Colleges

Homer lifts Longhorns into final

OMAHA, Neb. - Chance Wheeless homered leading off the bottom of the ninth to give Texas a 4-3 victory over Baylor on Wednesday and send it into the championship of the College World Series.

Baylor was making its first Series appearance since 1978, and it beat Tulane on Tuesday by rallying from a 7-0 deficit for an 8-7 victory.

This time, it was the Bears who were eliminated with a crushing defeat.

Baylor took a 3-2 lead in the seventh. Kevin Russo scored from first after Seth Fortenberry bunted the ball back to Texas starter Kenn Kasparek and Wheeless missed the throw at first for an error.

Fortenberry went to third on the play, and one out later, pinch-hitter Kevin Sevigny's single put the Bears ahead 3-2.

But Texas, unbeaten in three Series games, tied it in the eighth. Nick Peoples went from first to third when Ryan LaMotta made an errant pickoff throw. Peoples then raced home on Drew Stubbs' sacrifice fly to right, beating Fortenberry's throw by barreling over catcher Josh Ford, who was to the left of the plate before the ball arrived.

With the ball loose, Peoples crawled, touched the plate and slammed down his helmet in celebration.

Baylor put two runners on in the top of the ninth. But Reid Brees was doubled off second on Paul Witt's flyout to center.

Wheeless followed by sending a long drive to right off LaMotta.

Baylor starter Mark McCormick, who lost to the Longhorns in the teams' Series opener, allowed three hits and two runs in six innings, including a homer to Taylor Teagarden that put the Longhorns ahead 2-1 in the fifth.

The Longhorns took a 1-0 lead in the third on a walk, infield out and run-scoring single by Peoples. Ford homered in the fourth to tie it.

The 6-foot-10 Kasparek allowed four hits and three runs, two earned, in 61/3 innings.

Baylor swept a three-game series from the Longhorns in March then beat them again last month at the Big 12 tournament. But Texas responded with a 5-1 win Saturday.

[Last modified June 23, 2005, 00:45:20]