By FITSNews || Enjoy it, Gamecock fans. A national championship is finally on its way to Columbia, S.C.
And the so-called “chicken curse?” Yeah … apparently it doesn’t apply to baseball.
The University of South Carolina – a school long known for its athletic mediocrity and ability to snatch “defeat from the jaws of victory” – finally has something to “cock-a-doodle do” about, as the Gamecocks bested UCLA 2-1 in an eleven inning classic to claim their first-ever College World Series title and the school’s first national championship in a major sport. On Monday, USC battered the favored Bruins 7-1 to get the jump in the best-of-three championship round.
After tying the game 1-1 in the bottom of the eighth inning on a UCLA throwing error, junior outfielder Whit Merrifield singled home the winning run in the bottom of the eleventh inning – setting off a massive celebration at Rosenblatt Stadium, which hosted the CWS for the 61st and final time this year.
“In that situation you’re trying to get a pitch elevated, and you’re trying to drive it deep into the outfield,” Merrifield said. “I worked the count in my favor and got a fastball, and even though it was kind of down, I got the barrel on it and shot it in the gap.”
Nine days ago, it seemed like South Carolina’s trip to Omaha would be a short one. The Gamecocks opened the double-elimination round of the tournament with a 4-3 loss to Oklahoma – meaning every game was “do-or-die” from that point forward if they wanted to have a shot at the title.
Well, the Gamecocks “did,” reeling off four straight wins to reach the CWS finals – and then winning another two games in a row against UCLA to bring home the title. Previously, USC had only won national titles in women’s track and field and women’s equestrian, although they did finish as the CWS runner-up in 1975, 1977 and 2002.
Jackie Bradley Jr. – who saw his 22-game hitting streak snapped on Tuesday – was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.
After defeating Arizona State (the tournament’s top seed) in its first elimination game, USC (54-16) was down to its last strike in a rematch against the Sooners two days later. They held on for a dramatic twelve-inning victory, though, and then got a complete game three-hitter from sophomore reliever Michael Roth to defeat Clemson in the first of two “must-win” games against their arch-rivals. On Saturday, USC bested the Tigers a second time to punch their ticket to the finals.
Roth came up big again in Tuesday’s deciding game – giving up just one run on six hits through five innings. Four pitchers combined to hold UCLA scoreless the rest of the way, but none came up bigger than freshman right-hander Matt Price, who pitched 2.2 scoreless innings to close out the game. Price surrendered just one hit over that stretch, and ended both the tenth and the eleventh frames with clutch strikeouts.
For USC coach Ray Tanner, the national title comes in his fourteenth year at Carolina. Previously, Tanner has won two Southeastern Conference titles and one conference tournament championship with the Gamecocks. He also won the ACC tournament in 1992 with the N.C. State Wolfpack.
WEB EXTRA
South Carolina 2, UCLA 1
CWS Bracket
South Carolina Baseball (Official Site)
By sclawboy June 30, 2010 at 8:27 am
What an amazing game! Congrats, Gamecocks. You made this state proud.
And we were really hurting for something to be proud of lately (See, e.g., Jon Stewart’s body of work for the last two months).
By Toyota Kawaski June 30, 2010 at 8:27 am
Thank You Coach Tanner,Staff,and Team!!! Great job! Im sure Tom Price and Sarge are love this.
By Florida Watching June 30, 2010 at 8:29 am
Alright!!!
By Cam Crawford June 30, 2010 at 8:43 am
Congrats to Coach Ray Tanner, the USC baseball team, and to the Gamecock Nation who are the most loyal fans in the nation.
Ray Tanner is the best coach USC has ever had and deserves a raise!
By Tiny Elvis June 30, 2010 at 8:45 am
The History Channel announced this morning that upcoming episodes of Ice Road Truckers will be filmed at locations along the River Styx. The cable channel made its decision after hearing reports from meteorologists in Nebraska that hell had frozen over. Apparently, a vast ice storm struck the underworld region shortly after midnight last night causing at least one freak event in Omaha.
By Kid Rock June 30, 2010 at 8:57 am
I know it hurts for a self-loathing Gamecock fan to face the school’s success at this level of sports, but thanks for sucking it up and covering the event without much negativity.
By FITSNews June 30, 2010 at 9:15 am
Kid,
You’re welcome. The lack of negativity in the story above is due to the USC baseball team following the advice that we’ve been giving the football program for some time now.
What’s that advice, you ask?
It’s simple …
WIN F*CKING GAMES
-FITS
P.S. – Hope Spurrier was taking notes out there in Omaha.
By LTC June 30, 2010 at 9:57 am
I’m a sore loser in this! Yes, I’m a proud Clemson fan! However I am very grateful this was for Coach Tanner and not Spurrier. There was no such thing as a chicken curse…you guys just sucked. Plain and simple. Everyone keeps talking about how great this is for the state…ummm, no one outside of our state really gives a hoot! Hello? I truly wish my Tigers had stomped your gamechickens the other night…this should have been our national title!!!! But I guess I’ll have to deal with all the obnoxiousness for a few weeks.
By No Name June 30, 2010 at 11:21 am
Curse is dead.
Hey Stevie…..get it done now.
By Just a good ole boy June 30, 2010 at 1:04 pm
Since it was Tillman who pronounced the famed “curse” he must be spinning in his grave. Who knows that spinning may be why hell froze over last night!! But one thing is for sure, USC made most of the state of South Carolina proud (I am sure there’s a few die hard Clemson fans who will disagree)!!! Just one final thought—HOW BOUT THEM COCKS!!!!!
By Toyota Kawaski June 30, 2010 at 1:33 pm
No LTC you are just a LOSER with a sore ass
By Chunky B June 30, 2010 at 2:03 pm
LTC, you’re a douche
By Clempson Rulz June 30, 2010 at 2:15 pm
As a Clemson fan, I’m glad we can all share in this victory. Without Clemson’s dominating athletic presence in this State to serve as motivation for the little gamecocks to play harder, this would not be possible. My hats off to both teams on a job well done. While Clemson did not walk away with the title, rest assured we will be back again. As for the gamecocks, savor the moment – it will NEVER return (at least in your lifetime).
By Earl Long June 30, 2010 at 7:18 pm
Someone needs to post a screenshot or video of Gerrit Cole crying like a little kid in the dugout after game two . . . (a little help please?)
By Darth July 1, 2010 at 10:10 am
So Wil are you going to slip in for the White House visit or is the NAACP railing against it, thanks to “that flag” which they are still unable to identify correctly.
By R July 2, 2010 at 6:58 am
I’m most proud in not just their National Championship but the manner in which they won it. They had 19 members of the baseball team on the SEC Spring Academic Honor Roll, Won the award for having the highest GPA of any team at the College World Series, are extremely involved in the community, not to mention their adopting Bayler Teal and his family, these are just quality young men and are fitting champions. They don’t get into trouble, they aren’t spoiled self-absorbed whining athletes like football players, they just work their tails off.
As for the couple of whining Clemson fans being their usual obnoxious trashy self, they can just go to hell. I know having internet in the trailer park is an exciting novel thing.
By Doc Cock July 8, 2010 at 5:45 am
How typical to see Clem’s Sons acting like the bitter rednecks everyone knows they truly are. Hope you Taters enjoyed the back-to-back ass-whippins you got courtesy of Gamecock Baseball in Omaha, because Gamecock Football will be delivering more of the same up in Dung Valley in late November.