Vandy's Connor ties NCAA mark with 10 RBIs in 19-6 victory
GAINESVILLE — Cody Wilson and Gunnar Lambert drove in three runs apiece, and Florida Atlantic survived a minor comeback and a major weather delay to beat Jacksonville 12-7 in an elimination game Sunday in the NCAA baseball tournament.
The Owls (42-18-1) scored five runs in the first inning, five more in the second and led 12-0 before the Dolphins (40-21) got their second hit.
Jacksonville rallied with four runs in the sixth and three more in the seventh before lightning and then heavy rain halted play for 5 hours, 25 minutes. The Dolphins had runners on second and third with two outs before the stoppage. Reliever Drew Peden struck out pinch-hitter Chris Gau when play resumed.
The game took more than nine hours to complete, with the Owls ultimately advancing to play another win-or-go-home game against overall No. 1 seed and defending national champion Florida on Monday.
FAU needs to beat the host Gators twice to clinch the Gainesville Regional.
Vanderbilt 19, Kaiser 6
Vanderbilt shortstop Connor Kaiser had three homers and an NCAA Tournament record-tying 10 RBIs in a game while the Commodores matched another single-game mark with nine homers in a dismantling of host Clemson to reach the super regionals.
It's the second straight year the Commodores (34-25) ousted the Tigers on their home field in a regional. Kaiser led the way with a three-run homer in the third, a grand slam in the sixth and a two-run shot in the seventh. He tied the NCAA record with an RBI single in the eighth.
Catcher Stephen Scott and designated hitter Philip Clarke had two homers apiece.
Kaiser, voted regional MVP, went 5-of-7 with three runs scored.
Clemson (47-16) has failed to advance while hosting a regional for a third straight season.
Washington 9, UConn 6
Washington is headed to its first-ever super regional after AJ Graffanino doubled in three runs to break a 6-6 tie in the eighth inning and rally past UConn to win the Conway Regional.
The Washington Huskies (33-23), which was seeded third in the four -team regional, will face either Stanford or Cal State Fullerton next weekend for a spot in the College World Series.
Washington reliever Alex Hardy gave up a leadoff single in the ninth before closing out UConn (37-22-1).
Designated hitter Joe Wainhouse had three hits including his 17th homer and three RBIs for Washington.