ADVERTISEMENT

Saturday (3/28) News Links

LJS: Sinclair, Huskers take first game from Texas

This, Darin Erstad said, is what big-boy, Friday night baseball looks like.

Nebraska used a stellar start from pitcher Chance Sinclair, took advantage of timely hitting and threw in flawless defense in a quick, tidy 3-1 victory over No. 16 Texas before 3,221 fans at Haymarket Park on Friday night.

"Those are fun games to play," said Erstad, the Nebraska coach. "To have over 3,000 fans here when it's like 12 degrees outside, they were awesome."

Game-time temperature was actually a damp 45 - still chilly enough that the 2-hour, 5-minute game didn't go unappreciated.

Sinclair, a senior right-hander, set the tone by pitching 5 1/3 innings of no-hit ball. He departed with two outs in the eighth, having allowed only two hits, one earned run and two walks with six strikeouts.

"The bigger the stage, the more locked in he gets," Erstad said. "He was ready to play from the second he got here. Just really fun to watch him execute his pitches. I mean, to command your change-up like that, at will, in any count, is very impressive."

Sinclair, who won his third straight start to improve to 4-3, said he knew warming up he'd have a good three-pitch mix. He combined that with good location to limit the Longhorns (17-9) to two singles and only four base runners.

Sinclair's change-up was especially key against a fastball-hitting team.

"I had situations where I was in bad counts where I could go to an off-speed pitch and know that I was going to throw it over the plate," Sinclair said. "When you've got that in your back pocket, it's always easier to get out of situations."

Texas starter Parker French limited Nebraska (19-7) to two singles through four innings, but the Huskers broke through in the fifth inning with four straight hits from the bottom four batters in the order.

Austin Darby beat out a grounder to second base for an infield hit, Austin Christensen doubled to left-center field and freshman left fielder Elijah Dilday, who entered the game with only 10 at-bats this season, singled home Darby for a 1-0 lead.

The hit was Dilday's third this season, and the RBI his first.

"He had shoulder surgery and is just coming back but plays with a lot of energy," Erstad said. "I talked to him and said, 'We need something on the right side,' and he's not afraid to swing the bat.

"He got a big hit up the middle and really got that thing going. He made a couple of nice plays in the outfield as well with the limited reps he's had."

Jake Placzek reached safely on a bunt single down the third-base line to load the bases. A Ryan Boldt groundout scored Christensen and Dilday scored on an infield hit by Jake Schleppenbach for a 3-0 lead.

Reliever Ty Culbreth replaced French and got a double play to end the inning.

"Two great pitchers going at it completely different ways," Erstad said. "Chance keeping them off-speed and French throwing power sinkers and sliders. It's just who gets the opportunity first, and we kept swinging, were aggressive, got a few balls up, found some holes."

Texas broke the shutout in the eighth when Brett Boswell drew a leadoff walk and Michael Cantu singled. A sacrifice bunt moved the runners up, and No. 9 hitter Zane Gurwitz's fly ball to right scored Boswell.

"We had a couple of long innings there at the end so I started to get a little tight," Sinclair said. "My location started wearing off a little bit, but I knew I had the bullpen behind me."

Sinclair exited, and reliever Colton Howell struck out Ben Johnson on three pitches to end the inning.

Josh Roeder pitched around a one-out double by Collin Shaw in the ninth - Shaw's 14th double this season - to earn his eighth save.

Game two of the three-game series is Saturday at 2:05 p.m.

LJS: Sinclair, Huskers take first game from Texas
 
NU: Sinclair Dominates No. 16 Texas in 3-1 Win

Lincoln - Behind 7.2 innings of two-hit work from starter Chance Sinclair along a three-run fifth inning from the Husker offense, the Nebraska baseball team opened its series against the No. 16 Texas Longhorns on Friday night at Hawks Field with a 3-1 victory. The Huskers are now 19-7 on the year and are 12-1 at Hawks Field in 2015.

After starting the year 1-3, Sinclair produced his third straight win to improve to 4-3 on the year and 13-4 during his career at Nebraska. The third-team preseason All-American didn't give up a hit until the sixth inning, when No. 9 hitter Zane Gurwitz lined a single up the middle, and only allowed four base runners on the evening. Sinclair struck out six Longhorns, including five over the first three innings.

Texas starter Parker French matched Sinclair early, allowing only a pair of hits through the first four innings. The wheels fell off for French in the fifth when the Huskers started the frame with four straight hits. The senior lasted a season-low 4.1 innings and gave up a season-high three earned runs on a season-high tying seven hits.

Austin Darby got NU's three-run fifth started with a base hit and the Huskers quickly had two runners in scoring position when Austin Christensen, who had missed the last 10 games with a hamstring injury, followed with a double. Freshman Elijah Dilday broke the scoreless game with a RBI single, his first RBI as a Husker, and Jake Placzek loaded the bases with a bunt single. Ryan Boldt gave the Huskers a 2-0 lead with a RBI groundout and Jake Schleppenbach chased French from the game with a RBI single, the Huskers fifth hit of the inning. Reliever Ty Culbreth took over and stopped the bleeding with an inning-ending double play.

With a 3-0 lead, Sinclair hung zeros in the sixth and seventh innings, but got into a jam in the eighth when he walked leadoff batter Bret Boswell and then gave up a single to Michael Cantu. Kacy Clemens laid down a sacrifice bunt that put two runners in scoring position and Gurwitz followed with a sac fly that cut NU's lead to 3-1. With the tying run at the plate in leadoff man Ben Johnson, the Huskers turned the ball over to junior relieve Colton Howell, who promptly ended the Texas threat with a three-pitch strikeout.

Josh Roeder, a native of Plano, Texas, took the mound in the ninth and struck out the first batter he faced. Collin Shaw then roped his 14th double of the year into right field to give the Longhorns life. Roeder bounced back and retired UT's No. 4 and 5 hitters in order for his eighth save of the season and the 26th of his career.

The Huskers and Longhorns will be back at Hawks Field tomorrow at 2:05 p.m. for the second game of their three-game series. The game will be shown nationwide on the Big Ten Network.

NU: Sinclair Dominates No. 16 Texas in 3-1 Win
 
UT: No. 10 Baseball drops pitcher's duel at No. 30 Nebraska, 3-1

LINCOLN, Neb. -- For four innings starting pitchers Parker French and Chance Sinclair took turns mowing down opposing batters, but Nebraska broke through with a three-run fifth inning to propel the No. 30 Cornhuskers to a 3-1 victory over the No. 10 Baseball team Friday night at Hawks Field.

Sinclair, a senior right-hander, kept Texas hitless until Zane Gurwitz singled up the middle in the sixth inning. He allowed just two hits and a run in 7 2/3 innings work, striking out six and walking two.

French cruised through the first four innings, retiring 11 straight between a leadoff single in the first and a two-out base knock in the fourth. The senior right-hander struck out three and threw just 37 pitches in the first four frames, but ran into trouble in the fifth.

Nebraska (19-7) used five hits - three of them not leaving the infield - to take a 3-0 advantage. After a leadoff single up the middle that second baseman Brooks Marlow snagged but had no play on, Austin Christensen doubled and Elijah Dilday delivered a RBI single just above the outstretched glove of shortstop C.J Hinojosa.

Another single, this time on a bunt, and a RBI groundout made it 2-0 before Nebraska's fifth hit of the inning increased the lead to 3-0. Lefty reliever Ty Culbreth came on and prevented further damage by inducing a 6-3 double play on the second pitch he threw.

Culbreth (1 2/3 IP) and lefty Travis Duke (2 IP) kept Texas within striking distance by combining to allow just one base runner.

The Longhorns (17-9) got on the scoreboard in the eighth, when Bret Boswell drew a leadoff walk, Michael Cantu followed with a single and Gurwitz lifted a RBI sac fly a batter later. Texas, though, wasn't able to get any closer as Nebraska reliever Colton Howell came on to record the final out of the inning and strand a man on second.

Sinclair, who retired the side in order five times, picked up the win to improve to 4-3. Josh Roeder worked around a double by Collin Shaw in the ninth for his eighth save of the season, while French (2-2) took the loss.

The Longhorns and Cornhuskers play game two of the series at 2:05 p.m. Saturday.

UT: No. 10 Baseball drops pitcher's duel at NU
 
BA - Friday Roundup: Hurricanes Rally Past Tar Heels

CHAPEL HILL, N.C.-It wasn't easy to hear Willie Abreu, huddled up in the opposing dugout, as Friday night fireworks rocketed into the sky.

Just moments before, Abreu had fueled Miami's own explosion, hitting a two-run, game-tying single off of North Carolina closer Trent Thornton in the ninth, then coming around to score what became the winning run on a single by nine-hole hitter Johnny Ruiz.

Just like that, the Hurricanes spoiled the post-game Boshamer Stadium fireworks show, stealing a 4-3 win from the Tar Heels.

"At the University of Miami, we always pride ourselves on having that swagger and that confidence, especially in tight games," said Abreu over the fireworks. "In that situation, we just continued to battle . . . we have that confidence that we're going to get it done."

The game took a few twists and turns throughout the evening. In the first inning, two-hole hitter Ricky Eusebio pulled a solo home run over the left field wall off of UNC sophomore righthander Zac Gallen to give Miami an early lead. From there, however, Gallen settled down to deliver a stellar outing (7 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 8 K). At one point, Gallen retired 16 in a row, commanding his cutter along with a 90-92 mph fastball.

But Miami junior lefthander Thomas Woodrey (6.2 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K) matched him for most of the way, dazzling UNC hitters with his offspeed stuff for six scoreless innings. He entered the seventh having thrown only 65 pitches, but after the umpire ruled Miami's first baseman took his foot off the base on a Skye Bolt sacrifice bunt, the inning unraveled. UNC tied the score with an RBI groundout from Tyler Ramirez, and junior catcher Korey Dunbar sent a 72 mph changeup over the wall in center field for a two-run shot.

"It was more hats off to them," Woodrey said. "I thought the home run was on a good pitch. They're a great team. They battled the whole way, and they made their adjustments that inning."

But Miami was able to battle back against Thornton in the ninth, whom UNC head coach Mike Fox said the Tar Heels need to get back on track.

"He's not the same Trent Thornton," he said. "That's pretty evident . . . He would admit that."

For Miami, the win stopped a two-game skid.

"I thought it was a great game, first of all. We played well, they played well, and we did a great job of coming back," head coach Jim Morris siad. "That's probably what I'm most proud of, that we battled back there to get the last couple of runs."

Top 25 Showdowns

(17) Houston at (6) Central Florida: In the highly anticipated American Athletic Conference opener between the league's top teams, UCF came out on top, 9-2. Star freshman righthander Cre Finfrock (7 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 K) outdueled Andrew Lantrip (2.2 IP, 9 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 2 BB, 1 K) as balls flew out of the ballpark. Juco transfer Chris Iriart and shortstop Connor Wong both homered for Houston, while the Knights homered four times-from freshman Kyle Marsh, Tommy Williams and twice from JoMarcos Woods-to push Finfrock to 6-0 on the season.

"We talk a lot about responding when another team scores. Tonight, they hit homers in each of the first two innings," assistant coach Kevin Schnall told ucfknights.com. "In both innings, we responded and that is a big way for our offense to help out our pitching staff. We are one team and it all started with Cre."

Top 25 Upsets

Kentucky at (1) Louisiana State: The Wildcats dealt the Tigers just their fourth loss of the season in a wild 5-4 12-inning win. Two big innings derailed LSU's efforts. After cruising through six scoreless, lefthander Jared Poche' (6.2 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 3 K) allowed three runs to come across in the seventh to tie, then closer Jesse Stallings allowed the game-winning two-run double to left fielder Ka'ai Tom in the top of the 12th. LSU had a chance to come back in the bottom half of the 12th, as the first two batters in the inning reached base on Kentucky errors. Jake Fraley hit a sacrifice fly to cut the deficit to one, but Jared Foster grounded out to end the game with the tying run on third base.

"This was one of the most frustrating games I've ever coached, because we made mistakes that we don't usually make," coach Paul Mainieri told lsusports.net. "That falls back on coaching-it's my responsibility to make sure we don't make those kind of mistakes, and I have to make sure the players understand how to correct them and are prepared to execute the right way. Kentucky has a good ball club, so we have to brush this game off and look forward to tomorrow for a chance to even the series."

Alabama at (4) Florida: The first game was a nightmare, but the second was a dream. The Gators dropped the first game of a Friday doubleheader with Alabama, 12-9, in 10 topsy-turvy innings. Florida jumped out to 4-1 lead, but the Crimson Tide came surging back with a seven-run seventh. The Gators responded with three runs in the seventh-two from a Harrison Bader home run-and two runs in the eighth, but Alabama scratched across three runs against Taylor Lewis in the 10th to seal a win. After using eight pitchers in that game, Florida needed just righthander Logan Shore (9 IP, 10 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 K) in the nightcap, cruising to an 8-1 win.

"I think that is the best start Logan has had all year," head coach Kevin O'Sullivan told gatorzone.com. "We needed an outing like that because we used a lot of our pitchers in the first game. He delivered. Moving forward into tomorrow and next week, I feel really good about where Logan is. We have been waiting for him to have a start like that. He delivered and did exactly what we needed him to do for us, for himself and for our team."

(8) Southern California at Washington: The Trojans jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the third on a Bobby Stahel RBI single, but they couldn't hold it. The Huskies put up five runs against starter Brent Wheatley (5.1 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 2 K) with the big blow being a three-run home run from shortstop Chris Baker in the sixth. Washington righthander Noah Bremer (6 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 0 K) continued his excellent freshman campaign, holding the Trojans at bay after they struck for a run in the third.

Virginia Tech at (10) Florida State: The Hokies have proven to be a tough matchup in ACC play, sweeping Virginia two weeks ago and taking Friday's game against another top-10 opponent in Florida State. Sean Keselica (7 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 9 K) was once again dominant for Virginia Tech, outpitching FSU sophomore Boomer Biegalski (6.1 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 5 K) in an 8-3 Hokies win. Catcher Danny De La Calle homered and Chris Marconcini and D.J. Stewart each drove in a run, but that was all the Seminoles could manage against Keselica and the Hokies.

Long Beach State at (16) UC Santa Barbara: There's not much more Dillon Tate (9 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 19 K) could've done Friday night. The junior righthanded draft prospect delivered one of his finest outings of the season, yet he came out on the losing end as Long Beach State starter Kyle Friedrichs (9 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 13 K) was just a tad better. Rubbing salt in the wound is that the Dirtbags scored both of their runs courtesy of UCSB errors.

Kansas at (18) Texas Tech: Big 12 play has not treated the Red Raiders well so far. Texas Tech lost two of three to Oklahoma to open the conference slate, and the Red Raiders lost their opener against Kansas, 7-4, on Friday, losing their fourth straight game overall. The Jayhawks peppered sophomore righthander Ryan Moseley (4.1 IP, 9 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 K) and added two more runs against reliever Parker Mushinski. The Red Raiders flirted with a comeback, scoring three runs in the fifth on an RBI single by DH Cory Raley and a two-run single from rightfielder Quinn Carpenter, but they couldn't add more.

(19) Texas at Nebraska: Righthander Parker French (4.1 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 3 K) traded zeroes with Nebraska's Chance Sinclair (7.2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K) through the first four innings, but the Cornhuskers were able to burn French for three runs in the fifth to put themselves on track for a 3-1 win. The Longhorns simply couldn't solve Sinclair, tallying just two hits against him and scoring their only run of the game on an eighth-inning sacrifice fly by Zane Gurwitz.

(22) Oregon at Arizona: The Ducks came into the weekend having lost back-to-back weekend series, and they're not off to a good start this weekend, either. Oregon committed five errors and stranded 11 men on base to fall to the Wildcats, 7-2. Conor Harber (5.1 IP, 7 H, 7 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 7 K) was the victim of shoddy defensive support in his first loss of the season. First baseman Brandon Cuddy and rightfielder Jakob Goldfarb each tallied three hits, but Oregon could do little with the 11 hits it put up.

Kansas State at (23) Oklahoma State: The Cowboys' seven-game winning streak came to an end at the hands of Kansas State. K-State set the tone with a Shane Conlon solo home run in the top of the first off of righthander Jon Perrin (4.1 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 6 K) and continued to apply pressure in a 4-2 win. Conor Costello homered and Garrett McCain doubled to supply the only scoring for Oklahoma State.

(24) Indiana at Iowa: Junior righthander Tyler Peyton (9 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K) was excellent for the surging Hawkeyes, dealing Indiana its first shutout in 76 games. Junior lefthander Caleb Baragar (7 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K) was the tough-luck loser in the 2-0 defeat. The Hawkeyes scored one run on the first after a double, sacrifice bunt and RBI groundout and added an unearned insurance run in the bottom of the eighth.

Other Top 25 Results

Tennessee at (2) Vanderbilt: As has often been the case on Fridays this season, junior righthander and top draft prospect Carson Fulmer (8 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 12 K) was near-flawless, shutting down Tennessee in a 9-0 Commodores win. The 12 strikeouts for Fulmer were a career high as he earned his fourth win of the season. Tennessee starter Bret Marks matched him through the first three frames, but-led by three RBIs from second baseman Tyler Campbell-the Commodores put up four run-innings in the fourth and the sixth to back up their ace.

"I felt good," Fulmer said. "I felt like I had that extra gear. I was down in the zone and made pitches when I needed to. It was just one of those nights where you feel good and try to go as long as you can."

Missouri at (3) Texas A&M: After taking two out of three from South Carolina last weekend, the Tigers made a game of it against the Aggies on Friday. Missouri put up three runs in the sixth inning, knocking out Texas A&M righthander Grayson Long (5 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 7 K), and cutting the deficit to two runs. But the Aggies held strong. Junior righthander Andrew Vinson (3 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K) shut the door out of the pen, escaping a bases-loaded, no-out situation in the sixth to earn his third win of the year. Mitchell Nau and Hunter Melton each drove in two runs apiece in the 7-4 Aggies win, pushing Texas A&M to 26-1 on the season.

"I was just trying to get one out at a time," Vinson said. "I was hoping to get a little punch out, or get the out at home to save the run for Grayson (Long), but it's part of the game. It's fun to come in and fight for your brothers."

Wichita State at (5) Texas Christian: For the 11th time this season, the Horned Frogs held an opponent to one run or less, but in a 14-1 win against the Shockers, they also flexed their offensive muscle. TCU scored five runs in the first and never looked back. Top freshman Evan Skoug led the charge, going 4-for-5, doubling twice and driving in three. Juco transfer Dane Steinhagen and right fielder Nolan Brown each added two hits in a 14-hit shelling. On the mound, righthander Mitchell Traver (6 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 5 K) earned his fourth win of the season.

Georgia Tech at (7) Louisville: Efficiency has been an issue at times for junior Louisville ace Kyle Funkouser, but that wasn't the case Friday, as the righthander delivered seven strong (7 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7K) against a potent Georgia Tech lineup in a 4-1 win. Funkhouser's catcher, Will Smith, drove in two runs in a 10-hit day for the Cardinals, saddling Georgia Tech's Jonathan King (6.2 IP, 9 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 2 K) with his first loss of the season. Hard-throwing righthander Zack Burdi earned his second save of the season in a five-out appearance.

(9) UCLA at Washington State: The Bruins took advantage of sloppy Washington State defense to put up three runs in the sixth and take a 4-3 win-their first road Pac-12 victory this season. Usual suspects Kevin Kramer and Chris Keck paced the offense, going 2-for-5 and 3-for-4, respectively, in a nine-hit game. Meanwhile, UCLA followed a familiar pitching formula, riding ace righthander James Kaprielian (8 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 9 K) all the way to veteran closer David Berg for the save.

Stanford at (11) Arizona State: The Sun Devils have a penchant for the type of gritty come-from-behind effort they showed Friday. Arizona State walked off with a win for the fourth time this season, thanks to a pinch-hit, two-out, two-run single by Chris Beall that capped off a three-run bottom of the ninth. Stanford had been in control since the fifth inning, when it knocked out Sun Devil righthander Seth Martinez (4.1 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K). But the Sun Devils opened the ninth with a single by Colby Woodmansee and an R.J. Ybarra walk to force a pitching change. Arizona State proceeded to deal that pitcher, Colton Hock, his first loss of the season in a 7-6 win.

Georgia at (12) South Carolina: The game between the Bulldogs and Gamecocks was suspended in the ninth inning, game tied 5-5, due to rain. It will resume today.

Southern Mississippi at (14) Rice: With a Leon Byrd sacrifice fly and an RBI single from Kirby Taylor, the Owls jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead. Southern Miss would take the lead with a three-run fourth, but Rice tacked on two runs in each of the next two innings to come away with a 6-3 victory. Righthander Kevin McCanna (7 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 8 K) matched a career-high with eight strikeouts before giving way to Josh Pettitte, who threw two scoreless innings out of the pen for his first career save.

Illinois State at (15) Dallas Baptist: The Patriots continue to roll, winning their 14th contest in the last 15 games. Third baseman Nash Knight doubled and drove in three runs to lead the offense in a 6-3 conference win. Junior righthander Joseph Shaw (6 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 4 K) reached 100 strikeouts for his career and pushed his record to 5-0 on the year, giving way to reliever Chance Adams, who tallied a three-inning save. Dallas Baptist has won all nine games it has played at home this season.

(20) Virginia at Notre Dame: Friday's game was postponed due to unseasonably cold weather in South Bend, Ind. The teams will play a doubleheader today.

(21) California at Utah: After homering in all three games of the Washington series last weekend, sophomore Lucas Erceg homered again for the Golden Bears on Friday, and powerful freshman catcher Brett Cumberland added two more home runs in a decisive 14-6 win over the Utes. Erceg and Cumberland combined for five RBIs as freshman righthander Jeff Bain (5 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 2 K) was strong in his third straight Friday start.

BA - Friday Roundup: Hurricanes Rally Past Heels
 
CBI: Around the Bases (3/27)

Friedrichs tosses two-hit shutout as LBSU edges UCSB
UCF beats Houston, Kentucky wins at LSU, Nebraska nips Texas

Long Beach State 2, No. 18 UC Santa Barbara 0
In Santa Barbara, Kyle Friedrichs tossed a two-hit shutout with 13 strikeouts as Long Beach State blanked UC Santa Barbara to kick off their Big West series. Friedrichs (4-1) faced just three batters over the minimum. He did not walk a hitter and plunked one. The Dirtbags (1-0, 12-8) scored single runs in the second and ninth. Alex Bishop was hit by a pitch with one away in the second and scored on a groundout by Eric Hutting. Garrett Hampson had a bunt single and scored on an error in the ninth for LBSU. Luke Swenson had a base hit in the fourth and Billy Fredrick added a pinch-hit single in the eighth for the Gauchos (0-1, 17-7).

No. 8 UCF 9, No. 17 Houston 2
In Orlando, JoMarcos Woods went 3 for 4 with two homers and four RBI, and Cre Finfrock yielded two runs over seven innings as UCF opened American Athletic Conference play with a win over Houston. Woods hit a solo homer in the second inning for a 4-0 lead and added a two-run shot in the seventh inning. Eight of nine starters had at least one hit as the Knights (1-0, 21-6) tallied 14 on the night - Kyle Marsh (2 for 4) and Tommy Williams added homers. Finfrock (6-0) allowed three hits and struck out four. Andrew Lantrip (5-2) was roughed up four nine hits and seven runs (six earned) in 2.2 innings for the Cougars (0-1, 18-8). Chris Iriart went 3 for 4 with a solo homer, and Connor Wong added a solo shot for Houston.

Kentucky 5, No. 1 LSU 4 (12)
In Baton Rouge, La., Ka'ai Tom had a two-run double in the top of the 12th and Kentucky held on to win the SEC series opener at LSU. Two errors in the bottom of the 12th put the tying runs on base for the Tigers (4-3, 22-4). Jake Fraley (2 for 5, R, 2 RBI) delivered a sacrifice fly, but a groundout to end the game left the tying run on third. Thomas Bernal went 3 for 5 with one run and one RBI for the Wildcats (3-4, 17-9). Zach Strecker (2-0, 3 IP, 4 H, UE, 2 BB) earned the win, while Spencer Jack retired the final three batters to record his fourth save. Kade Scivicque had three hits for LSU, which stranded 14.

Nebraska 3, No. 13 Texas 1
In Lincoln, Neb., Chance Sinclair allowed two hits and a run in 7.2 innings as Nebraska edged Texas. Sinclair (4-3) walked two and struck out six. Josh Roeder worked around a hit in the ninth to record his eighth save. The Cornhuskers (19-7) scored all their runs in the fifth as Elijah Dilday and Jake Schleppenbach both had RBI singles. Zane Gurwitz (1 for 2) had a sacrifice fly in the eighth for the Longhorns (17-9).

No. 2 Texas A&M 7, Missouri 4
In College Station, Texas, Hunter Melton had an RBI single in the sixth to snap a 3-3 tie and propel Texas A&M past Missouri to begin their SEC series. Melton went 2 for 2 with a double, two runs and two RBI, while Mitchell Nau added two hits and two RBI for the Aggies (6-1, 26-1). Andrew Vinson (3-0, 3 IP, 2 H, 2 K) earned the victory in relief. Brett Bond had three hits and one RBI for the Tigers (5-2, 19-8).

Virginia Tech 8, No. 9 Florida State
In Tallahassee, Fla., Sean Keselica allowed two earned runs over seven innings, and Erik Payne's two-run double highlighted a five-run seventh inning as Virginia Tech knocked off ACC foe Florida State. Keselica (4-1) yielded four hits and four walks and struck out nine for the Hokies (6-4, 15-12). Payne finished with three RBI, and Rahiem Cooper went 2 for 4 with a solo homer and three runs for Tech. Saige Jenco added a homer and two runs for the Hokies. Chris Marconcini had two hits and an RBI, and Danny De La Calle added a solo homer for the Seminoles (7-3, 20-7).

No. 3 Vanderbilt 9, Tennessee 0
In Nashville, Carson Fulmer struck out a career-best 12 over eight scoreless innings as Vanderbilt blanked Tennessee in the SEC. Fulmer (4-1) surrendered five hits and walked three in dominating the Volunteers (1-6, 10-12). Tyler Campbell went 2 for 3 with two runs and three RBI to pace the offense for the Commodores (6-1, 21-5).

No. 4 TCU 14, Wichita State 1
In Fort Worth, Evan Skoug went 4 for 5 with two doubles, two runs and three RBI, and Nolan Brown added two hits and three RBI as TCU rolled past Wichita State. Mitchell Traver (4-0) allowed four hits and one earned run with five strikeouts in six solid innings for the Horned Frogs (19-4), who scored five runs in the first and five more in the fifth. Mikel Mucha had two hits and an RBI for the Shockers (11-14).

Alabama 12-1, No. 5 Florida 9-8 (Game 1 - 10 innings)
In Gainesville, Fla., J.C. Wilhite had an RBI single to spark a three-run 12th in the opener as Alabama split an SEC doubleheader with Florida. Chandler Avant (2 for 7, 2 RBI) and Georgie Salem (2 for 7) also knocked in runs in the 12th for the Crimson Tide (4-4. 14-11). Kyle Overstreet went 3 for 5 with two runs and two RBI for Alabama. Ray Castillo (3-0, 3.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 K) recorded the win. Dalton Guthrie went 4 for 5 with two runs and two RBI, while Harrison Bader (3 for 5, 2 RBI) and Mike Rivera (2 for 5, 2 R, 2 RBI) both homered for the Gators (4-4, 22-6). In the nightcap, JJ Schwarz (2 for 4, 2 2B, 2 R) had a two-run double to highlight a five-run first for Florida. Logan Shore (4-2, 9 IP, 10 H, R, BB) went the distance with eight strikeouts for the Gators. Overstreet had two hits and a run for the Crimson Tide.

No. 6 UCLA 4, Washington State 3
In Pullman, Wash., James Kaprielian struck out nine in eight innings as UCLA edged Washington State. Kaprielian (5-1) all four hits, one walk and three runs in eight innings to record the victory. David Berg worked a hitless ninth with two punchouts to earn the save. Luke Persico (1 for 4, R) had an RBI single in a three-run sixth for the Bruins (6-1, 19-5), while Chris Keck added three hits and one RBI. Ben Roberts went 1 for 3 with a double, a run and an RBI for the Cougars (1-6, 12-12).

No. 7 Louisville 4, Georgia Tech 1
In Louisville, Ky., Kyle Funkhouser allowed one run over seven innings as Louisville downed Georgia Tech in the ACC series opener. Funkhouser (3-2) allowed four hits with two walks and seven strikeouts. Zack Burdi allowed a hit and a walk in the final 1.2 innings with one punchout for his second save. Will Smith had a sacrifice fly to cap a two-run third and added a run-scoring single in the seventh for the Cardinals (9-1, 19-7). Arden Pabst went 2 for 2 for the Yellow Jackets (5-5, 17-8).

No. 11 Arizona State 7, Stanford 6
In Phoenix, Ariz., Christopher Beall delivered a game-winning pinch-hit two-run single to cap a three-run rally in the bottom of the ninth as Arizona State rallied past Stanford. The Sun Devils (5-2, 16-7) loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the ninth. Joey Bielek knocked in the first run on a fielder's choice before Beall came off the bench to win it. David Greer went 3 for 4 with a double, a run and an RBI, while RJ Ybarra had two doubles and a run for ASU. Jordan Aboites (2-2, 2.2 IP, 3 H, BB) picked up the win. Austin Barr had two hits and two RBI for the Cardinal (0-4, 10-12).

Washington 5, No. 12 USC 1
In Seattle, Chris Baker launched a three-run homer, his first homer since his Little League days, and Noah Bremer allowed one run over six innings as Washington topped USC in the Pac-12. Baker had three hits, and Josh Cushing added two hits and two runs for the Huskies (2-5, 15-10). Bobby Stahel had two hits and an RBI for the Trojans (2-2, 20-6).

No. 14 Miami 4, North Carolina 3
In Chapel Hill, N.C., Willie Abreu had a two-run single to tie the game, and Johnny Ruiz delivered a two-out RBI single to plate the game-winning run in the top of the ninth as Miami rallied for three runs in the ninth to beat North Carolina in the ACC. Bryan Garcia came on for his fifth save as the Hurricanes (7-3, 19-8) continued their season-long flair for the dramatic. Zac Gallen allowed four hits and one run with eight strikeouts before leaving after seven in a no-decision for the Tar Heels (5-5, 15-10). Korey Dunbar paced the offense, which managed only five hits, with a homer and two RBI.

No. 15 Rice 6, Southern Miss 3
In Houston, Connor Teykl had an RBI single to cap a two-run fourth as Rice took the lead for good in the Conference USA series opener against Southern Miss. The Owls (8-2, 18-10) scored two in the first before the Golden Eagles (3-3, 14-9-1) put up three in the fourth. Rice answered with two in the bottom of the fourth and added two insurance runs in the fifth. Kirby Taylor drove in a pair for the Owls. Kevin McCanna (3-2, 7 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 8 K) earned the victory, while Josh Pettitte (2 IP, 2 H, 3 K) recorded his first save. Chuckie Robinson went 2 for 4 with one run and one RBI for Southern Miss.

Iowa 2, Indiana 0
In Iowa City, Iowa, Tyler Peyton tossed a complete-game shutout and contributed to both runs as Iowa edged Indiana in their Big Ten series opener. Peyton (3-2) allowed five hits with no walks and five strikeouts. Eric Toole had a leadoff double in the first and scored on a groundout by Peyton to give the Hawkeyes (1-0, 15-6) a 1-0 lead. Nick Day led off the eighth with a base hit and scored when Peyton reached on an error as Iowa took a 2-0 lead. Craig Dedelow had two hits, including a double, for the Hoosiers (1-2, 16-6).

Cal Poly 8, Oregon State 1
In San Luis Obispo, Calif., Casey Bloomquist pitched a four-hit complete game and John Schuknecht had a grand slam and drove in five as Cal Poly topped Oregon State. Bloomquist (2-2) allowed one earned run with no walks and three strikeouts. Schuknecht's slam highlighted a six-run seventh for the Mustangs (8-14). KJ Harrison had two hits for the Beavers (20-6).

CBI: Around the Bases (3/27)
 
D1: Ten Thoughts: Friday, March 27

1. Team of the day: Iowa

We've talked a lot about the Big Ten Conference the past few weeks for the right reasons. We expected the league to be solid heading into the season, but with several meeting expectations, we're looking at a potential situation on Memorial Day where four or five teams from the league get into the field of 64. It's very early to ponder that thought, but if that's the case, Iowa is a team that definitely could be in the mix, especially if it captures a marquee series win over Indiana this weekend after beating the Hoosiers 2-0 in the series opener.

Iowa's Tyler Peyton also knocked in a run in Friday's big day against Indiana. (Iowa)
Iowa's Tyler Peyton also knocked in a run in Friday's big day against Indiana. (Iowa)
Iowa (15-6) opened Big Ten play in style with seasoned righthander Tyler Peyton on the mound. Peyton didn't disappoint, as the 6-foot-3, 180-pounder, struck out five, didn't walk anyone and allowed just five hits in a complete game shutout performance against the Hoosiers.

Peyton showed very good stuff against Lemonis' club. The righthander sat low-90s with his fastball, even touching 93 on a few occasions and touching 92 in the ninth inning. He showed the ability to command his fastball on both sides of the plate, while he pounded the strike zone with a slider and changeup, the changeup serving as a quality pitch with good fading action.

Here's something else about Peyton's night: He drove in the Hawkeyes' first run of the game.


What a night for coach Rick Heller and his team. But the fun is just beginning.

2. Player of the day: Coastal Carolina's Michael Paez

Coastal Carolina Chanticleers logoThe Chanticleers went a long time as the premier 'mid-major' program in college baseball. And certainly they took a step back the past few seasons, but guess what? Gary Gilmore's program might just be back, as our Aaron Fitt alluded to in this feature on Coastal Carolina earlier this week.

The Chants, sitting at 18-6 overall going into the weekend against a much improved Winthrop club, left little doubt in the series opener, a 19-4 triumph over the Eagle where they banged out 20 hits on the way to victory. And no one had a bigger night than shortstop Michael Paez, who went a perfect 5-for-5 with two doubles, a home run, three runs scored and yep, six RBIs to lead the offensive cause.

Coastal designated hitter G.K. Young had three hits and two RBIs to help the offense, while the disappointing performance of the night comes from Winthrop's Sam Kmiec, who didn't get out of the first inning and allowed eight runs on six hits in 0.2 innings.

It wasn't Winthrop's night, and it'll be interesting to see how the remainder of this series goes. It's clear CCU is playing with a great deal of confidence, now winners of 10-straight contests.

Here's an impressive stat line: How about College of Charleston righthander Taylor Clarke? Every time we look up, he's having a banner start. Clarke struck out 10 and allowed just one hit in 6.2 innings in a 12-0 road win over James Madison. The Cougars outhit the Dukes 16-2. Yeah, that's probably a good reason JMU is 0-4 in the CAA at this juncture.

3. Upset of the day: Virginia Tech over Florida State

You know, the Hokies might not finish the season in a regional, but there's no doubt coach Pat Mason's club is going to cause some serious headaches along the way. Virginia Tech made waves a few weeks ago by sweeping rival Virginia at home. Well, it could take another big step forward this weekend with a series win over Florida State, taking the series opener 8-3 in Tallahassee.

Virginia Tech's Sean Keselica (Dave Knachel/Virginia Tech)
Virginia Tech's Sean Keselica (Dave Knachel/Virginia Tech)
Virginia Tech veteran Sean Keselica again pieced together a quality start, this time against a potent FSU lineup. The lefthander struck out nine, walked four and allowed just two runs on four hits in seven innings. Meanwhile, the Hokies had success offensively against FSU starting pitcher Boomer Biegalski, who allowed four runs on seven hits in 6.1 innings.

Hokies outfielders Saige Jenco and Rahiem Cooper had good nights at the plate. Jenco, the team's leading hitter, hit his second home run of the season, while Cooper also hit a home run and went 2-for-4 with three runs scored, a walk and an RBI.

The win over Florida State is Virginia Tech's first this season over an RPI Top 25 team. It makes the rest of the weekend pretty important for Mason's club, which now sits at 15-12 overall.

4. Upset Part II: Wait, what?

Cal Poly Mustangs logoGod, I love baseball. So, Cal Poly entered the season with high expectations, but entered Friday's series opener in Corvallis as a struggling team with a 7-14 overall record. That team was pitted against one of the nation's hottest clubs in Oregon State. So, naturally, the Beavers had their total way with them with Andrew Moore on the mound, right? Wrong.

The Mustangs had one of the better performances of the season thus far in a shocking 8-1 road win over the sizzling Beavers. Cal Poly talented righthander Casey Bloomquist had a stellar performance in the victory, striking out three, not walking anyone and allowing just a run on four hits in a complete game performance. As for Moore, he allowed four runs (three earned) on eight hits in 6.1 innings.

Cal Poly had a good night at the plate, with talented outfielder Zack Zehner tallying a couple of hits (one a home run), and fellow outfielder John Schuknecht driving in five runs, four of them with his first career grand slam in the seventh inning to essentially put the game away.

Chances are good the Beavers respond the rest of the weekend with a pair of victories, but what an impressive win for coach Larry Lee's team to kick off the weekend.

More upsets:
• Kentucky 5, No. 1 LSU 4 (12)
• Washington 5, No. 9 Southern California 1
• Arizona 7, No. 25 Oregon 2
• San Jose State 5, Nevada 4

5. Vanderbilt's Carson Fulmer makes personal history … against a rival

Earlier this week, the Tennessee Volunteers made a point to say they were resetting the season beginning with a midweek bout against Cincinnati. The Vols took care of the Bearcats with ease, but ran into one of the nation's best pitchers in Vanderbilt righthander Carson Fulmer in a 9-0 road loss Friday night.

Vanderbilt's Carson Fulmer just continues to churn out good starts. (Kendall Rogers)
Vanderbilt's Carson Fulmer just continues to churn out good starts. (Kendall Rogers)
Fulmer has set all sorts of personal milestones during his career with the Commodores, but Friday against the Vols had to be special with the junior striking out a career-high 12 batters, walking just three and allowing five hits in eight shutout innings.

While Fulmer shined for the 'Dores, it was a tough night for Vols starting pitcher Bret Marks. Marks made some waves a few weeks ago when he shut down Florida on the road in a series opener. He wouldn't have as much luck in this contest. Marks got through the first three innings unscathed, but allowed four runs in the fourth inning, and the wheels finally came off in the sixth as VU put together another four-run frame. Vanderbilt's Tyler Campbell led the show offensively with two hits (one a double) and three RBIs.

The rest of the weekend is important for Tennessee. Progress needs to be seen after running its record to 10-12 overall, 1-6 in the SEC after Friday.



6. UCF makes perfect first (conference) impression

While the SEC, ACC and some other leagues are in their second or third weeks of conference action, the American Athletic Conference starts conference play this weekend. And what better series to start the schedule with than top-25 clubs in Houston and ultra-surprising UCF?

Cre Finfrock had another quality start in a dominant win over Houston. (UCF)
Cre Finfrock had another quality start in a dominant win over Houston. (UCF)
UCF looked like the clear better team in the series opener, a 9-2 triumph for the home Knights. UCF freshman righthander Cre Finfrock continues to meet up to high expectations, striking out four, walking one and allowing just two runs on three hits in seven innings, while Harrison Hukari, as usual, did his thing out of the bullpen with four strikeouts in two shutout innings to close it out.

Offensively, the Knights got some big-time contributions, namely from veteran outfielder JoMarcos Woods. Woods had a night to remember, going 3-for-4 with a pair of homers, two runs scored and four RBIs. With the win, the Knights improved to 21-6 overall.

For the Cougars, the rest of the weekend could be rather tumultuous. With righthander Jake Lemoine still on the shelf because of a shoulder impingement, Todd Whitting's club really needed a strong start from Andrew Lantrip. Instead, Lantrip had his worst outing of the year, allowing seven runs (six earned) on nine hits in just 2.2 innings.

7. Sinclair remains in sync for Nebraska

Remember a few weeks ago when Nebraska senior righthander Chance Sinclair was struggling entering the Houston College Classic. Then, Texas A&M put him on the ropes again early in the Friday contest of that tournament. And also, remember when Sinclair worked his way out of that jam and stringed together an outstanding start, almost leading the Huskers to a win over A&M?

Chance Sinclair and the Huskers had much to smile about Friday night. (Nebraska)
Chance Sinclair and the Huskers had much to smile about Friday night. (Nebraska)
In hindsight, that game was the turning point for the veteran. Sinclair had yet another strong start Friday night in a 3-1 win over Texas. Sinclair struck out six, walked two and allowed just a run on two hits in 7.2 innings. As usual, the Huskers bullpen took care of business the rest of the way, with Colton Howell recording an out in a setup situation, while Josh Roeder, who low-90s with his fastball earlier this spring, tossed a scoreless ninth to finish the contest.

The Huskers didn't have an amazing day offensively, but got contributions 1-9. Eight of the nine Huskers - Tanner Lubach being the exception - recorded a hit in the game. And Texas righthander Parker French was lifted after allowing three runs on seven hits in 4.1 innings.

Nebraska is on a terrific run as of late, improving to 19-7 and being a win away from making an increasingly strong case to be ranked again in the D1Baseball Top 25.

8. Take a bow: Long Beach State's Kyle Friedrichs and UC Santa Barbara's Dillon Tate

Wow, what a pair of pitching performances from the two terrific righthanded pitchers Friday afternoon, as the Dirtbags took home a narrow 2-0 win over Tate and the Gauchos.

We could talk more about this game, but our Shotgun Spratling has an excellent piece from Santa Barbara on Friedrichs and Tate. But for now, let's stick to the basics. Tate certainly entered the day as the more heralded arm, and rightfully so. The strong-armed righty got up to 96-97 in the contest, and showcased a quality changeup and slider combination. He struck out 10, walked just one and allowed two runs (none earned) on three hits in a complete game performance.

He was bested by Friedrichs, who had one of the best starts of his collegiate career, striking out 13, walking no one and allowing just two hits in a complete game shutout performance. Friedrichs threw 122 pitches, 80 for strikes. For the season, the talented righty now has 61 strikeouts with only, yes, five walks.

Pretty loud statement there, Mr. Friedrichs and the Dirtbags.

9. Upsets abound in the Big 12

Big 12 LogoIt was a wild night in the Big 12 Conference. While TCU, Texas and West Virginia are out of conference this weekend, with the Frogs beating Wichita State, 'Horns losing to Nebraska and West Virginia beating Charleston Southern. In conference, it was like the Wild West Friday night. Here are the highlights:

• Kansas outfielder Connor McKay went 3-for-6 with a double and an RBI, as the Jayhawks hit the road and took a 7-4 decision over struggling Texas Tech. The Jayhawks actually outhit the Red Raiders 15-8 in the contest. Tech starting pitcher Ryan Moseley allowed four runs on nine hits in 4.1 innings.

• Baylor still isn't doing much hitting, but lefthander Daniel Castano, as we chronicled in our Houston College Classic coverage a few weeks ago, is a quality arm and led BU to a 3-0 win over Oklahoma. Castano, who sits in the 89-92 range with his fastball and flashes good secondary stuff at times, struck out four and allowed just five hits in a complete game shutout performance. Interestingly, OU wasted a solid start from righty Jake Elliott, who struck out 10 and didn't walk anyone in seven innings.

• Oklahoma State is a very solid team - absolutely no doubt. But one thing I mentioned last week after it took a series from TCU on the road - a very loud statement - is that I still wanted to see some consistency from the Cowboys. Well, things could change on a dime the rest of the weekend, but the Cowboys suffered a tough setback in a 4-2 loss to Kansas State at home. K-State's Shane Conlon went 3-for-4 with a home run (his second) and three RBIs. The silver lining for OSU was reliever Trey Cobb tossing 4.2 shutout innings out of the pen.

10. Apparently when it rains it pours in Starkville

Can someone attempt to explain to me what in the world is going on in Starkville? Not too long ago the Bulldogs were one of the hottest teams in the country and folks in the Left Field Lounge couldn't wait to get their grills going. Now, you almost wonder if they might start playing golf on Saturday afternoons if the current trend continues.

Jacob Robson and Mississippi State desperately need something to go their way. (MSU)
Jacob Robson and Mississippi State desperately need something to go their way. (MSU)
Mississippi State's sudden struggles continued Friday night in a 5-0 loss to Auburn. To give you a clearer picture, the Bulldogs have been outscored now 8-0 in the last two games, this after scoring 12 runs in the series finale against Kentucky last weekend to salvage that series.

Auburn righthander Cole Lipscomb had an impressive start against the Bulldogs, striking out seven and allowing just four hits in seven shutout frames. Meanwhile, Trey Wingenter closed out the game with three strikeouts in two innings of relief work.

Mississippi State's Preston Brown had a gutsy complete game start, where he allowed five runs on seven hits, but it's hard to win games with no runs and five hits.

Something needs to change, and soon, for the Bulldogs. MSU is now hitting .249 in conference play.

• North Carolina might've dropped a tough 4-3 decision at home to Miami, but the Tar Heels had a pretty nice tribute to legendary college basketball head coach and the late Dean Smith. The Tar Heels added his initials "DES" to their hat:
CBJCmg8WcAADYgE.jpg-large

• Kennesaw State logoKennesaw State head coach Mike Sansing earned win No. 1,000 Friday night in a 5-0 home win over USC-Upstate. Sansing's Owls got a huge performance from righthander Jordan Hillyer, who struck out 11, walked just one and allowed two hits in a complete game shutout performance.

• Virginia Commonwealth logoStat of the day: Granted the opponents were VMI, Longwood and now Massachusetts, so not exactly the who's who of college baseball. But how about VCU? Goodness gracious, it is raking right now, scoring 16 runs in a win over UMass Friday night, while also outscoring their opponents 42-4 in the last three contests.

D1: Ten Thoughts: Friday, March 27
 
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT