United Group Insurance

Three Games Thursday at CWS, Gamecocks Win Two

Sports

June 22nd, 2012 by Jim Field

S. Carolina beats Arkansas 2-0 on 3-hitter

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Freshman Jordan Montgomery and Matt Price combined on a three-hitter Thursday night, lifting two-time defending national champion South Carolina to a 2-0 victory over Arkansas at the College World Series.

Michael Roth of the Gamecocks threw a two-hitter against Kent State earlier in the day. South Carolina and Arkansas will play again Friday night to decide which team goes to the best-of-three finals.

The Gamecocks’ runs came in the second inning on Tanner English’s double and Chase Vergason’s single.

Montgomery (6-1) struck out six and walked one in his first outing since June 3.

South Carolina is the third team in the 63-year history of the CWS to win two full games in the same day. The last to do it was Holy Cross in 1952, when it beat Western Michigan and Penn State en route to the title.

Arizona moves to CWS finals with 10-3 win over FSU

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Arizona converted three Florida State errors into a six-run first inning and advanced to the College World Series finals with a 10-3 victory over Florida State on Thursday.

Freshman starter Brandon Leibrandt was pulled after he recorded just one out for the Seminoles, who used eight pitchers to tie a CWS record for a nine-inning game.

Robert Refsnyder and Bobby Brown homered in a span of three at-bats in the fourth as the Wildcats built their lead to 10-1.

Kurt Heyer (13-2) worked 7 1-3 innings while taking the national lead for wins.

The Wildcats (46-17) won Bracket 1 and will open the best-of-three finals Sunday.

Leibrandt (8-3) was knocked out after 4 1-3 innings of the Seminoles’ 4-3, 12-inning loss to Arizona last Friday. On Thursday, he threw 31 pitches, only 15 strikes, and his throwing error set the stage for Arizona’s big first inning.

Gamecocks oust Kent St 4-1 on Roth’s CWS 2-hitter

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Michael Roth pitched a two-hitter and two-time defending national champion South Carolina eliminated Kent State from the College World Series with a 4-1 victory on Thursday.

The game had been postponed by rain Wednesday.

The Gamecocks (47-18) play again Thursday night against Arkansas. They need two wins over the Razorbacks to advance to the championship round that starts Sunday.

Grayson Greiner and Chase Vergason hit consecutive RBI singles in the second inning to erase Kent State’s 1-0 lead. LB Dantzler homered in the third against Tyler Skulina (11-3).

Kent State (47-20) finished 1-2 in its first CWS appearance.

Roth (9-1) struck out eight and walked none. He retired 22 in a row after giving up Sawyer Polen’s RBI single in the second inning.