Arizona’s Cody Ramer, right, reacts after hitting a double while standing in front of Oklahoma State shortstop Donnie Walton (5) during the first inning of an NCAA men’s College World Series baseball game in Omaha, Neb., Saturda.
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Holding a three-run advantage, Arizona had to work through adversity in the third inning.
Well, I’ll tell you what, I really hope [Jensen] gets a chance to start another game here. Jon Littell opened the frame with a single and, after a double by Corey Hassel, scored on J.R. Davis’ sacrifice fly. At that point of the game, Bannister had not allowed a run and struck out five.
David Parrett, C, Coastal Carolina – Parrett’s RBI ground-rule double in the seventh inning was the proverbial nail in the coffin as the Chanticleers were able to close out the Frogs. That’s when the suddenly quiet bat of Conor Costello burst to life with an RBI triple to right.
With OSU not finding out until almost 10 p.m. Wednesday who its next opponent would be – almost seven hours after concluding their previous practice – the Cowboys were able to utilize practices the previous two days to focus more on themselves, instead of overloading in preparation for a team they may or may not have faced.
OSU got a run back in the third. When their starting pitching didn’t show up – it had allowed three runs in its previous 51 innings – the offense’s struggle in Omaha was magnified. JJ Matijevic drove in the run with a two-strike single to left. Arizona almost added another run, but Jon Littell made a tremendous over the shoulder catch to get Oklahoma State out of the inning.
Dalbec worked seven innings, allowing just one run on four hits while striking out six to earn the win and move to 11-5.
Things were indeed different for the Cowboys, who trailed for the first time this postseason, ending a streak as impressive as it was improbable.
The Cowboys are trying to reach the final series for the first time in 26 years and, alongside TCU, are looking to become the first Big 12 team to be in the final series since Texas in 2009. “They hit my mistakes and they hit my good pitches”. “We knew we played well enough to go somewhere for a regional, and we got better and trusted the process”.
Pretty good would be an understatement.
· Arizona’s first-inning run snapped a string of 23 straight scoreless innings for OSU pitcher Thomas Hatch.
The Chanticleers leaned on Beckwith to reach the final four of the national tournament, just as they did all season. Five of those eight outs were by strikeout, but after issuing a walk to Collin Theroux, Arizona coach Jay Johnson, pitching coach Dave Lawn and trainer Leanna Olivar met with Bannister, a Mariners draft pick, on the mound. Ming would pitch the remaining five innings and retired the first nine batters he faced.
“It’s just another game”.
“That Starkville outing, I’ll never forget that the rest of my life”, Johnson said.
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“Many of you who follow college baseball closely, you didn’t give us a shot”. “The longer you put it off, the less likely that he would probably throw well – that would be my guess”.
