TCU survives elimination

TCU will stay in Omaha for at least one more game after it defeated Texas A&M 4-1 on Tuesday in Omaha, Nebraska. TCU was the only Big 12 baseball team to qualify for the College World Series.

OMAHA, NEB. — Roommates Brian Howard and Ryan Merrill are going to have plenty to talk about around their apartment whenever they and the rest of the TCU Horned Frogs return to Fort Worth.

Howard matched his career high with 12 strikeouts in seven-plus innings. Merrill, playing before friends and family in his hometown, homered to start a three-run third inning and the roomies helped keep the Frogs’ season going with a 4-1 win over Texas A&M in a College World Series elimination game Tuesday.

“Big Game Howie,” as Howard is known around the program, flummoxed the Aggies with pinpoint location of his fastball and cutter. The Oakland Athletics’ eighth-round draft pick struck out six of the first seven batters he faced and held the Aggies scoreless until Braden Shewmake’s RBI groundout in the sixth inning.

FLORIDA 5, LOUISVILLE 1

Brady Singer pitched seven strong innings and Austin Langworthy and Deacon Liput homered to lead Florida to a 5-1 victory over Louisville in the College World Series.

The Gators (49-18) have won their first two CWS games for the first time in four appearances since opening 3-0 and reaching the finals in 2011. They will play Friday in the Bracket 2 final against the winner of the Louisville-TCU elimination game on Thursday. Louisville (53-11) managed one run and six hits and struck out nine times against Singer (8-5).

Florida pitchers finished with 10 strikeouts, making it their fifth straight game with double-digit Ks.