Championship?

Well holy crap. What a sports weekend we just had. In case this is the only UVA-sports related website you read (as if that person exists. My mom, maybe. Hi Mom!): The Wahoos beat Ole Miss 4-1 on Saturday to secure a spot in the final round of the College World Series. They'll play Vanderbilt in a best-of-three series for the NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP and it starts TONIGHT. at 8. ON THE TV.



I'm certainly of the opinion that our world-class overall athletics department should be bringing home at least one natty a year - and the baseball team is (unfortunately?) the last chance the Wahoos have for '13-'14 to do so. But oh what a chance it is. Virginia entered the CWS as the highest remaining seed and did everything enough of what was expected of them in their first 3 games in Omaha: great pitching, walk-off wins, just enough timely hitting to secure 3 Ws. Yes, they hit 1-for-435 with RISP, but they Mike Papi came through when it mattered.

Now, with the starting rotation perfectly in place, the Wahoos simply need to continue their strong play for 2 more games. All-word starter Nathan Kirby will take the mound tonight and Brandon Waddell will start game 2 and both are, let's say, super awesome. Especially considering the Hoos are playing in a ball park that refuses to surrender home runs, the strong-pitching small-ball-bunting strong-defense team set up fits perfectly into Coach O'Connor's master plan. Certainly, the Vanderbilt Commodores are also well coached and well positioned to play to their strengths, but here's the thing: We're way better than they are. In every single facet of the game. This isn't hyperbolic homerism I'm slinging, either. Let's approach it academically:

• Starting pitching? Hoos: top tier. Vandy: Good, but not as consistent.
• Relief pitching? Um, Nick freaking Howard.
• Hitting? Well maybe not with RISP recently, but overall, still Hoos. The two teams share similar stats offensively, but we have Mike Papi.
• Defense? Both teams are great. Statistically, you could give it to the 'Dores, but most preview articles I've read by people smarter than me say UVA gets the edge here. Boom.
• Coaching? Brian O'Connor is the best coach in America. It's science.

See? You can't argue with science. 

That all being said, baseball is fickle. Anything could happen. Blah blah blah Championship or bust still best season in UVA baseball history. Go Hoos. Go America.

Wait, what's this doing here? BECAUSE AMERICA, THAT'S WHY.