Golden Eagles have Longhorns on ropes
AUSTIN, Texas — Chase Chambers and David Garza each had an RBI double to power a three-run fifth inning, and Tennessee Tech held on to beat Texas 5-4 Saturday in the opening game of a best-of-three NCAA super regional.
Chambers’ double in the top of the fifth drove in two runs to make it 4-3, and then Garza brought in Chambers with another double.
Ethan Roberts came on and helped Tennessee Tech (5310) out of some trouble in the bottom of the sixth with three straight strikeouts after starter Marcus Evey (8-0) walked the first two batters of the inning. Roberts held on for another three innings to notch his fifteenth save, giving up one run on David Hamilton’s sacrifice fly in the seventh inning.
Golden Eagles second baseman Brennon Kaleiwahea went 2-for-4 with a walk and two RBIs, and Garza and Nick Osborne also had two hits apiece.
Texas (40-21) opened the scoring with Zach Zubia’s sacrifice fly in the first inning and took a 3-2 lead in the third on the 22nd home run of the season by Kody Clemens, a son of Roger Clemens.
Tennessee Tech is in the NCAA tournament for only the fifth time, and the Ohio Valley Conference champion is its league’s first representative in a super regional. With a win today, the upstart program will be headed for the College World Series — which starts this week in Omaha, Nebraska — for the first time.
The Longhorns have considerable experience in that regard, with six NCAA titles, six runner-up finishes and 35 CWS appearances. They’re the all-time winning percentage leaders in Division I baseball.
But it’s Tennessee Tech that has taken control in Texas.
› Florida 8, Auburn 2
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Wil Dalton drove in two runs and Deacon Liput homered for the second time in three games as top-seeded Florida roughed up No. 1 draft pick Casey Mize and the Tigers in a super regional opener.
With a win today, the Gators (46-18) can return to the CWS for the fourth consecutive year and continue their bid to repeat as national champions. The Tigers (42-22) have to win two straight against Florida to get back to Omaha for the first time since 1997.
Pitching for the first time since becoming first-round picks Monday in the MLB first-year player draft, Florida’s Brady Singer — taken 18th overall — outdueled Mize for the second time this season.
Mize (10-6) gave up six earned runs on seven hits, issued a collegiate career high four walks and hit a batter. He lasted five innings and lost his fourth straight start against a Southeastern Conference opponent, and his ERA jumped from 2.95 to 3.30.
Singer (12-1) was much more effective despite giving up two early runs due to leadoff walks. The SEC pitcher of the year allowed four hits and two earned runs in 6 2/3 innings. He struck out nine, walked two and hit two batters.
› North Carolina 7, Stetson 5
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — The Tar Heels jumped on Stetson starter Jack Perkins in a fourrun first inning and completed a sweep of their super regional to secure the program’s first CWS berth in five years.
Cody Roberts, Brandon Riley and Ashton McGee had RBI doubles in that first inning for the Tar Heels (43-18), who totaled 14 hits in the game. Caden O’Brien (6-0) earned the win in relief for North Carolina, which earned six trips to Omaha from 2006 to 2013.
Jonathan Meola and Andrew MacNeil each hit a solo home run for the Hatters (48-13), who had 13 hits but struggled with runners in scoring position for the second straight day.
Perkins (11-3) took the loss, allowing six runs and nine hits in 2 1/3 innings — his shortest outing of the year.
› Texas Tech 6, Duke 4
LUBBOCK, Texas — Gabe Holt went 3-for-5 and drove in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning to help Texas Tech win its super regional opener.
Holt’s single to right field scored Cody Farhat. Four pitches later, Brian Klein’s RBI double gave Texas Tech (43-17) a 6-4 lead going into the ninth.
Duke (44-17) had taken a 3-0 lead when Zack Kone hit a twoRBI double in the top of the fifth.
Holt singled and Klein walked before Grant Little hit a two-out, two-RBI double in the bottom of the inning, and Holt’s bases-loaded fielder’s choice scored Cameron Warren to make it 3-all in the sixth.
Kone hit a two-out RBI single to make it 4-3 in the top of the seventh, but Rheams tied with a solo homer in the bottom half. Kone finished 3-for4 with two doubles and three RBIs for Duke.
› Cal State Fullerton 5, Washington 2
FULLERTON, Calif. — Cal State Fullerton junior righthander Tommy Wilson pitched seven strong innings as the Titans evened their best-ofthree super-regional series and set up a battle today for one of the eight spots in the CWS.
Wilson (7-0) limited the Huskies (34-24) to one run and three hits. Brett Conine pitched the eighth and ninth innings to secure the victory.
Last year, the Titans (36-24) lost their super regional opener to Long Beach State before winning the next two to reach the CWS for the 18th time.
Washington, which has never reached the CWS, fell to 1-9 all-time against the Titans.
Huskies starter Jordon Jones (6-4) went 4 2/3 innings and gave up four runs on seven hits. › Arkansas 9,
South Carolina 3 FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Carson Shaddy drove in four runs, including a three-run double in the seventh inning, to help the Razorbacks win the opener of a super regional pitting SEC foes.
Shaddy’s double hit off the top of the fence in left center field and cleared the bases for Arkansas (43-18), making it 7-3. The Gamecocks (36-25) had intentionally walked Dominic Fletcher to face Shaddy, who finished 1-for-2 with a walk.
Shaddy scored on Jared Gates sacrifice fly to make it 8-3 before the end of the seventh, and Luke Bonfield’s single scored Heston Kjerstad to cap the Razorbacks’ scoring in the bottom of the eighth.
L.T. Tolbert and Madison Stokes had home runs for the Gamecocks, with Stokes making it 3-all in the sixth. Jax Biggers drove in Shaddy in the bottom of the inning for Arkansas’ go-ahead run.
Blaine Knight (12-0) gave up three runs in six innings for Arkansas.