May 25, 2013

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Reporter: The Associated Press Email

Stony Brook Upsets LSU To Join CWS Party

Frankie Vanderka threw a three-hitter, Travis Jankowski had four hits and Stony Brook completed an improbable run to the College World Series with a 7-2 victory over LSU Sunday night in the deciding game of the Baton Rouge super regional.

After 22 seasons with a Stony Brook program that played in Division III when he arrived in 1991, coach Matt Senk is taking his team to Omaha.

Stony Brook became only the second team to open the tournament as a No. 4 seed in the regional round and make an improbable run to the College World Series. The first was Fresno State during its stunning 2008 run to a national title.

Playing before crowds of 10,000-plus draped in LSU purple-and-gold, Stony Brook didn't merely survive so much as thrive, outhitting LSU 35-15 in the series.

Stony Brook was the third team to secure a CWS berth on Sunday, joining Florida and Florida State.

Sherman Johnson homered and drove in five runs to lead Florida State to an 18-7 victory over Stanford Sunday night in Tallahassee to earn its 21st trip to the College World Series.

Johnson's three-run home run capped a four-run second inning that gave the Seminoles (48-15) a 6-0 lead. Jayce Boyd hit a two-run homer in the first.

Gage Smith (5-0) picked up the win in relief. Stanford starter Brett Mooneyham (7-6) was chased before getting an out in the second.

Stephen Piscotty had four of Stanford's 18 hits. Stanford (41-18) was outscored 35-8 in the two games. Florida State's infield turned three double plays for the second straight game to stifle Stanford's best scoring threats.

Daniel Pigott homered to open the 10th inning, an opposite-field shot that barely cleared the fence, and Florida held on to beat North Carolina State 9-8 Sunday afternoon in Gainesville to advance to the College World Series for the third consecutive season.

Pigott's eighth homer of the season was key in a wild, back-and-forth game that included 26 hits, 12 pitchers, a lengthy weather delay, a little controversy and some unlikely heroes.

Casey Turgeon followed Pigott with a base hit and scored on Josh Tobias' single. Tobias, a freshman and Florida's No. 9 hitter, had an RBI double in the ninth.

Karsten Whitson (4-0) pitched two-thirds of an inning for the win. Keenan Kish got the final two outs for his first save.

Top-seeded Florida (47-18) improved to 10-0 against teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference, including consecutive sweeps of Georgia Tech and North Carolina State (43-20).

Arizona (43-17) and UCLA (47-14) clinched CWS berths with wins on Saturday.


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