Sooners pitching takes a hit at CWS
OMAHA, Neb. — For the first time in a long time, Oklahoma State’s pitching looked vulnerable. Arizona collected 14 hits Friday against what had been the best pitching staff in the NCAA tournament and defeated the Cowboys 9-3 to stay alive in the College World Series. The Wildcats forced a rematch today, with the winner advancing to the best-of-three finals set to start Monday. Oklahoma State beat Arizona 1-0 on a three-hitter this past Monday. The win Friday improved the Wildcats to 5-0 in elimination games in the national tournament. “All year we’ve been counted out, picked to finish 10th or ninth in the Pac-12, not even supposed to come out of a regional,” Arizona outfielder
Zach Gibbons said. “I feel like when we get on the field, we have to prove everyone wrong almost. We’re going to go out and grind. And if they get us, they’re going to get us at our best.” Nathan Bannister and two relievers pitched a four-hitter for the Wildcats. Bannister was dominant until he had to leave with an arm injury with two outs in the third inning. Wildcats coach
Jay Johnson said Bannister will would be evaluated further, but Johnson is optimistic the injury isn’t serious. JJ
Matijevic and Gibbons had three hits apiece to lead Arizona (46-23). The Wildcats took a 1-0 lead in the first on Matijevic’s RBI single, marking the first time the Cowboys (43-21) have trailed in the national tournament.
HOCKEY
› BUFFALO, N.Y. — Once the “Go Leafs, Go!” chants subsided after Toronto selected Arizona-born center Auston Matthews with the first pick in the NHL draft, the Finns began their march to the podium Friday night. Three players from Finland were selected among the top five picks, the most by the northern European nation. “They’ve got a good thing going on there,” Canucks president Trevor Linden said after Vancouver rounded out the run of Finns by selecting defenseman Oli Juolevi with the fifth pick. The Winnipeg Jets selected forward Patrik
Laine second, and Edmonton took forward Jesse Puljujarvi at No. 4. The draft had an international flavor to it, starting with Matthews becoming the seventh American-born player to be selected No. 1, and first since the Chicago Blackhawks chose Patrick
Kane with the top pick in 2007. During a week in which the NHL expanded into Las Vegas, the draft reflected the changing international nature of the sport. Starting with Columbus selecting PierreLuc Dubois at No. 3, only three Canadian-born players were taken among the top 10 picks. That matches last year’s total, which was the fewest for Canada in the draft.
GOLF
› BETHESDA, Md. — Jon Rahm and Billy Hurley III share the Quicken Loans National lead, three strokes ahead of Vijay Singh, going into the weekend at Congressional. Playing together for the second straight day, Rahm and Hurley went shot for shot to reach 11 under. Hurley, a Naval Academy graduate who lives in nearby Annapolis, shot a 6-under-par 65, and Rahm bogeyed the 18th hole for a 67 in his second round as a professional. He led Thursday after a 64. Rahm and Hurley will play in the final group today at Congressional Country Club, just behind Singh, who was alone at 8 under after a 66. Four-time major champion Ernie Els (69) was 7 under, along with Webb Simpson (68), Bill Haas (69) and Harold Varner III (69).