COLLEGE BASEBALL

• South Carolina takes Game 1 of CWS

  Omaha, NE (Sports Network) - Blake Cooper was sensational in yielding just three hits with 10 strikeouts while pitching into the ninth, as South Carolina dominated UCLA in a 7-1 final in Game 1 of the best-of-three championship round at the College World Series.

  Cooper, a senior from Neeses, S.C., had two of the three hits and his lone allowed walk come in the ninth inning while pitching on three days rest. He was replaced by John Taylor with the bases loaded and a double-play groundout scored the lone UCLA run.

  Bobby Haney helped back the effort by driving in three runs and Brady Thomas, Evan Marzilli and Whit Merrifield added RBI singles for the Gamecocks, who beat their conference rival Clemson on consecutive days to advance to the finals for the first time since 2002.

  South Carolina has only one loss to Oklahoma during its run through the brackets in 11 games to this point. Making their ninth CWS appearance, the Gamecocks have never won the title.

  Bruins starter Gerrit Cole pitched seven innings and gave up six runs -- four earned -- on 11 hits. The sophomore walked one and struck out two in the loss.

  UCLA is making its first-ever appearance in the championship round of the CWS.

  06/28 23:33:53 ET