FULLERTON, Calif. — Jason Castro drove in four runs, including three on a sixth-inning double, to put Stanford into the College World Series with an 8-5 victory over Cal State Fullerton in the super regional on Saturday night.
The Cardinal (39-22-2) used its sixth consecutive victory and eighth in 10 games to eliminate the Titans (41-22), seeded fifth nationally.
Castro broke a 5-5 tie in the bottom of the sixth with his third hit of the game, a double down the left-field line that scored Zach Jones, Jack Schlander and Colin Walsh.
Fullerton had scored two runs in the top of the sixth to force the tie before loading the bases with one out. But Brian Wilson lined into an unassisted double play by first baseman Brent Milleville, who tagged first base to end the threat.
Austin Yount (5-3) got the victory in relief, and Drew Storen earned his second save in two games.
Walsh scored three runs and had two hits in place of starting second baseman Cord Phelps, who got sick before the game. Joey August added two RBI.
UC Irvine 11, LSU 5
BATON ROUGE, La. — Sean Madigan and Brock Bardeen each hit home runs, leading UC Irvine to a win over LSU in the super regional opener and ending the Tigers’ 23-game winning streak.
The Anteaters (42-16) got on the scoreboard quickly with a two-run single in the first by Tony Asaro and broke it open with nine runs from the fifth through eighth innings. Madigan hit a three-run homer in the sixth, and Bardeen a two-run shot in the eighth for UC Irvine, one win away from its second straight College World Series appearance.
Anteaters ace Scott Gorgen (12-3) allowed two runs — one earned — and six hits and struck out eight in 6 2/3 innings.
DJ LeMahieu hit a two-run homer for LSU (46-17-1), which last lost to Georgia on April 19. Ryan Verdugo (9-3) took the loss after giving up three runs and five hits in five innings.
UC Irvine also benefited from a hidden-ball trick in the bottom of the sixth. Leon Landry hit a grounder off Gorgen’s glove and the ball bounced to second baseman Casey Stevenson, who held the ball. When play resumed and LeMahieu took a lead, Stevenson tagged him. Second-base umpire David Rogers called LeMahieu out, although replays showed the tag was slightly late and Rogers was in front of the bag and couldn’t see the play.
Florida State 14, Wichita State 4
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida State scored five times in the third inning and Matt Fairel pitched eight solid innings to lead the Seminoles over Wichita State and force a deciding third game in their super regional series.
The Seminoles (53-12) chased Shockers ace Aaron Shafer, a second-round pick of the Chicago Cubs, in the third inning, the shortest stint of his career. Stuart Tapley homered and Dennis Guinn dealt the final blow with a two-run single, driving in the fourth and fifth runs of the inning.
Wichita State (48-16) saw its 10-game winning streak end against a Florida State team that has scored 10 or more runs in five of seven NCAA postseason games. The 14 runs allowed were the most by the Shockers this season.
North Carolina St. 10, Georgia 6
ATHENS, Ga. — North Carolina State scored four runs in the seventh inning and forced a deciding third game in its super regional series against Georgia.
Jeremy Synan, Ryan Pond, Tommy Foschi and Russell Wilson each had two RBIs for N.C. State (42-21), seeking its second College World Series appearance and first since 1968.
Georgia (40-23-1), which is 4-0 in elimination games this year at Foley Field and 15-0 in ballpark history, is attempting to make the College World Series’ field of eight teams for the third time in five years.
Bulldogs starter Nathan Moreau (4-2) lasted just 2 2/3 innings for the Southeastern Conference regular-season champions, giving up four runs, five hits, two walks and striking out two.
North Carolina 9, Coastal Carolina 4
CARY, N.C. — Alex White threw seven strong innings and Seth Williams homered to lead North Carolina past mistake-prone Coastal Carolina (50-13) in the opener of the teams’ super regional series.
Williams, Kyle Seager and Kyle Shelton drove in two runs apiece for the Tar Heels (50-12), who turned the Chanticleers’ season-high six errors into six unearned runs and moved within one victory of their third straight trip to the College World Series.
White (10-3) struck out six and allowed eight hits on a sweltering day in which the temperature surpassed 100 degrees by the fourth inning and the heat index reached 106.
Rice 9, Texas A&M 7
HOUSTON — Jordan Dodson drove in four runs and Cole St. Clair had a terrific outing in relief, leading Rice past Texas A&M in the first game of the best-of-three super regional.
St. Clair (10-2) allowed one run and two hits during the final 4 1-3 innings, bringing the Owls (46-13) within one win of their third straight College World Series appearance and seventh since 1997. Rice has won four straight games in the postseason and hasn’t lost in the regionals or super regionals since 2006.
Miami 14, Arizona 10
CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Yonder Alonso and Yasmani Grandal hit three-run homers and Miami beat Arizona to send the super regional to a decisive third game.
Mark Sobolewski hit a go-ahead solo home run and the Hurricanes (51-9) rallied from an early four-run deficit. Jason Hagerty also homered for Miami.
Sobolewski’s leadoff homer off Arizona reliever Mike Colla (4-3) in the sixth put Miami ahead 8-7. Grandal hit a three-run home later in the inning.
Dennis Rabin, who was drafted by the Seattle Mariners last week, walked six times, tying an NCAA record previously set by Josh Hamilton on May 29, 1999. Arizona pitchers walked a 16 batters, a school record.
Arizona State 12, Fresno State 4
TEMPE, Ariz. — Ryan Sontag homered twice and drove in four runs to lead Arizona State past Fresno State in the opening game of the Tempe super regional.
Jason Kipnis and Brett Wallace had three hits each and Petey Paramore added two RBI for the Sun Devils (49-11), who have scored 10 or more runs in three of four postseason games.
Sophomore right-hander Mike Leake earned his second win of the postseason, allowing four runs — two earned — and eight hits over 7 2/3 innings. Leake struck out two and walked one.
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