Sager Pitches Stanford Past Nebraska, 5-3

Brian Sager allowed five hits over seven innings and Edmund Muth hit a home run as Stanford defeated Nebraska, 5-3, on Sunday to win the best-of-three Super Regional and advance to the College World Series, which begins Friday in Omaha.

Eric Bruntlett had four hits as Stanford (47-15) reached the CWS for the third time in four years and the 12th overall.

Jamal Strong, a Pasadena native, had two hits for Nebraska (51-17), which just missed reaching its first CWS.

Sager (6-1) allowed just one earned run while striking out three and walking four in his longest outing of the season. Jeff Bruksch recorded the final six outs for his 12th save.

Stanford took a 3-0 lead with runs in the first, second and fourth. Eric Bruntlett singled, went to third on Edmuth Muth’s double and scored on a sacrifice fly by John Gall.

Chris O’Riordan led off the second with a triple, and Andy Topham scored him with a sacrifice fly.

Gall walked to open the fourth and advanced to third on a pair of fly outs. He scored when Topham’s infield grounder was misplayed.

Nebraska came back with two runs in the fourth. Strong singled, and two outs later Dan Johnson singled, with Strong taking third. Strong scored on a passed ball and Johnson scored when Matt Hooper singled to center field.

Louisiana Lafayette 3, South Carolina 2--Rick Haydel’s two-run double in the seventh inning gave the Ragin’ Cajuns (47-18) the lead as they stunned the top-seeded Gamecocks (56-10) at Columbia, S.C., to advance to the CWS for the first time since the school moved to the Division I level 29 years ago.

“When you’re a small school, no one ever gives you the credit for doing things,” Haydel said. “It feels amazing to do something no one thought you could.”

Trailing 2-1, the Ragin’ Cajuns rallied to do what no other team had been able to do this season--defeat the nation’s winningest team twice on its home field.

San Jose State 3, Houston 2--Tim Adinolfi and Chris Key combined on a six-hitter and Rob Douglass and John Fagan each homered for the Spartans (41-22) in their clinching victory against the Cougars at Houston for their first CWS appearance.

Adinolfi (8-3) struck out four, walked three and allowed only four runners to reach second base in eight innings. Key pitched the ninth for his second save.

Florida State 6, Miami 1--Florida State freshman Mike Ziegler (9-4) struck out nine, surrendered nine hits and did not allow a walk in a complete game to send the Seminoles (51-17) over the Hurricanes (41-19-1) at Tallahassee, Fla., for their third consecutive CWS appearance.