OMAHA, Neb. — Michael Roth pitched a three-hitter in his first start in 14 months, and South Carolina scored in five of the first six innings to beat Clemson 5-1 on Friday night and force a second Bracket 2 final at the College World Series.
South Carolina (51-16) and Clemson (45-24) meet again today, with the winner advancing to the best-of-3 championship round that starts Monday.
Roth (2-1) has been a short reliever his entire career, logging more than three innings in only two of his previous 48 appearances. The sophomore left-hander struck out 4, walked 1 and hit 2 batters.
Kyle Enders hit his third home run and had an RBI single, and Jackie Bradley drove in two runs for the Gamecocks, who have staved off elimination in three consecutive games.
Clemson starter Dominic Leone (3-2) took the loss, allowing three runs, four hitsand a walk in 2 /3 innings.
Roth was efficient, throwing 109 pitches. He allowed a double to Richie Shaffer leading off the third, then retired 15 of the next 17 before Wilson Boyd reached on an error.
After Clemson’s Brad Miller singled to right with twoouts in the ninth, Roth struck out John Hinson. He pounded his glove with his left hand as he walked off the mound, then chest-bumped Enders, his catcher.
Roth was making his first start after pitching 26 1 /3 innings over 35 relief appearances this season. Last year he started nonconference games against Georgia Southern and College of Charleston.
Before Friday, his longest career outing was 4 1 /3 innings against College of Charleston. This year his longest outing was 3 1 /3 innings of relief against Bucknell in regionals.
South Carolina Coach Ray Tanner gave Roth the start in hopes of saving arms. The Gamecocks have been fighting off elimination since losing 4-3 to Oklahoma in their CWS opener.
South Carolina has since eliminated No. 1 national seedArizona State and come from behind to beat Oklahoma in 12 innings after being down to its last strike Thursday.
Clemson had been off since Tuesday
TCU 6, UCLA 2
OMAHA, Neb. - Matt Purke and Tyler Lockwood held UCLA to four hits and Taylor Featherston hit the biggest of TCU’s three home runs.
TCU (54-13) forced a second Bracket 1 title game today, with the winner going to the best-of-3 final beginning Monday.
Featherston’s two-run home run off reliever Garett Claypool gave TCU a three-run lead in the bottom of the seventh after the Bruins (50-15) had closed within 3-2.
The unbeaten Purke set a school record with his 16th victory of the season, and Lockwood earned his eighth save. UCLA starter Rob Rasmussen (11-3) struggled with his control early and left in the fifth inning.
Pena homered in the fourth to put TCU up 3-0. Bryan Holaday followed Featherston’s seventh-inning home run with his 15th of the year in the eighth. The Frogs also hit three home runs in Wednesday’s 11-7 victory over Florida State.
Purke, who held Florida State to four hits over seven innings in last Saturday’s CWS opener, turned in his second consecutive strong performance. He held UCLA hitless until Chris Giovinazzo reached on a bunt single with one out in the fifth, drawing a smattering of boos from the TCU-partisan crowd.
Brett Krill’s single up the middle drove in Giovinazzo, the first earnedrun against Purke in 11 /3 innings.
Purke left with one out in the seventh, allowing three hits, walking two and hitting a batter.
College World Series At Rosenblatt Stadium Omaha, Neb.
All times Central Double Elimination THURSDAY’S GAME South Carolina 3, Oklahoma 2, (12), Oklahoma eliminated FRIDAY’S GAMES TCU 6, UCLA 2 South Carolina 5, Clemson 1 TODAY’S GAMES GAME 13 - UCLA (50-15) vs. TCU (54-13), 1 p.m.
GAME 14 - Clemson (45-24) vs. South Carolina (51-16), 6 p.m.
Sports, Pages 25 on 06/26/2010