April 12, 2009

Rankings are from CBI Composite Poll

Around the Bases
Thompson helps Kansas sweep No. 18 Oklahoma State

Rice captures C-USA series at ECU; Washington State wins at Arizona State

In Lawrence, Kan., Tony Thompson drove in the winning run for Kansas in the bottom of the 10th on a bases-loaded single Sunday to win 4-3 and complete the series sweep against No. 18 Oklahoma State. The Jayhawks (7-5, 23-12) were trailing 3-2 heading into the home half of the 10th, but Buck Afenir was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to tie the game and set the scene for Thompson’s heroics. Afenir finished with two hits and three RBI. The Cowboys (4-8, 21-14) actually out-hit the Jayhawks 14-9, with Tyrone Hambly going 4 for 5 and Tom Belza and Kevin David each adding three hits. The three-game sweep was the first for Kansas against Oklahoma State since 1993.

No. 5 Rice 5, No. 16 East Carolina 4

In Greenville, N.C., Mike Ojala fanned 10 in five innings as Rice won the rubber game of its C-USA series with ECU. Ojala (2-0) allowed four hits, two walks and one run. Brandon Henderson homered in the second for the Pirates (9-3, 26-9). Brock Holt’s RBI single capped a three-run fourth for the Owls (9-3, 25-8). Rice added single runs in the sixth and seventh for a 5-1 lead. Devin Harris had a three-run homer in the eighth for ECU. Holt finished with three hits for the Owls. Henderson had three hits and two runs for the Pirates.

Washington State 10, No. 1 Arizona State 4

In Tempe, Ariz., Michael Weber homered in the eighth to snap a 4-4 tie and his three-run double keyed a five-run ninth as WSU salvaged the finale of its Pac-10 series at ASU. Derek Jones homered in a four-run fifth for the Cougars (5-4, 15-15). The Sun Devils (10-2, 25-8) answered with a two-run single by Drew Maggi in the fifth and a pinch-hit two-run double by Abe Ruiz in the sixth for a 4-4 deadlock. Greg Lagreid finished with three hits and two runs for WSU.

Florida State 9, No. 2 North Carolina 8
In Tallahassee, Fla., Jason Stidham delivered a game-winning, two-run single in the bottom of the ninth as Florida State rallied to beat North Carolina for the second time this weekend. The Seminoles (9-7, 21-11) trailed by five entering the bottom of the eighth, when they scored four times, three on a double by Mike McGee. Sean Gilmartin then doubled in McGee. Tyler Holt and Stephen Cardullo walked to open the ninth and moved up on Stuart Tapley's sacrifice bunt, setting up Stidham, who hit a 3-1 pitch to right field for the game-winner. Kyle Seager went 3 for 4 with a double, homer and four RBI to lead the Tar Heels (10-7, 27-9).

No. 3 LSU 12, Alabama 7
In Tuscaloosa, Ala., Blake Dean had three hits, homered and drove in five, and Ryan Schimpf had three hits, a homer, three runs and two RBI as LSU pounded out 19 hits in capturing its SEC series with Alabama. The Tigers (10-5, 26-9) scored in seven of nine innings to make a winner of Louis Coleman, who improved to 8-1 with three earned runs in six innings. Jake Smith had two solo homers, and Brandon May went 3 for 4 with a solo homer for the Crimson Tide (7-8, 22-12).
 

No. 4 Georgia 5, Kentucky 4

In Lexington, Ky., Joey Lewis homered in the ninth to carry Georgia to the SEC series sweep at Kentucky. The Bulldogs (11-4, 29-6) have a half-game lead over Arkansas in the SEC standings. Georgia entertains the Razorbacks next weekend. Andy Burns homered in the first for the Wildcats (4-11. 18-16). Rich Poythress hit a two-run homer in the fifth to give Georgia a 4-3 lead. Kentucky tied it with an unearned run in the sixth. Chris Bisson had three hits for the Wildcats.

Clemson 9, No. 7 Miami (Fla.) 6
In Clemson, S.C., ninth batter Matt Sanders went 3 for 4 with a homer and four RBI as Clemson defeated Miami at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. The Tigers (11-7, 23-12) scored all of their runs in four consecutive innings beginning in the second after they trailed 2-0. Reliever Graham Stoneburner (4-3) earned the win in his 1.1 innings in which he allowed a run on three hits. Tomas Cruz picked up his third save in two scoreless innings. Starter Iden Nazario (4-1) surrendered six runs on six hits in 2.2 innings, while Harold Martinez finished 2 for 4 with three RBI for the Hurricanes (11-7, 25-10).

 

No. 10 Georgia Tech 4, No. 15 Virginia 4 (tie – travel curfew)

In Atlanta, Corey Hunt had a pinch-hit RBI single in the top of the ninth as Virginia tied Georgia Tech. The game was called after nine innings due to Virginia’s travel curfew. Tony Plagman had a two-run double in the eighth that gave the Yellow Jackets (10-5-1, 21-8-1) their first lead at 4-3. Plagman finished with two hits and three RBI. Dan Grovatt had three hits and one RBI for the Cavaliers (9-6-1, 28-7-1).

No. 14 Ole Miss 6, South Carolina 1

In Oxford, Miss., Scott Bittle and Jake Morgan combined to hold South Carolina to just one run and four hits in a winning effort for Ole Miss. Bittle (3-2) picked up the win for the Rebels (9-6, 25-10) to go along with seven strikeouts. Morgan worked the last three innings and did not surrender a hit or a walk to shut down the Gamecocks (7-8, 23-12) and avoid the series sweep. Matt Smith went 3 for 4 and scored two while Taylor Hashman added two RBI. South Carolina got its only run on a sixth-inning dinger by DeAngelo Mack.

No. 25 Florida 5, Auburn 1
In Auburn, Ala., Anthony DeSclafani (4-1) allowed just one run on four hits in 6.1 innings as Florida topped Auburn at Plainsman Park. Daniel Pigott and Preston Tucker each drove in two for the Gators (9-6, 23-12). Starter Taylor Thompson (2-2) gave up three runs on three hits in 3.1 innings. The Tigers (7-8, 23-12) outhit Florida 7-5, but committed two errors and scored their only run on a Joseph Sanders sacrifice fly in the third. Ninth batter Justin Hargett went 3 for 3 with a run.

 

The Citadel 12, Davidson 5

In Davidson, N.C., Richard Jones tied a school record with three home runs as The Citadel won its Southern Conference series at Davidson. Jones scored three and knocked in six for the Bulldogs (9-6, 20-13). Jones had two-run homers in the first, sixth and ninth. David Greene and Chris McGuiness also went deep for The Citadel. McGuiness and Nick Orvin both had three hits and two runs for the Bulldogs. Zach Kayne had two hits and a run for the Wildcats (8-7, 13-16).