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Colleges
Oregon State outslugs UNC to force a Game 3
By JGILBERTN
Published June 26, 2006
OMAHA, Neb. - Bill Rowe's three-run homer capped Oregon State's seven-run fourth inning, and the Beavers forced a deciding game in the championship round of the College World Series with an 11-7 victory over North Carolina on Sunday night.
Oregon State (49-16) and North Carolina (54-14) play tonight, with the winner taking home its first national baseball title.
The Beavers are trying to become the first Pac-10 team to win the College World Series since Southern California in 1998. The Tar Heels hope to become the first Atlantic Coast Conference team to win it since Wake Forest in 1955.
Rowe went 2-for-5 with four RBIs, and closer Kevin Gunderson pitched a season-high 5 1/3 relief innings as the Beavers erased a five-run deficit and ended the Tar Heels' nine-game winning streak.
With Oregon State down 5-0 in the fourth, Tyler Graham drew a leadoff walk and stole third after John Wallace's single. Chris Kunda walked to load the bases, and Shea McFeely followed with a two-run double. Matt Danford relieved starter Robert Woodard and struck out Scott Santschi for the first out, but things unraveled quickly for the Tar Heels.
Darwin Barney singled past a diving Reid Fronk at third and Josh Horton at short to make it 5-3. Danford then threw a wild pitch that bounced in front of catcher Tim Federowicz, deflecting off his right shin guard and into the Beavers dugout to bring in a run.
Mitch Canham drew a walk, and one out later Rowe turned on a 2-and-0 pitch and sent it into the lower level in rightfield to give Oregon State a 7-5 lead.
The outburst ended the Tar Heels bullpen's 12 2/3 -inning shutout streak in Omaha. Danford allowed six runs and four hits in 21/3 innings.
The Beavers took an 11-5 lead with four in the sixth on Rowe's run-scoring single, Graham's run-scoring bunt single, Kunda's sacrifice fly and Federowicz's passed ball that let Graham score.
Federowicz hit a two-run homer off Gunderson in the seventh to get the Tar Heels within four.
[Last modified June 26, 2006, 01:20:25]
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