|
|
|
CLICK THESE
LINKS FOR MORE PIRATE BASEBALL RESOURCES |
|
|
|
Roundup: Gamecocks explosion eliminates LSU
By ERIC OLSON
Associated Press Writer
Monday's CWS Capsules
South Carolina 15,
LSU 4
OMAHA Kevin Melillo had four
hits and was ejected and reinstated after a collision at home plate, leading
South Carolina to a 15-4 win over LSU on Monday that eliminated the Tigers
from the College World Series.
The Gamecocks trailed 3-1
before they scored six runs, four unearned, with two outs in the sixth.
South Carolina had the bases
loaded with two outs when Nick Gardiner singled to right off Lane Mestepey
(7-4). Landon Powell scored easily, but Melillo collided with LSU catcher
Matt Liuzza after the ball bounced under Liuzza's glove.
Umpire Bob Homolka called
Melillo safe, but immediately ejected him for not trying to avoid the
collision.
South Carolina coach Ray
Tanner came out of the dugout to protest, and after the umpiring crew
consulted with supervisor Dave Yeast, Homolka's decision was reversed and
Melillo was reinstated.
"He really didn't plow through
him," Tanner said. "He kind of held up a little bit. Nobody went to the
ground. You'd hate to see a player ejected in a game like this."
Jim Paronto, secretary-editor
to the NCAA Baseball Rules Committee, said in a statement that Homolka
initially believed the collision was caused by a flagrant act by Melillo but
it was later determined that it was not.
"I was coming down the line
and I could see Landon telling me to get down," Melillo said. "I was kind of
looking to see where Liuzza was going to go, where the ball was going to
take him, so I could try to take an angle and slide around him.
"The ball led him up the line
and we collided a little bit. It was nothing intentional. He understood
that."
The intent of the rule is to
encourage base runners and defensive players to avoid violent collisions
whenever possible.
"I'd be surprised if it wasn't
reviewed," Yeast said.
It was the second CWS game in
which the collision rule came into play. Georgia shortstop Justin Holmes was
ejected for running into catcher Nick Hundley in the Bulldogs' 8-7 win.
Holmes was out on the play.
After the fender bender at the
plate, the Gamecocks went on to score four more runs in the inning, three on
throwing errors by the Tigers. South Carolina added six more runs in the
eighth inning to seal the victory.
South Carolina (51-16) will
face Miami on Tuesday. LSU (46-19) was knocked out of the CWS in two games
for the second year in a row by the Gamecocks.
Steve Pearce had four singles
for South Carolina, and LSU's Will Harris had three.
Gamecocks starter Aaron Rawl (13-4) got the win after scattering 11 hits
over 6 2/3 innings.
Cal State
Fullerton 6, Miami 3
OMAHA Ricky Romero threw a
nine-hitter, and Felipe Garcia went 4-for-4 to lead Cal State Fullerton to a
6-3 victory over Miami in the College World Series on Monday night.
Romero (13-4) struck out seven, walked two, and only got into trouble once.
The Titans have gotten complete games in their first two games at the CWS.
Jason Windsor pitched a three-hitter in a 2-0 win over South Carolina on
Saturday.
"Both of them are as good as anyone out here," Miami coach Jim Morris said.
"The secret is getting into their bullpen. Not many people get into their
bullpen when those guys are throwing."
In the earlier game Monday, South Carolina eliminated LSU with a 15-4
victory and will face Miami on Tuesday. The loser of that game will be
knocked out of the CWS. The winner will play Fullerton on Wednesday.
Cal State Fullerton (44-21) has won seven straight and 29 of 34 games. The
Hurricanes (50-12) saw their 13-game winning streak end.
Miami's J.D. Cockroft (9-5) struggled for the second year in a row in the
CWS. He lasted only 3 2/3 innings -- his shortest outing in 12 starts -- and
gave up nine hits and five runs. He was hurt by four Miami errors.
In a 13-2 loss to Texas last year, he allowed 10 hits and 10 runs and his
teammates committed five errors in 3 1/3 innings.
The Hurricanes scored twice against Romero in the seventh to make it 5-3.
"I wasn't getting tired in the seventh," Romero said. "My mechanics were off
and I got back to staying on top of the ball and throwing strikes."
Copyright 2004
The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be
published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
02/23/2007 10:37:31 AM
|
