06/15/26 04:50:00
Printable Page
06/15 16:49 CDT Texas' Adrian Rodriguez becomes 3rd player in CWS history to
hit for cycle in 14-2 rout of Alabama
Texas' Adrian Rodriguez becomes 3rd player in CWS history to hit for cycle in
14-2 rout of Alabama
By ERIC OLSON
AP Sports Writer
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) --- Adrian Rodriguez hit for the cycle and drove in seven
runs, Ruger Riojas pitched six strong innings and the Longhorns knocked Alabama
out of the College World Series with an 14-2 victory Monday.
Texas (46-14) plays another elimination game Tuesday against the loser of
Monday night's Oklahoma-Georgia game. The Crimson Tide (42-21) went two-and-out
in their first CWS appearance since 1999.
Rodriguez and the Longhorns cranked up their offense two days after Georgia's
Joey Volchko struck them out 15 times in a 7-1 loss.
The sophomore shortstop had a two-run double in the first inning, a two-run
triple in the second, a single in the fifth and a two-run homer in the sixth.
For good measure, he hit an RBI double in the eighth.
The triple initially was scored as a single and two-base error after the ball
dropped between center fielder Bryce Fowler and left fielder Eric Hines and
rolled to the warning track. Official scorer Shamus McKnight changed it to a
triple a few innings later after further reviewing video.
Rodriguez became the third player in CWS history to hit for the cycle and tied
the CWS record for most RBIs and total bases in a game (12). The other players
to hit for the cycle were Minnesota's Jerry Kindall, against Mississippi in
1956, and Tennessee's Christian Moore, against Florida State in 2024.
Rodriguez's performance was another highlight in his comeback from a
troublesome injury that has twice cost him playing time and forced him to bat
left-handed exclusively after having been a switch hitter. He suffered a
fracture to his left hand when he was hit by a pitch against Missouri last
season and missed seven games. He had surgery to insert a staple in the wrist
last fall, but he had an allergic reaction and needed another surgery in April
that sidelined him eight games.
He entered the NCAA Tournament batting .277 with 31 RBIs, 11 doubles, two
triples and three homers in 45 games.
In seven NCAA Tournament games, he is batting .667 (18 of 27) with at least two
hits each game, 16 RBIs, seven doubles, a triple and two homers.
Riojas (6-2) allowed two runs and struck out seven in six innings. Texas is 5-0
in his last five starts. Alabama's Zane Adams (8-5) was knocked out with two
outs in the second inning. He gave up seven runs on seven hits and three walks.
___
AP college sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports
|
