Omaha, NE – Arizona is through to the finals at the College World Series. Awaiting the Wildcats will be either two-time defending champion South Carolina or Arkansas.
Behind eight shutout innings from Jordan Montgomery, the Gamecocks fought off elimination for a second time Thursday with a 2-0 victory over the Razorbacks. South Carolina moved to 6-0 in CWS elimination games over the past three years and will take on Arkansas again Friday evening with the winner advancing to the best-of-three title series, which starts Sunday night at TD Ameritrade Park.
Due to a rainout Wednesday, South Carolina played twice on Thursday. Earlier in the day, Michael Roth tossed a complete game, LB Dantzler hit a two-run homer and South Carolina eliminated Kent State in a 4-1 final.
Montgomery allowed just three hits, one more than Roth, and struck out six batters.
The only scoring came in the second inning. Erik Payne and Tanner English hit back-to-back doubles, and Chase Vergason's single to center plated the other run.
Randall Fant, who entered Thursday with a scoreless streak of 12 1/3 innings, was lifted after just 1 1/3 frames. Brandon Moore, Trent Daniel and Nolan Sanburn allowed just four hits the rest of the way, but the Razorbacks didn't get any offensive support.
The lone hits came on a first-inning single by Joe Serrano, a base hit in the fifth by Derrick Bleeker, and a single in the sixth from Matt Vinson.
Arizona made it to the finals with a 10-3 victory over Florida State. The Wildcats, trying for their fourth national title and first since 1986, scored six times in the opening inning.
Bobby Brown hit a two-run home run for the Wildcats. Trent Gilbert had a two- run single during the big opening inning, while Robert Refsnyder went 3-for-5 with a solo home run and two runs scored for the Wildcats, who will be looking for their first title since 1986. Kurt Heyer tossed 7 1/3 innings as he gave up two runs on nine hits with three walks and three strikeouts.
Jayce Boyd, Devon Travis and Justin Gonzalez each drove in a run for the Seminoles, who saw starter Brandon Leibrandt tagged for six runs -- two earned -- on three hits with two walks while recording just one out.
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