OMAHA, NE (WIS) -
South Carolina's road to a third straight national championship ended Monday night with a second loss to the Arizona Wildcats by a score of 4-1.
Robert Refsnyder started the ninth inning rally for the
Wildcats by chopping a leadoff single to left off Carolina reliever Matt Price.
After a sacrifice bunt and an intentional walk, Brandon Dixon doubled down the
left field line, putting Arizona on top 2-1. Trent Gilbert capped the uprising
with a key two-out, two-run single off Tyler Webb for a 4-1 Wildcat advantage.
The Gamecocks did not go down without a fight in the
ninth. Christian Walker singled and LB Dantzler walked to start the frame.
After Adam Matthews struck out, Kyle Martin walked to load the bases. Tanner
English lined to second for the second out and Grayson Greiner flied to right
to end the contest.
For the second straight night, Arizona struck first.
Joseph Maggi led off the third inning with a double past the third base bag,
snapping Michael Roth's string of consecutive batters retired at 28, dating
back to Thursday's win over Kent State. Maggi was sacrificed to third and
scored on Gilbert's ground out, putting the Wildcats on top 1-0.
Arizona (48-18) had an opportunity to add an insurance
run in the seventh. Alex Mejia singled to center and moved to second on a
sacrifice bunt. Seth Mejias-Brean was walked intentionally before Bobby Brown
grounded into a fielder's choice, leaving runners at the corners with two outs
and ending Roth's night. Price relieved Roth and got Dixon to foul out to end
the threat.
Michael Roth took to the mound for the final time as a Gamecock. "One. Last. Time," he tweeted before the game.
Roth allowed just three hits and one run with one intentional walk and three
strikeouts in 6.2 innings of work. He threw 85 pitches, 59 for strikes.
Arizona starter James Farris matched Roth out-for-out,
keeping the Gamecocks off balance and off the scoreboard for most of the night.
Through the first six innings, Carolina had just two base runners, a first
inning two-out walk by Walker and a fourth inning two-out single by Dantzler.
But the Gamecocks (49-20) finally came up with the
game-tying run in the bottom of the seventh. Walker led off the inning with a
walk, his second of the game and record-tying eighth in this CWS. After
Dantzler popped out, Matthews executed a perfect hit-and-run single to right,
advancing Walker to third. Martin's ground out plated Walker to even the score
at 1-1.
Arizona threatened again in the eighth. Gilbert stroked a
one-out single to left. After Joey Rickard struck out, Johnny Field grounded to
third. Dantzler threw a one-hopper that Walker was unable to scoop and when the
ball got away, Gilbert went to third. However Price was able to get Alex Mejia,
the Pac-12 Player of the Year, to line out to center to end the inning.
Carolina also had a chance to tally in the bottom of the
eighth. Greiner was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning but was thrown out at
second on Chase Veragson's bunt attempt. Vergason swiped second and continued
on to third when the throw sailed into centerfield as Evan Marzilli fanned for
the second out, the final batter Farris would face. Joey Pankake was called out
on strikes to end the threat.
Farris worked 7.2 innings, allowing just two hits and one
run with two walks and four strikeouts. He threw 95 pitches. Mathew Troupe (6-1)
worked the final 1.1 innings for the win. Price (5-5) was tagged with the loss.
Arizona had seven hits and left six runners on base.
Carolina had just three hits, all singles, and left seven runners stranded.
Roth ends his stellar career with three CWS records
including career starts (8), career innings pitched (60.1) and career hit
batsmen (7). Matt Price tied the record for career appearances in the CWS with
13. Christian Walker tied a single season CWS record with eight walks and tied
career marks with 73 at-bats and 28 hits.
The road to the finals for the Gamecocks was paved with plenty of obstacles. South Carolina easily took care of the No. 1 seeded Florida Gators in the first round of the tournament, but dropped one game against the Arkansas Razorbacks in the second round.
Facing elimination and an undefeated Razorbacks squad sitting at the top, the Gamecocks battled back and handily took care of the Kent State Golden Flashes.
Arkansas only needed to win one game to punch their ticket to the finals, but the resurgent Gamecocks got an important win later on Thursday night thanks to great pitching from freshman Jordan Montgomery.
With the series even, South Carolina managed to put an end to Arkansas' championship hopes on Friday night and gain entrance to their third championship series in 3 years.
However, a hard-hitting and fast-scoring Arizona team stood ready to take on the defending national champions. The Wildcats would sweep the Gamecocks.
The team now heads back to Columbia after a lengthy stay in Omaha. Fans are encouraged to welcome them home at Carolina Stadium on Tuesday shortly after 1 p.m.
Copyright 2012 WIS. All rights reserved.
Gamecocks Adam Matthews, Michael Roth, Matt Price, and coach Ray Tanner reflect on the loss to Arizona.
