June 22, 2012

CBI Live: #8 South Carolina 3, Arkansas 2

CWS Game 13 Notes

South Carolina looks for third straight CWS title

By Phil Stanton

CollegeBaseballInsider.com Co-Founder

@roadtoomaha

South Carolina is looking to win its third straight national title, trying to become the first team to win three in a row since USC took five straight from 1970-74.

Arizona will be the home team for Game 1 of the CWS championship series, while South Carolina will be home team for Game 2 and also for Game 3, if necessary.

Matt Price set a record with his fifth career CWS win. He snapped a tie with 10 other hurlers who has four victories. Price extended his own record with 11 games finished and is second with 12 career appearances.

“Speechless,” Price said of the record. “I know how many great pitchers have been through the College World Series. And even though I've been coming out of the bullpen, probably vulturing some wins I guess you would say, but just giving our team a chance to win is what matters to me most.”

The first batter Price faced was Jake Wise leading off the top of the seventh. It took 14 pitches to retire Wise as his fouled off 11 pitches before grounding out to short.

“Jake went up to battle with us against Price,” said Matt Reynolds of Arkansas. “Price was throwing his best stuff. He kept fouling it off. It's probably one of the best at-bats I've ever seen. Price just kept filling up the zone and Wise kept spoiling pitches. And it just shows what kind of battler Jake Wise is and what he brings to the table.”
 

Christian Walker has 26 career CWS hits, trailing only the 28 hits by Dustin Ackley of North Carolina (2007-09).

South Carolina and Arkansas have played six times this season, with the Gamecocks winning four. South Carolina took two of three in Fayetteville in early May and also won two of three in the College World Series in Omaha. In the three regular season games, the teams combined to score 44 runs. In the three CWS contests, the teams combined to score 10 runs.

In this year’s CWS, the team which scores first is 10-3. All three come-from-behind wins have been by South Carolina. The Gamecocks trailed Florida 2-0 before winning 7-3 on June 16. South Carolina was behind 1-0 to Kent State on June 21 before winning 4-1.

The Gamecocks have won seven consecutive CWS elimination games going back to 2010.

Friday’s game drew 22,184, a record for CWS Game No. 13. The total attendance for the 2012 CWS rose to 278,114.