TCU beats Pepperdine, 3-2, in super regional opener

Derek Odell had a two-run single, ace Brandon Finnegan took a shutout into the seventh inning and Texas Christian beat Pepperdine, 3-2, Saturday in the first super regional game at home for the Horned Frogs.

Finnegan (9-3), the 17th overall pick by Kansas City earlier in the week, was cruising with a two-hitter when he walked Hutton Moyer and Chris Fornaci knocked him out of the game with a two-run homer in the seventh to get the Waves within a run.

TCU closer Riley Ferrell pitched 1 2/3 innings for his 15th save, starting with a strikeout of Brad Anderson and a groundout from Pepperdine’s leading hitter, Aaron Barnett, with runners at second and third in the eighth inning.

Ferrell struck out the side in the ninth to put the Horned Frogs , the No. 7 national seed, in front in the best-of-three series. They will try to secure their second trip to the College World Series on Sunday.

With the bases loaded and two outs in the fourth inning, Odell sent a line drive over the glove of leaping third baseman Austin Davidson to score Keaton Jones and Kyle Bacak. Kevin Cron scored the decisive run on a fielder’s choice from Dylan Fitzgerald in the fifth.

Pepperdine starter Corey Miller (9-5) gave up a season-high 10 hits in the first five innings against the Horned Frogs, who are in their fourth super regional in the last six years. Miller also walked four and hit a batter in 5 1/3 innings.

Stanford 5, Vanderbilt 4: Wayne Taylor hit a game-ending home run to the right-field stands in the ninth inning, lifting the Cardinal to a 5-4 win over the Commodores and forcing a deciding third game.

A berth to the College World Series will be up for grabs Sunday in the finale of the super regional series.

Vanderbilt tied the score at 4-4 in the top of the ninth when Stanford reliever A.J. Vanegas hit Xavier Turner with the bases loaded in a rally started when Dansby Swanson reached first on a wild pitch after striking out. But Rhett Wiseman grounded out to second, leaving the bases loaded.

Texas 4, Houston 0: C.J Hinojosa drove in two runs and Parker French pitched six scoreless innings as the Longhorns beat the Cougars to win an NCAA super regional and advance to the College World Series.

Texas is headed to Omaha for the 35th time, more than any other school, after missing the NCAA tournament altogether the previous two years. The Longhorns’ last trip to the CWS was in 2011.

Louisville 7, Kennesaw State 4: Nick Solak’s two-run homer in the top of the fifth inning propelled Louisville to a win over the Owls, sending the Cardinals to their second straight College World Series and third in school history.

The Cardinals have appeared in the College World Series three times since Coach Dan McDonnell was hired in 2007. Before his arrival in Louisville, the Cardinals had never won a game in the NCAA tournament.

Texas Tech 1, College of Charleston 0: Chris Sadberry struck out a career-high eight Saturday, and the Red Raiders held off the Cougars in the opener of an NCAA super regional.

Sadberry worked a career-best eight innings as Texas Tech improved to 32-4 at home and took the lead in the best-of-three series.

Maryland 5, Virginia 4: Jake Stinnett pitched six solid innings, Brandon Lowe had two RBIs and the Terrapins beat the Cavaliers in the opener of their NCAA super regional.

In a matchup of All-ACC pitchers, Stinnett outworked Virginia’s Nathan Kirby by scattering three runs and six hits to lead Maryland.

Louisiana Lafayette 9, Mississippi 5: Dylan Butler and Tyler Girouard each hit home runs as the Ragin’ Cajuns rolled past the Rebels in the opening game of their best-of-three super regional.

Louisiana-Lafayette scored five runs in the third inning, capped by Girouard’s three-run homer off Ole Miss starter Chris Ellis. The Ragin’ Cajuns scored three more in the fifth, and are a win away from reaching the College World Series for the second time in program history.