Stanford, Georgia win in CWS

Jun 15, 2008 - 5:24 AM OMAHA, Nebraska (Ticker) -- An error in the ninth inning by Florida State shortstop Tony Delmonico - his second of the game - opened the floodgates for Stanford.

The Cardinal erupted for 11 runs following Delmonico's miscue and routed the fourth-seeded Seminoles, 16-5, Saturday in the opener of the College World Series at Rosenblatt Stadium.

Stanford (40-22), one of two unseeded teams to reach Omaha, tied a CWS record for most runs in an inning

Brent Milleville capped the huge inning with a three-run home run off Ben Francis, the third of four pitchers used by Florida State (54-13) in the ninth.

After stranding 10 runners through the first seven frames, the Seminoles tied the game, 5-5, on Jason . Stidham's three-run homer off Drew Storen (5-3) with two outs in the eighth.

After Cord Phelps opened the ninth with a single off John Gast (0-1), Seminoles manager Mike Martin brought in catcher Buster Posey, the Division I national Player of the Year who also serves as Florida State's closer.

Posey, taken by the San Francisco Giants with the fifth pick in this year's major league draft, faltered, allowing six runs while retiring only one batter. However, only one of the runs were earned.

Stanford will play again in the winner's bracket on Sunday, while Florida State falls into the loser's bracket of the double-elimination tournament.

Top-seeded Miami fell in another wild contest in the the nightcap.

No. 8 seed Georgia scored four runs in the top of the ninth to erase a 4-3 deficit and advance into the winner's bracket.

With a runner at second base and one out, Miami closer Carlos Gutierrez, who was drafted in the first round by the Minnesota Twins, struck out Georgia's Robbie O'Bryan, but the pitch got away from catcher Yasmani Grandal.

The wild pitch allowed O'Bryan to reach and put runners on first and third with one out. Lyle Allen then singled to tie the game at 4-4.

Gutierrez got David Thoms to ground back to the mound, but the righthander's throw to first was wide, rolling down the line and allowing two runs to score.

Alex McRee, Dean Weaver and Josh Fields combined for five innings of strong relief for Georgia (42-23-1), which will face Stanford on Monday.

"That was the toughest game we've been in all year," Georgia coach David Perno said. "Our kids fought like there was no tomorrow, kept battling and hanging in there and got it done in the end like they needed to. We've been able to deliver the big inning when we've needed to all year."

Miami (52-10) will meet Florida State in an elimination game Monday.

Another opening-round doubleheader will take place on Sunday. No. 6 Rice (47-13) meets No. 3 Fresno State (42-29) in the opener and No. 2 North Carolina (51-12) battles No. 7 Louisiana State (48-17) in the nightcap.

The eight teams are divided into two four-team groups, with the winner of each group meeting in a best-of-three championship series starting on June 23.