June 12, 2007

Oregon St. returns to CWS

By The Associated Press

CORVALLIS, Ore. — Oregon State shortstop Darwin Barney can spot the very pitch in a game that signals pitcher Mike Stutes is on.

Barney saw it early during Monday's game, when the defending NCAA Division I champions eliminated Michigan 8-2 to earn their third straight trip to the College World Series.

"I believe I looked over at Joey [Wong, second baseman] and said, 'Uh-oh, they're in trouble,' " Barney said when he saw a Stutes curveball.

Stutes allowed two runs on three hits over eight innings in Game 2 of the best-of-three Corvallis Super Regional, which Oregon State swept.

Barney was 3 for 5 and drove in three runs for the Beavers (44-18), who will face Cal State Fullerton (38-23) on Saturday in a first-round game at the eight-team College World Series in Omaha, Neb.

Stutes (10-4) struck out nine and walked one. The runs he allowed were solo homers by Michigan outfielder Eric Rose.

"We knew we were going to get some runs. We knew Stutes was going to pitch well," Barney said. "So we knew we had a pretty good chance."