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News Nuggets, 06.12.05
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Compiled from staff reports and electronic dispatches

NCAA roundup: Arizona State forces game three

ARIZONA STATE 6, CAL STATE FULLERTON 2

FULLERTON — Erik Averill gave up one run over seven and two-thirds innings, and Arizona State posted four runs in the eighth inning to defeat Cal State Fullerton 6-2 Saturday to even the Super Regional series at a game a piece.

The third and deciding game will be played on Sunday with the winner advancing to the College World series starting June 17th.

The Sun Devils, highlighted by Eric Sogard's two-run double, added four insurance runs in the eight inning to secure the victory and force a game three.

CLEMSON 4, BAYLOR 2

WACO — Stan Widmann hit a two-run single in the seventh to help Clemson beat Baylor 4-2 in the opening game of the NCAA Super Regional on Saturday.

Jeff Hahn (4-1) pitched two innings of shutout relief to earn the win, and Robert Rohrbaugh picked up the save.

In the seventh, Clemson (43-21) loaded the bases with no outs against Baylor (42-22) starter Trey Taylor (7-6). Kris Harvey and Travis Storrer singled, and Andy D'Alessio reached when Zach Dillon threw late to third on D'Alessio's bunt.

Abe Woody relieved for the Bears, and Widmann hit his first pitch into right field for a two-run single, giving Clemson a 3-2 margin. The Tigers added a run in the eighth.

The win gives Clemson a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series. Game 2 is scheduled for Sunday at 3 p.m. Game three, if necessary, will be played Monday at a time to be determined.

RICE 9, TULANE 5

NEW ORLEANS — Rice coach Wayne Graham, who's spent most of his 69 years playing or coaching baseball, had some simple advice for his hitters as they stepped up to face Tulane ace and major league prospect Brian Bogusevic.

``He throws a lot of strikes ... and we told our guys: 'You've got to be ready,''' Graham said.

Ready they were, pounding out seven runs on 12 hits in just the first four innings, then holding on for a 9-5 victory over national top seed Tulane on Saturday in the opener of their NCAA Super Regional.

Josh Rodriguez led the attack with four hits, two RBI's and three runs scored as Rice (45-17), the seventh seed, jumped out to a 9-1 lead.

TENNESSEE 13, GEORGIA TECH 3

ATLANTA — Tennessee coach Rod Delmonico kept telling Michael Rivera his time to hit a home run was coming.

Delmonico's seemingly unshakable confidence in his team aside, the Volunteers' second baseman seemed slow to believe it, even as his game-changing three-run homer headed out of Russ Chandler Stadium Saturday.

``I couldn't even hit it out in BP,'' Rivera said. ``Coach D, ever since we went in the playoffs has said, 'Mike you have one big one in you. I know it's going to be a big one.' It was a fastball in and I turned on it. I knew it was gone as soon as I hit it, I just didn't know if it would stay fair.''

Rivera's three-run homer, his first of the season, highlighted a six-run third inning and Tennessee (46-19) earned its fourth trip to the College World series with a 13-3 win over Georgia Tech (45-19), sweeping the NCAA Atlanta Super Regional.

The Yellow Jackets were swept for the third time in four Super Regional appearances, all of them at home.

FLORIDA 8, FLORIDA STATE 5

GAINESVILLE — Brian Leclerc's two-run homer capped a four-run first inning and helped Florida beat rival Florida State 8-5 Saturday night to win the best-of-three super regional and advance to the College World Series for the first time in seven years.

The Gators improved to 5-0 in the NCAA tournament and extended their postseason winning streak against the Seminoles to seven games.

Florida (45-20) will make the trip to Omaha, Neb., for the fifth time, still seeking the program's first national championship. The Gators, the No. 7 seed nationally, will open against Southeastern Conference foe Tennessee on Friday.

NEBRASKA 6, MIAMI (FL) 3

LINCOLN — For only the third time since Jim Morris took over Miami's storied baseball program in 1994, the Hurricanes won't end the season at the College World Series.

Their road to Omaha ended 50 miles short of the goal. In their place will be rising power Nebraska, which completed an NCAA Super Regional sweep over the venerable 'Canes with a 6-3 victory Saturday.

``There is a lot of aura that involves Miami, and that's a lot of exterior stuff,'' Nebraska coach Mike Anderson said. ``Heart involves interior stuff, and that's what we're built on.''

The Cornhuskers (56-13) faced down the tradition of Miami with the help of a school-record crowd of 8,711 at Haymarket Park, a second day of strong pitching and another dose of timely hitting.

Now they'll make the short trip up Interstate 80 to the CWS for the third time in five years. The program's first two CWS appearances were in 2001 and 2002.

OREGON STATE 10, SOUTHERN CAL 4

CORVALLIS — Ryan Gipson's single drove in the go-ahead run in the sixth inning and Andy Jenkins added a three-run home run in the eighth to lead Oregon State to a 10-4 victory over error-prone Southern California Saturday night.

The Beavers fell behind 4-1 early, but capitalized on eight Trojan errors for the opening advantage in the best-of-three NCAA Super Regional series.

TEXAS 2, MISSISSIPPI 0 (suspended in 4th, rain)

OXFORD — The super regional series opener between Mississippi and Texas was suspended Saturday night because of steady rain. The Longhorns were leading 2-0 in the fourth inning.

The game will resume at noon Sunday, with Game Two in the best-of-three series to follow.

The first few innings were played in a steady downpour generated by Tropical Storm Arlene, which blew ashore earlier in the day on the Gulf Coast, about 375 miles south-southeast of Oxford, and throughout the day crawled inland across the region.

The rain started shortly after the game and caused trouble for fielders tracking fly balls. The game was delayed for 2 hours, 21 minutes before officials decided to suspend it.

The crowd of 8,791 was the third-largest in Swayze Field history, but only about a few hundred hung around during the entire delay.

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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