May 17, 2008

Rankings are from CBI Composite Poll

MEAC: Norfolk State 7, UMES 2

MEAC: North Carolina A&T 6, Florida A&M 5

MEAC: Norfolk State 5, Delaware State 1

Around the Bases
Fedroff goes deep as No. 2 UNC outscores No. 1 Miami

Bucknell wins opener of Patriot League Championship series at Navy

In Coral Gables, Fla., Tim Fedroff (right) had three hits, including his 10^th home run, as No. 2 North Carolina outscored top-ranked Miami (Fla.) 10-6 Friday evening at Mark Light Field to even their ACC series at one game each. Dustin Ackley and Kyle Seager also had three hits each for the Tar Heels (21-7, 44-10). Seth Williams had an RBI double and scored in a three-run second for UNC. Williams added a two-run double in a three-run fourth as the Heels stretched their lead to 6-0. After getting another run in the fifth, Fedroff’s two-run homer in the sixth gave UNC a 9-0 lead. Mark Sobolewski belted a grand slam in the bottom of the frame to put the Hurricanes (23-4, 43-7) on the board. Yonder Alonso also went deep for Miami in the eighth.

Patriot League Championship

Bucknell 7, Navy 6

In Annapolis, Md., Jason Buursma scored the game-winner in the ninth and earned the victory on the mound as fourth-seeded Bucknell edged second-seeded Navy in the opener of the Patriot League Championship best-of-three series at Max Bishop Stadium. Buursma (8-3) tossed two scoreless innings with two hits and two strikeouts. He has pitched nine shutout innings in postseason play, earning all three Patriot League Tournament wins out of the bullpen for the Bison (25-22-2). Kendall Bolt had a two-run double in the first for the Midshipmen (32-24-1). Ben Allen’s RBI single in the top of the second made it a one-run contest. Jeff Bland’s two-run double capped a four-run third as Navy built a 6-1 advantage. Bucknell erupted for five in the seventh, highlighted by a two-run single by John Avanzino. Navy got a one-out triple in the bottom of the eighth, but Buursma got a strikeout and a groundout to end the threat. Buursma led off the ninth with a base hit, was sacrificed to second and scored on a single by Shawn Hirsch. Navy got a leadoff single in the bottom of the ninth, but Buursma got two groundouts and a strikeout to end the contest.

No. 3 Florida State 1, NC State 0
In Tallahassee, Fla., Florida State won a tight ACC game when Jack Rye drove in Buster Posey with a sacrifice fly after Posey led off the inning with a triple. Elih Villanueva went seven innings for the Seminoles (23-6, 45-9), allowing just three hits and four walks while striking out six. NC State (18-10, 37-17) starter Clayton Shunick was also solid, going six innings and allowing five hits while striking out 10. Jimmy Marshall pitched a hitless eighth for the Seminoles to earn the victory and Posey took the mound to earn the save with a perfect ninth.
 

No. 3 Arizona State 13, Washington 3

In Tempe, Ariz., Kiel Roling had four hits and four RBI to lead Arizona State past Washington in the opener of their Pac-10 series in front of 3,187 fans at Winkles Field-Packard Stadium at Brock Ballpark. Roling’s three-run double capped a four-run first for the Sun Devils (13-6, 42-9). ASU built a 10-0 lead before the Huskies (10-9, 31-18) got on the board in the seventh.

No. 5 Rice 8-6, Tulane 4-2
In New Orleans, Mike Ojala struck out a career-best 10 as Rice completed a doubleheader sweep of Tulane for its 22nd win in 23 games. In the early game, Diego Seastrunk's three-run homer in the top of the ninth broke a 4-4 tie as the Owls rallied for six runs in the final two innings to overcome the Green Wave. J.P. Padron had three hits and two RBI, and Derek Myers had three hits and two runs for the Owls. Cole St. Clair (8-2) tossed the final 1.2 innings to post the win. Andrew Rodgers had two RBI for the Green Wave. In the nightcap, Ojala (5-0) allowed five hits and one earned run in 6.2 innings, and Aaron Luna and Chad Mozingo had two RBI apiece for the Owls (21-3, 42-11). Matt Petiton (6-1) threw seven solid innings in defeat for Tulane (13-9-1, 36-18-1).

No. 13 Missouri 8, No. 6 Nebraska 1
In Columbia, Mo., Aaron Senne scored the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly to start a seven-run eighth and later ripped a three-run double in the inning as Missouri topped Nebraska. Aaron Crow worked into the ninth to improve to 12-0, allowing one run, four hits and four walks while striking out eight. Steve Gray went 3 for 3 and added a two-run double in the eighth-inning outburst for the Tigers (14-11, 35-17). Johnny Dorn worked into the seventh, allowing one run on six hits, but didn't figure into the decision. Dan Jennings (6-2) was saddled with the loss after allowing three runs in one-third of an inning for the Cornhuskers (17-7-1, 39-10-1).

Texas 5, No. 7 Texas A&M 2
In Austin, Texas, Jordan Danks had two triples and three RBI, and Chance Ruffin sparkled over seven innings as Texas handed rival Texas A&M a loss in the Big 12. With the score tied at 1 in the seventh, Danks tripled in a pair of runs and scored on Preston Clark's sacrifice fly. Ruffin allowed six hits and a run and struck out five for the Longhorns (13-12, 32-19). Brooks Raley (6-1) allowed five earned runs in a complete-game effort for the Aggies (19-6, 42-12). The series moves to College Station Saturday.

Alabama 17-4, No. 8 Georgia 13-5
In Athens, Ga., Georgia and Alabama split a wild doubleheader. In the first game, the Crimson Tide (15-14, 31-24) opened up a 10-1 lead in the third inning, but the Bulldogs (20-8-1, 35-18-1) cut the lead to 14-12 before the Tide scored three in the ninth. Ross Wilson and Alex Avila each had three hits and drove in five for Alabama. Avila's day included a grand slam and Wilson hit a three-run shot. Bryce Massanari was 4 for 4 for Georgia and drove in six and homered twice, he ended up 7 for 7 on the day. Rich Poythress also had four hits, homered and drove in three for the Bulldogs. In Game 2, Georgia scored the winning run when Matt Olson singled and Ryan Peisel scored from first because of an Alabama error. Stephen Dodson started and pitched six innings for Georgia, limiting the Tide to two runs on four hits. Massanari, Poythress and Gordon Beckham all homered for Georgia. Wilson and Avila both went deep again for Alabama.

No. 9 Oklahoma State 7, Oklahoma 1
In Tulsa, Okla., Andrew Oliver tossed eight splendid innings, and Donnie Webb and Rebel Ridling drove in a pair of runs as OSU won the opener in the Bedlam Series with Oklahoma in front of 11,232 fans at Drillers Stadium. Oliver allowed seven hits and one run - the 12th time in 13 starts the lefty has allowed two or fewer runs - and struck out seven for the Cowboys (17-8, 39-14). Support came from Ridling (3 for 5) and Matt Hague (3 for 5, 3 R, RBI). Trey Sperring had three hits for the Sooners (8-16-1, 31-22-1). The series shifts to Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City.
 

No. 11 Cal State Fullerton 10, San Diego State 3

In Fullerton, Calif., Josh Fellhauer had four hits and Erik Komatsu knocked in three as Cal State Fullerton handled San Diego State at Goodwin Field. The Titans (34-17) built a 6-0 lead before the Aztecs (30-25) scored three in the sixth. Fullerton added two in the sixth and two more in the seventh for its final margin. Fellhauer had a homer to ignite a three-run third for the Titans.

UC Davis 3, No. 12 UC Irvine 1
In Davis, Calif., Evan Hudson's two-run single in the bottom of the eighth broke a 1-1 tie as UC Davis won its Big West opener against UC Irvine. Eddie Gamboa tossed 7.1 innings with an unearned run and four strikeouts for the Aggies (11-8, 32-19). Ty Kelly had three of Davis' six hits and also scored a run. Ollie Linton had two hits and a run for the Anteaters (10-9, 34-15).

Florida 5, No. 14 Vanderbilt 4
In Gainesville, Fla., the Gators got the better of Vanderbilt for the second day in a row. Cole Figueroa delivered the big blow for Florida (16-13, 33-20) with a three-run homer. Clayton Pisani had the other two RBI on a fourth-inning double. Vanderbilt (15-13, 37-17) recorded 11 hits, but Florida starter Stephen Locke scattered 10 of them over seven innings to limit the Commodores to three runs and earn the victory.

No. 17 Michigan 7-0, Northwestern 1-2
In Ann Arbor, Mich., Eric Jokisch tossed a five-hit shutout as Northwestern salvaged a split with Michigan, which won the opener, thanks in part to Nate Recknagel's 23rd homer. Tony Vercelli homered for the Wildcats (14-17, 21-27). In the opener, Recknagel went 2 for 4 with two RBI, and Zach Putnam hurled five innings with one earned run to improve to 7-0 for the Wolverines (25-4, 41-11). Michigan tied the Big 10 mark for league wins in a season.

No. 19 Coastal Carolina 10, Radford 4
In Pulaski, Va., Radford's early lead did not hold up, as Coastal Carolina scored five in the fifth and piled on five more to win comfortably. David Anderson's four hits, including his 16th homer, led the way for Coastal Carolina (16-3, 42-11). Dock Doyle hit his 15th homer and seven Chanticleers drove in a run. Nick Minter drove in three for the Highlanders (6-13, 22-29).

No. 20 LSU 15, Auburn 6

In Auburn, Ala., LSU stretched its win streak to 15, including 11 straight conference victories, with its SEC win over Auburn at Plainsman Park. LSU (17-11-1, 38-16-1) captured the SEC Western Division title. Matt Clark, Leon Landry and Ryan Schimpf each had three hits for LSU. Auburn fell to 11-18 in league play, 28-27 overall.

Canisius 7, Niagara 4

In Niagara Falls, N.Y., Canisius clinched at least a share of the MAAC title with a win over Niagara at Sal Maglie Stadium. It was the second regular-season title in the history of the Golden Griffins (19-5, 40-11). Ryan Asis had a two-run single in the first for Canisius. The Eagles (10-14, 22-28) answered with three in the second as Clint Elkins had an RBI double and scored. Adam Donato doubled and scored in the third for the Griffs to tie it at 3-3. Canisius took command with four in the fourth, capped by a two-run single by Kevin Mailloux.

TCU 8-14, New Mexico 3-11

In Albuquerque, N.M., TCU swept a doubleheader from New Mexico at Isotopes Park to capture the Mountain West regular-season title. Chris Ellington drove in six in the nightcap to give the sweep to the Horned Frogs (18-5, 38-16). Bryan Holaday’s two-run doubled keyed a four-run seventh as TCU took the lead for good. Andrew Cashner tossed three scoreless innings with six strikeouts to earn his eighth save.