TCU falls to UCLA, bows out of postseason
LOS ANGELES -- Nick Vander Tuig allowed one run in six innings to lift UCLA to a 4-1 victory over TCU Saturday to win the NCAA Super Regional and advance to the College World Series.
Vander Tuig (10-3) gave way to David Berg after walking the leadoff hitter in the seventh. Berg retired the side in order and finished off the Horned Frogs in the eighth and ninth to earn his first save. Preston Morrison (9-2) took the loss for the Horned Frogs (40-22).
The Bruins (47-14) advanced to the CWS for the fourth time in the school's history and first time since 2010.
UCLA has won nine straight games, including five consecutive postseason games, and 16 of its last 17 games.
Trevor Brown tripled with one out in the second and scored on Pat Valaika's sacrifice fly to give the Bruins a 1-0 lead. UCLA made it 2-0 on a well-executed squeeze bunt by Tyler Heineman that scored Kevin Kramer.
Brance Rivera's solo homer in the third cut the UCLA lead to 2-1. The Horned Frogs have homered in 11 consecutive games.
The Bruins added runs in the sixth and seventh innings to build a 4-1 lead.
Berg moved into a tie for second place for single season NCAA Division I appearances (47) for a pitcher when he entered the game in the eighth inning.
The record is 51 appearances.
UCLA won Friday night's opener 6-2 when Cody Regis' three-run double ignited a five-run sixth inning. Adam Plutko pitched seven strong innings and got the win for UCLA.
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Richard Durrett
Richard Durrett joined ESPNDallas.com in September 2009. He writes about colleges, the Dallas Stars and the Texas Rangers. Richard spent nine years at The Dallas Morning News covering the Rangers, Stars, colleges, motorsports and high schools.
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Tim MacMahon joined ESPNDallas.com in September 2009. Tim covers the Cowboys and Mavericks. He has covered the local sports scene from high schools to colleges to pros during his six-year tenure at The Dallas Morning News. MacMahon is a graduate of UNT.
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