June 24, 2010

College World Series Schedule and Game Stories

College World Series Capsules

CBI Live
Gamecocks score two in 12th to stun Sooners

By Phil Stanton

CollegeBaseballInsider.com Co-Founder

OMAHA, Neb. – A great way to win, a devastating way to lose.

After Tyler Ogle homered in the top of the 12th for the Sooners, the Gamecocks scored twice with two outs in the bottom of the frame as South Carolina eliminated Oklahoma 3-2 in Game 10 of the College World Series in front of 24,180 fans at Rosenblatt Stadium.

South Carolina (50-16) will face Clemson on Friday evening at 8 p.m. CT. The Gamecocks must defeat the Tigers on Friday and again on Saturday to advance to the CWS Championship Series.

Oklahoma finished its season with a 50-18 record.

“It was another great baseball game between the Gamecocks and the Sooners,” said South Carolina head coach Ray Tanner (right). “The first time we met, it was a heck of a game, and it was really the same thing tonight.”

Ogle’s leadoff homer, his 11th, gave the Sooners a 2-1 advantage. OU then handed the ball to closer Ryan Duke (3-2).

Robert Beary, who entered the game as a pinch-hitter in the seventh, had a leadoff single on an 0-2 pitch to start the winning rally. After Evan Marzilli was unsuccessful in executing a sacrifice bunt and struck out, Beary stole second. It was his third swipe of the season. Whit Merrifield hit a foul pop to third for the second out.

Jackie Bradley Jr. (left), who was 0 for 5 in the contest, worked the count full before muscling a base hit through the right side to plate Beary with the tying run.

“I was fortunate enough to get the big hit at the end of the game,” Bradley said, “just fighting and battling. I knew I was going to get my chance, and I made it count.”

Jeffery Jones, who was a defensive replacement at first in the top of the 12th, drew a four-pitch walk in his first College World Series at-bat.

Brady Thomas, who was also 0 for 5 in the game, sent the first pitch he saw up the middle for a single that would bring home Bradley with the game-winner.

“I knew the pressure was all going to be on them,” Thomas said. “I was just looking for a strike to hit somewhere hard. I knew a base hit would probably get the run in. I got a fastball and I was fortunate to put a good swing on it.”

South Carolina had tied the game in the eighth as Marzilli had a leadoff double, was sacrificed to third and came home on a one-out base hit by Christian Walker.

The Sooners started the scoring in the second. Ogle reached on a leadoff single and moved to second as Cameron Seitzer drew a one-out walk. Caleb Bushyhead lined a single to right center to plate Ogle with the game’s first run. The Gamecocks turned a nice 3-6 double play to end the frame.

USC had a great chance in the fifth. After Neal had retired 14 straight, Kyle Enders drew a two-out walk and moved to third on a double by Bobby Haney. Scott Wingo was hit by a pitch to load the bases before Marzilli hit a foul pop to third to end the threat.

“A great, great college baseball game,” said OU head coach Sonny Golloway. “And that’s how it should be. I’m proud of both teams.”

Both teams received outstanding pitching. Blake Cooper went 5.2 innings for South Carolina with four hits, one run, two walks and six strikeouts in his second CWS start.

“I was ready to go,” said Cooper, who pitched five innings Sunday in a 4-3 loss to the Sooners. “I wanted to go out there today and throw strikes. And I was able to do that for 5.2 innings and I felt strong all day. I was able to locate my breaking ball when I needed to and got big strikeouts when I needed to.”

Michael Roth (1.1 IP, 1 K), John Taylor (1.0 IP, 1 K) and Matt Price (3.0 IP, 5 K) all threw hitless relief for the Gamecocks. Tyler Webb (3-2) entered after Ogle’s homer and had one strikeout in one inning to earn the win.

OU starter Zach Neal, a native of Columbia, S.C., pitched seven innings with five hits, one run, one walk and seven strikeouts.

“He pitched the game of his career at Oklahoma right here at Rosenblatt,” said Golloway about Neal. “I can’t say enough about just how poised he was and how terrific he pitched for us today.”

Jeremy Erben tossed four scoreless innings in relief for the Sooners with two hits, one walk and one strikeout.

“To ask Erben to pitch in all three games,” Golloway said, “we know how strong he is and we knew he could do it, and he had good stuff there at the end.”

Walker finished with three hits and Marzilli had two for the Gamecocks.

Ogle had two hits and two runs for the Sooners.

Four of the past five games for South Carolina have been one-run affairs and the Gamecocks have won three. The loss was the 4-3 setback to Oklahoma on Sunday.

The Sooners fell to 13-7 in one-run games, including 4-2 in the NCAA Tournament.

(photos by Jimmy Jones)