OMAHA, Neb. -- A rough start turned into a smooth finish for Thomas Hatch.
The Chicago Cubs' third-round draft pick threw a complete game and extended his shutout streak to 26 innings in Oklahoma State's 1-0 victory over UC-Santa Barbara in the opening game of the College World Series on Saturday.
At a glance
COLLEGE WORLD SERIES
At TD Ameritrade Park, Omaha, Neb. Double elimination
SATURDAY’S GAMES Oklahoma State 1, UC Santa Barbara 0
Arizona 5, Miami 1
TODAY’S GAMES All times Central
GAME 3 Texas Tech (46-18) vs. TCU (47-16), 2 p.m.
GAME 4 Florida (52-14) vs. Coastal Carolina (49-16), 7 p.m.
MONDAY’S GAMES
GAME 5 UC Santa Barbara (42-19-1) vs. Miami (50-13), 1 p.m.
GAME 6 Oklahoma State (42-20) vs. Arizona (45-21), 6 p.m.
TUESDAY’S GAMES
GAME 7 Today’s losers, 4 p.m.
GAME 8 Today’s winners, 8 p.m.
Hatch scuffled early before settling in to record the first shutout by the Cowboys (42-20) at the CWS since 1986, a game current pitching coach Rob Walton started.
"Not the easiest game in the world to pitch, because the first game of the World Series has a little vibe and buzz about it to kick things off," OSU Coach Josh Holliday said. "He handled himself exceptionally well, and it's a great way for us to start the tournament."
Garrett Benge singled in the only run in the fourth inning, and from there Hatch took over.
"I definitely think there was some adrenaline there," Hatch said. "There weren't many nerves. I was in a good place mentally. I was missing high [early], and when I tried to get the ball down I was spiking some fastballs, which is unusual. I was able to make adjustments, calm down and make the pitches I needed to."
Hatch (9-2) allowed 5 hits, walked 1 and struck out 7 in a 112-pitch performance for the Cowboys, who are in the CWS for the first time since 1999. It was his fourth shutout of the season.
Hatch required 39 pitches through two innings and got some help from his defense after the Gauchos (42-19-1) threatened in the second and third. JJ Muno doubled into left center with one out for the first extra-base hit off Hatch in 16 innings, and Dempsey Grover followed with a single. Hatch got Kyle Plantier to line out to shortstop Donnie Walton and struck out Josh Adams. The next inning, third baseman Benge started an inning-ending double play.
UCSB starter Shane Bieber (12-4) was just about as good as Hatch, limiting the Cowboys to six hits.
Three of them came in succession in the fourth inning, though, and produced Oklahoma State's only run. Corey Hassel singled to left, Walton to right and Benge through the middle to make it 1-0. Bieber escaped further damage when Conor Costello lined into a double play and Dustin Williams flew out.
ARIZONA 5, MIAMI 1
OMAHA, Neb. -- Nathan Bannister matched his career high with 11 strikeouts in seven innings and Arizona (45-21) capitalized on Miami starter Michael Mediavilla's rocky first inning.
Mediavilla hit two of Arizona's first five batters and issued a bases-loaded walk before Jared Oliva's two-run single made it 3-0. Zach Gibbons' two-run double in the fifth increased the lead to 5-1.
Bannister, who made his 13th consecutive start of at least six innings, confounded Miami (50-13) batters mixing in his curveball with an upper 80s fastball.
Sports on 06/19/2016