Times wires
Monday, June 6, 2011
OKLAHOMA CITY — Krista Donnenwirth hit two of Arizona State's four homers and drove in four runs, Kaylyn Castillo and Annie Lockwood had three RBIs apiece and the Sun Devils routed Florida 14-4 on Monday night in the opening game of the Women's College World Series final.
The Sun Devils (59-6) scored six with two outs in the second and built a big enough lead to have the game stopped by mercy rule if it wasn't played in the championship series.
Donnenwirth made it 7-0 with her three-run shot to finish the second-inning surge then went back-to-back with Lockwood in the fifth as the lead bulged to 14.
Florida (56-12) got late home runs from Kelsey Bruder, Cheyenne Coyle and Michelle Moultrie to avoid the most lopsided loss ever in the championship round.
Dallas Escobedo won the first matchup ever between freshmen pitchers in the final. UF started Hannah Rogers.
Game 2 of the best-of-three series is at 8 tonight (ESPN2), with Game 3, if necessary, at 8 Wednesday.
FSU baseball routs Tide, will host super region
TALLAHASSEE — Scott Sitz pitched four scoreless innings and Florida State beat Alabama 11-1 to clinch the NCAA Tallahassee Region and advance to host a super region for the fourth straight year.
The game was completed after being halted in the sixth inning Sunday night because of rain and lightning with the Seminoles leading 8-1.
When the game resumed, Sitz took over and posted his first save of the season. FSU (45-17) will next face Texas A&M or Arizona, whose Monday night College Station Region game was rained out and rescheduled for 1:30 today.
The eight best-of-three super regions are Friday through Monday; winners advance to the World Series that begins June 18 in Omaha, Neb.
Sunday night, Mike McGee allowed two hits through five innings before Taylor Dugas homered to lead off the sixth for the Tide (35-28). The game was halted shortly thereafter.
McGee hit three doubles, Jayce Boyd homered and doubled, and region MVP James Ramsey had three of FSU's season-high 19 hits.
"I don't know when I've spent a night in 32 years in which I was as anxious because of the fear of losing an 8-1 lead," FSU coach Mike Martin said. "Thankfully, the players didn't know anything about it.''
Other region highlights: In Austin, host Texas used six pitchers to beat Kent State 5-0 and advance to a super region matchup. The Longhorns (47-16) will host Arizona State. … In Columbia, closer Matt Price got the final eight outs and host South Carolina beat Stetson 8-2 to advance to a super region. The Gamecocks (48-14) will host UConn, which won 14-1 at Clemson to win its region. The Huskies (45-18-1) were led by third baseman Ryan Fuller, who went 3-for-5 with a three-run home run and five RBIs. … Late Sunday in Fullerton, Calif., Ben Clowe hit two two-run homers and Stanford (35-20) beat Illinois 14-2 to advance to a super region matchup at UNC.