Baily's Sports & Stuff

The bases were loaded for Florida in the ninth inning. No one out, three runners on. So Scott Wingo stepped up. In the tenth, Robert Berry and Jake Williams stepped up. In the 11th, Christian Walker stepped up. But the real support was provided by Florida. Two Gator errors in the top of the tenth got Walker from first to home on a steal as South Carolina beat Florida 2-1 in eleven innings. Florida had three chances in the ninth and tenth, but they blew it. In the ninth, the bases were loaded with no one out. A grounder was hit to second baseman Scott Wingo, who made a diving stop, then threw to home to get the runner out. Wingo had saved the game, and he would save it again. And it happened with the next batter. Wing fielded another grounder, threw home for one out, then Robert Berry threw to first for the third out of the inning. However, in the tenth, Florida threatened again. With a runner on second and two outs, Mike Zunino hit a single into left, where left fielder Jake ...

This years draft features players who have great basketball IQ's, players who can shoot, players who can rebound, players who can play defense, and much more. But only one team can possess a player, and only a few teams make picks that pay off. Here, we will predict what picks will pay off and what picks will not. Will college stars like Kemba Walker and Jimmer Fredette star in the NBA? Will international players such as Enes Kanter and Bismack Biyombo succeed in America? Let's find out. Pick that will pay off most: Kemba Walker to Charlotte Walker dominated college basketball and led Connecticut to a championship, and he is ready to star with the Bobcats as well. Kemba is athletic, he can shoot, he can drive, and he can play defense. Every team that picked before the Bobcats will regret not picking the dynamic Walker, who has the tools to change the NBA and bring basketball back to Charlotte. Pick that will not pay off: Kyrie Irving to the Cavaliers Everyone knew Cleve...

The College World Series may not receive as much hype as the MLB World Series, but it has lots of action and excitement you don't get from pro baseball. This years tourney has been no exception. Let's take a look at the action. Teams from defending champion South Carolina to Cinderella story California have been welcomed into the tourney, as the Gamecocks cruised through the tournament and Cal's only bump was Baylor, who was taken down by Cal's GW RBI single in the final game of the series. Although only five teams still remain, just about every team has fought through challenges to get as far as they have. North Carolina, Texas, and Texas A&M were eliminated during the CWS, but each team got farther than they expected. If we're talking about teams getting farther than they expected, California is the top candidate. The Bears almost went into baseball extinction, and now they are in the Top 5 of the College World Series. In the first round, the Bears pla...

OK, so we're about midway through the major league baseball season, and instead of the Pirates, Orioles, Indians, Mariners, and Nationals being the teams you don't want to be a part of, it's the Cubs, Twins, and Astros struggling, Cleveland atop the AL Central, and the Nats following an eight-game win streak. Sure. The Red Sox, Yankees, and Phillies are the three top teams in the majors. True, but that doesn't mean no surprises have been taken on this year. Michael Morse's 13 homers, 43 RBI's, and .309 batting average, plus a huge streak where he has dominated, have been instrumental for the Nationals. What about Josh Tomlin's eight wins for Cleveland and Jake Arrieta's eight for Baltimore? Brandon League tied for the MLB lead in saves? Is that what you expected out of last years bottom five? How about Seattle being only a half game back in the AL West, where the Rangers are? This year has been full of surprises, from Francisco Liriano and Justin V...

Boston trailed 2-0 in the first round of the playoffs. Montreal had two straight home games, where they could wrap up the series with two wins. Instead, Boston came through in the first round. And the second. Add the third. Finally, the Stanley Cup. Tim Thomas is the reason. Thomas turned away 37 shots, Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand scored two goals apeice as the Boston Bruins captured their first Stanley Cup title in 20 years. This was Boston's third Game 7 this postseason. Early on, Vancouver and their fans were ready for their second Game 7 of the postseason. It was 0-0 and both teams were playing evenly. However, it wouldn't be the home team with the first strike. Brad Marchand got the puck on a faceoff, and after skating around with it for awhile, he passed it to Bergeron, who fired a one-timer past Luongo for the first goal of the game. The momentum was on Boston's side. The Canucks didn't give up another goal in the first, but they also didn...

When the Giants lead a game 5-0, you can never expect it to be over. The Giants motto is torture, and if it worked last year, it is here to stay. Brian Wilson likes it. Before finishing off the game, the bearded closer allowed two baserunners, until he got Stephen Drew looking to end the game. Pablo Sandoval singled in a run in his first at-bat back. The Giants dominated early, as Sandoval's single on an inside fastball and Matt Cain's safety squeeze knocked in the first two runs. Andres Torres and Cody Ross, who doubled on a slider, scored the first two runs. If you though Ross stepped up in the fourth, he really made an impact in the fifth, as his two-run double on Josh Collmenter's fastball gave the Giants a 4-0 lead. Ross scored when Brandon Crawford got into a pickle in between first and second, and Ross sprinted home from third. In the fifth and sixth, Cain, who had pitched amazingly well, struggled, as he gave up a sacrifice fly and a three-run homer. Howev...

Dirk Nowitzki was one of twelve from the field in the first half of the biggest game of his career. No one else was totaling big numbers...except Jason Terry, who was having the game of his career. Yet the Mavs were winning. In the second half, Jason Terry was off. Just like 1st half Dirk, he wasn't making any of his shots. Who would step up for him? Second half Dirk. That teamwork would pay off. Jason Terry scored 27, Dirk tallied 21, and the Mavericks won the franchise's first NBA title ever with a 105-95 win over the Miami Heat, who was led by 21 from LeBron James. The Miami Heat were expected to dominate Dirk and the Mavs with their big three of Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, and Chris Bosh, but LeBron and Chris Bosh struggled, and Dwyane Wade was on at times and off at times. Today was one of his off days. Wade scored just 17 points and turned the ball over five times, while LeBron turned the ball over six times. The Mavs had a lot of turnovers, but something the Mav...