Local Sports
Texas evens series with LSU
OMAHA, Neb. Ñ Freshman Taylor Jungmann limited LSU to five hits in his first complete game, and Russell Moldenhauer hit his record-tying fourth home run of the College World Series as Texas evened the best-of-three finals, 5-1 over LSU on Tuesday night.
The top-seeded Longhorns (50-15-1) forced a winner-take-all game Wednesday night for the national championship. LSU (55-17), ranked No. 1 in the major polls, lost for the first time in 15 games.
Jungmann, who threw six pitches all for balls in a short relief appearance in Game 1 Monday, struck out nine against an LSU offense that averaged 9.5 runs in its first four CWS games.
Jungmann (11-3) won his third game in Omaha Ñ the other two were in relief Ñ and he pitched the first complete game in the CWS since 2006.
LSU starter Aaron Ross (6-8) lasted only two innings in his first CWS start.
Preston Clark homered for a 2-0 lead in the second and finished with three hits and two RBIs.
Moldenhauer's surprising show of power continued. He came to Omaha with no home runs this season and became the 10th player to hit four in a CWS when he sent a high fly over the right-center field fence off Ryan Byrd in the third.
Jungmann had never pitched more than 7 2-3 innings. He gave up a triple to DJ LeMahieu leading off the third in addition to four singles.
LSU scored on shortstop Brandon Loy's fielding error in the second. The Tigers got the leadoff man on base to start four innings after that, but couldn't score.
LeMahieu tripled into the right-field corner to start the third, and Jungmann walked Blake Dean with one out. Jungmann struck out Micah Gibbs and got Mike Mahtook to ground out.
Jungmann got a big defensive play from second baseman Travis Tucker with a runner on first base in the fourth. Tucker went into the hole to backhand Derek Helenihi's grounder up the middle, underhanded the ball to Loy, who made the throw to first to complete the inning-ending double play.
In the sixth, Dean reached on an infield single and took another base when Tucker let the ball get past him as he backed up first. But Dean left second base too early on Gibbs' fly to center and, as he was standing on third, was called out when Jungmann threw back to Tucker at second.
The Longhorns scored all five runs in the first three innings and mustered only four singles the rest of the way.
LSU left fielder Leon Landry robbed Kevin Keyes of extra bases in the fifth, his body going parallel to the ground as he laid out to snag Keyes' drive into the corner.
- Local Sports
-
- WALLACE STATE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: Lions grab win in season opener
- PREP FOOTBALL: Tigers end Fairview’s season with rout
-
PREP FOOTBALL: EARLY WAKE-UP CALL
There were no postgame celebrations. Just handshakes and somber faces as the players made their way off the field.
Cullman High had just defeated Wenonah 21-6 in the opening round of the Class 5A playoffs, but the postgame vibe felt more like a Bearcats loss. -
PREP FOOTBALL: Red Devils ambush Eagles
ELKMONT — The Vinemont Eagles were ambushed Friday night at Boss Hill Stadium. With the game tied 7-7, Elkmont High exploded for five touchdowns in less than six minutes late in the first half en route to a 56-7 victory in the first round of the Class 3A playoffs.
- More than 40 local runners qualify for state cross country meet
-
PREP VOLLEYBALL: Addison senior inks scholarship with Wallace St.
ADDISON — For the last couple years, Kaydi Langley knew exactly where she wanted to go to college.
After Thursday, Langley’s wish is now reality. -
PREP FOOTBALL: Postseason deja vu
Wenonah High versus Cullman. Sound familiar?
It should. These two teams played in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs last year.
And they’ll meet again tonight in the exact same scenario. -
TALKIN' PREPS: Playoff-bound Aggies keep moving in the right direction
FAIRVIEW — Outside the home locker room at Fairview High, the celebration was loud enough that you almost thought you were part of the team.
-
RECLASS SHAKES UP AREA
No one at West Point High was surprised when the Alabama High School Athletic Association released its reclassification numbers for the 2010-12 school years.
West Point’s return to Class 4A was short-lived. When the ’10 football season begins next fall, the Warriors will be playing in Class 5A, Region 6 alongside Cullman, Hartselle and Walker.
-
PREP BASKETBALL: Cullman uses late push to beat Clay-Chalkville
CULLMAN — Morgan Smith didn’t deliver a freshman performance in her second varsity basketball game.
- More Local Sports Headlines
