NCAA Baseball Super Regionals: Day 5 Results, Highlights and Analysis
June 11, 2013
After collecting two College World Series titles and a runner-up in the past three seasons, South Carolina has been eliminated from the 2013 College Baseball World Series on the final day of the Super Regionals.
North Carolina, the nation's No. 1 seed, hung three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning en route to a 5-4 win over the Gamecocks. With a win in this elimination game, the Tar Heels have secured the eighth and final berth in the College World Series. This was Tuesday's only Super Regional game.
It will be their sixth appearance in eight seasons, and the Twitter account for InsideCarolina captured the excitement:
The CWS is scheduled to begin on Saturday with double-elimination play. Joining the Tar Heels will be Indiana, Louisville, LSU, Mississippi State, North Carolina State, Oregon State and UCLA.
InsideCarolina shared what's next for the Tar Heels:
With two runs in the second inning in Tuesday's game, North Carolina took an early 2-1 lead over the Gamecocks. However, South Carolina was able to add two in the top of the fifth and one in the top of the sixth to take a 4-2 lead.
Then, in the bottom of the sixth, Colin Moran belted an RBI triple off of reliever Adam Westmoreland. This was followed by a Gamecocks throwing error that allowed the Tar Heels to tie the game.
The Gamecocks then decided to pull Westmoreland in favor of Tyler Webb with the bases loaded and two outs. Webb promptly walked in the go-ahead, and eventually winning, run.
The Tar Heels used four pitchers to secure the win. Starter Benton Moss was able to go just 2.1 innings. Trent Thornton relieved him and went 4.2 innings to pick up the win. He allowed three runs, but just one was earned.
Chris McCue and Kent Emanuel combined to handle the eighth and ninth innings for the Tar Heels and secure the win.
The Tar Heels were actually outscored 17-11 in their three games with South Carolina in this series. They won the first 6-5 and then were blanked 8-0 in the second as the Gamecocks got a four-hit shutout from Jordan Montgomery.
That was the Tar Heels' most lopsided loss this year.
However, they bounced back with the win on Tuesday and will now start the CWS with a clean slate.