Christian Walker's solo blast to left broke a 2-2 tie in the eighth inning and propelled the South Carolina Gamecocks back to Omaha and the College World Series in a 8-2 triumph over the Connecticut Huskies in the NCAA Super Regional in Columbia on Sunday night. The Gamecocks are returning to Omaha to defend its 2010 national championship.
Ray Tanner turned to Conway's Colby Holmes to try and get the Gamecocks back to Omaha. The righty looked sharp in the first inning striking out Houston Astros first round pick George Springer, but found trouble in the second. The Huskies had four consecutive two out singles to jump out in front 2-0.
The Gamecocks get going in the fourth inning with a pair of doubles. Jake Williams smash to right field brought home Brady Thomas to get on the board to make it a 2-1 game. In the 5th, the Huskies put two on with an error and a bunt single and it brought the end of the day for Holmes. Jose Mata came on in relief and induced a 4-3 double play to keep it 2-1. Holmes threw 4.1 innings, scattering five hits, striking out two and walking no one in a no decision on 55 pitches.
In the 6th, Robert Beary's bloop single to center tied the game at two. In the bottom of the frame, Florence's John Taylor came on in relief and got the Gamecocks out of a bases loaded jam with a 1-2-3 double play. Taylor would get a second double play in the seventh setting the stage for Christian Walker's heroics. Walker smashed a pitch to left to give the Gamecocks a 3-2 win. It was Walker's 10th homer of the season.
The Gamecocks would go on to load the bases in the eighth, but could not get anything else across thanks to a spectacular catch in deep centerfield by Springer off the bat of Steven Neff which saved three runs and kept Uconn's season alive. But it wasn't enough as the Gamecocks busted it open in the ninth inning. Brady Thomas hit a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded. Two batters later, Jake Williams was hit with the bases loaded and Peter Mooney delivered the knockout punch with a 2 run double to make it 7-2. USC would score five runs in the ninth as Matt Price came on to close out the game with the final six outs. South Carolina is set to make its tenth appearance at the College World Series.
NCAA.com recap: South Carolina 8 UConn 2
