SantaFeToday.com Santa Fe’s Hometown News
By Arnie Leshin
No. 1 Wake Forest led the 64-school field by advancing in the NCAA Division I College Baseball Tournament on Saturday.
The Deamon Deacons (42-8) moved on to the next round at their David F. Couch Ballpark in Winston Salem by turning back Maryland, 21-5, and George Mason twice via 12-0 and 15-1 scores.
Also advancing was No. 2 Virginia at Davenport Field at Disharoon Park in Charlotteville, with the Cavaliers getting past Army, 15-1, edging East Carolina, 2-1, and then East Carolina again, 8-1.
At Founders Park in Columbia, S.C., No. 3 South Carolina made the next round by romping over Central Connecticut, 19-1, N, orth Carolina State, 6-3, and Campbell, 16-7.
Then there was No. 4 Tennessee eliminating Clemson at the Tigers’ Doug Kingman Stadium, with the Volunteers defeating Charlotte, 8-1, Clemson, 6-5 in 14 marathon innings, and Charlotte again, 9-7.
There was a surprise at Alex Rodriquez Park at Mark Light Field in Coral Gables when No. 8 Texas ousted No, 5 Miami by winning over
Louisiana, 4-2, while the Hurricanes turned back Maine, 9-1, but the Longhorns then won over Miami twice, 4-1, and 10-6.
No. 12 Oral Roberts continued to surprise by winning the region at Oklahoma State’s O’Broate Stadium in Stillwater, first winning over the No. 7 Cowboys, 6-4, then over Washington, 15-12, and edging No. 11 Dallas Baptist, 6-5.
Indiana State, the 10th seed, won its regional Bob Warn Field in Terra Haute by nipping Wright State, 6-5, No. 13 Iowa, 7-4, and Iowa again, 11-6.
In No. 9 Alabama’s region at Sewell-Thomas Stadium, it will be the Crimson Tide meeting up with Boston College to decide who advances. Bama had topped Nichols, 4-2, BC also won over Nichols, 14-6, then is Alabama getting past Troy, 11-8, and Boston College knocking off Troy, 11-8.
Other undecided regions had TCU against Arkansas, Texas Tech versus No. 3 Florida, Indiana facing Kentucky, Oregon meeting Xavier, and Texas A & M going against Stanford.
