No. 12 seed McNeese holds off late Clemson charge to earn first March Madness victory
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — McNeese coach Will Wade and his boombox-toting manager are moving on in March Madness after the 12th-seeded Cowboys held off late-charging No. 5 seed Clemson 69-67 on Friday in the first bracket buster of the NCAA Tournament.
Brandon Murray scored 14 of his 21 points in a stifling first half, when the Southland Conference school from Lake Charles, Louisiana, held Clemson to 13 points. After falling behind by as many as 24 in the second, the Tigers rallied, erasing most of a 12-point deficit in the final minute before running out of time.
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Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Arizona Wildcats head to College World Series after Super Regional comeback
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Baseball mitts and navy caps were strewn about the infield at Boshamer Stadium. Players jumped for joy and embraced one another. The Arizona Wildcats had pulled off a miracle. And now they're headed to Omaha. Advertisement With its season on the brink of expiration, Arizona rallied past No. 5 national seed North Carolina in highly improbable fashion Sunday. Down by two runs in the eighth inning, the Wildcats dug deep and defeated the Tar Heels 4-3 in the third and deciding game of their Super Regional series. Arizona's Casey Hintz shows off the championship trophy after the Wildcats defeated North Carolina in Game 3 of their NCAA Super Regional series on Sunday, June 8, 2025, at Boshamer Stadium in Chapel Hill, N.C. Arizona will be making its 19th appearance in the College World Series, its first since 2021 and its first under UA alum Chip Hale, who won the CWS as a player in 1986. The Wildcats will be seeking their fifth national championship. They will open CWS play Friday or Saturday against Coastal Carolina, which defeated Arizona in the CWS final in 2016. Junior shortstop Mason White — a Salpointe Catholic High School graduate whose father and grandfather played for the UA — delivered the winning hit in the top of the eighth, lining a two-RBI single to center field with the bases loaded and one out. Advertisement After the game, White — a lifelong UA fan — barely could comprehend what had just transpired. 'This is just unbelievable,' White said. 'It's almost like a dream. I just can't believe it.' White was Hale's first recruit when he took over the program in July 2021. Hale has guided his alma mater to four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. Leading the Wildcats to the College World Series for the first time conjured a range of emotions for the 60-year-old coach — empathy for North Carolina, relief for himself and joy for Arizona's players and supporters. 'I'm just so happy for these kids,' Hale said. 'I'm happy ... for these families. They have grinded so hard, spent so much money coming here and raising these kids, putting them in travel baseball and high school baseball. Advertisement 'And now they get a payoff to go to Omaha. We're going to go there, put our best foot forward and try to win our fifth national championship.' It didn't look promising for the longest time Sunday. Arizona got a badly needed quality start from freshman right-hander Smith Bailey, but the Wildcats couldn't solve his counterpart, freshman righty Ryan Lynch. Lynch pounded the zone with a mid-90s fastball and a sharp slider, landing first-pitch strikes against 19 of the 26 batters he faced. After compiling 10 runs Saturday and 26 hits in the first two games of the series, the Wildcats managed just one run on two hits against Lynch entering the eighth inning. Sophomore Andrew Cain — another Tucson-area product, via Ironwood Ridge High — had one of those two hits. He led off the eighth with a single. Advertisement Then came one of two critical North Carolina errors. Tommy Splaine hit a grounder to second base that had all the makings of a 4-6-3 double play. But UNC's Jackson Van De Brake — whose three-run homer off Bailey in the third inning had given the Tar Heels a 3-1 lead — booted the ball. Cain and Splaine were safe. 'The way this game was going, we just needed a crack,' White said. 'Chip said it before it happened. 'They gave us a crack. That's what this team was looking for. It happened, and we took advantage of it.' Lynch's velocity was diminishing by that point, so UNC coach Scott Forbes summoned another freshman right-hander, Walker McDuffie, to face No. 9 hitter Easton Breyfogle. Advertisement Hale called for a sacrifice bunt. Breyfogle dropped the ball down the third base line. UNC's Gavin Gallaher charged it and fired to first base. The ball, Breyfogle and hulking first baseman Hunter Stokely arrived at the bag at the same time. Breyfogle collided with Stokely's left arm. The ball bounded past the first baseman. Cain scored, Splaine advanced to third and Breyfogle — who was safe — lay injured on the ground. Breyfogle had to leave the game after experiencing concussion-like symptoms. TJ Adams pinch-ran for him. Brendan Summerhill walked to load the bases. Aaron Walton then popped out, setting the stage for White. Advertisement UNC brought in senior righty Aidan Haugh. The Tar Heels shifted their infield to the right side. White swatted the third pitch he saw through the vacated shortstop hole, scoring Splaine and Adams. 'I was just trying to put the ball in play — specifically in the air just to get the guy in, tie the game,' White said. 'They'd been shifting me the whole weekend. So I knew: Just stay middle of the field, and it'll find a hole.' Suddenly ahead 4-3, Arizona turned to junior right-hander Casey Hintz for the bottom of the eighth. Hintz had allowed a go-ahead home run Saturday, and he got himself into trouble Sunday by issuing a pair of walks. But Hintz induced an inning-ending groundout to send the game to the ninth. Closer Tony Pluta had thrown a season-high 52 pitches Saturday but was willing to go again with a trip to Omaha on the line. He retired the side 1-2-3, ending the game by striking out No. 9 hitter Carter French with a changeup. Advertisement Pluta set the UA record with his 14th save of the season. Arizona improved to 38-0 when leading after the eighth inning. After the final out was recorded, Pluta looked skyward. He flung his glove to the grass. The celebration was on. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona Wildcats head to College World Series, downs North Carolina
USA Today
9 hours ago
- USA Today
CBS Sports identifies Clemson's run game as what the Tigers must address for 2025 success
CBS Sports identifies Clemson's run game as what the Tigers must address for 2025 success Clemson enters the 2025 season with expectations as high as ever — and for good reason. The Tigers return more production than any team in college football, according to ESPN. Dabo Swinney also made rare moves in the transfer portal to strengthen the top of the depth chart and brought in former Indiana head coach Tom Allen to take over the defense. But despite the talent-laden roster, CBS Sports points to one remaining question: the run game. With Phil Mafah off to the NFL and Will Shipley gone as well, Clemson's backfield now features a less experienced group. Freshman Gideon Davidson, redshirt freshman David Eziomume, and third-year sophomore Jay Haynes — who is coming off a torn ACL — are expected to carry the load. Davidson enrolled early and impressed this spring, while Haynes averaged 6.9 yards per carry last season before the injury. Eziomume saw time in the Playoff but didn't record a touch. During the CFP semifinal loss to Texas, with Mafah limited and Haynes out, Adam Randall — a converted wide receiver — broke off a 41-yard run and finished with 44 yards on four carries. Jarvis Green and Keith Adams Jr. also saw light action, but the room enters 2025 unproven. Even with Cade Klubnik expected to lead one of the more pass-oriented Clemson offenses in recent years, offensive coordinator Garrett Riley will need short-yardage consistency if the Tigers are to contend for a national title. Clemson kicks off the season on August 30 against LSU (7:30 p.m., ABC), a matchup CBS cautioned LSU to approach with focus amid growing pressure on Brian Kelly and the Tigers to start fast after five straight season-opening losses. Contact us @Clemson_Wire on X, and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Clemson Tigers news and notes, plus opinions
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
Clemson Product Eli White Carves Out Key Platoon Role in Braves' Outfield
Clemson Product Eli White Carves Out Key Platoon Role in Braves' Outfield originally appeared on Athlon Sports. From the ACC battlegrounds at Doug Kingsmore Stadium to a defined role in the Show, former Clemson Tiger Eli White is making his alma mater proud. The 30-year-old outfielder's recent torrid stretch at the plate has not only turned heads but has now officially earned him a significant spot in Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker's lineup strategy. Advertisement Snitker announced that White, a right-handed hitter, will get the starting nod in left field against southpaw pitchers. This move creates a strategic platoon, with the left-handed hitting Alex Verdugo stepping in against right-handers. Verdugo himself has been productive against righties, hitting .309 with eight extra-base hits and a .760 OPS. Jul 9, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Atlanta Braves pinch hitter Eli White celebrates after hitting an RBI triple in the eighth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports But the big news for the Clemson faithful is White solidifying his place. This opportunity is a direct result of White seizing his moment. While primarily filling in due to injuries and other roster moves, he's slashed an impressive .291/.368/.447 against right-handed pitching, good for a potent .814 OPS with nine extra-base hits in 87 plate appearances. An eye-popping eight-game hitting streak, during which he launched two homers and drove in 12, essentially forced his way into more consistent playing time. "Yeah, it's been special," White said of his recent performance, a stretch he feels has been "a long time coming." Advertisement "My plan when we got Ronald (back) was, it's gonna obviously push Eli off of right field," Snitker explained. "And I think I felt like we'd have kind of a good right-left option in left. Honestly, I'm not going to rule out anything." That role now looks like the strong side of a left-field platoon. It's a testament to White's impact that the Braves shifted their outfield plans, having previously optioned both Jarred Kelenic and Bryan De La Cruz. For White, the Easley, S.C. native who starred at Clemson before being drafted by the A's in 2016, it's a significant step. As Snitker commented on players who find their stride, "You never know when these guys might click." Right now, the Clemson Tiger is clicking, and the Braves are banking on his continued production as they strategically deploy him in their pursuit of wins. Related: Hunter Renfrow Making 'Huge Strides' in Panthers Camp After Health Battle This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 2, 2025, where it first appeared.
