Cody's Blog

The South Carolina Gamecocks and right fielder Whit Merrifield provided the perfect send off to Omaha, Nebraska’s Johnny Rosenblatt stadium. In its final year hosting the College World Series, the Gamecocks provided a fantastic, 11 inning final contest to capture the school’s second national title, and first in the sport of baseball. After SC pitcher Blake Cooper threw eight innings of one run ball while striking out 10, the Gamecocks headed into game 2 with a one game cushion in the three game set. This time, the Gamecocks threw another great arm onto the mound for the possible series clincher, only this time it came from an unusual place. Gamecock middle reliever Michael Roth, who had not thrown more than 3 and 1/2 innings all year. Instead, Roth turned in the performance of the tourney, going nine innings in an elimination game against the Clemson Tigers. Roth proved again dynamite for Carolina going 5 innings while only allowing 1 run and striking out three, but the Gamecocks found themselves down 1-0 heading into the bottom of the eight inning. After a lead off single from Brady Thomas, pinch runner Robert Beary scored from second on a botched ball by UCLA first baseman Dean Espy. After scoreless frames by both team in the ninth and 10 innings, the Gamecocks found themselves with a chance to win the game in the bottom of the 11th inning with Scott Wingo on third with only one man out. Carolina’s Whit Merrifield then laced a 2-0 pitch into right field that fell in for a base hit, giving the South Carolina Gamecocks their first baseball national title in the school’s history. The Gamecocks captured a somewhat poetic championship, grabbing their first title in the last game at Rosenblatt, as the world series shifts to the new, TD Ameritrade field next year as the Gamecocks look to repeat in the 2011 College World Series. (Photo: Whit Merrifield reacts on his trot to first pace after smacking the game winning hit in the bottom of the 11th inning. Courtesy of Christian Peterson of Getty Images.)