Arkansas routs 2nd-seeded Stanford 17-2 in CWS opener
OMAHA, Neb. — Connor Noland allowed one run over 7 2/3 efficient innings, Chris Lanzilli hit a tiebreaking three-run homer and Arkansas beat No. 2 national seed Stanford 17-2 on Saturday in the most-lopsided College World Series game in 34 years.
The Razorbacks knocked out Pac-12 pitcher of the year Alex Williams in the fifth inning and went on to log their biggest margin of victory in 36 CWS games. It was Stanford’s biggest loss in their 73 CWS games.
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“I thought we played just a fantastic game,” Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn said. “Started on the mound with pitching. Outstanding. A lot of strikes. Defense behind him was outstanding as well. And offensively swung the bat extremely well up and down the lineup. Got production 1 through 9.”
The Razorbacks (44-19) will play Monday against Mississippi, a 5-1 winner over Auburn in the night game. Stanford (47-17) will face Auburn in an elimination game.
Arkansas scored 11 runs in the last three innings and finished with a season-high 21 hits, including Cayden Wallace’s 30th career homer in the ninth.
“That’s not what you want the country to see. We haven’t been that team,” Stanford coach David Esquer said. “You can’t let (the players) worry about that or feel like that’s their defining moment of the season. It’s just one of those that you’ve got to flush.”
Noland (8-5) surrendered a homer to Stanford leadoff man Brock Jones on his third pitch, but with the help of a defense that turned double plays to get him out of two jams, Stanford didn’t score again until Carter Graham greeted reliever Kole Ramage with a base hit in the eighth.
Noland threw only 79 pitches on a hot, humid afternoon when the feels-like temperature reached 106 degrees. He induced 11 groundball outs and seven flyouts, and his only strikeout came in the sixth inning. Other than Jones’ homer, all the Cardinal mustered against him were five singles and a walk.
“I knew they were going to swing the bat. They’re an aggressive team, they like to put the ball in play,” Noland said. “We had the wind blowing in. I get a lot of ground balls normally. I just stuck to the plan. I let the defense work behind me.”
Razorbacks fans rose and gave Noland an ovation, many of them “Calling the Hogs,” as he hugged teammates and walked from the mound to the dugout.
“Our offense did a good job of putting the ball in play and testing their defense,” Jones said. “They had really good defense today, and he was able to pound the zone.”
Williams (8-4) struggled for a third straight start in the NCAA Tournament. He gave up a triple to Braydon Webb on the game’s first pitch, hit a batter and issued a walk but got out of the inning down only 1-0.
DeLucia keeps Miss.rolling in 5-1 CWS win over Auburn
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Dylan DeLucia allowed one run and struck out 10 in 7 2/3 innings and Mississippi continued its postseason roll with a 5-1 win over Auburn in its College World Series opener. DeLucia mostly dominated an Auburn team that came in averaging just under 11 runs per game in the NCAA Tournament. He limited the Tigers to four hits and walked none before giving way to Josh Mallitz. The Rebels scored four of their five runs with two outs. Mississippi will play a second straight Southeastern Conference West rival in Arkansas on Monday. Auburn will meet Stanford in an elimination game.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Dylan DeLucia allowed one run and struck out 10 in 7 2/3 innings and Mississippi continued its postseason roll with a 5-1 victory over Auburn in its College World Series opener Saturday night.
DeLucia mostly dominated an Auburn team that came in averaging just under 11 runs per game in the NCAA Tournament, limiting the Tigers to four hits without a walk before giving way to Josh Mallitz.
“I thought Dylan was terrific, as he’s been not just down the stretch, but probably since we’ve injected him into the rotation,” Mississippi coach Mike Bianco said. “Against what we consider a really good Auburn offense, I thought he just mixed his pitches so well, fastballs in and out, a ton of sliders for strikes and then able to move the slider to get some punch-outs.”
