June 18, 2009

Game 10 Notes

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College World Series Schedule and Game Stories

Calhoun Drives in Six as Arizona State Knocks Out UNC

By Phil Stanton

CollegeBaseballInsider.com Co-Founder
 

OMAHA, Neb. – Rosenblatt is becoming a Kole Field.

Junior outfielder Kole Calhoun had a grand slam in the fifth to tie the game and a two-run double in the seventh to break the tie and spark an eight-run outburst as Arizona State defeated North Carolina 12-5 in an elimination game at the College World Series Thursday in front of 25,001 fans at Rosenblatt Stadium.

The fifth-seeded Sun Devils (51-13) will face top-seeded Texas on Friday at 6 p.m. CT. ASU will have to beat the Longhorns on both Friday and Saturday to advance to the championship series. The fourth-seeded Tar Heels finish the season with a 48-18 record.

Trailing 4-0, ASU loaded the bases in the fifth on a walk, a fielder’s choice, a hit batsman and a walk. Calhoun worked a full count before blasting his 12th dinger to knot the score at 4-4.

“I had worked the count back into my favor, got it to 3-2,” Calhoun said. “He gave me a slider. I was trying to get something up and not chase anything down. I put a good swing on it and it took off.”

It was Calhoun’s third home run in the College World Series and second against the Tar Heels.

“The job Calhoun did, he’s done everything clutch you can do here for our two victories,” ASU head coach Pat Murphy said.

After a single and a walk to start the seventh, Calhoun had a two-run double to break the tie and ignite an eight-run rally for ASU. The Sun Devils sent 13 to the plate and used five hits, four walks and a hit batsman in the uprising. Zack MacPhee and Drew Maggi both had two-run singles in the seventh for the Sun Devils.

Jason Kipnis (left) had two hits and two runs for Arizona State.

UNC started the scoring in the top of the second. Mark Fleury had a leadoff walk and was forced at second on a fielder’s choice hit in by Levi Michael. Ben Bunting reached second on a throwing error by the shortstop, moving Michael to third. Jacob Stallings put a safety squeeze between the pitcher and first baseman, allowing Michael to score the game’s first run.

Stallings had another safety squeeze in the fourth to score Garrett Gore, and both Mike Cavasinni and Ryan Graepel has two-out RBI singles as the Tar Heels pushed their lead to 4-0.

Dustin Ackley (right) had a single and scored in the ninth for UNC to make the final 12-5. The base hit gave Ackley a 22-game hit streak in the NCAA Tournament and a 14-game hit streak in the College World Series, believed to be a record. It was his 28th career hit in Omaha, also a CWS record.

“I came here and started playing every day and realized that we had teams that were capable of going to the College World Series,” Ackley said. “It was a great run and I can’t think of any other guys I’d rather do it with and end it out here in a place like this, on a stage like this. People dream about playing out here.”

Gore also set a record by playing in his 21st College World Series contest.

“For myself, I came in just wanting to play,” Gore said. “Coach Fox saw something in me that most didn’t. He gave me a chance to play and I wind up here four years in a row. I enjoyed every minute of it. This place is great. It was an unbelievable experience for me. I’ve seen my baseball career end in one of the greatest places in college baseball.”

The Tar Heels have been to Omaha each of the past four years.

“These kids getting us here four years in a row is just an unbelievable accomplishment,” UNC head coach Mike Fox said. “They’re a special group of young men and it’s been a great run.”

Josh Spence (10-1), working on three days rest, pitched seven innings with seven hits, four runs, three earned runs, two walks and eight strikeouts.

“I wouldn’t say I was tired,” Spence said. “I got caught up in the moment a little bit when I gave up that three-spot. I’m blessed to have such a poised coaching staff and such a poised catcher to keep me in line and allow me to be my best through the next couple innings.”

Spence threw 126 pitches after tossing 122 in seven innings Sunday against the Tar Heels.

“I’m proud of our ball club,” Murphy said, “the job that Josh did, and [catcher] Carlos [Ramirez] working with him. I was really, really proud to see that kid go out and compete on three days rest. Things weren’t looking good, and to see him compete the way he did was really, really special.”

Matt Harvey was the starter for UNC, going 4.1 innings with two hits, three earned runs, five walks and three strikeouts. He set a CWS single-game record with four wild pitches. Colin Bates (4-4) allowed two runs in two-thirds of an inning to take the loss.

Gore, Bunting, Cavasinni and Kyle Seager each had two hits for UNC.

(photo courtesy of ASU Media Relations Office)