College Sports

From Staff, Wire Reports

OMAHA, Neb. — The Rice Owls will make their third straight appearance in the College World Series when they meet Fresno State this afternoon.

The sixth-seeded Owls (47-13) are looking for their second national championship at Rosenblatt Stadium. Rice, which has been to Omaha five of the last seven years, is unbeaten this postseason.

“This has been a very good clutch team,” Rice coach Wayne Graham said. “They play very well for survival. They’re as good as any team I’ve had like that.”

The winner will advance to meet either No. 7 LSU (48-17-1) or No. 2 North Carolina (51-12) in the winner’s bracket Tuesday.

Sophomore Ryan Berry has been the Owls’ series-opening starter throughout the postseason, and figures to get the nod today. Berry carries in an 8-4 record and 3.31 ERA.

Rice has been led at the plate by catcher Adams Zornes (.308, 12 home runs, 55 RBIs), first baseman J.P. Padron (.362, 5, 41), shortstop Rick Hague (.347, 8, 52), third baseman Diego Seastrunk (.353, 5, 57), left fielder Aaron Luna (.316, 9, 52) and center fielder Jared Gayheart (.309, 6, 45).

Meanwhile, unseeded Fresno State (42-29) is making its first CWS appearance since 1991. The Bulldogs are the first No. 4 regional seed to reach Omaha since the field expanded to 64 teams in 1999.

Fresno State advanced by upsetting third-seeded Arizona State in the super regionals in Tempe, Ariz. The Bulldogs fell in the series opener before winning two straight.

“I’m happy to be a Bulldog today,” coach Mike Batesole said after eliminating Arizona State. “I’m very proud of this team and these eight seniors. This was a grind. Our guys were ground down to nothing at the end.”

In reaching Omaha, Fresno State has played without staff ace and Western Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year Tanner Scheppers (8-2, 2.93) due to injury.

The Bulldogs are led at the plate by left fielder Steve Susdorf (.345, 11, 81), the WAC Player of the Year and owner of the school record for RBIs. Other key bats belong to first baseman Alan Ahmady (.384, 12, 84), second baseman Erik Wetzel (.361, 6, 36), shortstop Danny Muno (.327, 2, 22), center fielder Gavin Hedstrom (.312, 7, 32) and right fielder Steve Detwiler (.259, 9, 48).