Washington Needs Second Chance After Loss To Mississippi State, UW Plays Again For Cws Berth

Reliever Hank Thoms pitched 4-2/3 shutout innings as Mississippi State defeated Washington 7-5 Sunday in the NCAA Mideast Regional, extending the tournament another day and remaining in contention for a College World Series berth.

The two teams play again at 10 a.m.

PDT today to determine the Mideast Regional champion. The winner will join Miami, Auburn, Alabama, Rice, UCLA, and Stanford in the College World Series. The South I regional, with South Alabama, LSU and Long Beach State still alive, wraps up today.

After Washington (46-19) opened the fifth inning with three straight hits to pull within 7-5, Thoms came on and allowed just two base runners the rest of the game. The sophomore struck out seven and walked none, throwing 37 strikes in his 49 pitches.

“I seemed to get ahead today, and that’s your goal,” Thoms said. “The key is to get ahead and have control of your pitches.”

Mississippi State (45-19) earlier Sunday survived another elimination game with a 10-2 victory over top-seeded Georgia Tech (46-15).

Thoms (4-0), who was credited with the victory, was only the second relief pitcher used by State in five regional games.

The Huskies are trying to reach the World Series for the first time. Mississippi State is shooting for its sixth World Series, and first since 1990.