The end of the road

As any of you who got to see the game in person or on ESPN today already know, Cal didn't not bow down to the Gators. The girls battled to the end against one of the top teams in the nation, something they have done many, many times this season. This time, however, they just got some unlucky breaks and things didn't quite go their way. It really was a fantastic and exciting series, though the outcome was sad, yet encouraging. This is a young, hungry team that will be back again next year, even more road tested and wanting even more to make it to the Women's College World Series. I am excited about the future. The coaches are excited about the future. The team is excited about the future.
There wasn't sadness after the game today. A lot of fatigue, but no sadness. The girls knew what they put into that game, and they walk away from Florida with their heads held high and a Go Bears! on their lips.
We will be back. Go Bears!
CLICK HERE to see a photo gallery from the games.

Game On!

It's a very thick day here in Gainesville. Humidity has to be in the 90 percent range, but there is no rain, and according to the Weather Channel, that should hold until after 2 p.m. With fingers crossed, the team is warming up and getting ready for this show down.
The team got up this morning for a 7 a.m. breakfast. They were on the bus leaving the hotel at 7:45 and have been doing their warm-ups ever since. The players seem surprisingly awake and alert and all are very excited to get this going.
There is also some good news for fans without ESPN-U (where these games have been bumped to because of the time change). According to the Producer of today's games, Game Two will most likely be run on a tape-delay tonight in our original time (3 p.m. Pacific) on ESPN-2. That is not official, but that is what the onsite crew believes will be happening. Check your local listings (or ESPN 2 today at 3) to see if that holds true.

Rain Delay- The Dugout Dance Video

How the Bears spend rain delays.

Uh oh!

Less than a minute after posting the good news, I need to amend. The tarp is going BACK onto the field. The rains have picked up. We will officially go into some sort of delay...

The tarp is off the field!!!

A gentle rain continues to fall, but right now, it looks like we are a go.

Coach Ninemire is running out the same lineup as the regionals.

J Reid, LF
Thomas, 2B
Arioto, 1B
Leomiti, DP
E Reid, RF
Kelly, SS
Kekahuna, C
Sevilla, 3B
Echavarria, CF

and it'll be Marissa Drewrey in the circle.

As expected, the Gators will be throwing Stacey Nelson.

Go Bears!

Rainy evening

It's shaping up to be a wet evening in Gainesville. The rains have settled over the middle of the state, edging up from the South. Most of the heaviest rains are to the East, but constant rains have been coming down for the last two hours. The field is tarped and the infield protected. Chances of rain at 8 pm are 75%. Rain chances at 9 are 60% and 55% by 10 pm.
The lightening has stayed away so far and seems to be keeping toward the East.
It's hard to say what the night will bring, other than a lot of dampness.

The skies are darkening

After a fully dry day, the skies are beginning to darken and rumble here in Gainesville. The forecast calls for the weather to worsen at 8 p.m. (first pitch: 8:05), but the skies behind the hotel don't agree. There is thunder and lightening coming with the dark, foreboding clouds.
The attention to weather comes from a lot more than a fear of getting wet. There are some fairly important rain rules that everyone needs to know.
First, when it comes to rain, the umpires decide when it is raining too much to play. There is one exception to that, one safety rule that there is no interpretation allowed. It is the lightening rule. If there is lightening within six miles of the venue, the game is automatically halted for thirty minutes. Minimum.
There is another rule that unfortunately needed to be brought up yesterday. It's the rained out series rules. The Bears and Gators have until Monday to wrap up this series. If only one game gets played, the winner of that game will advance to Oklahoma City. If two games are played and the series is tied 1-1, then the higher seed (Florida) will advance. If no games are played, then the higher seed (Florida) will advance.
Everyone is hopeful that between the showers, softball can be played, but the skies have just opened up and a heavy rain is starting to fall. The radar shows this is a band of showers that will pass on through. It's still five hours until game time, so hopefully all will be well at 8 p.m. Tune into ESPN to see for yourself.