OMAHA, Neb. -- Virginia was the better two-out team Saturday at the College World Series.
The Cavaliers came up with two-out RBI hits in the second, fifth, eighth and ninth innings and scored all of their runs with two outs in a 5-3 victory over Arkansas.
Virginia was 6 for 11 in two-out at-bats, with all six hits coming from different players.
"With runners on second base with two outs, you don't want to do too much," Virginia third baseman Kenny Towns said. "You just want to go out there and try and hit the ball on the barrel and hit a line drive or a ground ball somewhere.
"We were able to make some good swings in the situation."
Playing its seventh game in Omaha in less than a year, Virginia wasn't overwhelmed by the College World Series stage and was aggressive offensively. The Cavaliers put themselves in position to score several times by stealing five bases on eight attempts.
Towns' go-ahead double in the eighth inning and Ernie Clements' single to tack on an insurance run in the ninth inning came against Arkansas closer Zach Jackson, who hadn't allowed an earned run in 8 1/3 postseason innings entering the game.
Both RBI hits were set up by stolen bases. Virginia was 4 for 10 with runners in scoring position, driving in runs on all four hits.
"Our plan coming into this World Series was to be very aggressive and take the fight to the other teams," Virginia Coach Brian O'Connor said. "Certainly we did that from an offensive standpoint.
"I'd say that part of our success in this postseason this year has been a very relaxed but confident attitude that this team has carried, and I think it's served us well."
Arkansas couldn't counter Virginia's production in critical situations. The Razorbacks were 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position and had only one hit in the 15 at-bats following Andrew Benintendi's home run in the fifth inning.
"We just didn't execute the entire game," Arkansas outfielder Tyler Spoon said. "We just didn't play well today. When you get to this point, you have got to play well to win.
"Hats off to [Virginia]. They played well, pitched well and got some big hits when they needed them."
Despite having base runners in eight innings, Arkansas scored in only two of them. The Razorbacks stranded six runners, due in part to hitting into three double plays.
Arkansas put the leadoff batter on base in each of the first four innings but didn't score until the third inning.The Razorbacks stranded runners on the corners in the first inning and failed to score after putting the first two batters on base in the second inning.
Shortstop Michael Bernal attempted to bunt to advance the runners in the second but popped up to the catcher for the first out. Tucker Pennell followed by hitting into the first double play of the game.
"We kept getting runners on and we didn't punch them in," Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn said. "They did. That was the difference in the ballgame.
"They got the big hits and their pitchers got out of some good jams."
Sports on 06/14/2015