Pitching to Papi

While most of us are haunted by that full-count pitch from Aaron Greenwood to Mike Papi, the one Papi stroked into the broad outfield of TD Ameritrade Park, that cinched the 2-1 win for Virginia, it's important to remember there were a lot of other pitches thrown Sunday night.

Ole Miss hit just one of them. 

Cavalier southpaw Nathan Kirby was masterful, throwing just 84 pitches over seven innings and frustrating prolific hitters like Will Allen, Auston Bousfield, Sikes Orvis, Austin Anderson....hitless all. 

While it's easy to look back on that final pitch to Papi, credit should go where credit is due - Kirby was excellent. Teams with just one hit don't typically win baseball games.

Would I have pitched to Papi? Absolutely not, but I have exactly 0 experience coaching baseball, and I don't mind deferring to Mike Bianco on this one. It's hard to blame him for having faith in Greenwood to get the out. Greenwood has been incredible in the second half of the season, and in the post-season. I can't blame Bianco for thinking Greenwood gave Ole Miss the best chance to get the out and take the game into extra innings. 

But I had a terrible feeling when the count went full. Call it a premonition. Call it nerves. Or call it just knowing the odds on a 3-2 count against one of college baseball's best hitters, but I had a bad feeling.

Ole Miss was one out away from extra innings, but Papi made the Rebels pay.

The Rebels face Texas Tech at 2 p.m. Tuesday. Undefeated Christian Trent will pitch. This thing's not over yet.