GAME SEVEN
By: Jacob Thimjon
OMAHA, Neb.- After only lasting two-thirds of an inning and surrendering four earned runs against the Oregon State Beavers in the Corvallis super regional, Auburn Tigers left-handed pitcher Trace Bright turned in one of his best starts of the season. Bright pitched five innings allowing just two earned runs, no walks and recording eight strikeouts with his team facing elimination.
“Trace Bright, I gained more respect for him today” Auburn head coach Butch Thompson said.
Stanford grabbed an early 1-0 lead on just their third batter of the game when second baseman Brett Barrera delivered his 53rd run batted in on the season, a double to right field that scored Brock Jones, who got into scoring position after a steal of second base.
Stanford’s lead grew in the top of the second inning when back-to-back doubles down the left-field line from shortstop Adam Crampton and designated hitter Tommy Troy increased the Cardinal lead to 2-0. Auburn challenged the RBI double, contesting a foul ball on the double by Crampton that scored Troy; replay video review confirmed Crampton’s hit was a fair ball.
“I wanted to get us off on the right foot, and I kind of had us behind the eight ball for a few innings” Bright said, “once the offense got rolling, we were in a good place.”
Auburn threatened in the top of the 5th inning after the first two batters of the inning reached. Stanford starting pitcher Drew Dowd was relieved later in the inning by Cardinal left-handed pitcher Quinn Matthews. The Tigers would put runners on first and third in the inning. However, Matthews was able to work out of trouble after Tiger’s second baseman Cole Foster was caught stealing at third base after the Tigers attempted a double steal with two out to end the inning.
The Tigers threatened again in the top of the sixth inning when the Tigers loaded the bases after left fielder Mike Bello and third baseman Blake Rabusch reached on back-to-back singles and first baseman Sonny DiChiara was hit by a pitch. Right fielder Bobby Peirce got the Tigers on the board with a bases-loaded walk to cut the Stanford lead to 2-1 in the top of the 6th inning. The Tigers then took a 4-2 when Foster hit a three-run double off the left-center field wall.
Tiger shortstop Brody Moore delivered a sacrifice fly to left field that scored pinch-runner Bryson Moore from third base to extend Auburn’s lead to 5-2 in the top of the seventh inning. Peirce then doubled to left-center field to score third baseman Blake Rambusch to push the Tiger lead four runs at 6-2.
Stanford loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh inning, but Auburn reliever Blake Burkhalter recorded a two-out strikeout of Barrera on a full count to escape the bases-loaded jam.
“The cutter was working, and the change up was working, and that’s what I had to lean on; I was right on the brink of walking him, but thankfully, I got that strikeout and got us off the field,” Burkhalter said.
Auburn’s pitching staff combined for 16 strikeouts and allowed just two runs and one walk in nine innings to help secure the Tiger’s 6-2 victory.
Thompson said that postseason play is not just about advancing but rather having humility in competition.
“I’ve embraced every one of these teams we’ve got to play; I respect the game and care about the game so much,” Thompson said.
Auburn (43-21) will play Arkansas on Tuesday evening in its second elimination game of the Men’s College World Series.
Stanford finished its season at 47-18, won both the Pacific 12 Conference regular-season and tournament titles, and came in as the second-ranked team in the National Collegiate Athletic Association tournament, but lost its first two games at the MCWS for the first time in program history.
“I’m so proud of this team and in our program and our coaches,” Stanford head coach David Esquer said, “there is no shame in our showing here in Omaha.”
GAME EIGHT
By: Austin Ulmer
Monday night’s game featured two teams that not only won their first games at the MCWS, but teams that are quite familiar with each other, since both teams play in the West division of the Southeastern Conference, the Arkansas Razorbacks (44-20) and the Ole Miss Rebels (39-22). Arkansas won two out of three games when the teams last met April 29-May 1 during the regular season, however Ole Miss would go 15-3 after that series loss.
“Baseball is a big momentum game, and we’re building a lot of momentum right now” starting pitcher Hunter Elliott said.
An aggressive combination of pitching and offense would help lead Ole Miss to a dominant performance, and a huge statement victory. Eliott set the tone for the team after throwing 100 pitches (6.1 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K), and provided great support for the Ole Miss offense, which was able to score 13 runs on 13 hits, providing a frustrating night for the Arkansas pitching staff.
“We just didn’t pitch very well” said Arkansas head coach Dave Van Horn, after the game.
The Ole Miss offensive onslaught started right in the top of the first, after a Justin Bench single, followed by a single by Kevin Graham, driving in Bench for his 72nd RBI on the year. Arkansas starter Zack Morris walked in another run, after loading the bases, making the score 2-0 and prompting Van Horn to make an early pitching change, after Morris threw 25 pitches in the inning.
It didn’t take long for Arkansas to answer back after Micheal Turner hit an RBI double to left field, driving in Braydon Webb, making it a 2-1 game.
Then in the top of the second, Tim Elko hit a 416 foot two-run home run to left field, firing up the Ole Miss dugout, giving them a 4-1 advantage.
The early back and forth would continue in the bottom of the inning when Arkansas’ Robert Moore reached on an error, then advanced to third on a double by Jalen Battles, and scored on a groundout by Peyton Stovall. Battles would then score on the next at-bat off a sacrifice bunt off the bat of Zack Gregory, the score now 4-3 in favor of Ole Miss.
But, It was a costly error on a relay throw from Zack Gregory,after Calvin Harris doubled, that caused Ole Miss to extend their advantage 6-3 in the top of the third. It was this moment that shifted the momentum solely into Ole Miss’ favor.
Four more runs came in the top of the fifth, which started by Calvin Harris keeping the Ole Miss offensive attack going, and propelling his career night, when he hit his second home run of the season. The two-run shot to right field drove in Garrett Wood, who had reached on a walk. The home run gave Harris 4 RBIs on the night. The score was now 8-3, widening the Ole Miss lead. Later that inning, Ole Miss shortstop, Jacob Gonzalez, singled up the middle to drive in Justin Bench, who after a base hit, advanced to second base on a wild pitch from Arkansas reliever Jaxon Wiggins, the game now 9-3. Gonzalez would be driven in, later in the inning, by Kevin Graham, forcing the fourth pitching change for Arkansas on the evening and giving Ole Miss a seven run advantage, 10-3. The scoring, however, didn’t stop there.
The OIe Miss offense continued in the top of the eighth, when a single from Justin Bench drove in two runs, making any chance of an Arkansas comeback a long-shot. Tim Elko then drove in his second run of the game on a fielder’s choice, scoring Justin bench, who scored for the third time in the game, the score now 13-3.
A comeback attempt would be attempted by Arkansas, down to their final two outs in the bottom of the ninth, after Peyton Stovall hit a two-run homer, but it would prove to be not enough leading to the first Arkansas loss in the MCWS.
Arkansas will play again on Tuesday against another SEC west team, the Auburn Tigers in an elimination game. Ole Miss will not play again until Wednesday, and will face the winner of that game.
