OMAHA, Neb. -- Arizona State saw a big lead get away in the last game they played at the College World Series.
This time, they turned the tables -- thanks to the help of left fielder Kole Calhoun -- and sent North Carolina packing with a 12-5 win Thursday at Rosenblatt Stadium.
The junior leftfielder came up huge and, with one swing of the bat, changed the game's momentum to keep the Sun Devils' College World Series title hopes alive.
With one out and the bases loaded in the bottom of the fifth, Arizona State trailed the Tar Heels 4-0. That would change when Calhoun launched a 3-2 pitch into the right-center field seats, tying the game at 4-4.
That seemed to take all the wind out of North Carolina's sails, and Calhoun delivered the killing blow in the seventh with a two-run double, launching an eight-run inning that saw the Sun Devils send 13 batters to the plate.
Early in the game, it looked like North Carolina's small ball would keep them in the College World Series. Jacob Stallings executed a safety squeeze to get the Tar Heels on the board in the second, then pulled the same play a second time to ignite a three-run fourth inning that gave North Carolina a four-run lead.
North Carolina's pitching let them down in the fifth, though. Two walks and a hit batter brought Calhoun up to bat, and he worked the count full before Brian Moran's pitch into the gap and over the wall. Calhoun finished the night going 2-for-3 with six RBIs.
So the 2009 College World Series final four is set, with games scheduled this Friday. At 1 p.m., LSU will need just one win against Arkansas to reach the finals, while the 6 p.m. game will feature a Texas team facing Arizona State with a single win standing between the Longhorns and the championship.
There are great seats for Friday's games, and the rest of the 2009 College World Series, right now at Ticket Express -- where no College World Series game is ever sold out.
College World Series Schedule, Results
(All times CDT)
Saturday, June 13
Game 1 -- Arkansas 10, Cal State Fullerton 6
Game 2 -- LSU 9, Virginia 5
Sunday, June 14
Game 3 -- Arizona State 5, North Carolina 2 (10 inn.)
Game 4 -- Texas 7, Southern Miss 6
Monday, June 15
Game 5 -- Virginia 7, Cal State Fullerton 5 (CSF eliminated)
Game 6 -- LSU 9, Arkansas 1
Tuesday, June 16
Game 7 -- North Carolina 11, Southern Miss 4 (Southern Miss eliminated)
Game 8 -- Texas 10, Arizona State 6
Wednesday, June 17
Game 9 -- Arkansas 4, Virginia 3 12 inn. (Virginia eliminated)
Thursday, June 18
Game 10 -- Arizona State 12, North Carolina 5 (North Carolina eliminated)
Friday, June 19
Game 11 -- LSU (53-16) vs. Arkansas (41-23), 1 p.m.
Game 12 -- Texas (48-14-1) vs. Arizona State (51-13), 6 p.m.
Saturday, June 20
Game 13 -- Winner Game 11 vs. Loser Game 11, 1 p.m.
Game 14 -- Winner Game 12 vs. Loser Game 12, 6 p.m.
(NOTE: If only one "if necessary" game is played, it will be at 6 p.m.)
Monday, June 22
Championship Game 1 -- Bracket winners, 6 p.m.
Tuesday, June 23
Championship Game 2 -- Bracket winners, 6 p.m.
Wednesday, June 24
Championship Game 3 -- Bracket winners, 6 p.m. (If necessary)
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