Alabama (42-19) 7, St. John’s (36-26) 2 – Alabama’s Luke Vaughn gave the Crimson Tide the lead in the fourth inning with a sac bunt that scored Eric Hines for a 3-2 lead, and then the Tide rolled to four more runs in the seventh when Jason Torres launched a grand slam to make it 7-2.
Starter Zane Adams threw 6 1/3 innings for Alabama, allowing two runs on six hits, striking out eight and walking none. Matthew Heiberger finished off the final 2 2/3 innings, allowing one hit and striking out two.
With the win, the Crimson Tide advanced to the Men’s College World Series for the fifth time in program history and for the first time since 1999, when they went 2-2 and were eliminated short of the championship game, falling to Miami (Fla.) 5-2.
Oklahoma (38-22) 13, Kansas (45-18) 2 – Oklahoma blew out the Jayhawks in the second game of the Lawrence Super Regional to advance to the Men’s College World Series for the 13th time.
Tied 1-1 heading into the bottom of the second, the Sooners exploded for eight runs, sending 12 batters to the plate in the frame. Dasan Harris hit an RBI single to start the big inning, then Brendan Brock scored on squeeze bunt single by Kyle Branch. Then Camden Johnson drew a bases-loaded walk, and Deiten Lachance a two-run single to left field. Batting for the second time in the inning, Brock was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, sending another run home. It was the second time he was hit by a pitch in the inning.
Dayton Tockey homered for Oklahoma in the fourth, and Trey Gambill added another solo homer for the Sooners in the eighth.
Photo: Alabama advanced to the Men’s College World Series for the first time since 1999, beating St. John’s in the Tuscaloosa Super Regional. (Photo courtesy of Alabama Athletics)
