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News Nuggets, 06.17.05
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Omaha notebook: ASU's Buck going out in style

OMAHA — Travis Buck's career with Arizona State will end the way he envisioned: At the College World Series.

Buck and the Sun Devils survived an 11-11 start to make it to Omaha. They also overcame a heartbreaking loss in the opener of the best-of-three super regional against defending national champion Cal State Fullerton when a balk was called on an intentional walk, allowing the winning run to score.

The Sun Devils then won the next two games, rallying from five runs down in the clincher. All on Fullerton's home field.

``It shows how big a heart this team has, especially to lose like we did Friday and then come back and pretty much take it to them was something they weren't expecting,'' said Buck, a first-round pick of the Oakland Athletics.

So once the World Series ends, Buck will be putting his ASU uniform away for good. He batted .384 this season with 26 stolen bases.

``I thought about it the last couple of weeks where it could have ended, but I'm like, `Nah, we're going to go out and win, I'm not even going to worry about it.' But this is the end. Nothing gets past this,'' he said.

``It's a fun time, it's the way I wanted to end my college career. Whatever happens is going to happen.''

What is going to happen Friday is a matchup with Nebraska, 58 miles from its Lincoln campus. Rosenblatt Stadium is expected to be in full red when the Cornhuskers play the second game Friday.

``Bring on the 30,000'' Buck said. ``We're going to feed off it, too.

ALL IN THE FAMILY: Tennessee star Eli Iorg is ready to return to the field. Limited to a DH role for three games during the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament because of a stress fracture in his foot, Iorg plans on being in right field Friday when the Vols played SEC rival Florida in the opening game.

``I'm fine,'' Iorg said. ``No pain.''

Iorg, a supplemental round pick of the Astros, comes from a baseball playing family. One brother, Issac, played at Brigham Young and another, Cale, played in the NCAA tournament this year with Alabama. His father Garth played nine seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Most of his family will be in Omaha, and his father is as excited as anyone.

``It's really cool, a real emotional roller coaster the last two weeks,'' Iorg said. ``The outcomes of the draft and the outcomes of our lives can't be better.

``My dad is pumped. It's costing a lot of money for hotels, but he loves it.''

BIG MAN FOR THE WAVE: Micah Owings is a big reason top-ranked Tulane is even in Omaha.

After the Green Wave dropped the opener of its super regional to Rice, Owings pitched a three-hit shutout to even the series and then drove in the go-ahead run in a Game 3 victory that clinched the berth.

Now he'll head back to the mound Saturday when Tulane faces Oregon State in the first round at Rosenblatt Stadium.

The 6-foot-5, 225-pound Owings was 11-4 this season and batted .354 with 18 homers. He got the nod over Brian Bogusevic, who won 13 games and was a first-round choice of the Astros.

``I've been looking forward to it for quite some time,'' Owings said. ``For me to get the opportunity of all the guys on the staff, I'm just thankful.''

Tulane has dealt with the pressure of being No. 1 since the preseason.

``We've had a target on our back all year from a lot of clubs. Rice was just one of them. We had to play our best ball,'' Owings said.

``I think any team here could be a No. 1 Every team here is here for a reason and we're one of those.''

SHORT HOPS: Nebraska coach Mike Anderson once worked for a bat company at the College World Series and that's where he first encountered Texas coach Augie Garrido, who was then coach at Cal State Fullerton. ``I made sure Augie had the bats he needed for his team. And at the time the class and the dignity and the things he did for his team left my eyes wide open,'' Anderson said. ... — ... Arizona State freshman center fielder J.J. Sferra is back in the College World Series. How could that be? Sferra was the Sun Devils' bat boy when they made their last trip in 1998. His father Jay has been an assistant coach for 10 years. ... — ... Florida slugger Matt LaPorta says facing conference foe Tennessee ``is going to be a Friday SEC game.'' The two conference foes played three games during the regular season with the Vols winning two. ``We know how they play and what they like to do and, I mean, they know what we like to do,'' LaPorta said. LaPorta, who hit 24 homers this season was taken aback by his surroundings during a workout Thursday. ``It's sweet,'' he said, looking at Rosenblatt Stadium. ``I'm really still kind of like, 'Gosh, I can't believe we're here.''' ... — ... Baylor beat Texas four times this season, three of the victories by one run.

Historical list: College World Series title games

News Nuggets are compiled periodically based on material supplied by staff members; data published by ECU, Conference USA and its member schools; and reports from Associated Press and other sources. Copyright 2005 Bonesville.net and other publishers. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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