June 11, 2007

College World Series won't have a Big 12 team
Rice will represent Texas; Louisville annihilates Oklahoma State.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Monday, June 11, 2007
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Louisville, long a powerhouse in men's basketball and more recently in football, might soon be adding baseball to that list.

Isaiah Howes hit a grand slam and drove in six runs as Louisville pounded out 21 hits in routing Oklahoma State 20-2 to earn its first trip to the College World Series.

Timothy D. Easley
ASSOCIATED PRESS

Louisville's Logan Johnson beats the throw back to first as Oklahoma State's Matt Mangini waits during their NCAA Super Regional game Sunday. Oklahoma State lost in a rout, 20-2.

The Cardinals (46-22), in the NCAA tournament for just the second time, will meet Rice on Friday in the first round of the College World Series.

Rice is the only team from Texas that will make Omaha, and no Big 12 teams will be there.

Oklahoma State (42-21) came into the super regional with a baseball pedigree, one national title and 19 World Series appearances. But it was Louisville, whose players had no NCAA baseball tournament experience, that brought the big bats. The Cardinals out-hit the Cowboys 42-17 and outscored them 31-5 in the three-game series. They led the finale 10-0 after four innings.

Oregon State 1, Michigan 0: Joey Wong's RBI single with two outs in the ninth inning spoiled Zach Putnam's bid for a no-hitter and led the defending national champion Beavers (43-18) over the Wolverines (42-18) in the series opener. Wong hit a soft liner on a 1-2 pitch from Putnam into left field to score pinch-runner Braden Wells from second base.

UC Irvine 3, Wichita State 2: Bryan Peterson's double in the bottom of the ninth inning lifted the Anteaters (45-15-1) over the Shockers (53-22) and sends UC Irvine to its first College World Series. The Anteaters, who eliminated Texas at Dell Diamond last week, swept the series with great pitching, this time from workhorse Wes Etheridge.

North Carolina 9, South Carolina 4: Chad Flack's two-run homer in the seventh snapped a 4-4 tie and pushed the Tar Heels (53-13) over the Gamecocks (46-20) in the deciding game three of the series. UNC will make its first back-to-back trips to the CWS.

Arizona State 7, Mississippi 1: Josh Satow (13-3) scattered five hits in 72/3 scoreless innings and Brett Wallace homered and drove in three runs as the Sun Devils (48-13) advanced to Omaha with a sweep of the Rebels (40-25). Arizona State will face UC Irvine.

Cal State Fullerton 12, UCLA 2: Wes Roemer pitched a complete game and Evan McArthur had three RBIs as the Titans (37-23) ripped the Bruins (33-27) in the opener late Saturday.