March 1, 2009

Rankings are from CBI Composite Poll

Around the Bases
Workman tosses no-hitter for Texas against Penn State

Miami complete sweep of Florida; UC Irvine upends UCLA

In Austin, Texas, Brandon Workman pitched a no-hitter and fanned 10 in a 9-0 win Sunday to finish the four-game sweep for No. 4 Texas against Penn State in front of 5,491 fans at UFCU Disch-Falk Field. It was the 21st no-hitter in school history. Workman did give up two walks and David Hernandez committed an error, but he faced the minimum 27 batters because of two runners being thrown out on steal attempts and a double play. It was the second no-hitter for the Longhorns (9-0) in two seasons. Tant Shepherd, Cameron Rupp and Brandon Belt each drove in two and leadoff hitter Travis Tucker went 3 for 5 with an RBI and two runs. Texas scored one in the first, two in the fourth and three in the fifth to build a 6-0 lead. Blake Lynd reached base twice for the Nittany Lions (2-5).

No. 17 Miami (Fla.) 16, No. 14 Florida 2

In Gainesville, Fla., Miami broke open a scoreless game with seven runs in the fourth off four hits and an error to earn the victory and the series sweep over Florida at McKethan Stadium. Nathan Melendres, Dave DiNatale and Chris Herrmann each collected three RBI for the Hurricanes (6-1). DiNatale led Miami with four of the team's 20 hits. Hermann and Harold Martinez both homered as starter Iden Nazario pitched five innings of two-run ball with seven strikeouts. Matt den Dekker went 1 for 2 with two walks for the Gators (5-3).

No. 8 UC Irvine 7, No. 19 UCLA 4

In Houston, Ben Orloff and Ryan Fisher both drove in two as UCI upended UCLA to finish 2-1 in the Houston College Classic at Minute Maid Park. Fisher’s RBI double in the third gave the Anteaters (5-2) the early lead. Orloff’s two-run double sparked a three-run fifth as UCI had a 4-0 lead. Cody Decker had a two-run single in the sixth as the Bruins (2-6) cut the lead in half. UCI added three runs with two outs in the sixth for a 7-2 advantage. Justin Uribe had a two-run homer in the ninth for UCLA. D.J. Crumlich scored three times, while Orloff had two hits and touched home twice.

No. 2 LSU 16, UCF 0

In Baton Rouge, La., Jared Mitchell homered twice as LSU completed a series sweep of UCF at Alex Box Stadium. Mitchell had a three-run homer in an eight-run first for the Tigers (7-0). His second round-tripper was a two-run shot in the third that made the score 12-0. Sean Ochinko had three hits for LSU. Leon Landry homered for the fifth time, while Austin Nola and Chad Jones both went deep for the first time. Chris Duffy had two hits for the Knights (2-5).

No. 3 Texas A&M 5, Houston 3

In Houston, Kyle Colligan’s two-run homer in the sixth snapped a 3-3 tie and carried Texas A&M past Houston in the final game of the Houston College Classic in front of 5,356 fans at Minute Maid Park. The Cougars (2-6) loaded the bases in the ninth before a lineout ended the contest. Houston built a 3-0 lead before Adam Smith’s two-run single in the fourth pulled the Aggies (7-2) to within one. A&M tied it in the fifth on an RBI groundout by Dylan Petrich. Caleb Ramsey (2-3, 1 R, 1 RBI) led the Cougar offense.

No. 5 Georgia 10, Arizona 5

In Tucson, Ariz., Matt Cerione had three hits, three runs and three RBI as Georgia completed a three-game series sweep of Arizona at Jerry Kindall Field. The Bulldogs (8-0) scored a pair in the first and Cerione’s three-run double in the second put the visitors in control at 5-0. Johnathan Taylor had three hits and scored three for Georgia. Mike Weldon had two hits, a run and an RBI for the Wildcats (4-4). Matt Presley drove in two and Steve Selsky scored twice for Arizona. The Bulldogs outscored the Wildcats 33-14 and are off to their best start since 2000. The 1911 squad won its first nine games for the school’s best start.

Missouri 5, No. 6 Arizona State 2

In Tempe, Ariz., Ryan Lollis had an RBI double in the eighth to snap a 2-2 tie and help Missouri get by ASU in the final game of the DeMarini Classic. Trevor Coleman added a two-run homer in the eighth for the Tigers (2-7). The Sun Devils (8-1) scored in the fourth before Missouri plated two in the seventh as Aaron Senne singled and scored on a double play and Michael Liberto added a run-scoring base hit. ASU tied the game in the bottom of the frame. Coleman and Liberto finished with two hits each for the Tigers. Jason Kipnis and Kole Calhoun both had two hits for the Sun Devils. Missouri head coach Tim Jamieson moved into second place on the school’s career wins list, passing John “Hi” Simmons. Jamieson is 482-336-2 in 15 seasons with the Tigers.

No. 7 Rice 8, No. 12 Baylor 3

In Houston, Anthony Rendon drove in four as Rice defeated Baylor to stay the only undefeated team in the Houston College Classic at Minute Maid Park. Rendon’s three-run homer in the fifth gave the Owls (5-2) a 6-1 lead. His sacrifice fly keyed a two-run seventh as Rice led 8-1. The Bears (6-2) added a pair in the eighth to complete the scoring. Brock Holt had three hits, while Chad Mozingo was 2 for 3 with two runs for the Owls. Joey Hainsfurther went 3 for 3 with one run and two RBI for Baylor. Taylor Wall (2-1) fanned a career-high eight in 6.1 innings with three hits, two walks and one run for Rice.

No. 10 Cal State Fullerton 9, No. 13 Stanford 3

In Fullerton, Calif., Khris Davis was 4 for 4 with three home runs and six RBI as Cal State Fullerton topped Stanford at Goodwin Field to complete the three-game series sweep. Davis went deep in his first three plate appearances as the Titans (5-2) built a 6-2 lead. Fullerton added three in the seventh to put the game away, capped by an RBI single by Davis. Christian Colon had two hits and two runs for the Titans. Kellen Kiilsgaard had two hits and drove in two for the Cardinal (2-5). Zach Jones homered for Stanford.

No. 16 San Diego 6, Nevada 4

In San Diego, James Meador went 3 for 4 with a homer and three RBI to lead San Diego past Nevada in the final game of the USD Tournament at Cunningham Stadium. After Matt Bowman was hit by a pitch and scored in the top of the first for the Wolf Pack (2-5), the Toreros (6-3) answered with three in the bottom of the frame. Meador smacked a two-run homer, followed by a solo shot by Victor Sanchez to make it 3-1. Steven Chatwood had a sacrifice fly in the second to give USD a 4-1 lead. After Nevada scored in the fourth, the Toreros added two in the fifth as Meador had an RBI single and Sanchez had a sacrifice fly to make it 6-2. Kevin Muno had two hits and scored twice for USD. Brett Hart had two hits and an RBI for the Wolf Pack. Bowman and Nick Leid both scored twice for Nevada.

Washington State 10, No. 22 Oklahoma 6

In Pullman, Wash., Shea Vucinich homered twice and had three RBI as Washington State outscored Oklahoma at Bailey-Brayton Field to split their four-game series. Vucinich had a leadoff homer in the bottom of the first to knot the score at 1-1. Jared Prince added a two-run shot later in the four-run first for the Cougars (2-5). Vucinich added a two-run shot in the eighth for the final margin. Greg Lagreid went 3 for 3 with a run and an RBI. Jamie Johnson had a two-run homer and scored twice for the Sooners (7-3).

No. 23 Fresno State 10, Oregon 3

In Eugene, Ore., Tom Mendonca homered twice and drove in five as Fresno State salvaged the final game of its series with Oregon at PK Park. His three-run blast capped a six-run third for the Bulldogs (3-4). He added a two-run shot in the ninth to make it a 10-2 game. Dusty Robinson had two hits and two runs for FSU. Alan Ahmady had two runs and two RBI for the Bulldogs. Antony Kreitz homered in the ninth for the Ducks (3-3), the first Oregon home run in PK Park.

Western Kentucky 17-13, Albany 6-3

In Bowling Green, Ky., Matt Hightower smacked two grand slams and drove in 11 as WKU swept a doubleheader and a four-game series from Albany at Nick Denes Field. Hightower’s first slam came in the sixth inning of the opener, part of a 4-for-4 effort with three runs and seven RBI. Chad Cregar went 3 for 3 with a homer and five RBI for the Hilltoppers (5-1). Pete Eichner went deep for the Great Danes (0-4). Hightower’s second slam came in a six-run fifth in the nightcap. The game was called after five due to travel concerns for Albany. Kyle Crean homered for the Great Danes. WKU had three dingers in Game 2 after belting five in the opener. Wade Gaynor (2-2, 2 R, 3 RBI) and Jake Wells (3-3, 3 R, 2 RBI) both homered for the Hilltoppers in the nightcap.

Ohio State 21, Connecticut 14

In Jacksonville, Fla., Matt Streng went 4 for 5 with two of OSU’s seven home runs, as well as four runs and five RBI as the Buckeyes put up a football score against UConn in the Kennel Club Classic at Harmon Stadium. The Buckeyes (7-0) hit five homers in an eight-run third to take control at 10-4. Justin Miller had a solo shot, followed by two-run homers by Cory Rupert, Streng and Cory Kovanda, and capped by a homer by Michael Stephens. Zach Hurley added a two-run blast in the fourth and Streng hit his second dinger in the seventh to complete the scoring for OSU. Streng, making his second start, homered from both sides of the plate for his first two career home runs. Hurley finished with four hits, three runs and three RBI. Mike Nemeth went 4 for 5 for the Huskies (3-3) with two runs and three RBI. OSU’s 7-0 start matches the third-best start in school history (10-0 in 1917, 8-0 in 1991). The Buckeyes have 15 home runs in seven games. Last year’s team did not have its 15th homer until the 46th game.

Kentucky 15, Western Michigan 4

In Lexington, Ky., Chris Rusin fanned a career-high 12 as three Kentucky hurlers combined to strike out a school-record 18 as the Wildcats whipped Western Michigan at Cliff Hagan Stadium. Rusin (1-1) worked five innings with six hits, three runs, two earned, and one walk. Tyler Henry fanned four in 2-2 scoreless innings with two hits and two walks. Braden Kapteyn pitched the final 1.1 innings with one hit, one unearned run and two strikeouts to record the save. UK (4-2) put the game away with eight in the eighth. Chad Wright went 3 for 4 with four RBI for the Wildcats, while Marcus Nidiffer knocked in three for UK. Derek Mosher went 3 for 5 for the Broncos (0-5) with two runs and one RBI.