The Canes survived some incredibly shaky relief pitching by Carlos Gutierrez Monday afternoon to beat rival Florida State, 7-5, eliminating the Seminoles from the College World Series.

The Canes beat the Noles 3 out of 4 times this year. But Gutierrez, who came in at the start of the 9th inning with a 7-2 lead almost gave it all away. With the winning run on base, he got a ground out to second to finally end what was almost a disaster.

It was a bad day for the Gutierrez family. Carlos' brother, David, was the starting pitcher but last only one inning. He got hit hard - figuratively and literally. He gave up four hits and one run and was hit on the shoulder by a hard line drive.

David Gute has had a good year as a long reliever and a spot starter, basically the No. 4 guy in a 3 man rotation. So it was interesting when Canes Coach Jim Morris made the decision to bypass No. 2 starter Eric Erickson and No. 3 Kiki Garcia in favor of David Gute. I disagreed with the decision but hoped for the best.

Then, when the Noles came out swing on D Gute with all those hits and a 1-0 lead, I thought it was for the best when Erickson was brought in relief. Eric should have started all along and proved it by throwing 5 innings of 1-run ball against the best-hitting team in the nation.

Morris made some other dubious decisons Monday such as starting the ice-cold Dave DiNatale at DH instead of Jason Hagerty. DiNatale has had an excellent year but his recent slump should have made the Canes switch sooner to Hags. In the middle of the game - after DiNatale had looked real bad on a strikeout - Morris finally made the switch to Hagerty, who promptly deliverd on a two-run, pinch-hit single.

Another Morris boo-boo was staying with CGute so long in the 9th. It was obvious that Carlos had lost his command of his pitches and lost his confidence as a result. Yet Morris seemed determined to do or die with Carlos. He almost died.

I would have had left set-up man Kyle Bellamy, who tossed 2 shutout innings, finish the game and I said so at the time. And once Morris made the move to bring in CGute, I would have had another option ready.

It all worked out, although I think I now have an ulcer as CGute allowed batter after batter to get on base in the 9th.

Next up for the Canes is Stanford on Wednesday night in another elimination game. Expect the Canes to start Kiki Garcia in that game. I give top-seeded Miami a very good chance at beating the unseeded Cardinal..

If they do, the Canes would then have to beat Georgia two straight to get to the best-of-three final. That's possible, too, but only if the Canes hit the ball and play from the front. They would have to avoid Georgia's killer closer, Josh Fields, which they failed to do on Saturday.

Unlike other material I write elsewhere, I allow myself to be a fan on this blog because that is the nature of SB Nation - of the fans, by the fans, for the fans.

So, as a fan, I didn't write after last night's crushing baseball loss to Georgia. Too painful.

And as a fan, I will say that the Canes are just about doomed to win the national title this year. Doesn't mean it can't happen. But it is nearly impossible.

The Canes will have to win 4 straight just to get to the best of three final series. That means they have to win 6 in a row or 6 of 7 as long as the first four of those are consecutive. That will be VERY tough to do against the caliber of competition we see at the CWS every year.

It's also tough because now the Canes' pitching will be stretched out.

On Monday, for example, the Canes will start their No. 4 pitcher, David Gutierrez, against the best-hitting team in the nation, Florida State. It's an elimination game, and the Seminoles have had the habit of coming back strong after a loss in this postseason. They came back from first-game losses to win both the regionals and super regionals.

But the whole rivalry thing with FSU, which is still angry at the Canes for winning at Tallahassee earlier this year.

All this could have been avoided had Canes closer held on to the 4-3 lead he was trusted with in the 9th inning. But his pitching was off and then he made the horrific throwing error to cost the Canes the game.

I also blame the Canes' hitters. Four runs is too few for a team as loaded as Miami and with aluminum bats and facing a mediocre Georgia starter. They had to avoid Georgia's awesome closer, Josh Fields, and that is exactly what they did not do.

Freshman Canes catcher Yaz Grandal made a crucial mistake in the 9th inning, failing to block a pitch low that was strike three. But the main goat is Gutierrez and, secondly, the Canes offense.

It's too bad for C Gute, who is a first-round draft pick with a nasty sinker and has had many big moments for the Canes this year. But you have to report things honestly. We give them the praise when they win, they have to be fairly criticized when they lose. That's just the way it is.

Now we will see how the Canes react. I am optimistic by nature and hoping they come out swinging. 

The Canes, winners of four College World Series, are five wins in a row from a fifth championship.

They have to start with a win tonight at 7 p.m. vs. Georgia on ESPN. Next up would be either Florida State or Stanford. The Canes took 2 out of 3 from the Seminoles this year, winning at FSU in controversial fashion as the last game was shortened by rain and the teams nearly came to blows.

If the Canes win their first two games, they would have to win one more against either Georgia, FSU or Stanford, depending on who survives.

A win there would put the top-ranked Canes at 55-9 and prepare them for a best fo three series for the championship. The opponent could be North Carolina, which is the only team to take a series (2-1) from Miami this year. I think Miami could win that rematch. For sure, they would have extra motivation.

That would also represent an All-ACC final and guarantee the conference its first national baseball title in 53 years. (The Canes were an independent when they won national championships in 1982, 1985, 1999 and 2001.

Under the scenario above, the Canes could also face LSU, Rice or Fresno State in the finals. For me, the scaries opponent would be LSU, which has won 25 out of their past 26 games and can really mash the ball. LSU also has a standout pedigree with 5 national titles since 1990.

Regardless of what happens, this has been a great season for UM. They followed a mediocre (by UM standards) 37-24 season in 2007 with a 52-9 masterpiece this year.

They had a school record 3 Canes get drafted in the first round and six drafted overall.

They have seen numerous players improve significantly from last season, including shortstop Ryan Jackson, set-up relief pitcher Kyle Bellamy, catcher Jason Hagerty, left fielder Dave DiNatale and closer Carlos Gutierrez.

But the time to win it all is now. Next year could be a rebuilding-type season for the Canes, who are expected to lose a ton of talent to the pros, including starting pitcher Kiki Garcia, closer Carlos Gutierrez, first baseman Yonder Alonso, second baseman Jemile Weeks, third baseman Mark Sobolewski, right fielder Dennis Raben and center fielder Blake Tekotte.

The time is now. It starts tonight.    

The 8-team field for the 2008 College World Series is now set, and it includes the top-ranked Canes and a bunch of monster rivals.

 This is the Canes' 23rd trip to CWS, including 11 times in Jim Morris' 15 years as the head coach. But this may be the best Canes team ever.

 They have the second-highest win percentage (85.2) of any Canes team ever and set a school record with three first-round picks.

 The Canes (52-9) will open with No. 8 Georgia on Saturday at 7 pm on ESPN. The Bulldogs (41-23) won this year's SEC regular-season title but lost in the conference tournament.

 The Canes, winners of the ACC regular season and postseason titles, have less losses than Georgia and are the better team. But Georgia is very good and capable of the upset.

 Two Bulldogs to watch are first-round picks Gordon Beckham at shortstop and closer Josh Fields.

 Beckham is batting .401 with 26 homers and 72 RBI. He was drafted 8th overall by the Chicago White Sox - one spot behind Canes first baseman Yonder Alonso.

 Fields was 2-2 this season with a 2.76 ERA. He was named the SEC's Pitcher of the Year and leads the conference with 39 career saves, good for 7th on the NCAA list. He was drafted 20th overall by the Seattle Mariners.

 The Canes just got finished beating a team with a pair of first-round picks in the bullpen. Perhaps having to face just one stud closer will be easy for Miami.

 Nevertheless, the Canes will have to play from the front to avoid Fields and his 95 mph fastball and 12-6 curve. Fields has 56 strikeouts in 31 innings this year. Batters are only hitting .112 against him, and Fields has not allowed any of his 13 inherited runners to score.

 Helping the Canes play from the front is the fact that Georgia has the highest team ERA of any team in this year's CWS. The three Bulldogs starters have ERAs of 4.25 and higher.

 Miami, on the other hand, will start National Freshman of the Year Chris Hernandez, who is 11-0 with  a 2.50 ERA. That gives the Canes a significant edge to start the game.

 If the Canes win, they will face the winner of the Florida State vs. Stanford game. The Canes took 2 out of 3 from FSU this year, but I have mad respect for the Seminoles.

 The Noles lead the nation in batting average and are third in runs scored. They also have the National Player of the Year in catcher and first-round pick Buster Posey.

 The Noles battled from an 0-1 hole vs. Wichita State in their super regional, beating a second-round pick and a fourth-round pick on consecutive days. The Noles also battled back from 0-1 in the regionals with a barrage of runs. 

 On the other side of  the bracket are North Carolina, LSU, Rice and Fresno State. But the two teams I am most wary of are:

 - North Carolina, the only team to take a series from Miami this year, beating the Canes 2-1.

 - LSU, winners of 25 of their past 26 games and a program with a rich tradition and five national titles since 1990. The Tigers scored 21 runs in their super regional title game and can really hit.

The Canes, the No. 1 ranked baseball team in the nation, are headed back to Omaha for the College World Series.

The Canes have been there often - 23 times in fact -  winning four times. The most recent title came in 2001. But this year's team has as much talent as any Miami team ever.

They proved that in the regular season, earning the No. 1 ranking. They proved it by winning the school's first ACC title in a major sport. They proved it in the regionals, beating a pitching-rich field by going 3-0.

And they proved it the last two nights by winning a pair of do-or-die games, 14-10 on Saturday and 4-2 on Sunday against a talented Arizona team. The Canes again tortured Arizona Coach Andy Lopez, who Miami used to beat like a drum when he was the Florida Gators' boss.

This is a complete Canes team that can outslug you or beat you in a low-scoring, pitching-and-defense game.

Here were the Canes'  top stars on Sunday:

TOP STAR - Closer extraordinaire Carlos Gutierrez, who pitched 1 1/3 innings of shutout ball to lock down the win. The biggest play of the night came in the 8th inning. With two outs and the bases loaded, Gute raced off the mound to grab a swinging bunt to his right. Gute made a great throw to first, beating the runner by an eye lash. (Gute said he played shortstop as a kid.) Gutierrez overcame a rare error by second baseman and fellow first-round pick Jemile Weeks to start the 9th inning - a play that would have un-nerved many pitchers. But Gute got the next three batters out - the 3-4-5 batters in the lineup, no less. The No. 4 hitter, by the way, hit two homers vs. UM on Friday. 

SECOND STAR - Yonder Alonso had the big blast, a two-run homer in the first inning. That turned out to be half of Miami's offense - and the difference in the score.

THIRD STAR - Starter Kiki Garcia, the only senior on Miami's team, gave the Canes just what they needed - six solid innings, allowing just two runs. One of the runs was unearned because of a throwing error by third baseman Mark Sobolewski. Garcia did not get hit hard at any time in the game, which is amazing given how talented Arizona is on offense. Arizona scored 10 runs on Saturday, for example. 

FOURTH STAR - Shortstop Ryan Jackson made a phenomenal backhand play and unleashed a great throw from deep in the hole to end the game. Had he not made that gem, Arizona would have closed to 4-3 with a runner on. The pressure would have been even more intense.

FIFTH STAR - Canes ace starter Chris Hernandez made his first relief appearance of the season and got Miami out of a jam. With runners on the corners and two out in the 7th, Hernandez got Arizona out on one pitch, a groundout. Hernandez, the National Freshman Pitcher of the Year, got two more outs in the 8th before handing the ball to Gutierrez.

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UP NEXT

The Canes will play Georgia in their first game on Saturday. Expect Hernandez  to get that start. Game two will be against either Florida State or Stanford. In that game, Canes Coach Jim Morris will have a tough choice between No. 2 starter Eric Erickson and No. 3 Garcia. 

Erickson was brilliant in the regionals but struggled Saturday in the super regionals. Garcia was the reverse, saving his huge game for Sunday.

Sometimes it's all about what have you done for me lately, which is why Morris will be at least tempted to give Garcia the ball in Game 2.

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ACC RULES

The ACC has 3 of the 8 teams in the College World Series, more than any other conference. Besides Miami, North Carolina and Florida State also got through.

The ACC, reputed to have the best baseball conference in the nation, could live up to that reputation with four wins today.

That would give the ACC half of the 8-team field at the College World Series, which starts Saturday in Omaha.

North Carolina leads its best-of-three series 1-0 and can clinch its CWS spot with a win today vs.Coastal Carolina.

Florida State, North Carolina State and Miami are all tied 1-1 with Wichita State, Georgia and Arizona, respectively.

North Carolina, Florida State and Miami are all at home and are favored to give the ACC at least 3 of the 8 CWS teams.

Speaking of Miami, the Canes set an NCAA record by drawing 16 walks in Saturday's 14-10 win over Arizona. Canes right fielder Denis Raben drew a walk in each of his six plate appearances, a school record.

The Canes won with patience but also with power, getting home runs from Jason Hagerty, Yonder Alonso, Mark Sobolewski and Yaz Grandal. That helped them  overcome a 4-0 first-inning deficit and also rally again after Arizona had tied the score 7-7.

Meanwhile, in another super regional of note, UC Irvine stunned LSU, 11-5, snapping the Tigers' amazing 23-game win streak. The Anteaters lead that series, 1-0. LSU is the home team, making Irvine's upset even greater.

Also of note, Stanford swept Cal State Fullerton in two games to become the first team to advance to the 2008 CWS. Stanford won 4-3 and 8-5.

In the other two super regional matchups, Rice beat Texas A&M, 9-7, and leads the series 1-0; and Arizona State beat Fresno State 12-4 in the opener of that series.

The Pac-10 Conference can send as many as three teams to this year's CWS, and the SEC still has two teams alvie. But no conference is in as great a shape as the ACC right now.

After a heartbreaking loss on Friday, the Canes reounded Saturday night with a huge win-or-else victory over Arizona, 14-10.

Miami's starting pitcher Eric Erickson got hit, but the bullpen - David Gutierez, Kyle Bellamy and Carlos Gutierrez - did a good enough job to lock down the win.

Of course, home runs by Jason Hagerty, Yonder Alonso, Mark Sobolewski and Jason Hagerty helped.

Now it's on to Sunday night's super regional championship game. Kiki Garcia will start on the mound for Miami, and the Canes will rely on their only senior to provide a big lift. 

I'm really too hurt to blog right now but here goes. The Canes lost to Arizona tonight 6-3 in extra innings. The Canes pitchers did a good job but the offense did not show up, blowing opportunity after opportunity.

The Canes could have won the game in the bottom of the 9th with two correct outs. After Yaz Grandal doubled to lead off the inning, a bunt and a sacrifice fly would have won it.

But the Canes could not advance the runner to third. With one out, Yonder Alonso drilled a long fly to right center that would have easily scored the runner from third base. But instead the ball was caught on a sensational grab by the center fielder and Grandal was doubled off second base.

Now it is up to Eric Erickson on Saturday night to even the best-of-three series.