College World Series: UCLA 3, Mississippi State 1
OMAHA, Neb.-- Adam Plutko helped maintain UCLA's mantra of "pitching and defense" as he earned the win in UCLA's 3-1 victory over Mississippi State on Monday in the opening game of the championship series of the College World Series.
The Bruins held their fourth CWS opponent to just one run as they moved one win away from a national title in the best-of-three title series.
Plutko finished the night pitching six innings plus one batter and gave up an earned run and four hits after pitching hitless ball through the first three innings.
An RBI single by Pat Valaika in the first inning and Eric Filia's two run single in the top of the fourth staked the Bruins to a 3-0 lead.
That proved to be enough, although the Bulldogs mounted a threat in the bottom of the ninth.
Mississippi State got two runners on base with one out against UCLA reliever David Berg.
But Nick Ammirati flew out, and pinch-hitter Jacob Robson grounded out to end the game.
UCLA scored in the first inning after Kevin Kramer reached first on a strikeout wild pitch. He got to third on a double by Filia and scored on Valaika's single.
Chad Girodo relieved Bulldogs starter Trevor Fitts in the second inning after Chad Zeile singled and advanced to second on Cody Regis' sacrifice.
Fitts finished the night giving up an earned run on three hits with three strikeouts.
Filia stretched the Bruins' lead to 3-0 in the top of the fourth with a two-out single that scored Brenton Allen and Brian Carroll. But Filia got caught rounding first too far.
Mississippi State scored its first and only run of the game in the fourth when Plutko walked C.T. Bradford with the bases loaded. Alex Detz and Brett Pirtle had singled and Wes Rea was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
In the bottom of the fifth, Demarcus Henderson reached first on a fielding error and got to second on a balk, but that was as far as he got.
James Kaprielian came in to pitch for UCLA in the seventh, and he was followed out of the bullpen by Zach Weiss, before Berg entered in the eighth.
The Bruins are now 40-0 this season when leading after seven innings.
Girodo pitches 7 2/3 innings for Bulldogs in relief and yielded just three hits and two runs, neither of which was earned.
NOTES: UCLA is making its fifth appearance in the College World Series, and its third trip in the last four years. UCLA fell to South Carolina in the 2010 tournament finals. ... Mississippi State is making its ninth tournament appearance and its first trip since 2007. ... Bulldogs right fielder Hunter Renfroe was drafted 13th overall by the San Diego Padres in this year's Major League draft. Renfroe hit one of three home runs of the 2013 College World Series. ... All three of the Bruins' College World Series opponents (LSU, North Carolina State and North Carolina) scored just one run apiece against UCLA.
