Rain wreaked havoc on much of the Midwest causing many games to be suspended or flat out postponed until Sunday. Despite all the rain, six of the seven ACC teams in the NCAA Tournament were able to play Saturday. Only Notre Dame had their game postponed due to rain. The Irish will now play No. 4 Illinois today at 4:00 pm.
Coral Gables Regional
No. 8 Miami Hurricanes 8 Columbia 3 — Box Score
The Miami Hurricanes punched their ticket to the Regional Final with an 8-3 win over Columbia in Coral Gables, Fla.
The Hurricanes got the scoring started in the second inning when they scored four runs to take a 4-0 lead. Willie Abreu drove in a pair of runs on a two run double that first got “The U” on the board.
Abreu led the team going 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Zack Collins also had a strong day at the plate going 2-for-5 and three RBI.
Miami starter, Thomas Woodrey picked up the win pitching 5.2 innings giving up three runs on six hits and five strikeouts to improve to 7-2 on the year.
The ‘Canes improve to 46-14 on the year and will face the winner of Columbia and Florida International tonight at 7:00.
Fort Worth Regional
NC State 5 No. 5 TCU 4 — Box Score
NC State sure does love having a flare for the dramatic! With the Wolfpack down to their final out, trailing 4-3 to TCU and a runner on base, Chance Shephard hit a towering two-run home run to straight away centerfield to give NC State a 5-4 lead heading to the bottom of the ninth in Fort Worth, Texas to punch their ticket to the Regional Finals.
TCU struck first blood in the third inning when Garrett Crain hit a solo home run to give the host Horned Frogs a 1-0 lead. The Wolfpack took the lead in the following half inning after a two run double by Ryne Willard gave NC State a 2-1 lead. The Wolfpack would add another run to extend their lead to 3-1 after three and a half innings of play.
TCU would tie the game in the sixth inning on an RBI single by Cody Jones to knot the game up at 3-3. The Horned Frogs would take the lead the very next inning on a sacrifice fly by Crain that scored Dane Steinhagen to give TCU the 4-3 advantage.
Travis Orwig picked up the win to improve to 2-0 on the year. Orwig pitched 2.2 innings of relief picking up two strikeouts. NC State starter Brian Brown pitched 6.1 innings giving up four runs on five hits while striking out eight and received the no-decision.
Horned Frogs starter Preston Morrison impressed pitching eight innings, giving up three runs (two earned) on four hits and struck out 10, but unfortunately for him picked up the no-decision as well. Riley Ferrill was charged with the blown save and the loss falling to 1-3 on the year.
NC State improves to 36-21 on the year and will face the winner of TCU and Stony Brook Sunday night at 8:00.
Fullerton Regional
Pepperdine 10 Clemson Tigers 8 — Box Score
Ever since the Regions came out on Monday, there were questions surrounding the Clemson Tigers and whether they belonged in the NCAA Tournament. Finishing just five games over .500, a strong finish that included a sweep of Florida State and a win over Louisville in the ACC Tournament got them into the tournament.
A two and out showing in the NCAA Regionals did not prove the doubters wrong as they were eliminated from the NCAA Tournament after a 10-8 defeat to Pepperdine in Fullerton, Calif. The Tigers are the first ACC team to be eliminated from the NCAA Tournament.
Tyler Krieger, Robert Jolly and Tyler Slaton pulled their weight today as they combined to go 7-for-13 and five RBIs in the game.
The pitching however wasn’t quite there as Zach Erwin struggled through 5.1 innings giving up seven runs (six earned) on eight hits. He was charged with the no-decision.
Clemson actually held a slim 8-7 lead late in the ballgame until Pepperdine tied it in the eighth on an RBI single by Brad Anderson scoring Chris Fornaci. The Waves then took the lead in the ninth on a Manny Jefferson double which scored Matt Gelalich on a throwing error by Reed Rohlman gave Pepperdine a 9-8 lead. The Waves added an extra insurance run later in the inning on an RBI single by Fornaci. Pat Krall was charged with the loss after giving up three runs in an 1.1 innings pitched.
While it wasnt the result that the Tigers were looking for, Clemson finishes the season 31-29.
Lake Elsinore Regional
No. 30 Virginia Cavaliers 3 San Diego State Aztecs 1 — Box Score
Two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning helped propel the Virginia Cavaliers past the San Diego State Aztecs 3-1 in Lake Elsinore, Calif to punch their ticket to the Regional Finals.
A two-run eighth inning propelled the Cavaliers to victory as the ‘Hoos scored three unanswered runs. Virginia took their first lead of the game when Ernie Clement singled up the middle to score Joe McCarthy. Adam Haseley scored on a fielding error by third basesman, Alan Trejo to add an insurance run and lead the Aztecs 3-1.
San Diego State got on the board first in the fifth inning on an RBI single by Trejo that scored Spencer Brown to take a 1-0 lead.
Virginia then tied it up at 1-1 on a solo home run by McCarthy with two outs in the bottom of the fifth.
Both Clement and McCarthy went 1-for-2 with an RBI while Matt Thaiss went 2-for-4 in the ballgame. Starter Brandon Waddell went 7.1 innings giving up no earned runs on four hits and five strikeouts and received a no-decision. Josh Sborz came in and pitched the final 2.2 innings to pick-up the win and improve to 4-2 on the season.
Virginia improves to 36-22 on the season and will play the winner of San Diego State and Southern California tonight at 10:00.
Louisville Regional
No. 3 Louisville Cardinals 4 Michigan Wolverines 3 — Box Score
After giving up a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the eighth, a sacrifice fly by Devin Hairston scored Colin Lyman to give the Louisville Cardinals a 4-3 win and punched their ticket to the Regional Final in Louisville, Ky.
After extending their lead to 3-1 in the eighth on a Corey Ray single that scored Sutton Whiting, seemingly gave the Cardinals the insurance run that they needed. Michigan had other plans however as they scored a pair of runs with two outs in on a two run RBI pinch-hit single by Jusick to tie the game up at 3-3.
Zack Burdi was charged with the blown save but did pick up the win and improved his record to 6-0 on the year. Freshman phenom Brendan McKay pitched 7.2 brilliant innings giving up two runs (one earned) on four hits and struck out five Michigan batters. Danny Rosenbaum led the Cardinals on offense going 2-for-4 with two RBI.
With the win, the Cardinals improve to 45-16 on the year and will face the winner of Michigan and Bradley Sunday afternoon at 4:00.
Tallahassee Regional
Florida State Seminoles 3 College of Charleston 2 — Box Score
In perhaps the best and most competitive regional thus far in the NCAA Tournament (all four games have been decided by one run), the Florida State Seminoles escaped with yet another trilling victory defeating College of Charleston 3-2 to punch their ticket to the Regional Final in Tallahassee, Fla.
After giving up a two run lead in the eighth, Quincy Nieporte hit a solo home run to give the Seminoles back the 3-2 lead.
Nieporte went 1-for-4 with the one home run and DJ Stewart went 2-for-3 with one RBI. ACC Tournament MVP Boomer Biegalski pitched 7.2 innings and gave up two runs on five hits with eight strikeouts and received a no-decision. Dylan Silva came on in relief to finish off the eighth inning and received the win to improve to 7-1 on the year. Billy Strode closed out the game to record his 14th save of the year.
The Cougars tied the game at 2-2 on a Carl Wise two run home run in the eighth. Brandon Glazer pitched a complete game in defeat falling to 10-2 on the year.
The Seminoles started the scoring in the fifth inning on a pair of RBI singles by Josh Delph and Stewart.
With the win, Florida State improves to 43-19 on the year and will face the winner of College of Charleston and Auburn tonight at 6:00.
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