Talk » Dont swing at the ball until you get two strikes

(STATS) -- During his first spring workouts after arriving at James Madison, then-new coach Mike Houston expressed his desire to establish a culture similar to that of the five-time defending national champions.The Dukes would make two goals heading into the season, realizing immediately that theyd have to go through North Dakota State to accomplish the one having to do with winning a national championship.Now the moment theyve been preparing for will finally arrive Friday night when Houston and the fourth-seeded Dukes hope to make their vision a reality by dethroning the top-seeded Bison in the FCS national semifinals at the Fargodome.In the middle of spring practice when we were working so hard to try to establish our culture, I made the statement -- and its a fact -- they are the five-time defending national champions, and if youre going to have any chance of beating them, youre going to have to be physical and youre going to have to be able to combat their physicality, Houston recalled. And I told our players that was the reason why it is so important for us to develop that kind of mindset. So in essence weve built this team to try to win this game.The CAA champs (12-1) certainly showed that toughness last Friday during what the coach said was probably our most dominating performance of the entire season. They held STATS FCS Walter Payton Award candidate Jeremiah Briscoe to just 13 of 44 passing for a season-low 143 yards and Raven Greene and Curtis Oliver pulled down interceptions in a 65-7 rout of a previously undefeated Sam Houston State team that came in averaging a nation-best 53.1 points.James Madison hopes to similarly slow North Dakota State (12-1), which has come alive offensively with 36.3 points and 506.7 total yards per game over its last three. Running backs King Frazier and Lance Dunn and quarterback Easton Stick combined for 275 rushing yards and three touchdowns in the Bisons 36-10 home win over fellow Missouri Valley Football Conference co-champ South Dakota State on Saturday. After leading that effort for NDSU, left guard Zack Johnson and right tackle Landon Lechler were named to the Associated Press FCS All-America first team.It certainly wont be easy for the Dukes at the noisy Fargodome, where the Bison are 55-5 since 2010 and have never lost in the playoffs with an 18-0 mark this decade. Houston, however, insists his squad is well-prepared for this type of environment.We probably had the most challenging road schedule in the conference this year with going to Maine, to New Hampshire, to Villanova and to Richmond, with Maine and Richmond both coming off of a bye, he explained. So weve went into places that traditionally are very difficult to play at and win at in the CAA. Certainly that coupled with the strength of the CAA does give us good preparation and good confidence going into what will be a very tough road game. I think our players understand the kind of mentality and mindset theyve got to have on this trip.After limiting high-scoring SDSU to a season low-tying total in avenging their only defeat, the Bison are bracing for another difficult test against a James Madison team that now leads the nation with 49.6 points per game and ranks third with an average of 532 total yards. Quarterback Bryan Schor completed 13 of 17 passes for 251 yards with one touchdown and one interception against Sam Houston, while running backs Trai Sharp and Khalid Abdullah teamed for 285 yards and five scores on 45 carries.NDSU, however, has been stout defensively, ranking third in the country with 15.8 points allowed per game and eighth in rushing defense (99.2) after holding the Jackrabbits to just 37 yards on the ground.(Schor) throws the ball really well, he keeps plays alive, Bison coach Chris Klieman said. Thats where I think hes been so impressive, where somebodys coming free or they look like theres a sack and hes been able to keep himself alive and keep plays alive and keep his eyes downfield. He can scramble, but he does a great job of finding receivers late downfield.If those guys have their play count up like a lot of the high-tempo teams, well be in trouble because they have so many explosive weapons.This will be the second meeting between the schools after the Bison won 26-14 in Fargo in the second round of the 2011 playoffs -- when NDSU began its title run. This time, the winner will face either unseeded Youngstown State (11-3) or No. 2 Eastern Washington (12-1) in the national championship in Frisco, Texas on Jan. 6.Coming into this season we made two goals, they were to be CAA champion and the next one was to be national champion, and we knew we would have to go through North Dakota State eventually to get that national championship, James Madison senior cornerback Taylor Reynolds said. I think everything played out how it was supposed to. Everything coach Houston preached to us came true.The Dukes hope it does one more time. Wholesale NFL Jerseys . Pence singled in the winning run with no outs in the ninth inning to give the Giants a 7-6 victory over the San Diego Padres on Sunday. Cheap NFL Jerseys China . Houston won 3-0 to advance to face New York in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Last in the game, Di Vaio and Romero got into a shoving match with several Houston players. Romero appeared to elbow and kick Houston defender Kofi Sarkodie. https://www.nflcheapjerseysfreeshipping.com/ . Down by seven with 90 seconds left in regulation, thats where they looked comfortable. NFL Jerseys China . The Masters champion and winner of last weeks Australian PGA has a three-round total of 14-under 199 at Royal Melbourne. "Im in a really good position for tomorrow," Scott said. Authentic NFL Jerseys China . The phone hearing is scheduled for 4:30pm et/1:30pm pt. Winchester, who was not penalized for the hit, appeared to make contact with Kellys head early in the first period of Thursdays game in Boston. MINNEAPOLIS -- Cameron Maybins sprained left thumb can heal later, once the chase for the playoffs is over.The Detroit Tigers need his help now.Maybin reached base three times and drove in three runs, including a go-ahead two-run single in the sixth inning, to help spark the Tigers in an 8-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday night.Its just going to be worse if you make it, said Maybin, who appeared in his second game after a stint on the disabled list. I am at a point where we have a lot of important games coming up, and I just feel like I need to be in the lineup whether Im 100 percent or not. Its tough having a thumb issue, but it is what it is.Anibal Sanchez (7-12) pitched seven innings to win a start on the road for the first time since the first week of the season, and the Tigers broke the game open in the seventh with soaring home runs by Erick Aybar and Victor Martinez.Moved to the bullpen in June, Sanchez was 1-6 with an 8.76 ERA in his 10 turns outside of Detroit until this critical performance to lift the lid on a series against the worst team in the league. He surrendered six hits with no walks, following seven scoreless innings with one hit allowed against Kansas City last week.Every good outing he has, whether its at home or on the road, is a building block for him, manager Brad Ausmus said, adding: It doesnt hurt to get the monkey off your back.Right after the Tigers took command in the sixth, Sanchez needed only seven pitches for three outs in the bottom of the inning.The same approach, Sanchez said. Im always thinking to throw my first pitch for a strike and get the first guy of the inning out.Brian Dozier gave Minnesota the lead in the fifth with his 29th homer, a new career high, but Kyle Gibson (5-8) couldnt hold it. He threw two of the teams three wild pitches in the decisive sixth, when rain started to fall hard and the Tigers tallied three runs on three singles and a walk.Lost the feel, lost the grip, and just couldntt find it back when I needed to, said Gibson, who threw only 51 of 98 pitches for strikes.ddddddddddddGibson was one strike away from escaping the second inning unscathed, after Justin Uptons double put runners at second and third with one out, but Maybin forced in the games first run with a walk.Maybin, hitting ninth out of precaution for the injury, walked again to lead off the fifth. He stole second, reached third on a throwing error by catcher Juan Centeno and then jogged home to tie the game on a single by Aybar.Im sitting there going, `Dont swing at the ball until you get two strikes, Maybin said. Little things like that. I think it helps me stay with my approach a little bit more, for sure, as far as what pitch Im looking for.Detroit entered the day in fourth place in the AL wild-card race, three games out of the second spot. The Tigers won for the second straight time following a 3-10 stretch that severely damaged their postseason bid, with three hits each by Martinez and Miguel Cabrera. J.D. Martinez had two hits to extend his hitting streak to 13 games, the longest active string in the league.The Twins fell to 2-8 against the Tigers this year, losing their fifth straight game. Thats their longest skid since dropping five in a row June 14-18.Im holding on the hope were going to play better and get back on track, manager Paul Molitor said.TRAINERS ROOMTigers: RHP Jordan Zimmermann is on track for the first of three rehab starts this weekend, slated for a mid-September return from tightness in his lat muscle.Twins: Miguel Sano was the DH again, due to elbow pain, but Molitor said he could return to 3B as soon as Wednesday.UP NEXTThe Tigers will send LHP Matt Boyd (4-2, 3.93 ERA) to the mound on Wednesday night for his 13th start of the season. LHP Tyler Duffey (8-9, 5.93 ERA) will take his 22nd turn for the Twins. ' ' '