Tulane Knocked Out Of College World Series By Baylor, 8-7

Mark Hamilton

Baylor, down 7-0 after six innings, rallied for three runs in the ninth Tuesday night, scoring the winning run on a throwing error by Tulane second baseman Joe Holland to stun and eliminate the top-seeded Green Wave 8-7.

One out after reliever Brandon Gomes issued an intentional walk to load the bases, Baylor's Paul Witt hit a hopper to Holland near the bag at second.

Holland touched the base for the second out of the inning. But his relay throw to complete a double play that would have ended the game and given Tulane the win went past first baseman Michah Owings.

The tying run scored and then so did a jubilant Zach Dillon from third with the winner as the ball got away.

Trailing 7-5 headed into the bottom of the ninth, the Bears got a leadoff single from Josh Ford to knock out reliever Daniel Lantham.

Sean Morgan (6-1) came in and gave up a single to Reid Brees and then an RBI double to Dillon, who bounced a ball over first after faking a bunt.

Gomes replaced Morgan and intentionally walked Kevin Russo to load the bases before Seth Fortenbery popped out.

Abe Woody (10-3), who pitched 4 1-3 innings of two-hit relief, got the win.

Baylor (46-23) earned another meeting with Texas and must beat the Longhorns twice, beginning Wednesday, to go to the best-of-three championship series beginning Saturday.

Baylor beat Texas four straight times during the season before losing to the Longhorns in the first round of the CWS, 5-1.

Tulane (56-12) goes home after the crushing defeat.

Tulane's J.R. Crowel pitched shutout ball for the first six innings, and the Green Wave got a two-run homer from Mark Hamilton in a six-run second inning to built what looked like an insurmountable lead

Baylor finally broke through on a muggy, 90-degree night against Crowel with three in the seventh.

An error, double by Kevin Sevigny and a wild pitch allowed the first run to score. Michael Griffin followed with an RBI double and came in on Kyle Reynolds' run-scoring single that finished Crowel.

Crowel allowed five hits and three runs - two earned - in his 117-pitch outing.

The Green Wave got a major scare in the bottom of the eighth when center fielder Nathan Southard and right fielder Brian Bogusevic collided chasing a fly ball. Southard made the catch, holding up the ball as he hit the ground, and both remained in the game.

Baylor then got back-to-back singles from Fortenberry and Witt off ace reliever Daniel Latham.

Latham struck out Sevigny as Fortenberry and Witt pulled a double steal before Griffin bounced a two-run single to cut the lead to two.