team will have a lot to look back on in those two games with regret, but final 16 is never disappointing. Good luck to NC state in Omaha...they should bring that home ump with them when they go

The Owls had a good season and played tough in many spots to get to the Super Regional, they deserve to be congratulated.

At the same time, what I can't help but think right now is my goodness what a disappointing Super Regional. Both games were manageable wins late in regulation with some solid smart play, and it didn't come together. Yeesh.

(06-09-2013 10:32 PM)Riceman2004 Wrote:  Mandatory bunting practice will be held in the cages behind first base in 10 minutes.

How about not-getting-picked-off practice?

Congratulations Owls on making us proud once again.

Gotta get this team back to Omaha. They would have exceeded my mid-season expectations by far if they'd had made it, but by all rights, they should've won both of these games.

(06-09-2013 10:33 PM)ausowl Wrote:  painful, but epic - can't wait for next season!

You're a better person than me. I am so bitter right now. All I can think about is our progressive corrosion in offensive production over the past few years and wondering what's going to change next year?

Great effort from the guys, though. As bad as we feel they've got it 100x worse.

(06-09-2013 10:32 PM)Owl-88 Wrote:  Yuck. What a crummy way to end the game. Two great opportunities to win were wasted this weekend. Still, a great season for the Owls. No shame in losing a SR on the road. I don't think Rice has ever won one away from Houston.

True. We've punched tickets to CWS on the road, but not in the SR era. But DAMN, we've come close at times. (ETA, including this one where we managed to fit 3 close games into 2 box scores)

I think maybe Rice should adopt the "shift the catcher and pitch it 2 inches outside the plate" pitching strategy.

At least we got back to the SR round. That is an improvement over the last three seasons.

We should have won both of these games; instead, we are the ones going home. A truly elite team wouldn't have let NCSU off the hook. They will be a quick out in Omaha.

On to next season.

Damn damn damn. Great effort by our guys. Great push at the end of a tough season.

As bad as that looked from our side, have to give a ton of credit to NC State. They committed 0 errors in 26 innings of baseball, and executed their small ball extremely well. That's a real difference-maker in college, like with our 2003 team. Had they made just one error in either game, I bet we'd be playing game 3 tomorrow.

Announcers at the end made it sound like we were the scrappy team that just could hold off inevitability for only so long. Truth is, we took a lead into the 9th both games (with a 3-run lead tonight), and we just couldn't put it away. It was NC State that was scrappy and that pulled victory from the jaws of defeat.

(06-09-2013 10:32 PM)YOwl Ming Wrote:  Did the umpires join the dogpile?

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

No, they had a separate dogpile.

(06-09-2013 10:33 PM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  Still very proud of the effort this postseason. This team finally started playing up to its capability at the end of the year when it mattered most. Everyone gave it their all and I think their play the last month does set up the team quite nicely for next year.

Congrats on a great season. Anyone who says otherwise is either a troll or an idiot (or both).

I think you said it very well with regards to the late part of the season and post-season. I think they really stepped up play. If they had played at that level during the season, I think at least they'd have hosted a regional if not the super (and they've got a ways to go to have earned a national seed). At the risk of satisfying your latter criteria, this was a good, but I don't think great season. Their efforts at the end and post-season were outstanding (and not seeing the team play much early on, I can't really speak to the team's effort early on, but I have no reason to believe it was not great).

I wish the results were different, but I'm still proud of this team.

(06-09-2013 10:37 PM)Wiessman Wrote:  At least we got back to the SR round. That is an improvement over the last three seasons.

We should have won both of these games; instead, we are the ones going home. A truly elite team wouldn't have let NCSU off the hook. They will be a quick out in Omaha.

On to next season.

I disagree if Rodon is on in the first game. They have a solid pen with a lot of options and some real speed at the top of the lineup. I bet you they win their first game in Omaha although I would favor LSU (or UCLA) to win that side of the bracket.

Speechless,likely a good thing.

The guys battled to the end, as they have done all year long. Very tough way to lose; especially since we caught absolutely no break today and the umpiring was decidedly one-sided (with even ESPN acknowledging all the blown calls and the very generous, one-sided strikezone). Too many line drives straight at people today.

Having said all that, and as disappointing as another non-Omaha ending might be, you HAVE to be proud of what this team accomplised; particularly given where were were just four short weeks ago, after losing that weekend series at home against Memphis. We did accomplish many of our goals; in fact all of them except the prenultimate one.

Thank you for another great season.

To the seniors, and likely departed (Michael Ratterree, Geoff Parrott, Christian Stringer, Tyler Spurlin, Holt McNair, Jeremy Fant, Austin Kubitza)-- thank you for everything you gave Rice over the past few years. You have represented the team and University in exceptional fashion.

To our draft-eligible, but with eligibility remaining upperclassmen (John Simms, Chase McDowell, Michael Aquino, Keenan Cook, Shane Hoelscher)-- here's wishing you all a great Summer, and trust that you will make the right decision for you....knowing that we'd love to have you back at Reckling for one more year.

For our underclassmen (our baby birds)-- you guys contributed big time this year, and give us all promise for keeping the tradition (and the various streaks) going forward. Have a great Summer and keep improving and working on development areas.

Thanks again, Owls. When does Fall Ball start???

(06-09-2013 10:36 PM)texd Wrote:  including this one where we managed to fit 3 close games into 2 box scores

Fantastic line.

Brutal way to go down, but proud of how hard they fought. We have quite a bit coming back that will be battle tested.

(06-09-2013 10:43 PM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  

(06-09-2013 10:37 PM)Wiessman Wrote:  At least we got back to the SR round. That is an improvement over the last three seasons.

We should have won both of these games; instead, we are the ones going home. A truly elite team wouldn't have let NCSU off the hook. They will be a quick out in Omaha.

On to next season.

I disagree if Rodon is on in the first game. They have a solid pen with a lot of options and some real speed at the top of the lineup. I bet you they win their first game in Omaha although I would favor LSU (or UCLA) to win that side of the bracket.

I came away from this feeling that Rodon is overrated. And remember, NCSU compiled their stats in the never-quite-as-good-as-it-seems ACC. They'll be toast in Omaha.