June 11, 2007

Oklahoma State staves off elimination


Eagle news services

 

Keanon Simon's RBI single in the top of the 12th inning gave Oklahoma State a 3-2 win Saturday over host Louisville in the NCAA Super Regional.

The Cowboys' victory forced a deciding third game in the best-of-3 series.

The Cowboys were three outs away from elimination, and the Cardinals were three outs away from their first College World Series, until Ty Wright hit a solo home run in the top of the seventh inning to force extra innings before 4,138 mostly Louisville fans at Patterson Stadium.

Oklahoma State (42-20), which came into the game ranked seventh in Division I in batting average (.327), was outhit by Louisville 8-4, but it limited the Cards -- who had averaged over nine runs a game in winning their first regional -- to a pair of runs in the sixth inning.

"It was a game we had to grind out," Oklahoma State coach Frank Anderson said. "We had four hits, but we hit a couple balls out. Our pitching did a really good job."

The Cowboys, who have been to 19 College World Series, took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning on Corey Brown's solo home run. It was the team-leading 22nd of the year for Brown, who was selected 59th overall by the Oakland Athletics in last week's Major League Baseball amateur draft.

Louisville (45-22) took the lead with two, two-out runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. The Cardinals' No. 3 hitter, Daniel Burton, reached second on third baseman Matt Mangini's throwing error, cleanup hitter Isaiah Howes walked, then Jorge Castillo followed with a two-run double down the right field line.

Louisville starter Justin Marks, the Big East Rookie of the Year, allowed only Brown's home run before leaving in the top of the seventh inning after being hit in the back by a line drive off the bat of Mangini, who was selected 52nd overall by the Seattle Mariners in the amateur draft.

Tyler Magnuson, picked 56th overall by the Toronto Blue Jays, entered the game with nine saves and a 1.02 ERA. He pitched a perfect eighth inning before Wright tied the score at 2-all with his seventh home run of the season.

Neither team scored in the first two extra frames before the Cowboys broke through. Oklahoma State No. 3 hitter Tyler Mach reached on an error by Louisville third baseman Chris Dominguez, then advanced to third on Rebel Ridling's two-out bloop single to right field. Simon, the Oklahoma State center fielder and No. 6 hitter, followed with a single under the glove of a diving Burton.

"I was just trying to get the big hit and I guess you could say it worked out for me," Simon said.

Rice 5, Texas A&M 2 -- Matt Langwell allowed just one earned run and struck out seven to help Rice advance to the College World Series for the second straight year.

The Owls (54-12) led 2-0 after three innings with Joe Savery leading the way offensively. Savery singled home Brian Friday in the first inning. In the third, he connected on Kyle Thebeau's 2-1 pitch for an opposite-field home run to left for a 2-0 lead. Danny Lehmann made it 3-0 an inning later when he scored on Tyler Henley's double-play grounder.

Mississippi State 8, Clemson 5 -- A day after his home run lifted Mississippi State to one victory, Mitch Moreland's save in an 8-5 win Saturday over Clemson sent the Bulldogs to the College World Series for the first time since 1998.

Moreland combined with closer Aaron Weatherford on four strikeouts and 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief to ensure the win.

It was an improbable run for Mississippi State (38-20), which had lost eight of 10 games heading into NCAA postseason play. But the Bulldogs are 5-0 after twice beating national seed Florida State in Tallahassee, Fla., before coming from behind in both games against Clemson (41-23).


Oregon St.-Michigan, ppd --The first game of the Corvallis super regional best-of-3 series between Oregon State and Michigan was postponed because of steady rain.

Cal State Fullerton 12, UCLA 2 --Wes Roemer pitched a complete game and Evan McArthur had three RBIs to help Cal State Fullerton.

McArthur had three hits, scored two runs and reached base five times. His two-run single in the first inning propelled the Titans to a 3-0 lead.

S. Carolina 8, N. Carolina 5, 6 ½ innings, susp., lightning -- Justin Smoak hit his team-leading 22nd homer and Phil Disher added a key two-run double that left South Carolina leading when the second game of their best-of-3 series was suspended because of lightning and rain.

After a delay of nearly 90 minutes, the game was suspended with the Gamecocks about to bat in the seventh. It will be finished today, with the decisive third game to follow, if necessary.