Oxford: Miami and Ole Miss Gettin' Ready

By Doug Kroll - June 12, 2006

We knew coming into this Oxford Super Regional that Miami and Ole Miss were nearly identical in every statistical category. It's not surprising that we have come to final and decisive game 3 here tonight. Both teams are young, and Ole Miss will turn to a freshman righty tonight who looks nothing like a freshman out there on the mound. Lance Lynn is 6-foot-5 270 pounds and in his last three starts, he has picked up a win in each. In the regional championship game last weekend against Tulane, Lynn went 7 innings giving up 7 hits 3 runs while only walking 1 batter and striking out 7. The 7 innings were the longest of his career. For the season, Lynn is 7-3 in 14 starts, 17 appearances overall. In 82.2IP, he has given up 83 hits, 44 runs (42ER), 48BB, 74K, and opponents are hitting .264 off of the big righthander. From the sounds of it, Lynn throws gas, but Miami loves fastaballs and the lineup is stacked with lefties against righthanders.

For Miami it will be sophomore lefty Manny Miguelez. After getting off to a great start this season in his first year in the starting rotation, Miguelez seemed to run out of gas in the middle of the year against some of the upper teams in the ACC. After a couple of weeks out of the rotation, he was inserted back in, and has pitched well the last couple of weeks. Last week against Manhattan, he went 6 innings giving up 5 hits, 2 runs (1ER), 2 walks, and he struck out five as he picked up his 8th win of the year. For the season, Miguelez is 8-4 with a 4.01 ERA while leading the team with 101 IP and striking out 76 batters. Miguelez has given up 86 hits, 53 runs (45ER) while walking 34.

Talking to some around town today, they seemed weary about facing a crafty lefty like Miguelez as they said that the team has struggled against similar pitchers so far this season. They also seemed weary about losing the 2nd game after coming back in the 1st just like last year. One woman told me that,"we don't believe in superstitions," yet she was the one to bring up the fact that nearly everyone was thinking the same thing around these parts.

Miami is certainly loose, and after last year, this Mississippi team you would have to think has the pressure on them. Enjoy the final two games to see who will get to Omaha. If you'd like to listen, www.wvum.org and click on streams.

Doug K.