BASEBALL RECAP: South Carolina 5, Oklahoma 0
COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Michael Roth kept his postseason record unblemished and two-time national champion South Carolina won its 20th consecutive postseason game Saturday night with a 5-0 shutout of Oklahoma in the first game of an NCAA super-regional series.
Playing the last team to beat them in the postseason -- the Sooners did it 4-3 in the 2010 College World Series -- the Gamecocks put up three second-inning runs and then rode their ace left-hander through 7 2/3 innings and 126 pitches.
Roth scattered six hits, walked two and fanned three as he upped his postseason record to 6-0. Tyler Webb picked up the last four outs.
Offensively, South Carolina's big hit in the second was an RBI double from L.B. Dantzler. It also scored on a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly from Chase Vergason.
In the seventh, the 8th-seeded Gamecocks added insurance with RBI singles from Joey Pankake and Christian Walker off reliever Dillon Overton. Walker and Evan Marzilli each had two of South Carolina's eight hits.
Overton was the bright spot for Oklahoma, working six innings and allowing six hits while striking out six. His effort saved the Sooners' bullpen for Sunday night's elimination game and perhaps a Monday game -- if they stay alive.
