Oregon State rides freshman to crown
Two-hit shutout throttles Arkansas
OMAHA, Neb. — Freshman Kevin Abel threw a two-hitter for his record fourth victory in the College World Series as Oregon State beat Arkansas 5-0 on Thursday night for its third national championship.
Abel (8-1) was spectacular against an Arkansas team still reeling from a foul ball fiasco in the ninth inning Wednesday that cost it the title and gave new life to the Beavers. He retired the last 20 batters, catching Luke Bonfield looking at strike three on a 3-and-2 pitch to end the game.
“Kept making pitches, kept getting outs,” said Abel, who struck out 10 and walked two in the 129-pitch outing. “I felt better as the game went on and just rode it out. I was going to give it everything I had. I really appreciate they let me go out there.”
Oregon State (55-12-1) capped a two-year run in which it won 111 of 130 games. The Beavers also won titles in 2006 and 2007.
On Wednesday, Arkansas failed to catch a two-out pop foul in the ninth inning that would have secured its first national title. The Beavers, down to their last strike, rallied to force the winner-take-all Game 3.
“There was probably still that ‘What if?’ and disappointment. It’s human nature,” Razorbacks coach Dave Van Horn said. “We had a good hitters’ meeting, we let them sleep in, pregame was good. Seemed like they were locked in.
“But we never got that hit. We never got anything going. … If Abel hadn’t thrown so well, maybe it’s a little different story, but he didn’t give us a chance.”
Oregon State, which came from behind for three of its six CWS wins, was in control all the way in the winner-take-all Game 3. Arkansas (48-21) was shut out for the first time in
100 games.
“I figured it would take eight or nine runs today, and I figured we would break loose,” Van Horn said. “They didn’t give us that opportunity.”
Abel ran into trouble in the third when Arkansas loaded the bases with one out. He struck out Heston Kjerstad and got Bonfield to fly out to end the inning, and the Razorbacks had no base runners the rest of the night.