college world series Roundup


Louisville survives rally to beat Auburn

OMAHA, Neb.

Two Louisville relievers survived anxious moments to hold Auburn to two runs over five innings and the Cardinals eliminated the Tigers from the College World Series with a 5-3 win Wednesday, completing a game suspended by rain one day earlier.

The No. 7 national seed Cardinals (50-17) improved to 32-1 all-time when scoring five or more runs in an NCAA Tournament game. Auburn (38-28) went 0-2 in its first CWS appearance since 1997.

Louisville led 4-1 when the game was suspended after four innings Tuesday. It was 5-2 in the eighth when the Tigers mounted their biggest threat against closer Michael McAvene, who took over for Adam Elliott (3-2) to start the seventh inning.

The bottom of Auburn’s order produced three straight singles to load the bases with two outs, and McAvene ran the count full against leadoff man Judd Ward. But Ward swung and missed on a 96-mph fastball on the outside half of the plate and finished 0 for 10 in the CWS.

Michael Kirian came on in the ninth and gave up Conor Davis’ one-out home run off the top of the fence in left center, cutting the lead to two. Steven Williams hit a two-out double into the right-field corner before Kirian struck out Rankin Woley to end the game and record his fifth save.

Vandy rides Rocker, Scott to best Bulldogs

OMAHA, Neb.

Kumar Rocker followed up his no-hitter in the super regionals with another strong start in his College World Series debut, and Stephen Scott homered twice and drove in four runs in Vanderbilt’s 6-3 victory over Mississippi State.

No. 2 national seed Commodores (56-11) gained the inside track to the best-of-three finals next week. They need a victory Friday or Saturday to advance.

Rocker, a 6-foot-4, 255-pound freshman star, held the No. 6 Bulldogs (52-14) scoreless until Rowdey Jordan’s two-out RBI single in the sixth inning. That ended Rocker’s 192/3-inning shutout streak.

Rocker (11-5) limited the Bulldogs to five hits, walked one, hit a batter and struck out six before Patrick Raby took over to start the seventh. Rocker won his fifth straight start and is 9-1 over his last 10.

Scott hit a solo homer in the second inning and a three-run shot in the fifth to break open the meeting of SEC rivals.

Marshall Gilbert homered leading off the seventh against Raby and Jake Mangum doubled and scored when Tanner Allen doubled past diving center fielder Pat DeMarco to make it 6-3.

Texas Tech ousts Florida State

OMAHA, Neb.

Brian Klein hit the tiebreaking home run for Texas Tech, and the Red Raiders beat Florida State 4-1 at the College World Series to close the 40-year coaching career of NCAA all-time wins leader Mike Martin.

Klein’s homer, his second of the CWS and third of the season, came in the sixth inning and stood up because of the Seminoles’ inability to find a spark on offense.

Tech (46-19) won a second game at the CWS for the first time in its four appearances.

FSU (42-23) had no trouble scoring while sweeping through a regional in Athens, Ga., and a super regional at Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to earn Martin his 17th trip to the CWS. The Seminoles beat Arkansas 1-0 here Saturday, but lost 2-0 to Michigan before the Red Raiders eliminated them.

Martin heads into retirement with 2,029 career wins — most by any coach in any college sport — but no national championships.

Associated Press

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