South Carolina Defeats Virginia 3-2 In 13 Innings To Advance To
Championship Series
Omaha, Neb - The South Carolina Gamecocks took advantage of two
throwing errors that led to the winning run and advanced to the
Championship Series of the 2011 College World Series with a 3-2
13-inning walk-off win over the Virginia Cavaliers on Friday night at
TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha. The Gamecocks will face their SEC
Eastern Division rival Florida Gators in the best-of-three Championship
Series that gets underway on Monday. Game time is set for 8 p.m. ET and
the contest will be televised nationally on ESPN.
Brady Thomas led off the bottom of the 13th with a solid single to
center for the Gamecocks (53-14). Cody Winiarski, the fourth Cavalier
pitcher of the evening, tried to nail pinch runner Adam Matthews at
second base on Peter Mooney’s bunt attempt, but threw wildly and
both runners were safe. Robert Beary then laid down a sacrifice bunt
that Winiarski threw past the third base bag and bounced out of play,
allowing Matthews to scamper home with the winning run. The win sends
the defending national champion Gamecocks to the Championship round for
the second straight year.
Gamecock reliever Matt Price (7-3) pulled a Houdini act in escaping the
top of the 13th inning, giving Carolina a chance for the win in the
bottom of the frame. David Coleman opened the Virginia 13th with a
leadoff walk off. Colin Harrison followed with a single to short. Keith
Werman bunted for a base hit to load the bases with no outs. After a
strikeout, John Barr lined out to second baseman Scott Wingo, who
flipped to shortstop Mooney, doubling Harrington off second. Price
threw 5.2 scoreless innings of relief, allowing seven hits and five
walks with five strikeouts while throwing 95 pitches.
The Cavaliers (56-12) broke out in front with a run in the top of the
second inning. Steven Proscia led off with a walk, moved to third on a
single by Jared King and scored on a double play grounder by Kenny Swab.
The Gamecocks got on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning as
they jumped on Cavalier reliever Kyle Crockett. Christian Walker belted
a one-out double to the right field wall. Jackie Bradley Jr. followed
with a single to short and Adrian Morales was hit by a pitch to load
the bases. Brady Thomas lofted a two-run double to left, giving
Carolina its first lead of the game at 2-1.
The one-run lead held until the eighth inning when the Gamecock
defense, which had been steady all season, betrayed them. Curtis Taylor
reached on a throwing error by Morales to open the inning. After he
moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, John Hicks grounder scooted
between the legs of Mooney for an error, scoring Taylor with the
game-tying run.
The Gamecocks wasted a golden opportunity in the bottom of the eighth
inning. Jake Williams singled to lead off the frame and moved to second
on a sacrifice bunt. Wingo was hit by a pitch and Walker walked on four
pitches to load the bases. But Cavalier closer Branden Kline was able
to strikeout both Bradley Jr. and Morales, ending the threat. The
Gamecocks fanned a season-high 18 times on the evening.
Both teams had a chance to score in the 12th, as each team put runners
on first and second with no outs, but
in each instance, were unable to push across a run.
Both starting pitchers, the staff aces, were impressive. Carolina
lefthander Michael Roth worked the first seven innings, allowing four
hits and one run with two walks and three strikeouts.
Virginia southpaw hurler Danny Hultzen, the second player taken in the
MLB draft earlier this month, was outstanding in his 3.0 innings of
work before leaving the game due to illness. He fanned eight of the 10
batters he faced, while throwing 32 of 40 pitches for strikes.
Cavalier hurler Branden Kline was effective in relief, hurling 5.0
scoreless frames, allowing just three hits with seven strikeouts.
A stadium record crowd of 25,882 was on hand for tonight’s
contest.
|