OMAHA, Neb. — Brady Thomas singled in the winning run in the 12th inning and South Carolina eliminated Oklahoma from the College World Series with a 3-2 victory Thursday night.
The Gamecocks (50-16) were down to their last strike against closer Ryan Duke when Jackie Bradley’s full-count base hit past first baseman Cameron Seitzer brought in Robert Beary from second to tie it.
Duke walked Jeffery Jonesbefore Thomas drove his first pitch into center field, scoring Bradley from second and touching off a celebration in the middle of the infield.
Oklahoma (50-18) took a2-1 lead in the top of the 12th on Tyler Ogle’s home run off Ethan Carter.
Tyler Webb (3-2), the Gamecocks’ sixth pitcher, won after relieving Carter. Duke (3-2) lost.
South Carolina will play in-state rival Clemson in the Bracket 2 final tonight. The Gamecocks have to beat Clemson twice to reach the best-of-3 championship round.
Caleb Bushyhead’s RBI single in the second put Oklahoma up 1-0, and Sooners starter Zach Neal pitched seven shutout innings before South Carolina broke through to tie it in the eighth.
Ogle’s home run in the 12th, which barely cleared the wall in right-center, came after the Sooners were held scoreless for nine consecutive innings.
Carter came on in the 12th for South Carolina after Matt Price struck out five in three scoreless innings. Ogle sent out Carter’s second pitch, just beyond the reach of Bradley in center field.
Bradley was 0 for 5 when he came up in the 12th. He was down to his last strike when he hit a hard shot into right field.
Thomas also was 0 for 5 when he came up. He had struck out twice and fouledout on a bad bunt try in his previous at-bat, but he drilled Duke’s first offering into center field, where Chris Ellison bobbled the ball and didn’t even try to throw home.
South Carolina starter Blake Cooper almost matched Neal, allowing a run on four hits in 5 2/3 innings. He walked two and struck out six.
Neal retired 14 in a row after Evan Marzilli singled leading off the bottom of the first. He allowed a run on five hits and a walk, and he struck out seven.
The Gamecocks threatened three times before breaking through in the eighth. In thefirst, Marzilli stole second and took third on a throwing error with one out, but Neal got Bradley to foul out and Christian Walker to fly out. In the fifth they loaded the bases with two out, but Marzilli fouled out. South Carolina had a man in scoring position with one out in the seventh, but Neal struck out Haney and Beary.
Marzilli doubled off the wall in left-center to lead off the eighth, chasing Neal and bringing on Jeremy Erben. Marzilli moved over on a bunt before Walker chopped a grounder between third base and short for the tying run.
At a glance At Rosenblatt Stadium, Omaha, Neb.
Double Elimination WEDNESDAY’S GAMES Clemson 6, Oklahoma 4 TCU 11, Florida State 7
Florida St. eliminated THURSDAY’S GAME South Carolina 3, Oklahoma 2
Oklahoma elminated FRIDAY’S GAMES - All times Central UCLA vs. TCU, 3:30 p.m.
Clemson vs. South Carolina, 8 p.m.
Sports, Pages 26 on 06/25/2010