Commander in Chief's Trophy - Week 3

Navy (2-2) had a thrilling 46-43 win over Duke (1-3) at Navy Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. With just 38 seconds remaining in the game, Ketric Buffin picked off a Blue Devil pass at the Navy 18 and returned the INT 8 yards. QB Jarod Bryant then called his own number five times and rushed for 48 yards to set up Joey Bullen's 44 yard field goal with no time left on the clock.

Army (1-3) fell to Boston College (4-0) 37-17 at Chestnut Hill. BC had 573 yards of total offense to Army's 259. Carson Williams completed 15 of 32 passes for 191 yards to lead the Black Knights.

Air Force (3-1) lost to BYU (2-2) 31-6 in Provo. Chad Hall ran for 19 yards and caught six passes for 80 yards for the Falcons. His numbers couldn't counter BYU's Harvey Unga who had 112 yards rushing and 49 yards receiving on the afternoon.

This week Air Force visits Annapolis to take on the Midshipmen in the first game of three that decides the Commander in Chief's trophy. Army will take on Temple (0-4) at Michie Stadium.

Judge Grants OJ Bail

The judge in the O.J. Simpson robbery case set bail at $125,000 at Las Vegas courtroom Wednesday morning.

UNO shocks Wichita State

WICHITA, KAN. -- Talk about your shockers.

UNO pulled off its biggest in a long time Friday, rallying for three runs in the top of the ninth to knock off top-seed Wichita State, 7-6, in the Wichita Regional before 7,084 fans in Eck Stadium.

"It would have been very easy for us to roll over," said senior centerfielder Brandon Bowser, whose one-out single in the ninth brought in the winning runs. "Nobody expected us to win this game. We weren't even supposed to be here. But you can't tell a single guy on this team that."

The Privateers are assured of being here at least until Sunday. UNO (38-24) will face Arizona, a 4-3 winner against Oral Roberts in Friday's first game, at 7 tonight. The winner is assured of playing Sunday night for a trip to the super regional.

Wichita State (49-16) plays Oral Roberts in the 1 p.m. elimination game. The winner of that game will meet the UNO-Arizona loser on Sunday afternoon.

And not long after Friday's celebration, the Privateers already were thinking about the Wildcats.

"This is a good win, but we have to turn our focus to the next one," Bowser said. "We have Arizona tomorrow, and that's what's on our minds now.

"Anything's possible."

It didn't seem possible that UNO would be in this position going into Friday.

The Privateers, who were in the NCAA Tournament only because they won last week's Sun Belt Conference Tournament, were playing the nation's No. 15 team before a packed house in its home stadium. And even after they jumped to an early 4-0 lead, Wichita State came back, tying the score in the sixth and taking a 6-4 lead in the bottom of the seventh.

Going into the ninth, UNO had had three hits since the third, with one runner getting as far as second. When Josh Tarnow struck out to begin the ninth, and Nick Schwaner swung and missed at strike three, the end seemed near. But the third strike on Schwaner was a wild pitch, and he reached first base.
Drew Anderson followed with a single, as did freshman pinch hitter Ryan Eden, bringing in Schwaner.

That brought up Bowser, who was 0-for-4 for the game.

"The coaches always tell me to be patient when you come up in a big spot," he said. "I guess I was due."
Anderson and Eden pulled off a double steal to put runners on second and third.
Bowser then lined a 1-1 pitch up the middle from Noah Booth, the last of five Shockers pitchers, giving the Privateers the lead.

"Everything fell right for us," UNO Coach Tom Walter said. "These guys are not afraid of winning."
There still was work to be done, and the Shockers threatened when leadoff man Damon Sublett singled off closer Adam Campbell. But Privateers catcher Josh Tarnow threw out pinch runner Ryan Jones on a botched hit-and-run, and Campbell struck out Matt Brown before getting Connor Gillaspie on a fly to Bowser to end it.

"That's my job," Campbell said. "There's a lot of pressure because this is a regional, but I wasn't nervous so much as I was excited. Josh's throw was absolutely beautiful and after that, all I had to do was focus on the hitters."

UNO built its early lead by playing smart at the plate and on the base paths.

Johnny Giavotella started things in the second by drawing a walk, and Greg Wolfe and Tarnow followed with singles, the latter bringing in Giavotella. Schwaner grounded out to bring in Wolfe, and Tarnow advanced to third on a fly to center by Drew Anderson.

Ware walked to keep the inning going, which signaled the end for Wichita State starter Travis Banwart. It was the shortest outing of the season for Banwart, who is a member of the All-Missouri Valley Conference first team. The Privateers got to reliever Anthony Capra by adding a third run via a double steal. Tarnow scored when the throw to second went wide.

In the third, the Privateers added to their lead when Giavotella's bloop to center scored T.J. Baxter.
The Shockers got to starter Bryan Cryer for two runs in the bottom of the third, and scored another in the fourth, and tied the score in the sixth.

But the Privateers fought back against Noah Krol, who has 11 saves this season, in the ninth.

"No words can describe what these kids accomplished tonight," Walter said. "They were playing one of the best teams in the country in one of the toughest venues in the country in the NCAA Tournament with one of the best closers in the country on the mound. But you put these guys in a position to win, they'll do it. They didn't come here just to play two and go home."

http://www.nola.com/sports/t-p/index.ssf?/base/sports-31/118077196622650.xml&coll=1&thispage=1

Bowser Named to Academic All-District Team

NEW ORLEANS – University of New Orleans outfielder Brandon Bowser and second baseman Johnny Giavotella have been named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District VI team, it was announced on Thursday.

Bowser was a first-team district pick, making him eligible for the Academic All-America team, while Giavotella was a second-team selection.
Bowser, a senior out of Roaring Spring, Pa., is a mechanical engineering major and sports a 3.86 GPA. On the field, Bowser is hitting .300 with five home runs and 31 RBIs. He has started 45 games and is third on the team with 50 runs scored.

Giavotella, meanwhile, has a 3.5 GPA while majoring in accounting. He is one of the top hitters in the Sun Belt Conference, hitting .376 with 11 home runs and 52 RBIs. Earlier this season, the Jesuit graduate was named the top sophomore second baseman in the country according to Baseball America.

“There is a reason these guys are two of our three captains,” said UNO head coach Tom Walter. “They both serve as incredible leaders for this team and are about as good of representatives of the University of New Orleans as you will find.”

The duo is two of six players from the Sun Belt named to an All-District team.

To be nominated, the student-athlete must be a starter or important reserve with at least a 3.20 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) for his career. No athlete is eligible until he has reached sophomore athletic and academic standing at his current institution (thus, true freshmen, red-shirt freshmen and ineligible transfers are not eligible).

The Altoona Curve Experience

May 5, Cinco de Mayo, was my first chance to be part of the Curve experience in 2007. It didn’t take long to realize that the game against the Akron Aeros was just a part of that experience. The Curve, winners of the 2006 John H. Johnson President’s Trophy for Minor League Baseball’s top franchise, had a full slate of activities for the 5,124 fans in attendance.

Erik Estrada, Ponch from the hit show CHiPs, made a celebrity appearance for the second straight year on Cinco de Mayo. The Curve endearingly titled the evening “Cinco de Estrada”. Estrada was the epitome of class as he spent hours last year signing autographs and having his picture taken with hundreds of fans long after the game had ended.

Estrada enthusiastically shared his views on last year’s appearance.

“It takes 15-20 seconds to sign an autograph, say hi to someone on a phone, or give a hug. Why not do that? Fifteen seconds is nothing when it can make their day. It really chaps me when celebrities complain about that.”

Next to former player Adam Hyzdu, Estrada may be one of the most appreciated celebrities to grace Blair County Ballpark.

“I think I learned that (attitude) from my grandfather helping him sell sno-cones on the streets of Harlem when I was five years old.”

The game featured a highly touted pitching match-up. The Aeros sent #22 prospect Aaron Laffey from Cumberland, MD to the mound against Yoslan Herrera. Herrera is a Cuban defector and the #4 prospect for the Pirates according to Baseball America.

The Curve also have three other top six prospects on their roster – Andrew McCutchen (#1), Neil Walker (#2), and Steven Pearce (#6). Now is definitely the time to visit Altoona. It’s rare to have this many top prospects at one level of minor league baseball and they all may not be here together for too long.

Unfortunately, the Curve fell to the Aeros 5-1 and dropped to below the .500 mark for the season, 12-13.