March 14, 2009

Rankings are from CBI Composite Poll

Around the Bases
Alabama sweeps doubleheader from No. 3 Georgia

Duke blanks Miami; Oklahoma State tops URI, Cal State Fullerton

In Tuscaloosa, Ala., Brandon May (right) went 4 for 6 with a homer, four walks and six RBI as Alabama swept an SEC doubleheader from previously unbeaten No. 3 Georgia, winning the opener 9-5 before taking the nightcap 11-5. In Game 1, Levi Hyams had a three-run homer for the Bulldogs (0-2, 14-2) in the second before a two-run single by Clay Jones capped a four-run third for the Crimson Tide (2-0, 11-4). Kent Matthes hit his 12th home run in the fifth, the top mark in the NCAA. He has gone deep in 10 of his past 12 games, including four straight. Austin Hyatt (4-0) fanned six in eight innings with eight hits and one walk to earn the victory. In the nightcap, May belted a grand slam in the first. Joey Lewis had a three-run homer in the third for the Bulldogs. May added a two-run single in a four-run fifth for Alabama. Adam Morgan (3-0) struck out nine in 7.1 innings in earning the victory.

Duke 2, No. 8 Miami (Fla.) 0

In Coral Gables, Fla., Andrew Wolcott tossed 7.1 shutout innings as Duke blanked Miami in ACC action at Alex Rodriguez Stadium at Mark Light Field. Wolcott (3-0) allowed six hits and one walk with five strikeouts. He allowed only one runner to reach third. Michael Ness worked the final 1.2 innings to earn the save. Alex Hassan doubled and scored in the first for the Blue Devils (3-2, 10-5). He doubled and scored again in the eighth on a sac fly by Jeremy Gould. Jake Lemmerman and Eric Pfisterer both had two hits for Duke. Nathan Melendres had two hits for the Hurricanes (4-1, 13-3).

No. 12 Oklahoma State 14, Rhode Island 2

No. 12 Oklahoma State 10, No. 7 Cal State Fullerton 6

In Stillwater, Okla., OSU smacked seven home runs in posting two win at Allie P. Reynolds Stadium. Neil Medchill had three homers for the Cowboys (13-3), including a pair in the opener against the Rams (7-4). Davis Duren and Tom Belza also went deep in Game 1. Medchill and Kevin David both drove in three. Oliver Palmer had two hits and two runs for URI. In the nightcap, the Titans (12-3) built an early 3-0 lead in the second. Nick Ramirez went deep for Fullerton in the second. Micheal Dabbs had a two-run homer in the third for OSU. Medchill and Tyrone Hambly had two-run homers in the sixth as the Cowboys took a 7-6 lead. Josh Fellhauer had three hits, including a home run, and drove in two for the Titans.

Missouri 2-0, No. 2 Texas 0-5

In Austin, Texas, Brandon Workman and Austin Wood combined on a three-hit shutout as Texas salvaged a split in a Big 12 doubleheader with Missouri. The Tigers (1-1, 8-9) took the first game as Kyle Gibson (3-1) tossed a complete-game shutout with six hits and 11 strikeouts, outdueling Chance Ruffin (3-1), who allowed two runs and five hits in 8.1 innings. Greg Folgia and Conner Mach each drove in runs in the third inning off Ruffin. In the second game, Brandon Belt had two hits and two RBI to back Workman (3-1), who allowed two hits and struck out seven in seven innings. The Longhorns improved to 1-1, 13-2.

Kansas 3, No. 5 Arizona State 2

In Surprise, Ariz., Buck Afenir’s run-scoring single in the seventh snapped a 2-2 tie and lifted Kansas past ASU at Surprise Stadium. T.J. Walz (2-0) allowed two runs in 6.1 innings with six hits, one walk and six strikeouts. Paul Smyth pitched the ninth for his third save. David Narodowski and Brian Heere had two hits and a run for the Jayhawks (10-4). Riccio Torrez had two hits and an RBI for the Sun Devils (13-3).

No. 6 Texas A&M 6, No. 11 Baylor 2

In College Station, Texas, Brooks Raley fanned nine in eight innings as Texas A&M topped Baylor in the Big 12 opener for both teams in front of 3,696 fans at Olsen Field. Raley (4-0) allowed four hits and walked one. A two-run single by Kevin Gonzalez in the seventh gave the Aggies (1-0, 12-4) a 4-1 lead. Adam Hornung homered in the fourth for the Bears (0-1, 10-3). Kyle Colligan scored three for Texas A&M. Aaron Miller had a double and an RBI for Baylor.

Tulane 6, No. 13 UC Irvine 3

In Irvine, Calif., Seth Henry hit his fifth homer and drove in three, and Sam Honeck added his fifth homer and drove in two as Tulane knocked off UC Irvine. Matt Petiton (3-0) allowed three earned runs in six innings, and Nick Pepitone shut down the Anteaters over the final three innings to post his third save for the Green Wave (11-6). Henry's homer three batters into the game came off Christian Bergman (2-1) and gave the Wave a 3-0 lead. Honeck's homer helped Tulane extend a 4-3 lead in the eighth. Irvine fell to 9-5.

Minnesota 6, No. 14 TCU 4

In Fort Worth, Texas, Kyle Knudson’s two-run double in the eighth put the Gophers ahead to stay as Minnesota edged TCU at Lupton Stadium. The Gophers (9-3) trailed 4-3 before Michael Kvasnicka had a one-out bunt single and Eric Decker walked before Knudson’s double gave Minnesota a 5-4 lead. Knudson scored on a base hit Nick O’Shea. Kyle Geason also knocked in two for the Gophers. Ben Carruthers and Jason Coats both had two hits for the Horned Frogs (10-3).

No. 16 Pepperdine 7, Wichita State 4

In Wichita, Kan., Bryce Mendonca singled in the tying run, and Tyler Brubaker plated two more with a single as Pepperdine scored five times (four with two outs) in the top of the ninth to even its series with Wichita State. The Shockers (7-7) led 4-3 and had not allowed a run in the ninth inning all season. Brian Humphries had three hits and three RBI for the Waves (11-4). Clinton McKeever drove in two for the Shockers.

No. 18 Oklahoma 10, USF 1

In Tampa, Aaron Baker homered and drove in three as Oklahoma ripped USF. The Bulls (7-7) got an RBI single by Todd Brazeal in the first before Baker’s two-run blast capped a three-run third for the Sooners (17-3). OU added three in the fourth and three more in the seventh. Jamie Johnson and Casey Johnson both had two hits and two RBI for the Sooners. Ryan Lockwood had two hits and a run for USF.

No. 21 Arkansas 8, No. 19 Florida 4

In Fayetteville, Ark., Tim Carver went 2 for 3 with two runs and two RBI, and Ben Tschepikow added two RBI as Arkansas beat Florida for the second straight day. The Razorbacks (2-0, 11-3) scored six times in the second inning and opened 2-0 in the SEC for the first time since 2000. Collin Kuhn added three hits and a RBI, and Andy Wilkins had two hits and two runs for Arkansas. Brandon McArthur led the Gators (0-2, 9-6) with three RBI.

No. 20 Cal Poly 10, California 5

In Berkeley, Calif., Adam Buschini, Matt Jensen and J.J. Thompson each drove in two runs as Cal Poly scored in six innings in evening its series with Cal. Matt Leonard allowed three runs in six solid innings for the Mustangs (10-4).

(photo courtesy of Alabama Media Relations Office)