College World Series 2016 scores and bracket: 2 straight losses and Miami’s tournament is over

After falling completely asleep against Arizona on Saturday, Miami’s bats woke up somewhat on Monday, connecting for seven hits and driving in three runs. But in the end, UC Santa Barbara’s small ball, pitching and defense handed the Canes a 5-3 loss and an early exit from the College World Series.

Once Miami slugger Zack Collins socked a two-out solo homer in the top of the first, UC Santa Barbara could have just rolled over and died, conceding the day to Miami’s power and No. 3 national seed prestige. This is the losers bracket, after all, and the Canes should own the narrative.

But nobody told the Gauchos, apparently, because they came right back in the bottom of the opening frame and scored an answering run the same way they have scored all tournament: sound base running and situational hitting. UCSB’s JJ Muno, who had himself quite an outing Monday, ripped a single into right field, and Clay Fisher scored from second. Canes starter Danny Garcia calmed down, got himself out of the inning and settled in for a duel with his Gaucho opposite Noah Davis.

Then in the bottom of the sixth, the rains came and delayed proceedings for 62 minutes.

Garcia lasted just two batters after the stoppage for Miami, giving up a double to Muno, which advanced Devon Gadford to third. Canes reliever Frankie Bartow thus inherited both runners with one out and he got thoroughly whipped over the course of the inning. Pinch-hitter Ryan Cumberland’s bases-loaded double and some clever bunting from those behind him plated four Gauchos, and suddenly the game was wide open, 5-1.

Miami hit valiantly in the top of the eighth, crossing two runs in the frame, but Gauchos closer Kyle Nelson remained under control and pounded the strike zone. He forced a comeback double play to end the game and now UCSB has won its first-ever College World Series game.

It seems a spate of bad weather continued to roll through Omaha on Monday, delaying the start time of the night game almost two and a half hours. Given such a lengthy delay, #CollegeBaseballRainDelays shenanigans naturally ensued. Arizona held a mock press conference to speak candidly about its rally mascot, a Spiderman action figure.

Oklahoma State converted the team’s clubbie into a makeshift bowling alley.

Even the ESPN crew joined in on the shared boredom and putted around the broadcast booth. Karl Ravech laid his 12-foot attempt up bad.

Once the clouds cleared, Arizona and Oklahoma State locked in for a knotted pitchers’ duel. Wildcats hurler Bobby Dalbec -- who dealt a couple of gems in the regional and super regional rounds and was recently drafted for his hitting prowess -- pitched shutout baseball until the top of the fourth, when the Cowboys put together a bit of a rally to plate a run off an RBI single from third baseman Garrett Benge.

From there, Dalbec worked nicely through to the eighth, silencing the Oklahoma State bats, which have been loud and long this tournament.

Cowboys pitcher Tyler Buffett also threw a stoic eight innings of scoreless work, striking out six Wildcats on 100 pitches.

Despite Dalbec’s lone blemish in the fourth, Arizona’s bats couldn’t get anywhere against the Pokes’ stifling pitchers, especially mustachioed reliever Trey Cobb, who threw 13 pitches in the final frame to ice the game. The Wildcats will face a crafty UC Santa Barbara club on Wednesday, where the loser will be eliminated.