Stony Brook joins supers field
The 2012 College World Series will have a different feel than last year. Only two of the eight 2011 participants (CWS finalist Florida and defending champion South Carolina) are still alive in the NCAA baseball tournament following the conclusion of the regional rounds on Monday.
Baylor, NC State, Oklahoma, TCU and Stony Brook all advanced to this weekend's super regionals with clutch performances when it mattered most. They join the 11 other teams that qualified on Sunday.
Here's a recap of Monday's action:
Game of the day
Trailing 7-3, NC State scored six runs in the final two innings to stage a 9-7, come-from-behind victory over Vanderbilt in Raleigh, N.C. Tarran Senay drove in five of NC State's runs -- including two in the ninth -- to spark his team to victory. Tenay was 2-for-2 on the day with a home run. Leadoff hitter Trea Turner was 3-for-6.
Biggest surprise
Although Kent State and St. John's are strong candidates, there might not be a better story in the NCAA tournament thus far than Stony Brook -- the only No. 4 seed to advance to the super regionals. The Seawolves won the Coral Gables Regional -- host Miami was eliminated after two games -- by defeating UCF 10-6 on Monday. Starting pitcher Tyler Johnson struck out five and allowed four runs in 6 1/3 innings.
Star performances
• Baylor reliever Dillon Newman allowed just one hit in five innings of relief in the Bears' 8-2 victory over Dallas Baptist. The win was the fourth in three days for Baylor, which got a 3-for-4 performance at the plate from Dan Evatt.
2012 NCAA baseball tournament
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• Stony Brook third baseman William Carmona went 4-for-5 with a home run and two RBIs against UCF.
• NC State reliever Ryan Wilkins pitched 4 2/3 innings of shutout baseball to cool off Vanderbilt and keep the Commodores at bay after they jumped out to a 7-3 lead. Wilkins struck out six and allowed just three hits during that span.
• TCU reliever Justin Scharf allowed just one run on four hits in 4 2/3 innings of relief on Monday. And third baseman Jantzen Witte went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs in the Horned Frogs' 7-4 victory over Ole Miss.
• Oklahoma starter Drew Harrison allowed just two runs on three hits in six innings of work before yielding to relievers Jordan John and Steven Okert, who combined for three shutout innings in the Sooners' 5-2 victory over Appalachian State on Monday. Jack Mayfield drove in three runs. Oklahoma advances to play two-time defending champion South Carolina, which defeated Appalachian State 14-6 earlier in the day.
Other notables
• NC State advanced to its third super regional since 2003.
• TCU is in the super regionals for the third time in the last four years.
• Baylor won a regional for the first time since 2005.
• Stony Brook became just the third ever No. 4 seed to advance to the super regionals since the NCAA went to the regional format in 1999. The Seawolves (50-12) also became the first team in the nation this season to win 50 games. They're also the first American East conference squad to win a regional since 1991.
• Oklahoma is in the super regionals for just the second time since 2006.
- College basketball writer for ESPN.com
- Longtime writer at the Kansas City Star
- Author of two books
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