Arizona 5 South Carolina 1
The Arizona Wildcats beat the South Carolina Gamecocks 5-1 in game one of the best-of-three championship series at the College World Series. 24,748 fans watched the game at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Nebraska.
Arizona drew first blood in the bottom of the first inning. Robert Refsnyder hit a two-run homer to right field to give the Wildcats a 2-0 advantage. Arizona added to their lead in the third. Alex Mejia singled home freshman Trent Gilbert to make it 3-0.
Refsnyder is hitting .444 at the College World Series. He was 2-for-3 at the plate against the Gamecocks and was intentionally walked two times.
Arizona pounded out 12 hits. Seth Mejias-Brean and Bobby Brown delivered RBI singles to give the Wildcats their final two tallies.
Gamecocks starting pitcher Forrest Koumas (2-3) was lifted after 2.1 innings. He allowed three runs, two of them were earned. He took the loss.
Evan Beal tossed five innings in relief and gave up two runs, one of them was earned. They were the first runs allowed by the South Carolina bullpen during the CWS.
Murrells Inlet product Tanner English had one of the Gamecocks six hits. Evan Marzilli drove in Grayson Greiner for South Carolina's only run of the night.
Arizona starting pitcher Konnor Wade (11-3) threw his third straight complete game in the NCAA Tournament. He allowed one run and scattered six hits.
Game two of the series is set for Monday night at 8 p.m. EST and will be televised by ESPN. Arizona (47-17) can clinch their first College World Series title since 1986 with a win on Monday.
South Carolina (49-19) must win two straight from Arizona to successfully defend their title. South Carolina pitcher Michael Roth will be the Gamecocks starter for game two.
