Jun 26, 2008 - 12:36 AM
1 shoutOMAHA, Nebraska (Ticker) -- After 42 long, grueling days on the road, Cinderella finished off its inspiring tour knowing it was, in fact, the top dog.
Steve Detwiler had four hits - including two home runs - and rewrote several offensive records in fourth-seeded Fresno State's 6-1 triumph over Georgia on Wednesday in the deciding game of the College World Series, helping it become the lowest seed in any sport to win a national championship.
Detwiler, playing with a torn thumb ligament, had six RBI, which is the second-highest total in an CWS championship game, one shy of the seven recorded by Wes Rachels of Southern California in 1998.
"It's mind over matter," he said. "It's just a little pain. The pain is temporary. Pride is forever."
A sophomore, Dewiler went 8-for-13 with three homers and nine RBI, setting championship finals records for hits, RBIs, homers and extra-base hits. His four hits Wednesday also tied the single-game record.
Detwiler decorated the home runs with three extra base hits, six RBI and 11 total bases.
Tommy Medonca was named Most Outstanding Player of the College World Series.
Mendonca finished the CWS with a .276 average with four home runs, which tied a single-series record, and 11 RBI, which ranks fifth in history and is the most since Kris Bennett drove in 11 runs in 2001.
"I knew this was a good baseball team when we beat Long Beach at Long Beach," Fresno State coach Mike Batesole said. "We could have ended the season there. That was good enough right there. As a coaching staff, we got out of the way and the eight seniors took charge. They decided to do things right both on and off the field."
Fresno State, which earned its first championship, finished 6-0 in elimination games and is the only team to compete in the tournament's title round with 30 losses in a season.
"When I saw how unselfish this team is, everyone wanted the ball every time," Batesole said. "These guys wanted the ball and took it. We have not left anywhere for the last five weekends without being on empty."
Starter Justin Wilson, who was on three-day's rest, tossed eight brilliant innings for Fresno State, striking out nine.
"I just wanted to get on the mound and throw strikes for my team," Wilson said. "With a good defense, coaching staff and team atmosphere, you do well together."
Detwiler blasted a two-run homer in the second inning after Steve Susdorf reached on an error by Georgia first baseman Rich Poythress.
In the fourth, Susdorf hit a one-out single, stole second and reached third on catcher Bryce Massanari's throwing error. After Alan Ahmady struck out, Detwiler plated Susdorf with an RBI double to put Fresno State ahead, 3-0.
Detwiler capped off his offensive outburst with a three-run shot off Georgia reliever Dean Weaver in the sixth.
After scoring 10 runs on Tuesday, Georgia had no answers on offense. Wilson silenced the bats of heavy-hitters Rich Peisel, Matt Olson, Poythress and Massanari, who were a combined 1-for-16 on Wednesday.
Gordon Beckham, the Southeast Conference Player of the Year and eighth overall selection by the Chicago White Sox in the 2008 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, ruined Wilson's shutout with a solo home run to lead off the eighth.
"When we got runners in scoring position, we just couldn't get them in," Beckham said. "He (Miller) beat us because he did all the little things right.
"They were scrappy. They played better than us tonight and I tip my cap to them. They did enough to win."
Georgia put two men on base to lead off the ninth off Fresno State reliever Clayton Allison, but Brandon Burke, who was the losing pitcher in the first game, came on to retire the side.
Fresno State overcame an early 5-0 deficit with 15 runs combined in the third, fourth and fifth innings to force a decisive championship game with a 19-10 win over Georgia in game two on Tuesday after dropping the first match on Monday, 7-6.
"As hard as this team fought and as much as it accomplished, we didn't get the job done," Georgia coach Dave Perno said. "It would've been the best team ever if we had gotten the job done, but we just didn't."
Fresno State, which had a pre-tournament RPI of 89, earned wins over No. 2 North Carolina, No. 3 Arizona State, No. 5 Rice, No. 6 San Diego and No. 11 Long Beach State before ousting No. 8 Georgia.
"It's a great thing for college baseball," Susdorf said. "It shows you don't need a No. 1 draft pick to win. You just need everyone working together."
Since the best-of-three series format was installed in 2003, the only team to lose the first game and rally to win the next two was Oregon State in 2006.
