HUGE EMAWness here
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?name=ncaa_baseballWithout his best stuff, Morris gets it done for KSU
Saturday, May 30, 2009 | Print Entry
Posted by Tim Griffin
HOUSTON -- Kansas State coach Brad Hill learned his lesson earlier this season.
After watching his team squander a lead at Missouri by removing ace pitcher A.J. Morris an inning too soon, Hill was determined to never let that happen again.
Anthony Rendon
Kansas State players celebrate their 7-6 victory over Rice in the Houston Regional.
So even as Rice rallied for three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to cut the Wildcats' lead to 7-6 -- and with the tying run on third base and the winning run on second -- Hill never wavered. He was going to win or lose with his All-American, even though he had eclipsed his season-high in pitches by a wide margin.
The confidence paid off as Morris struck out Michael Fuda for the game's final out to punctuate a wild 7-6 victory over the No. 1 seed Owls in the Houston Regional.
"It was very difficult because I knew he had worked so hard tonight," Hill said of Morris. "But at the same time, he's been our guy all year. I was second-guessing myself the whole way. But now, I feel pretty good."
He should. The Wildcats, making their first appearance in the NCAA tournament in the program's 109-season history, are in the driver's seat for the regional championship after two consecutive victories.
The biggest reason the Wildcats were able to pull out the victory Saturday night was because of Morris, who overcame a shaky start but finished with a Herculean 144-pitch effort that was by far the longest by a KSU pitcher this season.
It was clear he didn't have his best stuff after he allowed three runs and five hits in the first two innings. But Morris kept battling -- particularly in a wild 40-pitch ninth inning -- to escape with his toughest victory of the season.
"I felt good and my arm was fine. I wasn't that tired," said Morris, who boosted his record to 14-1. "They were a good team and that's probably the best team I've faced all year. We got a four-run lead going into the ninth and they act like nothing is wrong. That team doesn't quit."
His teammates could identify with that mindset as well. The Wildcats (43-16-1) collected six two-out RBIs, including a pivotal bases-clearing double by Nick Martini in the top of the ninth that provided the four-run cushion that allowed Morris' later test of valor.
"I was trying to find a ball I could hit hard and get couple of runs," Martini said. "I was basically looking for a fastball and I got it. I had it timed up pretty good."
The Wildcats had taken the lead for good an inning earlier when Justin Bloxom laced a fat fastball over the left-field wall for an opposite-field homer against losing pitcher Ryan Berry (7-1).
It was Bloxom's third homer in the past two games and gave him the team lead for the season with 12.
That late rally enabled Morris to win after some clutch pitching earlier in the game when he stranded three runners at third base and another at second when the Owls couldn't deliver a clutch hit.
Morris failed to strike out a batter until the ninth inning when he collected two key strikeouts to punctuate the victory.
"I've learned that you can't control things outside of your area -- all I can do is throw the pitch," Morris said. "I could have easily gotten frustrated and worried about things I couldn't control, but I just tried to stay locked in and do what I could do."
Rice players were impressed with his moxie and determination when it really mattered Saturday night.
"The thing is, with pitchers like him and Berry, they can be exhausted and tired at the end of the game but are still mentally strong," Rice designated hitter Diego Seastrunk said.
"When they need to go to a pitch they can do it. Even if they are exhausted, they are going to throw what they need to."
The loss snapped Rice's 13-game winning streak in regional play and was their first regional loss since June 6, 2004. That was the last season Rice failed to make the super regionals.
Veteran coach Wayne Graham said he remains confident his team can escape from the losers' bracket and win three games over the next two days.
"It can be done," Graham said. "You just got to take care of yourself tonight and get ready to play two tomorrow."
NCAA Men Baseball, Rice Owls, Kansas State Wildcats
