Greg Nappo pitched 5 2-3 strong innings, Ryan Fuller hit a three-run homer and drove in five runs, and Connecticut beat Clemson 14-1 on Monday night to win the NCAA Clemson Regional.
Nappo (10-2) gave up only one run and five hits, and leadoff hitter LJ Mazzilli had two hits and scored three runs for the Huskies (45-18-1), who will play at South Carolina in this weekend’s super regionals.
UConn scored three runs in the first inning, added five runs in the fifth and tacked on six more in the eighth.
Tigers starter Kevin Pohle (5-2) was knocked out after getting only one out. Ryan Fuller homered for Clemson (43-20).
It was an especially big night for UConn, which is in the NCAA tournament for only the second time since 1994. Outfielder George Springer and pitcher Matt Barnes were taken in the first round of the Major League draft.
UConn next opponent, South Carolina was led by Evan Marzilli, who drove in two runs, and closer Matt Price who got the final eight outs as the defending national champions beat Stetson 8-2 Monday to win the Columbia Regional.
Marzilli led off the game with a homer and made it 2-1 in the third on a sacrifice fly that brought in Robert Beary, who opened the inning with a triple. Beary added an RBI single in the fourth for South Carolina (48-14).
The Hatters’ (43-20) best chance to rally came in the seventh when they loaded the bases with one out while trailing 4-1. That’s when Price got the call and shut down Stetson, getting Ben Carhart on a fly ball and Nick Rickles on a grounder to second. Price earned his 17th save of the season and second of the regional.