Stoutenborough and 2 relievers stymie Virginia offense to keep TCU alive in CWS with 4-3 win

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – Sam Stoutenborough and two relievers limited Virginia to five hits, Cole Fontenelle drove in two runs and TCU eliminated the Cavaliers from the College World Series with a 4-3 win Sunday.

The Horned Frogs (43-23) will try to extend their stay when they play Tuesday against the loser of Sunday night’s game between Florida and Oral Roberts.

Virginia (50-15) lost a second straight one-run game and went 0-2 for the first time in six CWS appearances. Four of the first five CWS games have been decided by one run.

The Cavaliers entered the game batting a nation-leading .334 for the season, but they never found a rhythm against Stoutenborough, Garrett Wright (3-2) and Ben Abeldt.

Virginia starter Connelly Early (12-3), who came in having allowed two earned runs in 13 1/3 innings in the NCAA Tournament, gave up single runs in the first and third innings and was relieved by Brian Edgington to start the sixth.

Edgington, who pitched a complete game in the super regional-clinching win over Duke last week, allowed a base hit and walk before Elijah Nunez’s two-out single gave the Frogs a 3-1 lead.

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Ethan Anderson homered leading off the seventh – Virginia’s first hit since the first inning – but the Frogs got that run back the next inning when 9-hole batter Austin Davis drove a ball over center fielder Ethan O’Donnell for an RBI double.

Virginia was within a run in the eighth when Harrison Didawick singled, stole second, moved over on a fly and came home on O’Donnell’s RBI groundout.

Abeldt pitched the ninth for his second save. He struck out .400-hitter Kyle Teel and got Anderson to ground out before Casey Saucke singled up the middle and took second when center fielder Elijah Nunez bobbled the ball. Abeldt struck out Anthony Stephan to end the game.

TCU, which lost 6-5 to Oral Roberts on Friday, has won at least one game in each of its six CWS appearances.

Fontenelle, batting .519 in the NCAA Tournament, drove in runs with a sacrifice fly and groundout.