SPORTS
FRIDAY, JUNE 29, 2018
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AP Photo/Nati Harnik
Oregon State pitcher Kevin Abel reacts after getting out of a bases-loaded jam during the third inning of Game 3 against Arkansas in the NCAA College World Series.
UNBELIEV-ABEL
Kevin Abel pitches complete-game shutout, leads Oregon State to its third national title
By ERIC OLSON
Associated Press
OMAHA, Neb. — Arkansas
missed a chance to win the College
World Series when a foul pop dropped
between three infielders. Oregon State
made the Razorbacks pay for it behind
one of the best pitching performances
in a title game.
Freshman Kevin Abel threw a
two-hitter for his record fourth vic-
tory in the CWS, and Oregon State —
a night after escaping on the ninth-in-
ning, two-out foul ball fiasco — beat
Arkansas 5-0 on Thursday night for its
third title.
Abel was the fourth pitcher in the
CWS’ 71-year history to throw a shut-
out in a title game, and the first to do it
allowing so few hits.
“Kept making pitches, kept get-
ting outs,” Abel said. “I felt better as
the game went on and just rode it out.
I was going to give it everything I had.
I really appreciate they let me go out
there. It was a lot of fun.”
He retired the last 20 batters, catch-
ing Luke Bonfield looking at strike
three on a 3-2 pitch to end it.
Oregon State (55-12-1) capped a
two-year run in which it won 111 of
130 games.
“As soon as the last play was made,
I just got goose bumps,” Trevor Lar-
nach said. “Came in and ran, probably
jumped the highest I’ve ever jumped.
But that was a jump of joy. Last year
left a salty taste in our mouth, and
every single person on the team prob-
ably remembers that. Ever since then,
we were out to finish the job. We sure
did finish.”
On Wednesday, Arkansas failed to
catch a two-out pop foul in the ninth
inning that would have secured its first
national title. The Beavers, down to
their last strike, rallied to force the win-
ner-take-all Game 3.
“There was probably still that ‘What
if?’ and disappointment. It’s human
nature,” Razorbacks coach Dave Van
Horn said about the emotional hang-
over. “We had a good hitters’ meeting,
we let them sleep in, pregame was good.
Seemed like they were locked in. But
See OSU/2B
AP Photo/Ted Kirk
Oregon State players celebrate after winning the NCAA College World Series in Omaha,
Neb., on Thursday with a 5-0 win over Arkansas in Game 3.
0
3
4
17
20
The amount of times the Arkan-
sas Razorbacks were shutout
this season, prior to Game 3.
The number of NCAA baseball
championships now won by
OSU: 2006, 2007 and 2018.
Freshman Kevin Abel is the first
pitcher ever to win four games
in the College World Series.
Total hits in the College World
Series for OSU catcher Adley
Rutschman, a CWS record.
The number of consecutive
Arkansas batters that were re-
tired by Abel to end the game.
Sports shorts
NFL suspends Bucs QB
Winston for 3 games
(AP) — Buccaneers quarter-
back Jameis Winston has been sus-
pended for the first three games of
the regular season for violating the
NFL’s personal conduct policy.
Winston says in a statement
released on Facebook that the NFL
informed him of their decision on
Thursday.
Winston says that “in the past
2½ years my life has been filled
with experiences, opportunities and
events that have helped me grow,
mature and learn.”
THIS DATE IN SPORTS
English soccer star Wayne
Rooney signs with DC United
(AP) — Wayne Rooney is coming
to Major League Soccer with D.C.
United, the latest star to take his tal-
ents across the pond to the United
States.
Rooney follows the lead of Swede
Zlatan Ibrahimovic and retired coun-
tryman David Beckham by leav-
ing Europe for MLS later in their
careers. He signed a 3½ year des-
ignated-player contract with D.C.
United and is expected to make his
debut July 14 when the team opens its
new stadium in Southeast Washing-
ton against the Vancouver Whitecaps.
The 32-year-old Rooney is the
all-time leading scorer for England’s
national team and Manchester United
in the Premier League.
“It is fantastic to be joining D.C.
United at such an exciting time in the
club’s history,” Rooney said.
1958 — Brazil, led by Pele, beats
Sweden 5-2 in Stockholm to become
the first team to win the World Cup
outside its continent. The 17-year-old,
coming off a hat-trick in Brazil’s 5-2
semifinal victory over France, scores
twice in the final. His first and mem-
orable goal comes in the 55th min-
ute to put Brazil ahead 3-1. Pele con-
trols the ball in the penalty area with
his thigh, flips it over the head of the
defender and smashes it past a help-
less goalie. Pele seals the win with a
headed goal in stoppage time.
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