College Baseball Capsules: NCAA-record seven sacrifices, two Torres homers lift Texas Longhorns

AUSTIN - TCU kept pounding the baseball 400 feet.

Texas responded by placing it 45 feet in front of home plate, before going deep.

As they have most of the season, the Longhorns squared up, sacrificed and moved runners along in a 10-4 NCAA super regional win over the Horned Frogs on Saturday night.

"Of course, we got our leadoff hitter on," Texas coach Augie Garrido said. "And we bunted him over. And over. And over. And over. And over."

Seven times, Garrido had his players sacrifice bunt, an NCAA record. Texas (45-13-1) now has 95 sacrifice bunts for the season. Twice, the Longhorns safety-squeezed to produce runs, a strategy TCU coach Jim Schlossnagle called "indefensible."

The Longhorns stand one win away from their first College World Series appearance since 2005. They could qualify with a win over TCU on Sunday or Monday.

If the Longhorns make the trip to Omaha, it will be one base at a time. Not that Texas minds the direct approach, even if the .287 team batting average is 15th of 16 teams in the super regionals.

"That in and of itself doesn't get it done," Garrido said of the bunts. "The singles and the hits that follow were productive consistently throughout the game. . . . The difference is we picked up runs off the little ball we play, and we also matched the long ball they played."

The Longhorns finished with 12 hits against four TCU pitchers. Michael Torres delivered four hits, two home runs and four RBI. His three-run homer in the bottom of the seventh extended Texas' lead to six and ended the comeback hopes for TCU (39-17).

The two home runs equaled Torres' production in his 54 previous games this season. Afterward, he admitted that more than once this season he was confused when told to swing away.

"If you're coming here, there are no individuals," Torres said. "If you're coming here, you're buying into what Coach Garrido is saying and bunting just has to be one of those things."

Garrido said it wasn't hard to convince players. "Not if they want to play," he said, drawing laughs.

A sacrifice bunt by Cameron Rupp led to the go-ahead run in the sixth, with the score tied, 4-4. Connor Rowe delivered a single against TCU reliever Erik Miller.

Rowe had a better-than-average scouting report on Miller, a former Georgetown High teammate.

"He actually dated my sister," Rowe said.

Four more Texas runs - and two sacrifices - followed in the seventh.

Pitching, the other cornerstone for Texas, was just fine. Sophomore Chance Ruffin (10-2) allowed a season-high three home runs to Matt Carpenter, Taylor Featherston and Matt Vern, but TCU managed just four other hits.

More importantly, Ruffin pushed himself through a 127-pitch complete game, giving Austin Wood and the rest of the bullpen another day of much-needed rest. The Longhorns' approach took hold in the fourth inning, with three consecutive sacrifices putting pressure on the TCU defense. One of the bunts forced an error by Carpenter at third base.

"They executed when they needed to execute and that makes it tough on us when they do that," Carpenter said.

Chuck Carlton writes for The Dallas Morning News.

From the AP: 

LSU downs Rice 5-3 to advance to CWS

BATON ROUGE, La. - As far as head coach Paul Mainieri was concerned, LSU's road to Omaha began when ace Louis Coleman decided to remain with the Tigers for his senior year rather than sign with the Washington Nationals.

"I'll remember these conversations I had with him last summer until the day I die," Mainieri said. "When he decided he was going to come back, I said, ‘Louis, it's going to make all the difference in the world with our team. It's the final piece of the puzzle. ... We're going to go back to Omaha because of you."

Indeed, they are.

Coleman pitched eight strong innings, Derek Helenihi drove in two runs and LSU beat Rice 5-3 on Saturday to win the Baton Rouge super regional and clinch the Tigers' second straight College World Series appearance and the school's 15th overall. It was also LSU's 10th consecutive victory.

Coleman, a 14th-round pick of the Nationals last June, scattered nine hits, struck out five and kept Rice from scoring in the seventh and eighth innings while LSU (51-16) clung to a two-run lead. It was the last time Coleman would ever pitch for the Tigers on LSU's home field, and the record crowd of 9,651 at the new Alex Box Stadium roared as Coleman retired the side in the eighth and walked off the mound for the last time.

"Being the last start I'll ever get (on LSU's campus), I wanted to go out there and do something special not only for this team but for the fans, just go out there and give everything I had," Coleman said.

Closer Matty Ott pitched the ninth, striking out Brock Holt with a man on to wrap up his 16th save. Mainieri revealed after the game that Ott had tightness in his throwing arm during LSU's regional round and that it was not certain until several days after LSU had advanced to the super regional that Ott would be able to pitch against Rice.

Ott retired the first two batters he faced before hitting pinch-hitter Ryan Lewis, meaning Holt, who had three hits in the game and two homers in the series, represented the tying run before Ott got him swinging, sparking a celebratory dog pile near the mound.

"I don't know if I feel great or relieved, to be honest with you," Mainieri said. "This has been a real grind to get to this point because this season started with such promise for our team coming off the World Series appearance last year, having so many veterans back, building the new stadium. ... These kids have been under the microscope all year."

Helenihi drove in a run in the fourth inning with a single, and hit a solo homer in the sixth for the Tigers' final run.

Ryan Berry (7-2) took the loss for Rice (43-18), which fell two victories short in its bid for a fourth straight CWS appearance. Berry gave up five earned runs in five innings, but also struck out six and got several clutch outs to prevent LSU from breaking the game open.

"I'm going to be disappointed because we had as talented a team (as LSU) and I just didn't produce," Berry said. "I, myself, didn't do my job, but I'm proud of the team and proud of the way we fought."

LSU, which won Game 1 12-9 as the home team Friday night, was designated the visitor in Game 2.

After D.J. LeMahieu led the game off with a double and scored on a fielder's choice to put LSU up 1-0, Rice had a chance to vault into the lead in the bottom of the inning with runners on second and third and one out. But Coleman struck out Rice's best hitter, freshman third baseman Anthony Rendon, on three pitches, then got out of the inning without allowing a run.

Rendon's day got much worse when he seriously injured his right ankle chasing a foul ball near the stands in the top of the second inning, depriving Rice of a .388 hitter with 20 home runs. Rendon was carried off the field and his injury wasn't immediately clear, but team officials said they feared his ankle was either severely sprained or broken.

"That was very tough to see Anthony be taken out," Holt said. "He has been our best player the whole season and we've been counting on him for big hits. But we do have guys that can step in and play well."

LSU took the lead for good with two runs in the top of the fifth, highlighted by Blake Dean's double that put runners on second and third with none out. Schimpf scored on a fielder's choice and Dean on a wild pitch.

Four innings later, the Tigers were running laps around the warning track, exchanging high-fives with jubilant fans, and Coleman sensed the ultimate validation of his decision to come back.

"It's the greatest decision I've ever made in my life," Coleman said.

-- Brett Martel

ELSEWHERE

Darr's double lifts Arkansas

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Andrew Darr's two-run double in the bottom of the ninth inning lifted Arkansas to a 9-8 NCAA super regional win Saturday over Florida State and a berth in the College World Series.

Darr, who was hitting just .215 coming in, had four of Arkansas' 10 hits, including his fourth homer.

Arkansas (39-22) returns to the CWS in Omaha, Neb., for the first time since 2004 when it also beat Florida State in the super regionals.

The Seminoles (45-18) had taken an 8-7 lead in the top of the ninth when Stephen Cardullo singled in two runs and then scored a short-lived go-ahead run on Jason Stidham's single.

Arkansas' Stephen Richards (6-1) got the win despite giving up three runs in the ninth. Jack Posey (0-1) took the loss.

North Carolina 10, East Carolina 1

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Alex White struck out a career-high 12 batters while getting plenty of help at the plate as North Carolina beat East Carolina to open their NCAA super regional series.

Kyle Seager had four hits and a home run for the Tar Heels (46-16), the No. 4 national seed. North Carolina went ahead with a pair of runs in the third inning, then blew the game open with seven more in the sixth. The Tar Heels can clinch their fourth straight trip to the College World Series by beating the Pirates again Sunday.

Brandon Henderson hit a solo home run in the second for the Pirates (46-19), who didn't get much else against White. Seth Maness took the loss, allowing 13 hits and six earned runs in five innings.

Virginia 4, Mississippi 3

OXFORD, Miss. - Robert Morey pitched four hitless innings after giving up two runs on his first three pitches and Virginia took advantage of an eighth-inning error to keep its bid for the College World Series alive with a win over Mississippi.

An errant throw by second baseman Evan Button helped Virginia (47-13-1) to a two-run eighth inning when Franco Valdes drove in one run and John Barr beat out a double-play attempt to put the Cavaliers ahead.

The defensive difficulties wiped out a nearly perfect outing by starter Drew Pomeranz, who struck out 10 despite a blistered finger in his bid for his third postseason win but finished with a no decision for the Rebels (44-19).

Barr had two RBIs for the Cavaliers.

Southern Miss 9, Florida 7

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Corey Stevens drove in three runs, reliever Jonathan Johnston pitched 3 2-3 scoreless innings and Southern Mississippi beat Florida in their super regional opener.

The Golden Eagles (39-24) are one win away from their first College World Series berth.

Southern Miss won for the 11th time in its last 14 games, a hot streak that started shortly after coach Corky Palmer announced his retirement. Now, the Eagles need another victory to give Palmer a storybook send-off in Omaha, Neb.

Johnston allowed just two baserunners en route to his first win this season. Collin Cargill pitched the ninth for his 12th save.

Patrick Keating (4-4) took the loss for Florida (42-21).

Cal St. Fullerton 11, Louisville 2

FULLERTON, Calif. - Jared Clark homered and drove in three runs and Noe Ramirez struck out a career-high 10 over eight strong innings, sending Cal State Fullerton to the College World Series.

Fullerton (47-14) has yet to be challenged in five NCAA tournament contests, winning them by a combined score of 64-11. The four-time NCAA champion Titans, who last won it all in 2004, will head to Omaha for the 16th time and third in the last four years.

Ramirez gave up two solo homers to Louisville's Chris Dominguez but allowed only one other hit. The Cardinals (47-18) managed just eight hits in the two games.

Arizona St. 7, Clemson 4

TEMPE, Ariz. - Carlos Ramirez singled three times and drove in three runs to help Arizona State beat Clemson 7-4 in its super regional opener Saturday night.

After the Tigers rallied from two down to tie it, Matt Newman doubled off the center-field fence to bring home Ramirez for the go-ahead run in the seventh inning. Ramirez's bases-loaded single brought in two more in the eighth as the Sun Devils (48-12), seeded fifth nationally, won for the 15th time in 16 games.

The last six of Arizona State's runs came with two outs.

NCAA Division I Baseball Super Regionals Glance

(Best-of-3)

The visiting team plays as the home team in Game 2; a coin flip determines home team for Game 3

At Dick Howser Stadium

Tallahassee, Fla.

Friday, June 5: Arkansas 7, Florida State 2

Saturday, June 6: Arkansas 9, Florida State 8, Arkansas advances

At Oxford-University Stadium

Oxford, Miss.

Friday, June 5: Mississippi 4, Virginia 3, 12 innings

Saturday, June 6: Virginia 4, Mississippi 3

Sunday, June 7: Virginia (47-13-1) vs. Mississippi (44-19), 2 p.m.

At Alex Box Stadium

Baton Rouge, La.

Friday, June 5: LSU 12, Rice 9

Saturday, June 6: LSU 5, Rice 3, LSU advances

At Goodwin Field

Fullerton, Calif.

Friday, June 5: Cal State Fullerton 12, Louisville 0

Saturday, June 6: Cal State Fullerton 11, Louisville 2, Cal State Fullerton advances

At UFCU Disch-Falk Field

Austin, Texas

Saturday, June 6: Texas 10, TCU 4

Sunday, June 7: TCU (39-17) vs. Texas (45-13-1), 2 p.m.

Monday, June 8: TCU vs. Texas, 1 or6 p.m., if necessary

At McKethan Stadium

Gainesville, Fla.

Saturday, June 6: Southern Mississippi 9, Florida 7

Sunday, June 7: Southern Mississippi (39-4) vs. Florida (42-21), 6 p.m.

Monday, June 8: Southern Mississippi vs. Florida, 1 or6 p.m., if necessary

At Boshamer Stadium

Chapel Hill, N.C.

Saturday, June 6: North Carolina 10, East Carolina 1

Sunday, June 7: East Carolina (46-19) vs. North Carolina (46-16), 11 a.m.

Monday, June 8: East Carolina vs. North Carolina, 1 or6 p.m., if necessary

At Packard Stadium

Tempe, Ariz.

Saturday, June 6: Arizona State 7, Clemson 4

Sunday, June 7: Clemson (44-21) vs. Arizona State (48-12), 9 p.m.

Monday, June 8: Clemson vs. Arizona State, 6 p.m., if necessary