June 17, 2007

College World Series: Oregon State, Arizona State survive

By ERIC OLSON
The Associated Press

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

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

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

Oregon State (45-18) moves to a Monday game against Arizona State (49-13), which defeated UC Irvine 5-4 on Saturday. The Titans (38-24) will play UC Irvine (45-16-1) in an elimination game Monday.

Mike Lissman homered in the first and Santschi 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 it 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.

Reyes (6-3) allowed three hits and one run in six innings before giving way to Paterson to start the seventh. Kunz earned his 12th save.

Roemer (11-7), who came into the CWS off three straight complete games, worked eight innings. He struck out seven to run his career total to 365, one more than Adam Johnson (1998-2000).

Roemer, one of the country's most dominant pitchers for three years, is now winless in three CWS starts. He had a no decision and loss against North Carolina last year, getting worked over for six runs and 10 hits in 4 2-3 innings in the opener of the championship series.

Arizona State 5, UC Irvine 4

Ike Davis hit a tie-breaking home run in the eighth inning and Mike Leake and Jason Jarvis held UC Irvine scoreless the last five innings to lead Arizona State to the victory in the College World Series on Saturday.

The Sun Devils (49-13), who came in with 75 home runs in 61 games, scored all their runs on long balls against the Anteaters (45-16-1). Matt Spencer hit a three-run homer in the second and CJ Retherford had a solo homer in the fifth.

Davis's eighth homer of the season landed in the right-field bleachers and ended the day for UC Irvine starter Scott Gorgen (12-3), who was bidding for his fifth straight complete game.

The Sun Devils, making their 20th CWS appearance, play Monday against Oregon State. UC Irvine, a first-time CWS participant, will play Cal State Fullerton in an elimination contest Monday.

ASU, unbeaten in six NCAA tournament games, ended Gorgen's 17-inning shutout streak in the second when Spencer drove a ball 20 rows up in the right-field bleachers for a 3-0 lead.