OMAHA, Neb. - Colby Holmes, John Taylor and Matt Price combined on a five-hitter and defending national champion South Carolina tied the record for consecutive NCAA tournament wins with a 7-1 victory over Virginia at the College World Series on Tuesday night.
Adrian Morales and Brady Thomas had three hits apiece for the Gamecocks, who won their 13th straight national tournament game to match the record held by Southern California (1972-74) and LSU (1997-98).
The Gamecocks (52-14) are off until Friday and would have to be beaten twice by Virginia or California to not return to the best-of-three finals next week. No. 1 national seed Virginia (55-11) plays California in a Thursday elimination game.
South Carolina scored three unearned runs in the first inning against Will Roberts (11-2), and five of its 13 hits went for extra bases.
Taylor (11-2) got the win with one-hit relief over a season-high 4 1-3 innings. Price came on to record the final out.
California 7, Texas A&M 3
OMAHA, Neb. - No. 9 batter Derek Campbell drove in two runs, closer Matt Flemer pitched three scoreless innings and California extended its most improbable season, beating Texas A&M.
The Bears (38-22) will play Virginia on Thursday in another elimination game. The Aggies (47-22) went two games and out and are 2-10 in five all-time CWS appearances.
The Bears led 6-1 after scoring three runs in the fifth and three more in the sixth. Campbell, a .255 hitter who came in with five RBIs in 22 games, delivered RBI singles each inning.
Freshman Kyle Porter (6-0) allowed three runs in six innings. Flemer finished for his sixth save, giving up three singles and striking out five. They combined to stop an A&M club that had recorded 17 comeback victories this season.
Michael Wacha (9-4) was tagged for seven runs, four earned, in 6 2-3 innings.
Florida 3, Vanderbilt 1
OMAHA, Neb. - Florida's Steven Rodriguez pitched no-hit relief for 4 1-3 innings and the Gators finished a victory over Vanderbilt in the completion of a College World Series game suspended because of inclement weather.
Rodriguez (4-2) retired three batters before high winds and heavy rain disrupted the game in the bottom of the sixth inning Monday night. He struck out six of the 11 batters he faced Tuesday. He finished with seven strikeouts and walked one.
Florida's Preston Tucker hit a three-run homer off Vandy's Grayson Garvin (13-2) in the fourth inning. Anthony Gomez's had an RBI single in the fifth for the Commodores.
Florida (52-17) needs a win over Vanderbilt or North Carolina on Friday to reach the best-of-three finals. The Commodores and Tar Heels will meet Wednesday in an elimination game.
