April 18, 2014

Rankings are from CBI Composite Poll

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Around the Bases
Kirby Fans 12 for Virginia against North Carolina

Cal Poly edges Fullerton, Ole Miss downs LSU, TCU blanks Texas

In Charlottesville, Va., Nathan Kirby (right) struck out 12 in 7.2 splendid innings, and Brandon Downes homered and drove in three as top-ranked Virginia edged North Carolina 3-2 Friday in the ACC. The Cavaliers (15-4, 32-6) improved to 9-3 in one-run games and have won 15 games this season when scoring five or fewer runs. Kirby (8-1) allowed six hits and two earned runs in a battle with Trent Thornton (7-2), who allowed three earned runs in six innings. Nick Howard struck out the side for his 12th save in 12 tries and also scored twice. Downes had a two-run homer in the second before North Carolina (9-10, 22-16) scored twice on a Parks Jordan RBI grounder and a wild pitch that scored Landon Lassiter, who had doubled. Downes had a sacrifice fly to score Howard in the bottom of the sixth.

No. 3 Cal Poly 4, Cal State Fullerton 3 (13)

In San Luis Obispo, Calif., Mark Mathias had a leadoff single in the bottom of the 13th and scored the game-winner on a double by Nick Torres as Cal Poly clinched a Big West series win against Cal State Fullerton. Mathias finished with four hits, including two doubles, and Peter Van gansen went 4 for 5 with a triple and two RBI for the Mustangs (10-1, 33-5). Reid Reilly (2-0) was brilliant in relief, tossing 4.2 hitless innings with one walk and nine strikeouts to earn the victory. Matt Chapman homered and Clay Williamson (3 for 5, RBI) was a home run short of the cycle for the Titans (3-5, 18-15).

No. 11 Ole Miss 5, No. 9 LSU 1

In Oxford, Miss., Christian Trent allowed one unearned run in seven innings as Ole Miss evened its SEC series with LSU in front of 10,061 fans at Swayze Field. Trent (5-0) scattered seven hits with two walks and five strikeouts. Scott Weathersby fanned four over the final two hitless innings to secure the win. Auston Bousfield went 4 for 4 with a home run and three RBI, while Braxton Lee was 2 for 3 with two runs for the Rebels (10-7, 30-10). Mark Laird went 2 for 4 with a run for the Tigers (9-7-1, 29-10-1).

TCU 2, No. 6 Texas 0

In Austin, Texas, Preston Morrison turned in seven scoreless innings as TCU blanked Texas for the second straight night in the Big 12. Morrison (5-3) allowed four hits and three hits and struck out seven, and Riley Ferrell earned his eighth save for the Horned Frogs (9-5, 25-13). Kevin Cron went 3 for 3, including an RBI triple in the seventh, for TCU. CJ Hinojosa went 2 for 4 for the Longhorns (9-5, 30-10).

No. 2 Louisiana-Lafayette 9, UT Arlington 5

In Arlington, Texas, Seth Harrison had a two-run triple in the seventh to tie the game and Michael Strentz had a two-run double to break the tie and spark a four-run eighth as Louisiana-Lafayette outscored UT Arlington. Caleb Adams went 3 for 4 with two homers, three runs and three RBI for the Ragin’ Cajuns (35-4). Greg Milhorn (3-0, 2 IP, 2 H, UE, BB, 2 K) earned the victory. Matt Shortall went 3 for 5 with two RBI for the Mavericks (16-22).

No. 5 Florida State 7, Wake Forest 1

In Winston-Salem, N.C., DJ Stewart set a school record for reaching base in 58 straight games with a single in the ninth and drove in three as Florida State pulled away from Wake Forest in the ACC. Stewart’s two-run single up the middle broke Shane Robinson’s school mark and keyed a four-run ninth inning for the Seminoles (15-4, 29-8). John Nogowski had two hits and two RBI, and Jose Brizuela added three hits for Florida State. Luke Weaver (6-3) was terrific, tossing a complete game with three hits and seven strikeouts. Nate Mondou went 2 for 2 with a solo homer for the Demon Deacons (11-8, 24-16).

No. 7 Louisville 3, UCF 2

In Orlando, Jeff Gardner homered and drove in two, and Nick Burdi worked into and out of a bases-loaded jam in the ninth inning as Louisville avoided a sweep at UCF. Anthony Kidston (4-0) allowed five hits and two earned runs with five strikeouts, and Burdi posted his eighth save for the Cardinals (8-4, 28-11). Tommy Williams and JoMarcos Woods each went 2 for 3 for the Knights (12-3, 25-16).

No. 10 Washington 6, California 2

In Berkeley, Calif., Tyler Davis and Trevor Dunlap combined to hold California to a pair of runs as Washington secured a Pac-12 series victory. Davis (8-1, 6 IP, 9 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 3 K) earned the victory, while Dunlap allowed one hit over the final three innings to record his fifth save. The Huskies (14-3, 27-7-1) scored a pair in the seventh to snap a 2-2 tie and added single runs in the eighth and ninth. Austin Rei went 1 for 2 with two RBI, while Erik Forgione was 2 for 3 with a double, two runs and one RBI for UW. Aaron Knapp had two hits and scored both runs for the Golden Bears (4-10, 15-19).

No. 12 Alabama 8, Tennessee 5

In Knoxville, Tenn., Alabama built an 8-0 lead after five and held off Tennessee in the SEC series opener for its fifth straight victory. Casey Hughston had two hits and two RBI, while Will Haynie homered and scored twice for the Crimson Tide (11-5, 27-11). Spencer Turnbull (5-2, 6.1 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 5 BB, 8 K) earned the win, while Thomas Burrows (1.2 IP, 3 K) notched his seventh save. Will Maddox (2 for 5) went deep for the Volunteers (6-10, 24-12).

No. 13 Oregon 6, Washington State 3

In Eugene, Ore., Austin Grebeck had a three-run double to cap a five-run fourth as Oregon topped Washington State to give head coach George Horton his 700th Division I victory. Shaun Chase went 1 for 3 with a double and two runs for the Ducks (9-5, 30-10). Jeff Gold (7 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 ER, BB, 2 K) moved to 9-0, while Jake Reed worked around a hit and a walk while striking out the side in the ninth for his 10th save. Yale Rosen had a two-run double in the fifth for the Cougars (7-7, 17-18).

Arkansas 6, No. 15 Vanderbilt 2

In Fayetteville, Ark., Eric Fisher had a three-run homer to cap a four-run first as Arkansas took the SEC series opener with Vanderbilt. Blake Baxendale had two hits and two RBI, while Andrew Benintendi and Joe Serrano both had two hits and two runs for the Razorbacks (8-8, 24-15). Trey Killian (2-6, 6.2 IP, 6 H, 2 UE, BB, 3 K) picked up the win. Dansby Swanson and Jason Delay both had a hit and a run for the Commodores (7-9, 28-11).

USF 4, No. 17 Houston 3

In Houston, Levi Borders delivered a two-run double to cap a four-run first as USF held on to edge Houston and even their American series. Casey Mulholland (4-0, 5.1 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 2 K) registered the win, while Lawrence Pardo (3.2 IP, 3 H, R, 4 K) finished to notch his second save for the Bulls (8-6, 22-16). Casey Grayson went 3 for 5 with a homer and two RBI for the Cougars (5-6, 28-10).

No. 18 Rice 2, UAB 0

In Houston, Kevin McCanna pitched a shutout as Rice blanked UAB to open their Conference USA series. McCanna (4-2) surrendered seven hits with no walks and five strikeouts. The Owls (14-5, 27-13) scored single runs in the third and sixth. Charlie Warren had two hits for Rice. Adam Smith went 2 for 3 for the Blazers (10-6, 24-14).

Long Beach State 1, No. 19 UC Santa Barbara 0

In Long Beach, Calif., Josh Frye tossed a five-hit shutout as Long Beach State evened its Big West series with UC Santa Barbara. Frye (3-0) did not walk a batter and struck out two. The Dirtbags (5-3, 18-18) scored their lone run in the first as Garrett Hampson (3 for 4) had a one-out double and came home on a base hit by Ino Patron (3 for 4). Tyler Kuresa went 1 for 3 with a double for the Gauchos (4-7, 23-10).

No. 20 Mississippi State 3, Missouri 2 (11)

In Columbia, Mo., Seth Heck had a two-out double and scored on a base hit by C.T. Bradford in the top of the 11th as Mississippi State took the SEC series opener at Missouri. Bradford finished with three hits, while Heck had two hits and two runs. Gavin Collins added two hits and two RBI for the Bulldogs (8-8, 24-15). Jonathan Holder (5.1 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 6 K) earned the victory. Eric Anderson had two hits, including a double, and one run for the Tigers (6-10, 17-19).

(photo courtesy of Virginia Media Relations)