Zamora Helps Keep UCLA Alive

Peter Zamora figured prominently in the two victories Saturday that kept UCLA alive in the NCAA Midwest Regional at Stillwater, Okla.

Zamora’s two-run double highlighted a six-run first inning that lifted UCLA to a 14-9 victory over Harvard. Earlier Saturday as a pitcher, Zamora allowed 13 hits but only two runs in 8 1/3 innings as the Bruins defeated Tennessee, 5-3.

Today, UCLA (43-19-1) plays Oklahoma State (46-17), the regional’s only unbeaten team after a 10-7 victory over Harvard. UCLA needs to win twice against Oklahoma State to advance to the College World Series Friday-June 7 in Omaha.

Harvard (34-16) had defeated top-seeded UCLA, 7-2, in the regional opener Thursday, but the Bruins overpowered the Crimson with 18 hits in the rematch with Troy Glaus hitting his 32nd homer and Eric Valent getting his 25th.

SOUTH II--USC sent 13 batters to the plate in a seven-run first inning of a 13-4 victory over North Carolina State in a regional game at Tuscaloosa, Ala., that was delayed 3 1/2 hours by rain.

Today, USC (42-19) plays Alabama (51-12), the regional’s only unbeaten team after a 6-3 victory over North Carolina State (43-20) earlier Saturday.

Wes Rachels went 4 for 5 with four RBIs to lead USC’s 13-hit attack. Trojan starter Seth Etherton (10-2) allowed six hits and four unearned runs in seven innings with 10 strikeouts and three walks.

Earlier, home runs by Eric Munson and Brad Ticehurst led USC to a 6-2 victory over Virginia Tech (34-28), which had defeated the Trojans, 3-2, in the opening round of the regional Thursday.

USC starter Steve Immel (7-4) allowed two unearned runs in 6 1/3 innings, giving up four hits while and striking out eight.

SOUTH I--At Baton Rouge, La., South Alabama was leading Louisiana State, 8-4, in the top of the seventh when the game was suspended after a 5 1/2-hour rain delay. The game will be resumed today at noon.

The game between North Carolina Greensboro (45-16) and Long Beach State (38-25) was also rescheduled for today, with the winner playing the LSU (50-12)-South Alabama (42-17) loser.

The regional championship will be determined Monday.

WEST--Third baseman Craig da Luz turned a game-ending double play and Fresno State, after rallying from four runs down, hung on to defeat Cal State Fullerton, 8-7, in the regional at Stanford. The loss eliminated the Titans (39-24-1).

Derrick Levingston’s three-run double in the fifth broke a 4-4 tie in the fifth and his solo homer in the eighth provided the decisive run for Fresno State, which later defeated Santa Clara, 10-7 in an elimination game. Fresno State (40-27) plays today against Stanford (42-18), the only unbeaten team in the regional.

Earlier, Brent Hoard and Jeff Austin combined for a four-hitter and John Gall hit a grand slam in Stanford’s 9-2 victory over Santa Clara (41-29).

ATLANTIC--Greg Halvorsen drove in three runs as Arizona State defeated Miami, 10-3, in the regional at Coral Gables, Fla.

Miami (47-16) later defeated Florida, 6-5, in 11 innings, and plays again today against Arizona State (39-20), the only unbeaten team in the regional. Miami has advanced to the College World Series in 11 of the 13 years it has hosted a regional.

In Arizona State’s victory, Dan McKinley and Chip Gosewisch had RBI doubles in a three-run first and Jeff Cermak (7-3) was the winning pitcher.

In Florida’s earlier 16-2 victory over Richmond, the Gators (40-24) had every starter get a one hit while eight had an RBI.

CENTRAL--Southwest Missouri State (33-25) nearly blew a nine-run lead, but held on for a 10-9 victory over Nevada in the regional at Lubbock, Texas.

Trailing 10-1 after six innings, Nevada scored five runs in the ninth as Andy Dominique’s two-run homer and Gary Johnson’s bases-loaded triple made it a one-run game. But Lyle Overbay grounded out to end the game.

Southwest Missouri State (35-24) plays today against the regional’s only unbeaten team--Rice (46-14), which was a 13-9 winner over Southwest Texas State (38-26). Earlier Clemson (41-23), which had reached the College World Series the last three seasons, was eliminated by Southwest Texas State, 12-7.

EAST--David Ross hit a two-out, three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth to cap a five-run rally as Auburn stunned Florida State, 8-7, in the regional at Tallahassee, Fla. Ross grew up in Tallahassee.

Florida State (49-16), which led, 7-1, after six innings, later defeated South Florida, 6-5, and plays again today against Auburn (48-25), the regional’s only unbeaten team. J.D. Drew hit his 31st home run for Florida State against South Florida (39-24).

MIDEAST--Washington is just one victory away from its first College World Series berth after defeating Georgia Tech, 8-4, in the regional at Starkville, Miss.

Washington (46-18) jumped out to an 8-0 lead against Georgia Tech (46-14), which plays an elimination game today against Mississippi State (42-19), a 25-5 winner over Tennessee Tech (39-22) in a game delayed by rain 3 1/2 hours. Mississippi State had 24 hits and scored nine runs in the ninth inning.