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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Monday, June 9, 2008

Fresno State staves off elimination, 8-6

Associated Press

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Miami's Yasmani Grandal leaps into the arms of pitcher Carlos Gutierra after a 4-2 super regional-clinching victory over Arizona.

HANS DERYK | Associated Press

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TEMPE, Ariz. — Gavin Hedstrom hit a grand slam in the fourth inning and drove in five runs to help Fresno State (41-29) avoid elimination against Arizona State (49-12) with an 8-6 win.

Steve Detwiler also homered for the Bulldogs, who recorded 12 hits off four Arizona State pitchers to force a decisive third game today in the best-of-three series.

Hedstrom added a bloop RBI single in the eighth inning.

Brandon Burke pitched four innings for the save.

Greg Bordes was 3 for 4 with two RBIs for the Sun Devils, who lost for the first time in five postseason games.

LSU 9, UC IRVINE 7

BATON ROUGE, La. — LSU (47-17-1) scored five runs in the ninth inning, including Sean Ochinko's go-ahead single, as the Tigers rallied to stave off elimination against UC Irvine (42-17).

The deciding third game at LSU's Alex Box Stadium is tonight.

Trailing 7-4, LSU loaded the bases with no outs when Jared Mitchell, who homered in the eighth, walked to force in a run. Pinch-hitter Nicholas Pontiff drove in a run on a fielder's choice, Blake Dean hit an RBI single to tie it and Ochinko followed with a chopper over the third baseman's head to drive in the go-ahead run. DJ LeMahieu's sacrifice fly capped the rally.

Louis Coleman (7-0) allowed one hit in the final three innings for LSU.

NORTH CAROLINA 14, COASTAL CAROLINA 4

CARY, N.C. — Adam Warren threw six innings of two-hit ball, Dustin Ackley drove in three runs and North Carolina (51-12) beat Coastal Carolina (50-14) to reach the College World Series for the third straight year.

Warren took a no-hitter into the fifth inning and every starter in the lineup had at least one hit for the Tar Heels. North Carolina scored six runs in the second and led 12-0 in the sixth.

Warren (9-1) lost his no-hitter with two outs in the fifth when second baseman Kyle Seager lost Tyler Bortnick's pop-up in the sun, before he was relieved in the seventh by Colin Bates.

FLORIDA STATE 11, WICHITA STATE 4

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Jack Rye's three-run homer capped a six-run first inning and Florida State (54-12) reached the College World Series for the first time since 2000 with a victory over Wichita State (48-17).

The Seminoles, who have never won the national title, are headed back to college baseball's biggest stage for the 13th time in coach Mike Martin's 29 seasons.

Tommy Oravetz followed Rye's homer with a three-run double to chase Wichita State starter Anthony Capra (9-1).

Florida State reliever Ryan Strauss (10-1) gave up just one hit in six innings.

GEORGIA 17, NORTH CAROLINA STATE 8

ATHENS, Ga. — Gordon Beckham homered twice and Georgia (41-23-1) scored nine first-inning runs and earned its third College World Series berth in five years by routing North Carolina State (42-22).

Beckham's 26th homer marked the sixth time this season that he's hit two. The No. 8 overall draft pick by the Chicago White Sox finished 3 for 4 with four RBIs.

Ryan Peisel, Bryce Massanari and Joey Lewis also homered for Georgia.

MIAMI 4, ARIZONA 2

CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Yonder Alonso homered and Enrique Garcia pitched six effective innings as Miami (52-9) defeated Arizona (42-19) to advance to its 23rd College World Series.

Alonso's two-run homer in the top of the first off Arizona starter Eric Berger gave the Hurricanes a 3-0 lead. Miami scored earlier in the inning on Jemile Weeks' RBI double.

Garcia (7-3) allowed two runs, seven hits and struck out four.

Arizona, which won the series opener Friday, stranded seven runners in scoring position.

RICE 6, TEXAS A&M 5

HOUSTON — Adam Zornes hit a two-run home run in the eighth inning to send Rice (47-13) to its third straight College World Series with a victory over Texas A&M (46-19).

Rice won its super regional with a two-game sweep of the Aggies.

Rick Hague singled to start the Owls' rally. One out later, Zornes hit his 12th home run of the year.

Bryan Price went 2 1/3 innings and allowed only a hit while striking out three and walking none to take the win. Bobby Bell pitched the final two innings to earn his third save.