The College World Series continued on Sunday with two elimination games in Omaha, Nebraska. TCU and Virginia both bounced back from their opening losses with impressive wins over Mississippi State and Texas, respectively.
TCU defeated Mississippi State 6-1, thanks to a stellar pitching performance by Russell Smith. The left-hander threw seven scoreless innings, allowing only two hits and striking out 10 batters. He retired the first 13 hitters he faced and did not allow a runner past second base. TCU’s offense was led by Gene Wood, who hit a two-run homer in the fourth inning, and Gray Rodgers, who had three hits and two RBIs.
Virginia beat Texas 6-2, behind a strong outing by Griff McGarry. The right-hander pitched five and two-thirds innings, giving up one run on two hits and striking out nine batters. He also overcame six walks and a hit batter, escaping several jams with timely strikeouts. Virginia’s offense was sparked by Zack Gelof, who hit a solo homer in the first inning, and Devin Ortiz, who had two hits and two RBIs.
With the wins, TCU and Virginia stay alive in the double-elimination tournament and will face each other on Tuesday. Mississippi State and Texas are eliminated from the College World Series.
