Stanford Pitching Duo Slows Auburn

OMAHA —  Stanford pitchers Chad Hutchinson and Jeff Austin held Auburn to six hits and the third-seeded Cardinal scored five runs in the fifth inning Friday, leading to an 8-3 victory in the College World Series opener at Rosenblatt Stadium.

Austin relieved in the sixth inning with the bases loaded and none out but gave up only a run on second baseman Tony Schrager’s error before retiring the heart of the Auburn lineup, including two strikeouts.

The sophomore right-hander limited Auburn to only two hits and no runs the rest of the way and made a winner of Hutchinson (8-3), who gave up four hits and three runs in five innings for the Cardinal (44-18). It came before an opening-day record 20,551.

“Hutchinson and Austin were just too much,” Auburn Coach Hal Baird said. “I can’t remember a game where we didn’t have one hard-hit ball all game.”

The Tigers (49-16) had runners at second and third in the first and second innings but failed to score.

Louisiana State 5, Rice 4--Brandon Larson’s two-run homer keyed a three-run eighth inning for the Tigers, who rallied from two runs down off Owl closer Matt Anderson for the victory.

Blair Barbier led off the eighth with a walk for LSU (54-13), and Larson followed with his 38th homer, a blast over the scoreboard in left to tie the score, 4-4.

A walk to Eddy Furniss followed, and a throwing error by second baseman Jason Richards on Mike Koerner’s grounder put two runners on. Rice (47-15) prevented Furniss from scoring on Trey McClure’s single as Bubba Crosby made a perfect throw from center field to get him at home, but Tom Bernhardt’s sacrifice fly scored Koerner.

It was the first homer Anderson (10-2) had given up in 14 games.