June 11, 2007

UC Irvine wins, will make CWS debut
Anteaters complete sweep of Wichita St.

Press-Telegram wire & staff reports

Bryan Peterson's double in the bottom of the ninth inning lifted UC Irvine over Wichita State and sent the Anteaters to the College World Series for the first time in school history.

UC Irvine (45-15-1) swept the best-of-3 Super Regional in Wichita, Kan. with great pitching efforts, the latest by Wes Etheridge. The right-hander, who held Wichita State to five hits in 8 1/3 innings, gave up a single to Andy Dirks to start the game and then retired 17 straight.

WSU (53-22) tied it with two runs in the top of the ninth, breaking a 21 2/3 scoreless- inning streak, helped by a controversial call. After Derek Schermerhorn singled, Damon Sublett grounded to shortstop Ben Orloff and was ruled out in a close play at first. Shockers coach Gene Stephenson came out to argue the call, saying first baseman Taylor Holiday's foot came off the bag.

After a brief discussion, plate umpire Scott Erby overturned the call and ruled Sublett safe. That brought out an irate UC Irvine coach Dave Serrano, saying the original call was correct.

Television replays appeared to show that Holiday's foot was still on the base when he caught the ball.

Two outs later, pinch-hitter Danny Jackson walked to load the bases and Tyler

The Anteaters came right back in their half, as Matt Morris hit a one-out single off Anthony Capra (7-1) and scored when Peterson doubled over the head of right fielder Matt Brown.

Cal State Fullerton 2, UCLA 1: The Titans (38-23) completed a sweep of the visiting Bruins (33-28) to reach the CWS for the fourth time in five years.

UCLA's Gavin Brooks struck out a career-high 12 and engaged in a pitching duel with Fullerton's Jeff Kaplan. Neither team had a hit until the fourth inning.

Cal State Fullerton's Matt Wallach singled up the middle in the seventh to score John Curtis from second for what proved to be the deciding run.

Kaplan went 6 2/3 innings, allowing five hits and two walks with six strikeouts.

UCLA had the potential tying run on third in the ninth, but Justin Uribe was thrown out at home for the second out of the inning.

- Heather Gripp

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 defending national champion Oregon State over Michigan in the opening game of their Super Regional in Corvallis, Ore.

The Beavers (43-18) need one more win over the Wolverines (42-18) to reach the CWS for the third straight year.

Arizona State 7, Mississippi 1: Arizona State advanced to the CWS for the second time in three years by completing a two-game sweep of Mississippi in Tempe, Ariz.

Josh Satow (13-3) scattered five hits and walked five in 7 2/3 scoreless innings for the Sun Devils. Brett Wallace homered and drove in three runs.

Arizona State will face UC Irvine in the first round of the College World Series.

Louisville 20, Oklahoma State 2: Isaiah Howes hit a grand slam and drove in six runs as Louisville pounded out 21 hits in routing visiting Oklahoma State to earn its first trip to the CWS.

South Carolina 8, North Carolina 6 (completion of suspended.game); North Carolina 9, South Carolina 4: For the second straight year, Chad Flack homered to send North Carolina to the CWS.

Flack's tiebreaking two-run shot in the seventh off reliever Will Atwood snapped a 4-4 tie in the latter game.

Hill singled through the right side to tie it at 2.