College Baseball



Cal eliminates Aggies, Florida finishes off Vandy

Omaha, NE (Sports Network) - Derek Campbell had two hits and drove in a pair of runs as the California Golden Bears eliminated the Texas A&M Aggies from the College World Series with a 7-3 come-from-behind win.

Tony Renda went 2-for-3 with an RBI for the Golden Bears, while Chad Bunting scored twice in a victory that advanced them in the second bracket of the CWS. They will play the loser of Tuesday night's matchup between Virginia and South Carolina. California lost to Virginia in its CWS opener.

Cal starter Kyle Porter was solid through six innings, allowing three runs on seven hits and a walk while striking out four to get the win.

Adam Smith's home run in the fourth gave Texas A&M a 1-0 lead, but starting pitcher Michael Wacha had a rough next 2 2/3 innings, giving up seven runs -- four earned. Wacha allowed nine hits and walked two while fanning five over 6 2/3 innings.

The Bears responded from Smith's solo shot with a three-run top half of the fifth. Bunting reached on a throwing error to lead off the inning while Darrel Matthews singled to put runners on the corners. Campbell followed with a single into right and center fielder Krey Bratsen misplayed the ball to allow both Matthews and Bunting to cross home.

Two batters later, Campbell touched the plate on Renda's flyout for a 3-1 edge.

Cal added three more runs in the sixth. Mitch Delfino belted an RBI double and scored on Bunting's base hit into left. Bunting came home on Campbell's single to make it a 6-1 game.

A&M's two-run sixth cut into its deficit, but the Aggies couldn't get any closer. With two men on, Smith reached on a fielder's choice while Bratsen scored on a throwing error. Smith came around to touch home two batters later, when Brandon Wood blooped the ball into center.

Cal, though, got one of the runs back in the seventh, as Devon Rodriguez singled in Renda to make up the final score.

The game was supposed to be Tuesday's early contest, but the Florida Gators and Vanderbilt Commodores had to finish their game.

Inclement weather forced the contest to be completed on Tuesday morning. A line of approaching bad weather that spawned a tornado watch in the area halted play in the bottom of the sixth inning Monday night.

Preston Tucker belted a three-run homer as the Gators beat the Commodores, 3-1.

Before the storm clouds arrived, Tucker opened the scoring in the fourth with a drive to right field off Vanderbilt starter Grayson Garvin, who hadn't given up a hit through the first three frames.

Gators starter Karsten Whitson worked 4 2/3 innings. He was pulled after giving up an RBI single to Anthony Gomez in the fifth that drew Vandy within two.

Steven Rodriguez relieved Whitson and returned to the hill when play resumed Tuesday. He walked one batter and struck out seven while not allowing a hit in 4 1/3 innings.

Vanderbilt will play North Carolina on Wednesday in an elimination game. The Commodores beat the Tar Heels in the tournament opener on Saturday, 7-3.

Florida needs just one more win to advance to the best-of-three championship series and will play on Friday against the survivor between Vandy and UNC.

06/21 17:30:25 ET



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