It's like deja vu all over again

Oxford Super Regional Checklist:
_x_ Win Game 1 in dramatic fashion
_x_ Lose Game 2
_x_ Lose the coin toss so you're the visiting team in Game 3
___ Lose game 3, sit at home while winner goes to Omaha

Ah yes, the old familiar slow trudge out of a sporting event so ingrained into Ole Miss fans reared it ugly head today. For a second straight game, the Rebels played bad fundamental baseball - errors and a missed cut-off man - and now face a win-or-go-home game tomorrow. The game couldn't have started any better - the Rebs were up 2-0 before there UVA recorded its first out - but the bats went silent for too long after that, mustering only 1 run in the next 27 outs.

A few plays stand out to me today...

* Kyle Henson should have been waved home in the 6th inning. It's easy to say that now after we saw what the throw home looked like, but with the momentum we had going there - and David Phillips coming up in a potential double situation, you've got to take your chances there

* When Basham was subbed in for Henson for defensive purposes, why wasn't Ferguson put in for Power?

* Zach Miller could've scored on Kevin Mort's flyball in the 9th. UVA's leftfielder Shane Halley is righthanded and was sprinting in to make the catch on a line that was taking him directly at first base. Had Miller been tagging, he could've scored as Halley slowed down, angled himself towards the plate and made a throw.

Regardless of today's outcome, this series should be tied 1-1, just with a Cavalier win yesterday and a Rebel win today. Each team's 2nd baseman has made a costly error at a critical time of the game to open the door for the other team. UVA bounced back from a 2-0 deficit this afternoon to stave off elimination, but that's what we've come to expect from the opponents in the Oxford Super Regionals. The Rebels win Game 1, show promise in Game 2 before crashing back to earth, then drop the rubber match.

There is no excuse for not winning tomorrow. There have been built-in excuses in the other Super Regionals Ole Miss has participated in, but not this one. If the Rebels lose this one, which one are they going to win?