College World Series 2011: South Carolina Downs Virginia; Florida, Cal Win In Early Games

South Carolina scored early and often in Tuesday’s College World Series matchup with Virginia, cruising to a 7-1 win. The Gamecocks came out with a flash, scoring three runs in the first to take an early lead. With Virginia unable to answer, the Gamecocks poured it on, chasing Cavaliers’ starter Will Clark from the game in just 3-1/3 innings. Clark gave up six earned runs, which proved to be all South Carolina needed.

Virginia drops down in the bracket to face California on Thursday. The Golden Bears staved off elimination earlier in the day by downing Texas A&M, 7-3. South Carolina is in the driver’s seat after Tuesday’s win and will be odd until Friday. The Gamecocks must only win once more while Virginia or Cal must beat them twice to advance to the final round.

Through four innings against Texas A&M, Cal had scratched out just one hit and had three base-runners. But after the fifth inning, the Golden Bears had three runs — and the lead in an elimination game at the 2011 College World Series.

The Golden Bears finally got to Texas A&M atarter Michael Wacha, with Darrel Matthews and Austin Booker rapping out two singles after leadoff batter Chad Bunting reached on a throwing error and scoring their first two runs of the game on a fielding error. Cal then added a third run on a sacrifice fly, claiming a 3-1 lead that is their biggest in Omaha so far.

After just an hour in their afternoon game in Omaha, Texas A&M leads California, 1-0, heading to the fifth inning in an elimination game at the 2011 College World Series.

The Aggies scored their lone run on a solo home run by third baseman Adam Smith in the fourth inning. The teams have combined for just four hits, and each team has had just three base-runners, with only Cal’s two on with two outs in the first inning putting more than one man on the basepaths at a time.

Inclement weather in Omaha has changed Tuesday’s College World Series schedule as the doubleheader will become a tripleheader at TD Ameritrade Park. The Florida Gators and Vanderbilt Commodores were in the sixth inning of their second round matchup, with the Gators leading 3-1 when play was suspended due to ominous clouds and winds packing a punch. By about 11:30 p.m., officials called the game, suspending play until 11:06 a.m. on Tuesday.

While the rest of the schedule for Tuesday will remain the same, fans in Omaha will be treated to some bonus ball in the morning. Florida and Vanderbilt will finish at 11:06 a.m., with the winner set to take control of bracket one. At 2 p.m., Cal and Texas A&M take the field in an elimination game. Virginia and South Carolina cap the action on Tuesday with a winner’s bracket matchup.