Jeff Evans

OMAHA, Neb. - Texas A&M got the start it needed from Ross Stripling. The Aggies' bullpen couldn't finish.

Scott Wingo drilled a bases-loaded single off the right-field wall with none out in the bottom of the ninth inning to give South Carolina a 5-4 victory at the College World Series on Sunday night.

Stripling pitched eight strong innings, and the game was tied 4-all when Kyle Martin got the ball to start the ninth.

Martin gave up Robert Beary's leadoff double, and then Nick Fleece allowed a base hit to Jackie Bradley Jr. before walking Evan Marzilli to set the stage for Wingo.

Now the Aggies (47-21) must beat California on Tuesday afternoon to stay alive. South Carolina (51-14) advanced to a Bracket 2 winners' game against Virginia on Tuesday night.

The loss continued the Aggies' dismal history in Omaha. They are 2-9 in five CWS appearances.

Left fielder Brandon Wood said he and his teammates only need to look at South Carolina to see what's possible. The Gamecocks rolled off six straight wins on their way to the national title after losing their first game here last year.

"We've done it the hard way all the way up to here," Wood said, "so I figure we just keep on doing it. We played in the elimination game in the regional and the elimination game in the super regional."

The Aggies will need more out of their offense if they're going to make a run. They scored four unearned runs off Michael Roth in the first inning, then were shut down the rest of the way. They came into the game hitting .326 in the postseason.

South Carolina won its first game at TD Ameritrade Park the same dramatic way it clinched last year's national championship in the last CWS game played at Rosenblatt Stadium.

Last year the Gamecocks won the title when Wingo scored on Whit Merrifield's hit in the 11th inning against UCLA.

Wingo was the right man at the right time Sunday. He came to bat with hits in 12 of his previous 20 at-bats.

"I knew the bases were loaded with no outs," he said, "so you can come up big if you try to go up there and put a good swing on it."

Wingo's hit gave South Carolina its fourth walkoff win of the season and the Gamecocks' first victory in a CWS opener in five tries.

"It's a very unusual feeling for me to be in Omaha and win the first game," Gamecocks coach Ray Tanner said.

Wingo's winning hit against Fleece capped his career-best four-hit night, and he reached base five times.

"I really tried to get the ball up in the air," Wingo said. "When I got two strikes on me, I just tried to battle, and he threw me an inside fastball and I got it up."

Roth, John Taylor and Matt Price (6-3) combined to hold the Aggies hitless in the last five innings.

Jeff Evans

OMAHA, Neb. — No one argues that the Southeastern Conference is the class of college baseball this year.

Now it’s time to find out who truly is best in the league, and nation, when defending champion South Carolina and Florida meet in the College World Series finals starting Monday.

The Gamecocks (53-14) and Gators (53-17) shared the SEC Eastern Division title with a Vanderbilt team that also made it to the CWS’ final four.

Florida won the conference tournament, beating Vanderbilt, and South Carolina owns a record 14 consecutive NCAA tournament victories.

South Carolina won two of three games against Florida in the regular season, but that was all the way back in March.

Their finals matchup marks the first time since 1998 that two teams from the same conference will square off for the championship.

"We know it’s not easy. We know there’s a long way to go in this thing," Gators coach Kevin O’Sullivan said. "But you have to get there. So we’re excited for playing for the national championship but we’re going to be business as usual for the next couple days."

O’Sullivan hasn’t announced a starting pitcher for Game 1. Sophomore Hudson Randall (11-3) and freshman Karsten Whitson (8-0) are available. Randall earned the win in the Gators’ CWS opener against Texas on June 18, and Whitson (8-0) started against Vanderbilt on June 20.

Gamecocks coach Ray Tanner said he was leaning toward starting freshman Forrest Koumas (6-1), who last pitched June 5 in regionals.

South Carolina’s biggest pitching concern is the availability of closer Matt Price, who threw 90 pitches and got out of three bases-loaded situations in a season-long 5 2-3 innings in Friday’s 3-2, 13-inning win over Virginia.

"What are the chances of rain on Monday," Tanner said, laughing. "We’re certainly going to be able to use two days (off), but a third might not be bad."

The forecast calls for a 40 percent chance of scattered storms on Monday. The first CWS at TD Ameritrade Park already has had its share of weather problems, with a strong thunderstorm causing the suspension of a game last Monday and showers causing a 68-minute rain delay the next day.

"We have to try to get Matt turned around as best we can in the next few days and go from there," Tanner said. "At this point you just try to figure it out as you go and do the best you can with it."

South Carolina’s path to the finals has been much smoother this year. A year ago the Gamecocks lost their first game here before becoming the first team in CWS history to roll off six straight wins. They swept UCLA in the finals.

The Gamecocks won three straight to advance to this year’s finals, though it took until their final at-bat to win two of the games.

"I coached for a long time and was unable to get to Omaha as a head coach," Tanner said. "And then we were here a few times. It’s something you never take for granted. We played in the finals last year and we got back there again. I’m grateful."

Jeff Evans

OMAHA, Neb. - South Carolina won its first game at TD Ameritrade Park the same dramatic way it clinched the 2010 national championship in the last College World Series game played at Rosenblatt Stadium.

Scott Wingo drilled a bases-loaded single off the right-field wall in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Gamecocks a 5-4 victory over Texas A&M on Sunday night.

Last year, the Gamecocks won the title when Wingo scored on Whit Merrifield's walkoff hit in the 11th inning against UCLA.

Wingo was the right man at the right time. He came to bat with hits in 12 of his previous 20 at-bats.

"I knew the bases were loaded with no outs," he said, "so you can come up big if you try to go up there and put a good swing on it."

Wingo's hit gave South Carolina its fourth walkoff win of the season and the Gamecocks' first victory in a CWS opener in five tries.

Last season, South Carolina reeled off six straight wins in Omaha after losing its first game.

"It's a very unusual feeling for me to be in Omaha and win the first game," Gamecocks coach Ray Tanner said.

South Carolina (51-14) advanced to a Bracket 2 winners' game against Virginia on Tuesday night. The Aggies (47-21) play California in an elimination game that afternoon.

Wingo's winning hit against Nick Fleece capped his career-best four-hit night, and he reached base five times.

Robert Beary doubled off the right-field fence to start the inning against Kyle Martin (2-3). Beary went to third when 2010 CWS Most Outstanding Player Jackie Bradley Jr., playing in his first game in two months, sliced a liner into left off Fleece. Evan Marzilli walked to load the bases before Wingo launched Fleece's 1-2 pitch for the winning hit.

"I really tried to get the ball up in the air," Wingo said. "When I got two strikes on me, I just tried to battle, and he threw me an inside fastball and I got it up."

Michael Roth, John Taylor and Matt Price (6-3) combined to hold the Aggies hitless in the last five innings.

Roth and A&M's Ross Stripling engaged in a pitcher's duel after a wacky first inning in which each team scored four runs.

"You think it's going to be a football score, but both pitchers settled in and pitched extremely well, and defense made some big plays," Aggies coach Rob Childress said. "Ross got out of a couple of jams and so did their guy. Ninth inning, we let a leadoff double happen and just like that South Carolina came and took it from us."

Roth performed splendidly when, as a short reliever, he was called on to start two games at last year's CWS. Now one of the nation's premier starters, he allowed four hits in 7 1-3 innings, and the four first-inning runs against him were unearned. His season ERA dropped to 0.97, and he hasn't allowed an earned run in 37 1-3 innings.

Brandon Wood's three-run triple was the key hit in the Aggies' big first inning, but Roth allowed only two more singles.

"He definitely got better as he went," Wood said. "I don't know if it was nerves the first inning with him or not."

Jeff Evans

OMAHA, Neb. - No one argues that the Southeastern Conference is the class of college baseball this year.

Now it's time to find out who truly is best in the league, and nation, when defending champion South Carolina and Florida meet in the College World Series finals starting Monday.

The Gamecocks (53-14) and Gators (53-17) shared the SEC Eastern Division title with a Vanderbilt team that also made it to the CWS' final four.

Florida won the conference tournament, beating Vanderbilt, and South Carolina owns a record 14 consecutive NCAA tournament victories.

South Carolina won two of three games against Florida in the regular season, but that was all the way back in March.

Their finals matchup marks the first time since 1998 that two teams from the same conference will square off for the championship.

"We know it's not easy. We know there's a long way to go in this thing," Gators coach Kevin O'Sullivan said. "But you have to get there. So we're excited for playing for the national championship but we're going to be business as usual for the next couple days."

O'Sullivan hasn't announced a starting pitcher for Game 1. Sophomore Hudson Randall (11-3) and freshman Karsten Whitson (8-0) are available. Randall earned the win in the Gators' CWS opener against Texas on June 18, and Whitson (8-0) started against Vanderbilt on June 20.

Gamecocks coach Ray Tanner said he was leaning toward starting freshman Forrest Koumas (6-1), who last pitched June 5 in regionals.

South Carolina's biggest pitching concern is the availability of closer Matt Price, who threw 90 pitches and got out of three bases-loaded situations in a season-long 5 2-3 innings in Friday's 3-2, 13-inning win over Virginia.

"What are the chances of rain on Monday," Tanner said, laughing. "We're certainly going to be able to use two days (off), but a third might not be bad."

The forecast calls for a 40 percent chance of scattered storms on Monday. The first CWS at TD Ameritrade Park already has had its share of weather problems, with a strong thunderstorm causing the suspension of a game last Monday and showers causing a 68-minute rain delay the next day.

"We have to try to get Matt turned around as best we can in the next few days and go from there," Tanner said. "At this point you just try to figure it out as you go and do the best you can with it."

South Carolina's path to the finals has been much smoother this year. A year ago the Gamecocks lost their first game here before becoming the first team in CWS history to roll off six straight wins. They swept UCLA in the finals.

The Gamecocks won three straight to advance to this year's finals, though it took until their final at-bat to win two of the games.

"I coached for a long time and was unable to get to Omaha as a head coach," Tanner said. "And then we were here a few times. It's something you never take for granted. We played in the finals last year and we got back there again. I'm grateful."

The Gamecocks have allowed two earned runs in 31 innings (0.58 ERA). Michael Roth has surrendered just one earned run in 14 1-3 innings and Price, the closer, has given up none in 6 2-3 innings.

South Carolina is batting .274 in its three games, best in a CWS field that has struggled to generate offense in the spacious new stadium where the wind regularly blows in.

The Gators were swept by Texas in 2005 in their only other appearance in the CWS finals. Last year they went 0-2 in Omaha. With 100 wins in 2010-11, the Gators are in the best two-year stretch in program history.

They're trying to become the first SEC school to win national titles in football (1996, 2006, 2008), men's basketball (2006 and '07) and baseball.

The Gators are batting .265 here compared with .311 the rest of the season. They came in with a nation-leading 67 home runs, but only Preston Tucker has gone deep for them.

Randall and Alex Panteliodis allowed one earned run apiece in their CWS starts, and the Gators' team ERA is 2.00 in their three games. They walked only two batters in their first 24 CWS innings.

Jeff Evans

The Crimson Tide go to Columbia, SC this weekend to face the Gamecocks. This will be Bama's 3rd game in a row against top 25 SEC opponents.

They escaped #10 Arkansas in Fayetteville as Ryan Mallett threw 2 interceptions, one leading to the Tide's winning touchdown. This past Saturday, they beat down #7 Florida in Tuscaloosa. They go on the road again and South Carolina is a very tough opponent.

Should Bama be on upset alert? 

The Match-up:

Alabama:
Offense ranks:
#20 total offense with 464 yards;
#16 scoring offense at 38 points per game;
#17 rushing 230 yards per game;
#46 passing offense with 234 yards pergame
Defense ranks:
#20 total defense giving up 292 yards per game;
#1 scoring defense allowing only 9 points per game;
#19 rushing defense allowing 101 yards per game;
#3 pass efficiency defense at 90

South Carolina:
Offense ranks: #55 total offense with 390 yards;
#50 scoring offense at 31 points per game;
#54 rushing 169 yards per game;
#63 passing offense with 222 yards per game
Defense ranks:
#71 total defense giving up 369 yards per game;
#33 scoring defense allowing only 18 points per game; #41 rushing defense allowing 128 yards per game;
#83 pass efficiency defense at 134

Brian Johnson

Posted by Bryan Fischer

South Carolina is inching closer and closer to the double-digit commitment mark for the class of 2012, adding pledge No. 8 late Monday night from Powder Springs (Ga.), defensive end Darius English. He visited the school unofficially Saturday and made his commitment public two days later to become the latest Gamecock.

“When I finished the tour and everything, I told Coach (G.A.) Mangus that South Carolina is where I want to be,” English told TheBigSpur.com. “He was excited. He said that I was the first defensive end commit for them. I just wanted to talk things over with my parents before I went public. They were excited about it as well. That was the school they wanted me to go to. They live in Augusta so they are close to South Carolina.”

One factor that went into his decision was the fact that two high school teammates, linebacker Marcquis Roberts and tight end Rory Anderson, signed with South Carolina in February and will be able to show him the ropes once he gets to Columbia.

“Yes, I’ve got two people there that I know,” English told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “That way, when times get tough, I have two friends there for me. They will keep me going, keep pushing me.” 

The 6-foot-6, 220-pound speedy defensive end lived in the opponent's backfield last season, racking up 17 sacks as a junior. He also held offers from Auburn, Arkansas, Michigan State and Ole Miss among others but will wind up at South Carolina. He is head coach Steve Spurrier's second defensive lineman in the upcoming recruiting class, joining fellow Georgian Carlos Hood.

Jeff Evans

OMAHA, Neb. - Florida and South Carolina don't immediately come to mind when you're talking about Southeastern Conference rivalries — unless it's baseball.

The Gators (53-17) and defending national champion Gamecocks (53-14) play their biggest series to date when they meet in the College World Series finals beginning Monday.

Last year, the Gators traveled to Columbia, S.C., the final weekend of the regular season and won two of three to edge out the Gamecocks for the SEC title.

"But they got the last laugh," said Florida catcher and SEC player of the year Mike Zunino. "They got to hold the national championship trophy up."

Three months ago, South Carolina went to Florida and won two of three, and the teams ended up in a three-way tie with Vanderbilt for the best record in the league.

Yes, anticipation for this championship series has been brewing for a while.

"You know, if all you guys went away and there were no fans and we were on the back sandlot, I'm not sure it would be any different," Gamecocks coach Ray Tanner said Sunday. "I think they love to play. We love to play. Yeah, there's a lot more at stake now than there ever was before. But it's really genuine baseball. Let's go."

Florida will start sophomore Hudson Randall (11-3) against freshman Forrest Koumas (6-1) in Game 1. The Gators will send out freshman Karsten Whitson (8-0) for Game 2.

Tanner said he doesn't know who will pitch the second game. It's possible Michael Roth, who threw 90 pitches in seven innings against Virginia on Friday, will be back on three days' rest.

"My guess is that he'll want to pitch," Tanner said. "If it's a situation where we feel like Michael gives us the best opportunity, we'll run him back out there."

Before coach Kevin O'Sullivan's arrival four years ago, the Gators had failed to make the NCAA tournament in back-to-back seasons for the first time in 20 years.

O'Sullivan said Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley wanted a program that would be competitive year in and year out. O'Sullivan said a team has to get lots of breaks to be in position to play for a national title.

"It was all about consistency and being one of the elite programs in the country," he said. "I've never put a timetable on it. This league is too difficult. I think if you get too far ahead of yourself and look too far ahead, then you'll find yourself in some trouble."

Zunino, Randall, shortstop Nolan Fontana and third baseman Cody Dent were among the freshmen on the 2010 team that reached the College World Series for the first time since 2005.

Preston Tucker, who has a home run and team-leading six RBIs in the College World Series, said last year's 0-2 finish in Omaha left him and his teammates hungry for more.

"We had a different mindset coming in this year," Tucker said. "Last year was the first time for all the guys getting here, and I guess it was a little overwhelming. I know it was for me. But I think everyone's playing a little more comfortable, more relaxed this year, knowing that we have been there before."

Starting pitching was South Carolina's biggest question coming into the season.

Roth, who came out of the bullpen most of last season, has turned into one of the nation's best starters. Colby Holmes has overcome a hand injury the second half of last season to become a dependable starter. Koumas showed he could do the job when he allowed one run in six innings in his first career start, at Florida.

Jeff Evans

The highly touted running back from Byrne High School in South Carolina played his first college football game last night for the USCe Gamecocks. He carried the ball 14 times, gained 54 yards averaging 3.9 a carry, and scored 2 touchdowns. USCe was playing Southern Miss, clearly a team way below them. So was a 3.9 avg that impressive for a guy that is often showcased by ESPN and others as the freshman to have the largest impact this year? In other words, were you impressed with his first college game?

Brian Johnson

OMAHA, Neb. — Defending national champion South Carolina is on one of the greatest runs in NCAA tournament history, and coach Ray Tanner is afraid he’ll jinx it if he talks about it.

The Gamecocks put themselves in the best possible position to return to the best-of-three finals next week with a 7-1 victory over Virginia at the College World Series on Tuesday night.

They won their 13th straight national tournament game, matching the record held by Southern California (1972-74) and LSU (1997-98). They also recorded their fifth win over a No. 1-ranked team.

Don’t mention it to Tanner, though.

"I like my team, but I don’t like that talk," Tanner said. "We line up and we have some good athletes, but there are teams that have better athletes and some better arms.

"Truth of the matter is we have to do things really well to win. We can’t throw our gloves out. We have to pitch and play defense and get timely hitting."

The Gamecocks did all that against the Cavaliers.

Colby Holmes, John Taylor and Matt Price combined on a five-hitter. The defense turned two double plays and almost another when second baseman Scott Wingo made an amazing backhanded flip of the ball out of his glove to shortstop Peter Mooney, whose relay to first was just late.

Adrian Morales and Brady Thomas had three hits apiece, and five of the Gamecocks’ 13 went for extra bases.

"We played probably one of our better games of the year tonight," Tanner said, "and we certainly needed it playing a team the quality of Virginia."

The Gamecocks (52-14) are off until Friday and would have to be beaten twice by Virginia or California to not return to the finals.

"It puts you in a good spot," center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. said. "But we know that we’re a long way from where we need to be. It’s still early. We’re not taking anything for granted."

No. 1 national seed Virginia (55-11) plays California in a Thursday elimination game.

Taylor (11-2) got the win with one-hit relief over a season-high 4 1-3 innings. Price came on to record the final out.

The Gamecocks had shown a flair for the dramatic in their previous two victories here. They won last year’s title-clinching game on a walkoff hit in the 11th inning against UCLA, and they beat Texas A&M 5-4 with a bottom-of-the-ninth hit in their CWS opener Sunday.

This one was over early. The Gamecocks led 6-0 after Christian Walker’s RBI double in the fourth inning.

Jeff Evans

The Georgia Bulldogs began the 2011 college football season by losing their first two games versus the Boise State Broncos and the South Carolina Gamecocks. Since then, the Bulldogs have won five in a row and seem to be on a roll. 

Brian Johnson

OMAHA, Neb. - Defending national champion South Carolina is on one of the greatest runs in NCAA tournament history, and coach Ray Tanner is afraid he'll jinx it if he talks about it.

The Gamecocks put themselves in the best possible position to return to the best-of-three finals next week with a 7-1 victory over Virginia at the College World Series on Tuesday night.

They won their 13th straight national tournament game, matching the record held by Southern California (1972-74) and LSU (1997-98). They also recorded their fifth win over a No. 1-ranked team.

Don't mention it to Tanner, though.

"I like my team, but I don't like that talk," Tanner said. "We line up and we have some good athletes, but there are teams that have better athletes and some better arms.

"Truth of the matter is we have to do things really well to win. We can't throw our gloves out. We have to pitch and play defense and get timely hitting."

The Gamecocks did all that against the Cavaliers.

Colby Holmes, John Taylor and Matt Price combined on a five-hitter. The defense turned two double plays and almost another when second baseman Scott Wingo made an amazing backhanded flip of the ball out of his glove to shortstop Peter Mooney, whose relay to first was just late.

Adrian Morales and Brady Thomas had three hits apiece, and five of the Gamecocks' 13 went for extra bases.

"We played probably one of our better games of the year tonight," Tanner said, "and we certainly needed it playing a team the quality of Virginia."

The Gamecocks (52-14) are off until Friday and would have to be beaten twice by Virginia or California to not return to the finals.

"It puts you in a good spot," center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. said. "But we know that we're a long way from where we need to be. It's still early. We're not taking anything for granted."

No. 1 national seed Virginia (55-11) plays California in a Thursday elimination game.

Taylor (11-2) got the win with one-hit relief over a season-high 4 1-3 innings. Price came on to record the final out.

The Gamecocks had shown a flair for the dramatic in their previous two victories here. They won last year's title-clinching game on a walkoff hit in the 11th inning against UCLA, and they beat Texas A&M 5-4 with a bottom-of-the-ninth hit in their CWS opener Sunday.

This one was over early. The Gamecocks led 6-0 after Christian Walker's RBI double in the fourth inning.

Holmes held the Cavaliers hitless into the fourth inning, when John Hicks crushed a 1-0 pitch into the left-center seats for his eighth homer of the year.

Holmes matched his career high with seven strikeouts, but left in the fifth after Virginia loaded the bases on a single, walk and a misplayed ball that dropped for a hit.

Jeff Evans

Since going 13-1 and winning the Sugar Bowl in 2009, the Florida Gators have fallen off the national radar in college football. In 2010, the Gators were 8-5 under Coach Urban Meyer. Coach Meyer retired in the off-season and Florida hired Will Muschamp to replace him.

Brian Johnson

The SEC East might be the sloppiest division of any Conference in the nation. Who Wins? You're guess is as good as mine.

I'm going to go with Kentucky Wildcats coming out of nowhere to win it all. They looked good against AU and were able to beat South Carolina.

South Carolina has been a mystery this season. Get beat by AU, but then beat #1 Alabama to only lose to unranked Kentucky. Are they good, are they bad? Who knows.

Georgia has looked terrible for the most part this year. However, they are still in it for the East Crown.

Florida was beat by both Alabama and LSU from the West. However, they could still win the East with wins over USC and Georgia.

Vanderbuilt is even in the race. They are tied with USC for the least number of losses at 2 each. They play each other.

Wouldn't that be crazy? USC vs Vanderbuilt for the SEC East.

We aren't going to include Tennessee because they have no in-conference wins. However, they could still theoretically win the EAST.

 SEC EAST STANDINGS:
                            CONF      OVERALL
South Carolina  2-2              4-2
Florida                 2-3              4-3
Georgia               2-3              3-4 
Vanderbilt           1-2              2-4
Kentucky             1-3              4-3
Tennessee        0-3              2-4

 Who Wins the SEC EAST?

Brian Johnson

Stephen Garcia Statistics vs Auburn - completed only 9 passes out of 23 attempts (39.1 CMP%) for 160 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions. He was also sacked three times. Garcia's quarterback rating was a 94.5 on the day.

Barrett Trotter Statistics vs USC - completed only 12 passes in 23 attempts (52.2 CMP%) for 112 yards, 1 touchdown and two interceptions. He was also sacked four times. Trotter's quarterback rating was a 90.0 on the day.

Michael Dyer's Statistics vs USC - 41 rushing attempts for 141 yards; 3.4 yard average; one touchdown; 18 yard long

Marcus Lattimore Statistics vs Auburn - 17 rushing attempts for 66 yards; 3.9 yard average; one touchdown; two fumbles, one lost; 15 yard long

Last year, Michael Dyer and the Auburn Tigers beat the South Carolina Gamecocks and kept Marcus Lattimore in check twice, once during the regular season and again in the SEC Championship game. Dyer racked up 100 yards on 23 carries versus Lattimore's 33 yards on 14 carries in the first game, but Lattimore out-gained Dyer with 84 yards off 16 carries to 64 yards off 14 carries in the second, respectively. 

Auburn Fans