College World Series Wrap Up

By Keith Antigiovanni

The 2012 College World Series seems like it just began but it was over after the Arizona Wildcats outlasted the South Carolina Gamecocks 4-1 in game 2 after beating the Gamecocks on Sunday night. The game was tied 1-1 in the eighth inning until Arizona broke the game open to give Coach Andy Lopez his first national title since 1992 when he led the Pepperdine Waves to the CWS title.

Arizona won its first CWS title since 1986,fourth overall and represents the PAC-12 first CWS title since 1998 when USC won their most recent championship.

South Carolina under Coach Ray Tanner was striving to become the first team to win three straight titles since the USC Trojans of the early 1970's (1970-1974) but were shut down by Arizona pitcher Konnor Wade putting them behind the eight ball going into Monday night.

Arizona's victory helps put the once powerful PAC-12 back on the college baseball map after SEC domination the past two decades with LSU (6 titles), South Carolina (3 finals, 2 titles) and Georgia (2 finals and 1 title).