Cavaliers down Titans

OMAHA, Neb. | Virginia trumped another ace.

The Cavaliers beat All-American Daniel Renken and Cal State Fullerton 7-5 on Monday, extending their first appearance in the College World Series and eliminating the Titans.

Just two weeks ago, Virginia defeated San Diego State star and No. 1 overall draft pick Stephen Strasburg in the regionals.

Virginia scored four times against Renken in the second inning, and he was finished in the sixth after allowing a season-high six runs.

“To put up four runs on an All-America pitcher like Renken is a great inning for us, and believe me, I wanted more,” Cavaliers coach Brian O’Connor said.

The Cavaliers did get more, which was a good thing for them because Fullerton had the winning run at the plate in the ninth inning before Virginia secured its first win in Omaha.

Virginia (49-14-1) next plays Arkansas (40-23) in a Bracket 1 elimination game Wednesday. Fullerton (47-16) has lost five straight in the CWS.

Renken (11-3), who had gone at least eight innings in 10 of his previous 11 starts, was taken out after Franco Valdes’ two-out double in the sixth. Nick Ramirez came on and gave up a pair of RBI singles that made it a four-run game.

“I’m pretty upset with myself today for falling behind on counts and not sticking to my game plan,” Renken said. “It was inexcusable for me. Virginia is a good team, but I made them look a lot better. That’s my fault. I’ll come back next year and prove I shouldn’t have done that.”

Dustin Garneau’s two-run homer off Virginia starter Robert Morey put Fullerton up 2-0 in the second inning. Virginia took the lead for good in the bottom half by scoring four times.

Keith Werman, the Cavaliers’ ninth-place hitter, singled home the tying run, and Danny Hultzen hit a two-run single past diving right fielder Gary Brown.

Werman continued his key hitting in the College World Series, going 2-for-4 and driving in two runs. The 140-pound freshman is 6-for-9 with two doubles and three RBI in two CWS games.

“Keith Werman is winning over the hearts of people here in Omaha,” O’Connor said. “He’s a special gutty player who comes up big again today.”

Hultzen said he and his teammates drew confidence from beating Strasburg.

“A guy like Stephen Strasburg is a different case because he could be the best college pitcher ever,” Hultzen said. “But we prepare for each starting pitcher the same way.”

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