College World Series: Thursday Elimination Game, South Carolina defeats Oklahoma, 3-2 in 12 innings

In a tremendous pitching duel, the South Carolina Gamecocks defeated the Oklahoma Sooners in 12 innings by a 3-2 score, scoring the two winning runs against Oklahoma ace closer Ryan Duke. DH Brady Thomas singled up the middle to score Jackie Bradley, Jr, giving South Carolina (50-16) the victory. The Gamecocks move forward in the tournament to face home-state rival Clemson (45-23) at 8 P.M. EDT tomorrow night.

Erben shuts down South Carolina in the ninth inning, sending the game to extra frames tied 1-1.

Bottom of the eighth, nobody out, runner on second, Erben relieves Neal. He has a 90-93 MPH fastball and a good slider, but will need to be sharp here....Buechele just bobbled a bunt, everyone safe.

....Bradley strikes out, but then Christian Walker knocks a single to tie the game, 1-1

The game continues to move quickly. In the top of the eighth, sidewinding South Carolina reliever John Taylor (3.76 ERA, 16/5 K/BB in 26 innings) shut down Oklahoma with ease. On to the bottom of the inning in this excellent display of college pitching.

Neal dodges another jam, stranding a runner on second base to end the seventh inning. Jeremy Erben was warming up in the pen, and it will be interesting to see if the Sooners stick with Neal or bring in a fresh arm in the bottom of the eighth.

Michael Roth shut down the Sooners in the seventh inning, using his 90-92 MPH fastball and slingshot southpaw delivery. Now to the bottom of the seventh. Expect Oklahoma to have a quick hook too if Neal gets in trouble with a tiny 1-0 lead.

Zach Neal’s command within the zone has wobbled a bit in the last two innings, but he continues to get people out and now has six shutout innings under his belt. Still Sooners 1, Gamecocks 0, top of the seventh.

Neal continues to work quickly through the South Carolina lineup, fanning four in four innings so far. His slider looks particularly good tonight. Oklahoma still leads 1-0 heading into the top of the fifth inning.

Oklahoma had a runner on second in the top of the fourth, thanks to a single by Garrett Buechele and a sacrifice bunt by Tyler Ogle, but was unable to bring him in. Still 1-0 heading into the bottom of the fourth. It will be interesting to see if the elevated fastball Neal threw at the bottom of the third is a trend possibly signaling a coming Gamecock rally, or if it was just a single bad pitch.

South Carolina’s Evan Marzilli hit a long drive to the right-center gap on an elevated fastball from Zach Neal, but the ball was caught to end the bottom of the third inning. Oklahoma still leads 1-0 as the pitching duel between Neal and Blake Cooper continues at a good pace.

Blake Cooper zipped through the Oklahoma lineup in the top of the third, matching Neal’s second inning sharpness with some nasty breaking balls of his own. This one looks like a good pitching matchup so far, with a pair of polished moundsmen at the top of their game. Let’s see how many innings it lasts.

Sooner starter Zach Neal appears sharp tonight, working his fastball and slider effectively in the zone, especially in the second inning. He is pitching with a hairline ankle fracture, but with no ill effects.

Oklahoma takes the lead in the top of the second. Caleb Bushyhead singles to score Tyler Ogle from second base. The Sooners enter the bottom of the second leading 1-0.

Thursday’s College World Series matchup is a rematch of the first Bracket Two game, featuring Oklahoma and South Carolina. Oklahoma won that first contest, 4-3.

This is an elimination game for the Sooners, who lost on Wednesday to Clemson, 6-4.