College World Series 2011: South Carolina Scores Walkoff Win, Gets Virginia Next

The game’s 4-4 deadlock continued into the top of the ninth inning, when ... well, when nobody scored, for one thing. Carolina pitcher John Taylor pitched a perfect inning in relief of Matthew Roth, with Matt Price taking over to record the final two outs of the half-frame.

The defending champions sent C Robert Beary to the plate, who came just a couple feet shy of winning the game all at once. His deep shot bounced off the outfield wall, giving him a double. He skidded around second as he considered heading for third, wisely doubling back. The risk wouldn’t have been worth it, as the team could spend at least three at bats on trying to bring him home.

After eight total runs between South Carolina and Texas A&M in their 2011 College World Series game, it quickly turned into another contest favoring the pitchers. The score remains tied at four through six innings.

South Carolina’s starter, Michael Roth, has issued five walks so far, but just two since the second inning. He’s also struck out seven and since the start of the second inning just two hits have come off of his pitches. A double play in the fourth inning squandered a leadoff single by the Aggies. All four runs he allowed were unearned.

After Sunday’s first game of the day, a pitchers’ duel between Cal and Virginia, an offensive, back-and-forth game between South Carolina and Texas A&M is exactly what fans could hope for in the nightcap of the 2011 College World Series. And that’s mostly what was delivered in the first inning alone: a 4-4 tie.

Sloppy defense hurt the Gamecocks early on as Christian Walker failed to field the ball, allowing Tyler Naquin to reach base. South Carolina starter Michael Roth gave up the first run on a Jacob House single. House and Matt Juengel pulled off a double steal, while Roth issued his second walk of the game to load the bases. Left fielder Brandon Wood tripled down the right field line to clear the loaded bases.

The South Carolina Gamecocks begin their second straight appearance in the College World Series on Sunday night after winning it all in 2010. The Texas A&M Aggies are the first roadblock on their road to repeat as College World Series champions. The last team to do so is the Oregon State Beavers in 2006-07.

The Gamecocks will receive a boost to their starting lineup as star center fielder Jackie Bradley will make his long-awaited return. During the regular season he came down with a wrist injury that kept him out for the remainder of the regular season and the first two rounds of the NCAA Baseball Tournament. The 2010 College World Series Most Outstanding Player will bat second. Bradley was selected No. 40 overall by the Boston Red Sox in the 2011 MLB Draft. Though he hit just .259/.351/.468 before the injury, Bradley’s return as a leader on the field will also be a huge boon.

Put a 4-1 victory on the board for the Virginia Cavaliers in the 2011 College World Series. Playing the first game in Bracket 2, the Cavaliers and the California Golden Bears were locked in a pitchers’ duel through the first six and one-half innings of the game.

Virginia LHP Danny Hultzen was the player of the game. He kept Cal off the board for 6.1 innings, allowing just three hits and striking out six. He did look shaky early on, walking two in the first inning, but he settled down after that. He also drew two walks as the team’s designated hitter.

After six scoreless innings in Game 3 of the 2011 College World Series, the Virginia Cavaliers put the first runs of the game on the board in the bottom of the seventh inning. Will this prove too late for Cal to come back from?

Virginia’s Keith Werman started the inning with a single up the middle and advanced to second on a Chris Taylor walk. This led Cal to take out reliever Logan Scott and replace him with Matt Flemer. Flemer induced John Barr into a ground out, but this moves both runners ahead on the bases. A John Hicks single and a Steven Proscia sac fly scored both runs.

The bottom of the third nearly provided UVA with a chance to finally hang something on the scoreboard, but Erik Johnson escaped with runners on the corners thanks to an expertly managed rundown by catcher Chadd Krist. Danny Hultzen, meanwhile, has allowed just four Bears on base.

We’ve enjoyed three hits so far, provided by Cal’s Mitch Delfino and Hoos Chris Taylor and John Barr. After Saturday’s outbursts by SEC teams, we may need to hope for a more eventful evening offering. Pitching is so boring!