April 28, 2009

Rankings are from CBI Composite Poll

Around the Bases
Cusick's two-run single caps five-run ninth for UC Irvine

Arkansas wins in 10 over Oklahoma; Cal Poly edges Fresno State in 10

In Irvine, Calif., Jeff Cusick (left) had a two-run single to cap a five-run bottom of the ninth as top-ranked UC Irvine rallied past USC 6-5 Monday at Anteater Ballpark. The Anteaters (31-11) had five hits through eight innings and trailed 5-1 heading to the ninth. Casey Stevenson had a leadoff double and Ronnie Shaeffer walked. Pinch-hitter Dillon Bell singled to score Stevenson. Ryan Fisher loaded the bases with a base hit for Jordan Leyland, who singled to bring in Shaeffer. Ben Orloff squeezed in Bell to make it a one-run game. After Eric Deregisch was intentionally walked, Cusick ended the game with his base hit. Deregisch and Shaeffer both had two hits for UCI. Ricky Oropesa had three hits and three runs for the Trojans (21-20).

No. 8 Arkansas 8, No. 12 Oklahoma 7 (10)

In Fayetteville, Ark., after hitting a pair of home runs, Brett Eibner drew a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the 10th to give Arkansas the win over Oklahoma in front of 8,212 fans at Baum Stadium. Eibner went deep in the second and belted a two-run blast in the ninth to tie it at 7. Eibner drove in five, while Zack Cox had two hits, including a homer, and two RBI for the Razorbacks (30-12). J.T. Wise had three hits, including a dinger, and three RBI for the Sooners (33-12). Bryant Hernandez had three hits with a homer and three runs for OU.

No. 15 Cal Poly 17, Fresno State 16 (10)

In San Luis Obispo, Calif., Ryan Lee scored from first on a throwing error in the bottom of the 10th as Cal Poly beat Fresno State in front of 1,653 fans at Baggett Stadium. The Mustangs (30-10) scored four in the ninth, keyed by a two-run double by Matt Jensen, to force extra innings. Jensen finished with three hits and four RBI. Lee had three hits and five runs. Adam Melker and Adam Buschini both had three hits and two runs for Cal Poly. Alan Ahmady had two hits, including a homer, and five RBI for the Bulldogs (20-23). Dusty Robinson had three hits, including a grand slam, for FSU. Brennan Gowens had four hits and two RBI for the Bulldogs.

Southern Miss 6, No. 9 Ole Miss 4

In Pearl, Miss., Kameron Brunty had a two-run double to cap a four-run fifth as Southern Miss held on against Ole Miss at Trustmark Park. Joey Archer has a sac fly in the top of the first for the Golden Eagles (27-17) before Kyle Henson went deep in the second for the Rebels (32-13). The four-run fifth gave Southern Miss a 5-1 advantage before Ole Miss got one in the bottom of the frame and two in the seventh to pull to within one. BA Vollmuth had an RBI double for an insurance run in the eighth. Brunty and James Ewing both had two hits for the Eagles. Zach Miller went 3 for 3 with two walks, a run and a RBI for the Rebels. Collin Cargill walked two over the final three innings with three strikeouts to earn his eighth save.

No. 10 Texas 12, Texas State 2

In Austin, Texas, Kevin Lusson went 4 for 4 with five runs as Texas topped Texas State at UFCU Disch-Falk Field. Lusson had two doubles and two RBI. Connor Rowe had three hits and three RBI for the Longhorns (30-11-1). Keith Prestridge had a run-scoring single in the top of the first for the Bobcats (31-11) before Brandon Belt bashed a two-run homer in the bottom of the frame for UT. Tyler Sibley had a RBI base hit in the second as TSU tied it at 2. Lusson and Brandon Loy both singled and scored in the bottom of the second as the Longhorns reclaimed the lead for good. Sibley and Prestridge both had two hits and one RBI for the Bobcats, who had their 12-game win streak stopped.

No. 14 Virginia 5, Liberty 2

In Charlottesville, Va., Jarrett Parker belted a home run in the sixth to snap a 2-2 tie and help Virginia get past Liberty at Davenport Field. Corey Hunt had an RBI single in the third and Danny Hultzen doubled and scored in the fourth as the Cavaliers (35-9-1) took a 2-0 lead. Trey Wimmer had a run-scoring single in the fifth and Errol Hollinger added an RBI double in the sixth as the Flames (29-14) tied it at 2. Parker led off the seventh with his 13th dinger to put UVa ahead to stay. John Hicks added a two-run single later in the frame for the Cavs. Kevin Arico pitched the ninth for his sixth save. Curran Redal and Joseph Feeley both had two hits for Liberty.

UNF 10, No. 16 Miami (Fla.) 1

In Coral Gables, Fla., Preston Hale had three hits, three runs and four RBI as UNF thumped Miami at Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field. The Hurricanes (29-15) scored in the second before Hale’s two-run homer in the third put the Ospreys (18-24) ahead to stay. Hale’s two-run single sparked a three-run eighth to cap the scoring. Brian Wilson had four hits and three runs, while TJ Thompson added three hits and three RBI for UNF. Chris Herrmann had two hits and scored the lone run for Miami.

No. 17 Texas A&M 4, No. 18 TCU 3 (10)

In College Station, Texas, Joe Patterson had a game-winning single with two outs in the bottom of the 10th as Texas A&M edged TCU in front of 3,507 fans at Olsen Field. Luke Anders drew a one-out walk in the 10th for the Aggies (29-15) and moved to second one out later on a walk to Kevin Gonzalez. Patterson followed with a base hit to plate Anders with the game-winner. Anders homered in the eighth to even the score at 3. Adam Smith homered in the third and Gonzalez had an RBI double in the fourth as A&M took an early lead. Chris Ellington tied it with a two-run double in the fifth and scored on a base hit by Bryan Holaday as the Horned Frogs (27-13) took a 3-2 lead. Anders had two hits and three runs for the Aggies. Taylor Featherston had three hits and a run for TCU.

No. 21 Kansas State 10, North Dakota 2

In Manhattan, Kan., KSU used a six-run eighth to pull away from UND at Tointon Family Stadium to give head coach Brad Hill his 600th career victory. Adam Muenster’s two-run triple highlighted the six-run outburst for the Wildcats (32-11-1). Justin Bloxom had a two-run homer in the third and an RBI double in the eighth for KSU. Muenster and Bloxom both finished with three hits for the Wildcats. Aaron Cook had a run-scoring single in the fourth and Andy Sadler added a RBI fielder’s choice in the fifth for the Fighting Sioux (10-24). Jake Magner had two hits and a run for UND.

Elon 10, No. 23 East Carolina 8

In Elon, N.C., Mike Melillo’s grand slam highlighted a six-run third as Elon outscored ECU in front of a record crowd of 1,873 at Latham Park. The Pirates (32-14) scored a pair in the first before Bennett Davis hit a two-run homer, his 12th, in the bottom of the frame to knot the score at 2-2. Pat Irvine’s 15th dinger later in the inning gave the Phoenix (29-13) a 3-2 lead. After ECU tied it in the top of the third as Trent Whitehead doubled and scored, Melillo’s slam put Elon ahead to stay. Whitehead homered in the seventh and finished with four runs. Ryan Wood’s two-run homer in the ninth made it a two-run contest. Thomas Girdwood entered and fanned the final two Pirates for his 13th save. Davis finished with two hits, two runs and three RBI for the Phoenix.

No. 24 Oregon State 10, Oregon 2

In Corvallis, Ore., John Wallace snapped a 2-2 tie with a grand slam in the fifth as OSU topped Oregon in a non-conference version of the Civil War at Goss Stadium. Wallace added a sac fly in the eighth for a career-high five RBI. Jared Norris had two hits and two runs for the Beavers (25-11). Curtis Raulinaitis and Danny Pulfer both had two hits for the Ducks (13-29).

(photo courtesy of UCI Media Relations Office)