NCAA Baseball | Oregon State uses 9th-inning single to beat Michigan 1-0

CORVALLIS, Ore. — Joey Wong's ninth-inning RBI single was the winner Sunday in Oregon State's 1-0 victory over Michigan in the opening game of the best-of-three Corvallis Super Regional of the NCAA Division I tournament.

Wong's soft liner to left field on a 1-2 count with two out — the only hit of the game for the defending national champions — brought home pinch-runner Braden Wells from second base.

Michigan starter Zach Putnam, who gave up the hit, didn't allow a baserunner until Scott Santschi walked in the sixth inning.

Santschi, who is from Vancouver, Wash., and played for the Community Colleges of Spokane, walked again to start the ninth and was replaced by the speedier Wells.

Lonnie Lechelt, a graduate of Southridge High in Kennewick, sacrificed Wells to second. One out later, Wong delivered in the clutch.

"It was another splitter," Wong said of Putnam's final pitch of the game. "He'd been throwing them all day and making us look silly. But I just happened to be the guy and found a hole."

Wells said, "Once I heard the crack of the bat, I just took off and there was no stopping me. I was getting to home plate."

Jorge Reyes, a freshman from Warden in Grant County, started for the Beavers and allowed three hits in seven innings.

Joe Paterson (10-6) got the win and Eddie Kunz picked up the save. Though the game was on Oregon State's field, Michigan was the designated home team and batted last.

Game 2 is today. Game 3, if necessary, would be played Tuesday. The first game was scheduled for Saturday and postponed because of rain. The Corvallis Super Regional winner advances to the eight-team College World Series, which starts Friday in Omaha, Neb.

"There's no question we're a national team. It just wasn't meant to be today," Michigan coach Rich Maloney said. "We came here to win this thing and we really believe we've still got a chance."

Putnam struck out eight and walked three before departing after Wong's single.

"You just try to find a way to win games like this," Oregon State coach Pat Casey said. "Fortunately for us, we did."

Pac-10 champion Arizona State, Cal State Fullerton, UC Irvine, Louisville and North Carolina earned CWS berths Sunday.

Mississippi State and Rice qualified Saturday.

Other games

At Arizona St. 7, Mississippi 1

Brett Wallace homered and drove in three runs as the Sun Devils swept the Rebels and advanced to the CWS for the second time in three years.

Josh Satow scattered five hits and walked five in 7-2/3 scoreless innings for the Sun Devils.

Arizona State will face UC Irvine in the first round in Omaha.

At CS Fullerton 2, UCLA 1

Clark Hardman of the Titans tied the score at 1 with a home run in the sixth inning and Matt Wallach drove in the winning run with a single in the seventh as Cal State Fullerton swept the Bruins.

UC Irvine 3, at Wichita St. 2

Bryan Peterson's double in the bottom of the ninth lifted the Anteaters to a sweep over the Shockers and gave UC Irvine its first CWS trip.

At Louisville 20,

Oklahoma St. 2

Isaiah Howes hit a grand slam and drove in six runs as the Cardinals routed the Cowboys in the deciding game. Louisville will take on Rice in the first round of the CWS.

At North Carolina 9,

South Carolina 4

Chad Flack's two-run homer in the seventh helped the Tar Heels beat the Gamecocks in the deciding game.

Earlier in the day, South Carolina won 8-6 in the completion of suspended Game 2.

Last year, Flack's two-run homer against Alabama gave North Carolina its first CWS berth since 1989.

North Carolina will face Mississippi State in the first round of the CWS.