June 17, 2007

College World Series | Pac-10 teams open with victories
By The Associated Press

OMAHA, Neb. — Scott Santschi hit his first home run of the season and had two runs batted in, and defending champion Oregon State survived some nervous moments to defeat Cal State Fullerton 3-2 in the eight-team College World Series on Saturday night.

In both of the day's games, a Pac-10 team defeated an opponent from the Big West Conference.

Pac-10 champion Arizona State beat UC Irvine 5-4.

Oregon State (45-18) plays Arizona State (49-13) Monday, the same day Cal State Fullerton and UC Irvine meet in an elimination game.

Santschi, who is from Vancouver and played for the Community Colleges of Spokane, was among players from Washington who played key roles for Oregon State.

Jorge Reyes (6-3), a freshman from Warden in Grant County, was the winning pitcher. Catcher Mitch Canham of Lake Stevens went 2 for 4.

Reyes, Joe Paterson and Eddie Kunz combined to allow six hits as the Beavers began their bid to become the first repeat champion since Louisiana State in 1996-97.

Fullerton's Wes Roemer struck out seven to become the school's career leader. Otherwise, it was another disappointing CWS outing for the Arizona Diamondbacks' first-round draft pick.

Mike Lissman homered in the first and Santschi, who had offseason shoulder surgery, singled in a run in the second to put the Beavers up 2-0.

Roemer retired the next 13 in a row and 15 of 17 before Santschi homered to right with one out in the seventh to make the score 3-1.

It was Santschi's first home run since June 11, 2006, the day the Beavers swept a Super Regional against Stanford to set the stage for their first championship run in Omaha.

"There are mental things you go through, and I feel I'm a better and more mature player and person now that I've gone through those things," No. 8 hitter Santschi said.

Roemer (11-7) is winless in three CWS starts.

Davis lifts Sun Devils

Arizona State's Ike Davis was expecting a fastball.

He got a changeup, instead — and sent the ball about 10 rows up in the right-field bleachers.

Davis hit a tiebreaking home run leading off the bottom of the eighth inning to give the Sun Devils a victory over UC Irvine.

"That last one by Davis, I threw probably one of the best changeups I had thrown all day, and he was sitting on it," Anteaters pitcher Scott Gorgen said. "I have no doubt in my mind that he knew that pitch was coming."

Well, Ike?

"No. I was sitting on a fastball," Davis replied. "He left the changeup over the middle."

Arizona State got solid pitching from Mike Leake and Jason Jarvis.

Leake settled down after giving up four runs in the fourth inning. He and Jarvis held the Anteaters scoreless over the last five innings.