KOSCIUSKO — The Southeastern Conference went 1-1 in the first day of the NCAA Baseball Super Regionals on Friday.

Florida used a solid pitching performance from Sophomore Alex Panteliodis to take a 7-2 win over Miami (Fla.) to take a 1-0 edge in that best of three series.

Despite hitting a homer to lead off three consecutive innings, the Vanderbilt Commodores lost a heartbreaker to homestanding Florida State 9-8 on a two-out solo homer by Mike McGee in the bottom of the ninth inning. The second game of that series is at noon today and will be televised live on ESPN.

South Carolina, Arkansas and Alabama will all begin their Super Regionals today with the Gamecocks facing Coastal Carolina, Alabama visiting Clemson and Arkansas playing at Arizona State.



ARE YOU WATCHING SOCCER?

The World Cup gets serious for the United States today as England and USA are set to play at 12:30 p.m. The game will be televised on ABC.

The last time the two teams played in the FIFA World Cup the United States pulled one of the biggest upsets in international soccer history. The year? 1950.

Maybe lightning does strike every 60 years. We shall see.

The United States is part of the four-nation Group C, with the top two teams advancing to the next round. Teams get three points for a win and one for a tie.

The United States takes on Slovenia at 9 a.m. on Friday, June 18 and Algeria at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, June 23. All matches are being played in South Africa.



CONFERENCE EXPANSION UPDATE

While the PAC-10, Big Ten and maybe even the SEC are expanding, the big winner in these sweepstakes could be the Mountain West.

If the Big 12 crumbles, there will be another spot open for a conference in the BCS sweepstakes.

The Mountain West added Boise State yesterday and are apparently seriously courting Kansas and Kansas State. It also seems that Fresno State of the WAC, the conference Boise just left, would be a good fit for the Mountain West and would add football strength.

While nobody knows exactly what the SEC is about to do there is a wild card team I would like to throw out there to be considered. If the Big Ten drags its feet on Missouri, don't be surprised for the Tigers to be contacted by the SEC. That would be a new market for the SEC and would add the St. Louis area.

I'm still rooting for Texas A&M to join the SEC, but the truth is this, the Aggies are talking a lot of talk about needing Texas but in the end they will likely trail behind the Longhorns wherever they decide to go.



HOLMES COUNTY COLLEGE ATHLETES

According to our research, six athletes off the four Holmes County high schools in the Star-Herald coverage area will be on junior college or college rosters in 2010-2011.

The Durant High School duo of Joffie Hogsett and A.J. Latiker will be playing football for Holmes Community College. Latiker, who suffered a season-ending injury in two-a-days before the 2009 season, will be listed as a freshman this year and will have two years of eligibility remaining at HCC.

Central Holmes Christian School football standout C.W. Bishop will be walking on at Holmes, while JaMarcus Lanfair of J.J. McClain High School in Lexington will be a sophomore guard on the Rust College basketball team.

A pair of Williams-Sullivan basketball players will be on rosters as freshmen next year. Demond Haymon signed with Stephen F. Austin, while girl's standout Jocelyn Jordan is expected to be on the Mississippi Delta Community College roster.

If you know of any other athletes from Durant High School, Williams-Sullivan, Central Holmes or J.J. McClain who are currently playing professionally or will be on a junior college or college roster for the 2010-2011 season please give Austin Bishop a call at 601-938-2471. He can also be e-mailed at BrotherA4him@hotmail.com.