Thunderstorms in forecast Wednesday evening

High today around 70, but a good chance of thunderstorms at some point this evening or tonight. Depending on which weather forecaster you pay attention to, the rain and storms could arrive in Columbia anywhere from 3:00 to 10:00. I'd recommend checking mutigers.com this afternoon to see if the game is still on.

Game Day: Western Illinois @ Simmons Field

■ Whom you should cheer for (CollegeBaseballToday, Feb. 17)

In one of the worst stories of the off-season, the ultra-popular Stan Hyman, the eight-year head coach of the Leathernecks, died from a short two-month battle with leukemia in September.

Talk about sudden… and sad too. It wasn’t until Thanksgiving weekend that WIU finally announced that Central Michigan assistant Mike Villano would take over the rudderless program. The former pitching coach of the Chippewas has never been a head coach. Everybody should pull for a smooth transition for the ‘Necks.

■ Sooner baseball blows out Western Illinois (OUDaily.com)

OU did not rely on the long ball to manufacture runs with the Oklahoma gusts blowing out to left-center field, but rather bunting was its biggest weapon. The Sooners laid down three infield bunt singles to get runners on base and executed four sacrifice bunts to move them over.

The reason why bunting was as successful as it was Friday was because OU was facing a left-handed pitcher and because of how the Leathernecks’ defense was aligned, junior second baseman Danny Black said.

“The push bunt is always an option,” Black said. “In their case everyone was collapsing on the ball every time, so it made it kind of easy for us to get it in the right spot. They kept doing the same thing so we were exploiting them.

■ The Leathernecks' season got off to a stutter of a start, due to an odd scheduling conflict on opening weekend, according to WesternCourier.com

"We were set to play three games at Alabama State; however, after talking with their coaches we found out they had a scheduling conflict at their stadium with high school games, so the likelihood of getting all three games in was not good," said Western Illinois first-year head coach Mike Villano.

■ Longhorn hitters find confidence in midst of struggles at the plate (The Daily Texan)

With seniors Kyle Lusson and Russell Moldenhauer in charge, the Longhorns decided it was time for a change in their at bats and confidence. The time had come for their offense to steal a page from the pitching staff that allowed seven runs in three games this weekend.

“We got together and talked about the lack of confidence we showed yesterday and that we wanted to be like out pitching staff,” first baseman Tant Shepherd said. “They come out every day and know they are going to do good and throw strikes. Today, we relaxed and tried to just hit a good pitch.”

They figured it out as a team, and it started in the bottom of the fifth against Missouri on Sunday

Mizzou Baseball Quotes & Notes: Houston College Classic

■ Texas bats break out (Baseball America)

"I was really proud of them because this game today offered them an opportunity to get on track, and it worked for them," Texas coach Augie Garrido said.

"That had something to do with the pitching, but also it had something to do with the players backing off and trying to simplify and finding out that, 'Hey man, if I keep swinging at those balls down by my shoetops and above my head, it's going to be a long season.'

Mizzou Baseball Quotes & Notes: Houston College Classic

■ Purke shines in win against Missouri (Baseball America)

"I thought he [Nick Tepesch] pitched real well," Jamieson said. "The thing that I saw today was when he got into trouble, he had another gear he could go to, and we hadn't seen that out of him this year. Each start's gotten a little better, and this is certainly the best team he's pitched against, so I thought he pitched well."

■ Houston beats Texas 1-0 in Houston College Classic (Austin American-Statesman)

"I think it's about heart with this team," said Loy, who had one of Texas' three hits. "We're getting up there and we're worried about whether we're going to strike out or get on base. It's about that right now and it's not about doing what needs to be done. I think we're a better team than they are. I don't think right now we're playing with a lot of heart or hard work.

■ Crow works two strong innings as Royals beat Rangers (Kansas City Star)

OK, it’s not the Border War, which didn’t go so well today for Crow’s Tigers in a 77-56 loss to Kansas. But, hey, it’s still marked a nice spring debut for the Royals’ first-round pick in last year’s draft.

“There were a lot of people in the stands,” Crow said. “It was a lot better than doing it on the back fields. It got me pumped up a little bit.”

Mizzou Baseball Quotes & Notes Houston College Classic

■ Why is Texas playing MU instead of TCU? Discussion at collegebaseball.rivals.com

I spoke to the Astros rep who is charge of the schedule and he said there is NO conspiracy...long ago, Missouri asked to play the first game on Sunday because of travel and Texas did the same, saying they were tired of playing the last game of each day.....who knows?

■ Tepesch,. Purke treating us to another duel (collegebaseball.rivals.com)

Tepesch, who hasn't had a great start this season, finally is looking the way many expected him to this season.

■ Aaron Fitt of Baseball America is also blogging from the Houston College Classic.

Augie Garrido couldn't conceal his jubilation Friday night, and he didn't try
to. The Texas coach had just watched his team pull out a thrilling 2-1 win to
snap a four-game losing streak to rival Rice, and he seemed downright giddy as
he held court in front of a handful of reporters along the first-base line at
Minute Maid Park.

■ Missouri baseball team shutout by Houston (Columbia Missourian)

Anderson again looked sharp in his second collegiate start. The freshman hurler
went 5 2/3 innings, giving up just two runs, but he couldn’t get the help he
needed from the offense, which stranded 11 runners.

■ Competition will heat up in Hoston (TigerExtra.com)

“The game’s going to speed up on us a little bit this weekend because of the
quality of competition,” Jamieson said. “I thought we did a great job against
Auburn in that environment. I’m looking forward to seeing us do that again,
particularly against TCU and Texas.”

Mizzou Baseball Quotes & Notes: Houston College Classic

■ Kendall Rogers of CollegeBaseball.Rivals.com will be blogging and tweeting live from the Housotn College Classic.

• Destination Omaha blog, live from Houston

• Twitter link

■ Horned Frogs excited about Houston College Classic

College baseball will be showcased at the highest level this weekend at the Houston College Classic. Outside of the College World Series, this tournament is, in my opinion, the greatest college baseball tournament in the country. We just returned to the hotel from our Thursday practice session at Minute Maid Park. It's awesome to see our players so excited to play and work out on a major-league field. I just hope we haven't completely "trashed" our swings with everyone trying to hit balls into the Crawford Boxes during BP Thursday night.

■ Teams geared up for Tourney tussle (Houston Chronicle)

“Texas made Stanford look ordinary — amazing,” Graham said. “They looked like they could leap tall buildings in a single bound when we played them.”

■ Weekend Preview: Houston College Classic (BurntOrangeNation)

Finally, Texas' Sunday opponent is Missouri in an always-fun non-conference game against a conference opponent. Maybe Augie pitches the guy he doesn't think is actually going to be the conference Sunday starter just so that Mizzou doesn't get an early look at him? That would be awfully sneaky.

■ The eyes of college baseball are upon you (Bleacher Report)

If I had to pick a darkhorse for the Houston College Classic, it would have to be Texas Tech. The Red Raiders aren't exactly a baseball powerhouse but currently hold a 6-2 record and are averaging 9.4 runs per game. If they can keep with the solid bats, the boys from Lubbock might do damage.

■ TCU enjoying its new power status (CollegeBaseball.Rivals.com)

“I think our guys now feel like we belong on the same field as programs like Texas, Fullerton and other perennial powers,” Schlossnagle said. “When you get in situations like the super regional and get mentioned in the same breath as programs like Texas and Fullerton, it can be a little intimidating for a program that hasn’t been to Omaha.”

■ Senne's position switch leads to more power for Missouri baseball (Columbia Missourian)

“I think last year was just kind of unusual,” Senne said. “It wasn’t a very characteristic year for me. It happens, but I feel like I’m right back on track now.”

■ Missouri built for success in 2010 (Maneater)

Two weeks into the new season, the Missouri baseball team has shown experience at the plate and on the mound is a recipe for success

■ Crow eager to learn, prepared to soar (mlb.com)

Crow's a bright young man who majored in marketing at the University of Missouri. He also majored in pitching and he's pretty sharp at that, too.

Mizzou Baseball in the Minors: Brosh Retires

■ In Suitcase Chronicles: Not Crash Davis (Baseball America), former Tiger Garrett Broshuis talks about hanging up his cleats.

Almost six years have passed since that June day, and my dam of promise has fissured. A void now exists where my future slowly seeped out, and my baseball life is marred with disappointment.
. . .
For all my 28 years I've loved this game. It's defined my life, but it's time to move on. The sheen of my career is gone, and I love my wife too much. And that's the reason I'm not Crash Davis.

Thanks for the memories, Brosh. And we look forward to continuing to follow your promising career as a writer.

Houston College Classic Quotes & Notes

■ Houston College Classic Details & Ticket Information

■ Teams of the Week, March 1st (College Baseball Today)

It took all of just 27 innings for Texas to right the ship and get their stature back near the top of the college baseball pecking order back where it belongs. And of course, leave it to the pitching to do that. Looks like Taylor Jungmann is going to be quite studly again, going 7.0 innings, giving up just four hits and with 10Ks to get the win on Friday night, 6-0. Yes, this is Texas… again.
. . .

The [TCU] Frogs do it again, winning a series at Goodwin Field for the second straight season. Wow. That is a rarity… like Kohoutek’s Comet rare. Steven Maxwell (Friday) and Kyle Winkler (Sunday) were superb in the two wins. The only bummer was seeing super-frosh Matt Purke getting rocked in an early exit. But just imagine how awesome this team will be when he gets brought up to speed?

■ UT baseball beats Stanford again (Austin American Statesman)

The Longhorns are planning on switching things up a bit in the next few weeks.

Cole Green, who started Wednesday's victory over Dallas Baptist, will be in the bullpen today against Stanford. The idea is to get Green back in weekend rotation mode next week.

Austin Dicharry will take the mound for Texas today as the Longhorns go for the sweep. Texas might start freshman Hoby Milner on Tuesday against Texas Pan-American.

That would leave the Longhorns with all of their top experienced pitchers ready to pitch next weekend at the Houston College Classic.

■ Frogs' coach sees fast start as building block (Fort Worth Star Telegram)

TCU baseball coach Jim Schlossnagle wants to wait a little bit -- maybe until late May -- before he proclaims the Horned Frogs' 5-1 start to be big.
. . .

"It's only a big deal if you finish out the rest of the way," Schlossnagle said. "You have to make it stand for something at the end of May by having a good season."

■ TCU baseball has a bash in opening sweep (American Chronicle)

Pitching may indeed be the strength of the TCU baseball team, but the offense looks primed to argue its case.

The Horned Frogs walloped 18 hits, including three home runs, in a 15-2 win Sunday over Sam Houston State to sweep the three-game series at Lupton Stadium. The 11th-ranked Frogs scored 31 runs on 40 hits in the series.

■ Catcher Bryan Holaday's leadership rubs off on TCU teammates (Fort Worth Star-Telegram)

[Freshman right-hander Matt Purke] is absolutely as advertised. He has hurt my hand a little bit. He throws hard, and he's got a lot of movement on his fastball, and he's got a lot of confidence on the mound. That's going to help him out, especially when he runs into trouble.

■ Let's take a look at the 2010 Houston Cougars baseball team (Houston Chronicle)

Noble is counting on three junior college players (right fielder/pitcher Matt Creel, third baseman Austin Gracey and second baseman Ryan Still) and one freshman (catcher M.P. Cokinos of Memorial High) to have a significant impact on the offense. They'll slide into a lineup that features holdover shortstop Blake Kelso (.335 last season), catcher Chris Wallace (team leading nine homers and .584 slugging percentage), left fielder Caleb Ramsey (.332 with a team-leading 46 runs batted in) and center fielder Zak Presley (team-best 17 steals in 23 attempts to go with .390 on-base percentage).

■ Coog baseball gets off to a rough start (Houston News)

"I think we're finding out where guys need to be," he said after Sunday's loss. "The thing that I've got to figure out is where people are going to be best suited in the lineup. It's good to see Ramsey put a charge into the ball because we're going to need that guy in the lineup. He's been sick the past couple of days, but it looked like he was okay today."

And the starting pitching, while not great, was enough to keep the Cougars in all of the games. The problem was the bullpen and the lack of timely hitting. If Noble can figure out some fixes for the bullpen, and if they can figure out the whole-hitting-with-two-outs thing, then the team just might be able to recover from this slow start. If not, it might end up being a long season.

Mizzou Baseball Quotes & Notes: By the Numbers

■ Senne moves through history, leads baseball to solid weekend series (mutv23sports.com)

After a four-run start for Boston College, marked by a three-run homerun from John Spatola, the Tigers evened the score in the second inning, with Michael Liberto earning two RBI in the first and Aaron Senne hitting his 30th career homerun in the second, moving him into the sole 9th spot. His next two homeruns will move him into a tie for eighth all-time

.

■ Two-week Mizzou baseball offense leaders (KMOV.com)

An average wOBA [weighted on-base average] in the majors is about .330. In college, the average is going to be higher because the quality of pitching a batter faces is worse. Currently, the average for the Big 12 is around .380.

Now that the explanations are out of the way, here's a look at where Missouri batters stand in the league's top 64 wOBAs:

6. Mike Liberto, .540
11. Aaron Senne, .483
37. Brett Nicholas, .368
46. Jonah Schmidt, .330
49. Blake Brown, .329
61. Conner Mach, .215