College World Series report

Virginia runs past Arkansas

Virginia's Daniel Pinero steals third base while Arkansas' Bobby Wernes tries to make the tag in the 8th inning Saturday, June 13, 2015 during game one of the College World Series at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha. Arkansas lost 5-3.
Virginia's Daniel Pinero steals third base while Arkansas' Bobby Wernes tries to make the tag in the 8th inning Saturday, June 13, 2015 during game one of the College World Series at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha. Arkansas lost 5-3.

OMAHA, Neb. -- Virginia got its running game going in Saturday's 5-3 victory over Arkansas in the College World Series.

The Cavaliers matched a season high with five stolen bases in eight attempts after coming into the game with 38 steals in 62 attempts in 61 games. In 5 previous NCAA Tournament games, they stole 1 base in 3 attempts.

"We saved them up," Virginia Coach Brian O'Connor said with a smile. "We kind of lulled everybody to sleep and decided we'd start running today."

Cavaliers shortstop Daniel Pinero, who had a team-high six stolen bases coming into the game, had three Saturday, including stealing second and third in the eighth inning and scoring on Kenny Towns' double to put Virginia ahead 4-3.

"Danny did a nice job," O'Connor said. "Our plan was to be aggressive from the start if the opportunity presented itself."

Pinero said that when he made his back-to-back steals in the eighth inning, he took advantage of pitcher Zach Jackson's high leg kick.

"I got a good jump," Pinero said. "It worked in my favor."

O'Connor said Pinero stole third base on his own.

"I was in the dugout saying, 'Please Danny, not now,' " O'Connor said. "But Danny's got really good instincts, and it was a good, aggressive heads-up play."

Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn said Jackson should have been more aware when Pinero stole third base.

"I think the runner kind of gave it away and we should have recognized that on the mound," Van Horn said. "Sometimes you just have to peek, look around a little bit, and get an idea of what's going on."

Pinero became the first player to steal three bases in a College World Series game since Arizona's Brad Boyer did it in 2004 in a 7-2 victory over Arkansas.

Busy day

Four hours before Arkansas played Virginia, Razorbacks sophomore center fielder Andrew Benintendi attended a news conference where he was presented the Dick Howser Trophy as the nation's top college player.

The trophy presentation didn't distract Benintendi for the game. He went 1 for 2 -- hitting his national-leading 20th home run of the season -- and drove in 2 runs, including a sacrifice fly. He also stole second base in the eighth inning -- making him 24 of 28 on attempts the season -- and made a diving catch in the third inning to prevent Virginia from scoring a run.

Benintendi is the first college player to have at least 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases since 2009, when Wade Gaynor hit 25 home runs and stole 21 bases for Western Kentucky.

It was the third national player of the year award for Benintendi, who on Saturday became the first player to have a home run and stolen base in the same College World Series game since Arizona's Robert Refsnyder did it against Florida State in June 21, 2012.

"He's never talking about 'me,' he's always talking about the team and what it takes to win," Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn said at the ceremony. "He's not real verbal, but when he has something to say, people listen. He really leads with his actions on and off the field.

"That's one reason we're sitting up here right now in a uniform getting ready to play a game."

Monday's starter?

Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn said freshman right-hander Keaton McKinney or senior right-hander Jackson Lowery likely will start Monday for the Razorbacks.

McKinney (6-2, 3.27 ERA) became the Razorbacks' best starter in SEC games, pitching complete-game victories over Kentucky and Alabama, but he has struggled in recent starts because of a sore hip.

Pitching coach Dave Jorn said Tuesday that McKinney had a cortisone shot in hopes of relieving pain in the hip.

In McKinney's past three starts, he went a combined 6 2/3 innings, including 1 2/3 in his previous start against Missouri State in an NCAA Super Regional game against Missouri State.

Lowery (7-1, 3.16 ERA) has been one of the Razorbacks' best pitchers in the NCAA Tournament with a 1.98 ERA in 13 2/3 innings over three games.

Bielema on hand

Bret Bielema was among the 24,228 in attendance Saturday.

Arkansas' football coach was the speaker at a pep rally for donors prior to the game. He and his wife, Jen, watched the game from one of the luxury suites at TD Ameritrade Park.

Bielema, who played college football at Iowa across the state line from Omaha, said he played some baseball growing up, but it wasn't his strong suit.

"I thought I was a pretty good athlete, but I was the last guy picked in baseball," he said.

Fan appeal

Arkansas' athletic department took out a large ad in the Omaha World-Herald offering local fans "10 Reasons to Join Our Hog Pile."

Among the reasons:

We call ourselves the OmaHog;

Our coach became a legend in your state;

You can wear your Nebraska gear and blend in with our fans;

Our mascot Ribby and Herbie the Husker played on the same Little League team.

Short hops

Arkansas junior Trey Killian's 7 1/3 innings was his second-longest stint of the season. He went 7 2/3 against Tennessee in the SEC Tournament when the Razorbacks won 2-1 on Michael Bernal's RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning. ... The Razorbacks are 11-15 in College World Series games, including 4-4 in openers .. Virginia improved to 8-6 in College World Series games.

Information for this report was contributed by Andrew Hutchinson of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

Sports on 06/14/2015

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