2012 College World Series: Updates and Scores from around the Nation
By Ryan Wright
Day three of the NCAA Regionals proved to be as exciting and full of upsets as the previous day with five more No. 1 seeds being eliminated from the tournament after seeing Miami exit on Saturday.
Rice University was a victim of the Sam Houston State Bearkats losing 4-1 after falling to the Arkansas Razorbacks 1-0 on Saturday. The Owls had runners on base in every inning but could not get the clutch hits to drive in the needed runs.
The Hogs wrapped up the Houston regional by defeating the Bearkats 5-1 and will advance to play the winner of the Baylor regional, Dallas Baptist or Baylor, starting June 8-10.
Arkansas was the first lower seed to advance to a super regional round of play.
Texas A&M, another regional host, was pummeled by in-state rival TCU 10-2 limiting their 2012 post season run to 1-2 after making the College World Series in 2011. The Horned frogs beat the Aggies twice in the College Station regional.
Kentucky exacted revenge against Gary, Ind. host Purdue on Sunday eliminating the overhyped Big Ten team by a final score of 6-3. Kentucky’s improbable season was cut short after a 3-2 defeat by Kent State.
South Carolina easily rolled through the Columbia bracket winning all three games without a defeat. The Gamecocks beat in-state rival Clemson 4-3 to advance to the Super Regional round for the third straight year.
Another SEC East team, the Florida Gators, jumped all over ACC Tournament winner Georgia Tech 15-3 Sunday on the way to wining three straight games in the Gainesville regional.
The Gators could face 2012 SEC Tournament runner-up Vanderbilt in the Super Regional should the Commodores avenge a 6-5 Sunday loss to No. 1 seedNorth Carolina State on Monday.
SEC Tournament winner Mississippi State, a No. 2 seed in the Florida State regional was eliminated after losing to Samford for the second time in post season play 3-2.
Oregon flexed their Duck power against Austin Peay to advance to their Super Regional against Kent State.
Big East co-championsSt. John’seliminated No. 1 seed North Carolina to advance to play the winner of the Arizona (Tucson) regional becoming the second No. 3 seed to advance to a super regional.
LSU slugged out a win over No. 2 seed Oregon State and will host the winner of the Stony Brook vs. UCF game to be played on Monday.
UCLA made quick work of New Mexico and Creighton winning three straight to advance. The Bruins will square off against the winner of the Monday TCU vs. Mississippi game.
Virginia was kicked out of the NCAA college baseball tournament by Oklahoma losing 5-4 on Sunday.
The Cavaliers loss put the ACC at a 13-11 overall record with three of five conference teams hosting out of the tournament (UNC,Miami, and Virginia). Should North Carolina State lose to Vanderbilt on Monday, of the seven ACC teams in the 64-field tournament only Florida State will remain.
Stanford closed out the Tucson regional with authority by beating Louisville16-3 and will play the other co-champ of the Big East, St. John’s, in the super regional.
The SEC still has a strong presence in super regional action regardless of Monday’s outcome for Vanderbilt and Mississippi. Arkansas, Florida, South Carolina, and LSU have advanced. Kentucky and Mississippi State are the only two SEC teams to be eliminated.
Four SEC teams went 3-0 over the weekend (Arkansas, Florida, LSU, and USC) leading the conference to a 19-6 overall record thus far in regional contests.
The Pac-12 may have the most impressive conference record to date. Only Oregon State has been eliminated while Arizona, UCLA, Oregon, and Stanford have each won three straight putting the conference at an overall record of 14-2.
Monday’s Games
No. 2 Oklahoma vs. No. 3 Appalachian State
No. 2 UCF vs. No. 4 Stony Brook
No. 1 NC St.vs. No. 2 Vanderbilt
No. 1 Baylor vs. No. 2 Dallas Baptist
No. 3 Mississippi vs. No. 2 TCU
Super Regional Matchups
Arizona vs. St. John’s
Florida St.vs. Stanford
Oregon vs. Kent State
Advanced
Arkansas
Florida
South Carolina
UCLA
LSU