Results/Notes for UCLA-Stony Brook & Florida St.-Arizona…
2012 CWS – Game One – UCLA – 9 def. Stony Brook – 1
UCLA reliever David Berg made his nation-leading 48th appearance of the season Friday vs. Stony Brook
OMAHA, Neb. — All the talk about Stony Brook coming into Omaha is the way the Cinderella Seawolves grind-out at-bats. There was a team that did some grinding in the first game of the 2012 College World Series on Friday, but it wasn’t Stony Brook.
“They play like a west coast team,” UCLA starting pitcher Adam Plutko said of the Stony Brook lineup. “I’ve been saying it all week, they try to go the other way (and) cut down on their swings a little bit. It’s something we see a lot as far as playing on the west coast. “
UCLA grinded-out five runs in the bottom of the first en-route to a a 9-1 victory over the first northeastern team to reach Omaha in more than 30 years.
Back to back singles by Beau Amaral and Tyler Heineman, the latter on a hit and run than went to the six hole at shortstop, started the inning. They were followed by a walk, two more singles, a sacrifice bunt, and another infield single to put the Bruins up 5-0.
“It was a typical Bruin win really,” UCLA head coach John Savage said afterward. “ Nothing fancy. No big home runs or anything like that. It was just more kind of plate discipline. Using the middle of the field.”
Stony Brook never came to the plate facing a deficit in its three games in last week’s LSU Super Regional, but that’s where they found themselves after the early Bruin grinding.
Seawolves starting pitcher Travis Johnson was tagged for seven earned runs in just 2.1 innings. His previous shortest outing of the season was 5.0 innings (twice).The seven earned runs he allowed was a season-high.
How well can the Bruins grind? Right fielder had an 11-pitch at-bat against Stony Brook reliver Jasvir Rakkar before finally flying out to left field to begin the bottom of the sixth inning.
UCLA pitchers threw a total of 135 pitches, while Stony Brook pitchers 163 pitches in the game.
Attendance: 22,391
CLICK HERE for post game video interviews with UCLA’s Adam Plutko and Stony Brook’s Travis Janskowski and head coach Matt Senk.
UCLA Starting Lineup
CF Beau Amaral (2-4), Run, RBI, HBP
C Tyler Heineman (1-4), Run
LF Cody Keefer (0-2) 2 Runs, 3 BB
RF Jeff Gelalich (1-4), Run, 2 RBIs, BB
1B Trevor Brown (1-4), Run, RBI
SS Pat Valaika (1-4), 2 RBIs
DH Cody Regis (0-4), Run, HBP
3B Kevin Kramer (2-2), 2 Runs, RBI, 2 BB
2B Kevin Williams (1-4), 2 RBIs
SP Adam Plutko 7.0 IP, 5 H, ER, 2 BB, 7 K, 112 pitches W (12-3)
Stony Brook Starting Lineup
CF Travis Jankowski (0-4), K
C Pat Cantwell (1-4), Run, RBI, HR
3B William Carmona (0-4), 2 K
2B Maxx Tissenbaum (2-4), K
DH Kevin Krause (1-3), BB
SS Cole Peragine (0-3), K
LF Steven Goldstein (0-3), BB, 2 K
1B Kevin Courtney (0-2), BB, K
RF Sal Intagliata (1-3)
SP Tyler Johnson 2.1 IP, 5 H, 7 ER, 4 BB, K L (12-2)
Notes
Stony Brook’s Matt Senk was named the NCBWA’s National Coach of the Year on Friday.
Pat Cantwell homered in the third inning for Stony Brook’s lone run of the game. The long ball has not been en-vogue this year at TD Ameritrade Park. Creighton played 24 home games in the home of the CWS this season and had just one home run all year there.
Stony Brook pitchers walked a season-high eight batters in the loss. Their previous high was seven free passes at Fairleigh Dickinson back on March 7.
UCLA reliever David Berg pitched the last 2.0 innings for the Bruins in what was his 48th appearance of the season. The appearances are the third most in Division One single season history. Berg did not allow a hit in his outing. He has a total of 70.1 IP with 62 strikeouts this season.
UCLA has now won 20 of its last 22 games and is a perfect 6-0 in the postseason this year. The Bruins outscored their opposition 42-10 in those six games.
2012 CWS shirts & more are now at The Dugout!
They’re HERE!! The Dugout in Omaha has official College World Series gear for each of the eight teams, including those Stony Brook Seawolves. If you want to be the first kid (no matter what age) on your block to have this year’s official CWS shirts, hats and more (both for individual teams or generic) click the red link and get to The Dugout’sweb site!
If you’re going to Omaha for the CWS you can also visit The Dugout. It’s right across the street from the home plate entrance to TD Ameritrade Park.
Game Two – Arizona – 4 def. Florida State – 3
It took 12 innings and more than four hours for two of the best offensive clubs in the 2012 CWS field to complete the first day of play in Omaha, but Arizona eventually claimed a 4-3 victory. Back to back doubles by Joey Rickard and Johnny Field provided the winning run for the Wildcats.
The two teams each finished with single digit runs on the night after combining to average better than 12 runs in their four total Super Regional games last weekend.
“That’s what our game is about, never giving in. Our Guys fought like crazy. We just happened to come up short.” – Florida State head coach Mike Martin when asked about his team’s battling at-bats in the loss.
Attendance: 22,391
Florida State Lineup
3B Sherman Johnson (1-6) Run, RBI, 2 K, HR
2B Devon Travis (2-6) K
CF James Ramsey (1-3) 2 BB, 2 K
1B Jace Boyd (0-5) Run
C Stephen McGee (0-5) 2 K
SS Justin Gonzalez
RF Josh Delph (1-4) 2 K, BB
DH John Holland (1-5) 2 RBI, Double
LF Jose Brizuela (0-2)
SP Brandon Leibrandt – 4.1 IP, 3 R, 2 ER, 6 H, 5 K, 84 pitches
Arizona Lineup
CF Joey Rickard (2-4) 2 Runs, RBI, K, HBP, Double
LF Johnny Field (1-5) Run, RBI, BB, K
SS Alex Mejia (2-5) BB
RF Robert Refsnyder (2-6) 2 RBIs, K
3B Seth Mejias-Brean (0-6)
DH Bobby Brown (0-5) 3 K
1B Joseph Maggi (0-3) K
C Riley Moore (3-5) Run, K
2B Trent Gilbert (0-3) K, BB
SP Kurt Heyer – 7.2 IP – 6 H – 3 R – 1 ER – 8 K – 3 BB
Notes
Florida State closer Robert Benincasa needed just four pitches to retire Arizona in order in the top of the 10th.
It had been six years since a College World Series game went to extra innings on day one. The last such game was on June 16, 2006 when North Carolina beat Cal State Fullerton 7-5 in 13 innings.
It was the 88th extra-inning game in MCWS history. Arizona is 4-3 in extra-inning contests at the MCWS, while Florida State is 1-7.
The last five teams to win an extra-inning game in the CWS have gone on to win the national championship (South Carolina-2011 (2), South Carolina-2010 (2) and LSU-2009).
It was the the 919th game all-time at the MCWS. Only 32 games have gone 12 innings or more.
Arizona is a three-time national champion (1976, 1980 and 1986).
The home run surrendered by Arizona’s Kurt Heyer in the third inning to Sherman Johnson was the first he had allowed in 88 innings, with the last coming on April 5th in the second inning against Utah.
Arizona and UCLA meet Sunday night at 8 pm CT in the winner’s bracket game. Stony Brook faces Florida State at 4 pm in the first 2012 elimination game.
“That is a beautiful team.” – Martin when asked about the Sunday match-up with Stony Brook.