Gamecocks' rally hopes
snuffed by rookie hurler
By DOUG ALDEN
AP Sports Writer
OMAHA, NE (AP) — Texas closer Huston Street has his
own national championship story to share with his dad.
The son of former Texas quarterback James Street, who helped lead the
Longhorns to a Cotton Bowl victory in 1970, carried the baseball team
to its fifth College World Series title on Saturday.
But he wasn't about to flaunt it after the Longhorns beat South
Carolina 12-6, even with a CWS-record four saves.
"I don't know if I'll ever have bragging rights with my dad," Street
said. "Everything I am is because my dad taught it to me."
The victory made Texas coach Augie Garrido the first to win the CWS
with two schools, and gave Texas its first title since 1983. It also
tied Texas (57-15) with Louisiana State and Arizona State for second
on the list of CWS championships.
"They are the very best at what they are doing in sport right now,"
Garrido said. "This national championship went to a group that really
deserved it."
Street, a 6-foot freshman from Austin, Texas, pitched 6 1/3 innings in
his four appearances, allowing one run on two hits, struck out five
and walked three.
"It's just kind of something that happened," Street said. "I was
praying before the whole thing started that when I came in we were up
10-2 and there wouldn't be any save opportunities. I give credit to
the team behind me."
Street was voted Most Outstanding Player for the series and became the
first freshman to get the honor since Pat Burrell of Miami in 1996.
On Saturday, Texas' hero was outfielder Chris Carmichael.
Carmichael, who was making his first start in nearly a month, hit a
three-run homer in the fifth that broke the game open for the
Longhorns. It was just the second homer of the season for Carmichael,
who didn't know he was going to play until just before the game.
"I felt good and I felt like I was having fun, during batting practice
especially," Carmichael said. "I don't know what it was. I thought I'd
take this good feeling into the game."
Street pitched 1 2/3 innings Saturday, allowing one hit and a walk. He
got pinch-hitter Jared Greenwood to ground out to first for the final
out, then Street and first baseman Jeff Ontiveros started a
celebratory pileup next to the mound.
"That's all I wanted to do. That's all anybody wanted to do. Come
together and be together," Street said. "That was the greatest
moment."
It was the fourth national title for Garrido, who won three at Cal
State Fullerton before coming to Texas in 1996. He took the Longhorns
to Omaha two years ago, but they were eliminated in two games.
The Longhorns were perfect on this trip as they edged Rice, swept two
games against Stanford and beat South Carolina, which hadn't played in
the title game since losing to the Longhorns in 1975.
The loss ended an amazing run for the Gamecocks (57-18), who were shut
out by Georgia Tech 11-0 in the opener last Friday, then won four
straight elimination games to make it to the championship.
"At this moment, it still stings and is very disappointing," South
Carolina coach Ray Tanner said. "But there's only two teams playing
baseball today and I'm proud we were one of them."
Texas was in its first championship game since 1989, and won the title
for the first time since Roger Clemens and Calvin Schiraldi led the
1983 team.
The Longhorns had a team ERA of 2.80 entering the game. Justin Simmons
(16-1), who won a 2-1 decision over Rice in the opening round, picked
up his second victory of the CWS.
"Any time our guys were looking for a fastball, he threw a curve ball.
He did a good job today," said Gamecocks shortstop Drew Meyer, who was
1-for-4.
South Carolina took a 1-0 lead in the first, but never recovered after
giving up three in the bottom of the first and Carmichael's homer in
the three-run fifth.
Five of the Longhorns were on the 2000 team and three were in the
lineup Saturday, including Carmichael, who hadn't started since May 25
in the Big 12 tournament.
He was 0-for-1 in the CWS, but Garrido decided to start the senior in
his final game. It paid off in the fifth when Ontiveros reached on an
error and Brandon Fahey walked, then Carmichael hit a 1-2 pitch from
Aaron Rawl (7-2) way out to right.
Carmichael leaped when the ball cleared and gave Texas a 7-2 lead. He
pointed at teammates as he trotted down the third-base line and
finished his celebration by spinning his arms in a windmill as he
touched home and was swarmed by teammates.
"He has worked as hard as all of his teammates and played a lot less.
That's why you saw that explosion of emotion from his teammates,"
Garrido said. "He's probably the best example of how that whole bench
played."
The homer gave the Longhorns 68 for the season, one more than the
school record set in 1988.
Fahey was 2-for-3 with three RBI, including a two-run single in the
eighth that put the Longhorns up 10-6. Dustin Majewski drove in two
runs with a triple in the first, and Omar Quintanilla was 4-for-5 with
an RBI.
Justin Harris was 2-for-5 with two RBI for the Gamecocks, who got two
runs in the seventh and cut the lead to 8-6 in the eighth on Harris'
bases-loaded grounder to second. It could have been a double play, but
second baseman Tim Moss dropped the ball before he could throw it to
first.
Two runs scored on the play, but the Longhorns put it away in the
bottom of the inning with four runs.
Copyright 2002
Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be
published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
02/23/2007 10:45 AM -----
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