UNC tops Stetson 7-5, earns trip to College World Series

Published 6:40 am Sunday, June 10, 2018

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — It wasn’t that long ago that North Carolina made it seem almost routine going to the College World Series year after year.

Now, after a few seasons away, the Tar Heels are heading back to Omaha.

UNC jumped on Stetson starter Jack Perkins in a four-run first inning and the Tar Heels hung on to beat the Hatters 7-5 on Saturday, securing their first trip to the College World Series since 2013.

The host Tar Heels (43-18), the No. 6 national seed, went to Omaha six times in eight years under coach Mike Fox. They returned by sweeping the bestof-three NCAA super regional series against the No. 11 national seed.

Everything started Saturday with that fast start, a big first inning with the bats that are humming right now.

Cody Roberts, Brandon Riley and Ashton McGee had RBI doubles in that first inning for a 4-0 lead on a pitcher who hadn’t allowed more than two earned runs in a start in two months.

CAL STATE FULLERTON 5, WASHINGTON 2

FULLERTON, Calif. (AP) — Junior right hander Tommy Wilson pitched seven strong innings to lead Cal State Fullerton to a 5-2 victory over Washington on Saturday to even their best-of-three super-regional series at a game apiece.

Wilson limited the Huskies to one run and three hits and improved to 7-0 on the season. Brett Conine pitched the eighth and ninth innings to secure the victory.

The Titans (36-24) forced a winner-take-all Game 3 on Sunday. The Titans will advance to its 19th College World Series with a victory. Last season Fullerton lost their opening super-regional game to Long Beach State before winning the next two to reach the CWS.

UW (34-24) fell to 1-9 all-time against Fullerton and needs a win on Sunday to advance to its first CWS in school’s history.

ARKANSAS 9, SOUTH CAROLINA 3

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — Carson Shaddy drove in four runs, including a three-run double in the seventh inning, and Arkansas beat South Carolina 9-3 in the opening game of a best-of-three NCAA super regional on Saturday night.

Shaddy’s double hit off the top of the fence in left center field and cleared the bases for the Razorbacks (43-18), making it 7-3. The Gamecocks (36-25) intentionally walked Dominic Fletcher to face Shaddy, who finished 1 for 2 with a walk.

Shaddy scored on Jared Gates sacrifice fly to make it 8-3 before the end of the seventh and Luke Bonfield’s single scored Heston Kjerstad to cap the Razorbacks’ scoring in the bottom of the eighth.

LT Tolbert and Madison Stokes each had home runs for the Gamecocks with Stokes making it 3-all in the sixth. Jax Biggers drove in Shaddy in the bottom of the inning for Arkansas’ go-ahead run.