OMAHA, NE (AP) — New Mexico State's Ryan Kenning used the wooden bat
advantage to win the home run challenge at the opening ceremonies of
the College World Series on Thursday night.
The eight participants got a point for every home run
with an aluminum bat and three for a ball hit out with a wooden bat.
"I've been hitting with a wooden bat all fall and all
spring during batting practice. I'm going to be playing pro ball next
week so I might as well start now," Kenning said.
"To come here and go against some of the nation's best
hitters is amazing," said Kenning, who will report to the rookie
league Provo Angels next week.
Kenning, who hit 24 homers and drove in 96 RBIs for
the Aggies, used wood for each at-bat and hit three out in the opening
round, then two each in the semifinal and championship rounds to win
it.
Nate Gold of Gonzaga, who led the nation with 33
homers this year, lost in the championship round, hitting one wooden
bat homer.
The contest and a fireworks show that followed were
the featured events of the opening ceremonies. The double-elimination
NCAA baseball championship begins Friday afternoon.
The eight teams were introduced between home run
rounds to the crowd of a few thousand. The players walked down the
first-base line behind a team flag and Nebraska, not surprisingly,
drew the loudest cheer from the Omaha fans.
Kenning had the most points in the semifinals with
six, easily topping Alvernia College slugger Todd Meyer's one in the
top bracket. Gold beat Brad Eldred of Florida International 1-0 in the
semifinals.
Kenning won the first round with nine points by
hitting three balls out with a wooden bat. Gold and Eldred each had
five points and Meyer advanced by beating Heath Mason of Carson-Newman
in a swing-off.
Shaun Rice of Ohio Wesleyan, Mason, Junior Medina of
Stonehill College and Bubba Lavender of Morehead State didn't make it
out of the first round.
