THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
OMAHA, Neb. – Virginia eliminated second-seeded Cal State Fullerton from the College World Series, chasing ace Daniel Renken in a 7-5 victory Monday.
The Cavaliers (49-14-1) won the elimination game and next play the loser of Monday night’s game between Arkansas and LSU. Fullerton (47-16) has lost five consecutive games at the CWS.
Renken (11-3) was tagged for a season-high six runs.
Arkansas’ Andy Wilkins had five RBI, including a three-run homer, to propel the Razorbacks to a 10-6 victory over Cal State Fullerton in the opening game of the College World Series Saturday at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, Neb.
More to follow
The Titans are headed to Omaha on a roll.
CSF (47-14) routed Louisville for a second straight game at Goodwin Field in their NCAA super regional to become the second team to qualify for the College World Series. Arkansas, the Titans’ first opponent Saturday, got there earlier in the day by shocking Florida State.
Noe Ramirez pitched eight strong innings and Jared Clark went 2-for-4 with a home run and a two-run double. In the first five games of this post-season, CSF has outscored its opponents by a combined score of 64-11.
The fans, 3,178 of whom showed up on an overcast day, chanted “Omaha!” as Nick Ramirez finished off the Cardinals (47-18) in the ninth. Fullerton failed to reach the CWS last season when it was swept here by Stanford. It last won the CWS in 2004.
After Clark caught a foul pop-up to end it, CSF celebrated in a big dogpile between first and second base. Then, the Titans all jogged to the outfield to pound on a wall adorned with a billboard pointing out the distance to Omaha.
Noe Ramirez set a career high with his 10th strikeout. So far, CSF has used two pitchers and they’ve combined for 20 strikeouts in this series.
The Titans are three outs from Omaha.
The Titans are nine outs from Omaha.
Jered Clark hit a long home run to center field _ it appeared to clip the ESPN camerman set up behind the batter’s-eye screen _ and the Titans added another couple four runs, one on Joe Scott’s RBI single and another on an error by Cardinals shortstop John Dao. Christian Colon added a two-run double into the left-field corner.
By the way, Noe Ramirez has struck out nine Louisville batters and remains in the game.
The Titans may have missed a chance to tuck the game away as they managed to squeeze just one run out of a bases-loaded no-out situation in the top of the fifth. Dustin Garneau hit a sacrifice fly to right field, but Joe Scott lined out to left and Joey Siddons hit a slow hopper to shortstop.
Update: Chris Dominguez just scored Louisville’s first run of this series with a mammoth home run to left-center field.
It seems like the top of the second inning lasted as long as the entire Godfather trilogy.
The upshot was CSF got a runner thrown out at the plate (for the first out, no less), but still added an insurance run. The Titans stole two more bases, giving them five in two innings. Gary Brown had an RBI single.
The Titans’ post-season barrage continued Saturday.
CSF jumped all over the Big East pitcher of the year, scoring four times off Louisville lefty Justin Marks. Twice, the Titans stole bases after Marks appeared to have picked off base runners. He also had a balk.
Jared Clark sliced a two-run double to right-center, Josh Fellhauer had an RBI single and Dustin Garneau had a sacrifice fly.
Jon Wilhite, the lone survivor of the car crash that killed Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart and two other people, is attending today’s game at Goodwin Field. Wilhite, 24, played at Cal State Fullerton from 2004-2007. He is recuperating at his parents’ home in Murietta from what doctors described as an internal decapitation.
Oakland A’s catcher Kurt Suzuki, a CSF teammate of Wilhite’s, is holding an on-line auction at oaklandathletics.com to raise money for his friend.
Daniel Renken was good enough to beat Louisville all by himself Friday night, but he had an embarrassment of support.
Renken struck out 10 batters in finishing off the shutout in the first game of the teams’ super regional at Goodwin Field. It was the sophomore right-hander’s first career shutout.
The No. 3 Titans (46-14) out-hit Louisville 16-3 and ran the bases non-stop. CSF will advance to the College World Series if it can beat Louisville Saturday afternoon behind freshman right-hander Noe Ramirez.
CSF has churned through this tournament so far, outscoring its opponents 53-9.
