Oregon State sends Washington home with 14-5 victory
Kyle Nobach hit a three-run homer to put Oregon State in control in the seventh inning, Kevin Abel pitched four strong innings of relief and Oregon State sent Pac-12 rival Washington home from the College World Series with a 14-5 win on Monday night.
The Beavers erased early deficits, starting their comeback just before a 4-hour, 31-minute weather delay and picking up where they left off when play resumed.
Oregon State (50-111), the No. 3 national seed, was coming off a loss to North Carolina in its CWS opener and still must win three more games to reach the bestof-three finals. Washington (35-26) went two games and out in its first CWS.
Washington had leads of 3-0 and 5-4 before the teams were pulled off the field with lightning near TD Ameritrade Park in the top of the sixth inning.
The Beavers had bases loaded with two outs when play was stopped. Washington sent out closer Alex Hardy (5-4), the fourth of seven Huskies pitchers, after the delay and he walked in the tying run.
The Huskies elected to intentionally walk Adley Rutschman to set up forces on the bases with two outs in the seventh. Michael Gretler smashed a ball down the left-field line for the tie-breaking double, and Nobach hit a 2-2 pitch that barely cleared the wall in right center for his sixth homer of the season and a 9-5 lead.
Oregon State scored all but one of its runs with two outs. The Beavers were 13 for 21 with two outs and 7 for 10 with runners in scoring position.
Tyler Malone homered to start a five-run eighth inning that finished off the Huskies.
Beavers starter Bryce Fehmel turned the game over Kevin Abel after giving up a single to start the fifth. Abel (5-1) threw 17 pitches before the delay, and coach Pat Casey opted to have him go back to the mound when play resumed. Abel allowed one run on one hit and two walks. He struck out five.
Oregon State avoided going 0-2 at a CWS for the first time in five appearances since 2005.
North Carolina-Mississippi State game postponed
The NCAA postponed Monday night's North Carolina-Mississippi State game at the College World Series until Tuesday morning. The elimination game between Oregon State and Washington on Monday was interrupted for 4 hours, 31 minutes in the sixth inning because of storms in the Omaha area.
A threat of more rain Monday night, plus the late start time, led the NCAA to reschedule North Carolina-Mississippi State.
Three games are now set for Tuesday. Texas will play Florida in an elimination game in the afternoon, and Arkansas faces Texas Tech in a Bracket 2 winners' game at night.
Late Sunday: Texas Tech knocks off Florida
Texas Tech cleared the hurdle of winning a College World Series opener. It was a high one, too.
Gabe Holt hit a tiebreaking single in the fifth inning and drove in an insurance run in the ninth, leading the Red Raiders to a stunning 6-3 win over defending national champion Florida on Sunday night.
The Red Raiders (45-18) won their CWS opener for the first time in their three appearances, and they did it against the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament and a first-round draft pick in starting pitcher Brady Singer.
Texas Tech pitchers limited the Gators to five hits but issued five walks. That was more than good enough against a Florida offense that has struggled for three straight games.
Singer (12-2), the No. 18 overall draft pick by the Kansas City Royals, went 6 ⅓ innings and allowed five runs — two earned — and nine hits.