June 17, 2009

Game 9 Recap

College World Series Schedule and Game Stories

College World Series Capsules

College World Series - Game 9 Notes

By Phil Stanton

CollegeBaseballInsider.com Co-Founder
 

This was the first meeting on the diamond between Virginia and Arkansas.

This was the second extra-inning game of the 2009 College World Series. Arizona State topped North Carolina 5-2 in 10 innings on Sunday in Game 3.

Arkansas is now 7-1 this season in extra-innings games. The Razorbacks had four of their first nine games this season go 10 innings, all wins. Arkansas won its first six extra-inning games before falling to Georgia 2-1 in 10 innings in the SEC Tournament.

Virginia fell to 0-3 this season in extra innings.

The game took four hours and 46 minutes, the fourth-longest game in CWS history.

The teams combined for 28 strikeouts (Arkansas 17, Virginia 11), the third-highest total in CWS history and the most since Texas and USC combined for 29 punchouts in a 14-inning game on June 16, 1970.

Brett Eibner had not gone deep in his past 16 games, since belting two against Oklahoma on April 28.

Virginia left 14 on base for the second time in the CWS. The Cavaliers stranded 14 in their opening-round loss to LSU.

UVa was 4 for 21 with runs on base against Arkansas.

Virginia twice came close to winning the game. Danny Hultzen had a 3-0 count with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the ninth when a borderline pitch was called a strike. Hultzen grounded into a double play on the next pitch. Shane Halley led off the 10th and reached second on an error. Dan Grovatt had a check-swing grounder to third, but Halley did not advance to the unoccupied third base. Steven Proscia then singled up the middle between the legs of Halley, who had to stop at third. A pair of strikeouts kept Halley from touching home.

Keith Werman had two sacrifice hits late in the game for the Cavs after having one during the season.

Virginia AD Craig Littlepage caught a foul ball one-handed after it bounced off the third-base dugout and into the seats.

Garrett Gore of North Carolina was on the third-base television camera for ESPN for a few pitches in the top of the second.