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Arkansas rallies for 4-3 win in 12, eliminates UVa.
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Published: June 18, 2009
Updated: 06/18/2009 12:35 am
OMAHA, Neb. - Andrew Darr doubled in the go-ahead run in the top of the 12th inning and Arkansas, which had been down to its last strike in the ninth, rallied to defeat Virginia 4-3 in the College World Series last night.
Brett Eibner's two-out, two-run homer off Virginia closer Kevin Arico in the top of the ninth tied the game at 3, and Arkansas' Dallas Keuchel put the winning or tying run on base in each of the last four innings to hold off the Cavaliers, but escaped each jam.
Arkansas (41-23) will play LSU on Friday and would have to beat the Tigers twice to reach next week's best-of-3 finals.
Virginia (49-15-1) was eliminated after going 1-2 in Omaha.
Darr, who hit a two-run double to win the Super Regional over Florida State, battled for nine pitches against Andrew Carraway before drilling a grounder down the third-base line to score Jarrod McKinney from second.
Carraway (9-2) came on with two out in the ninth and retired eight in a row before McKinney singled with one out in the 12th. The Cavaliers had a chance to retire Darr, but first baseman John Hicks couldn't come up with a foul ball that came down by the tarp along the right-field stands.
Virginia had a runner on third base in the each of the final four innings, but couldn't push it across against Keuchel, the Hogs' No. 1 starter who made his first relief appearance of the season.
In the ninth, Keuchel (9-3) fell behind Danny Hultzen 3-0 with the bases loaded before getting a hard grounder to short. Tim Carver bobbled the ball but was able to flip to second, and Bo Bigham's throw to first got Hultzen by a step to complete the double play.
In the next inning, Keuchel struck out Jarrett Parker and John Hicks after Shane Halley made it to third.
In the 11th, Keuchel induced Dan Grovatt's groundout to strand Franco Valdes.
Steven Proscia led off the 12th with a double and stole third with one out. But Keuchel struck out Hicks and Valdes to end the game.
College World Series
(At Omaha, Neb.)
Pools
Bracket 1: Arkansas, Cal State Fullerton, Virginia, LSU
Bracket 2: Arizona State, North Carolina, Southern Miss, Texas
Eliminated teams
Bracket 1: Cal State-Fullerton
Bracket 2: Southern Mississippi
Tuesday
North Carolina 11, Southern Miss 4
-- Southern Miss. eliminated
Texas 10, Arizona State 6
Wednesday
Arkansas 4, Virginia 3 (12)
-- Virginia eliminated
Thursday
North Carolina (48-17) vs. Arizona State (50-13), 7 p.m.
Friday
Game 11: LSU (53-16) vs. Arkansas (41-23) 2 p.m.
Game 12: Texas (48-14-1) vs. North Carolina-Arizona State winner, 7 p.m.
Saturday
Game 13: LSU vs. Arkansas, 2 p.m. or 7 p.m., if needed
Game 14: Texas vs. UNC-Arizona State winner, 7 p.m., if needed
Note: if only one game is needed, it will be at 7 p.m.
Championship series (best of 3)
Bracket 1 winner vs. Bracket 2 winner, June 22-24, all games 7 p.m.
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