NC State downs North Carolina; UCLA outlasts LSU in CWS openers

Omaha, NE – Carlos Rodon's complete game lifted North Carolina State over North Carolina, 8-1, and UCLA eked out of pitcher's duel with a 2-1 victory over LSU Sunday in the opening round of the 2013 College World Series.

Rodon allowed just one run on five hits and two walks while striking out eight in his outing.

Logan Ratledge drove in two runs while Brett Williams, Tarran Senay, Brett Austin, Bryan Adametz, Grant Clyde and Jake Armstrong each contributed an RBI apiece.

Kent Emanuel allowed five runs on six hits over 2 2/3 innings for North Carolina, the No. 1 national seed in this year's tournament.

In the night cap, the Tigers were let down by their defense, which committed two errors that led to UCLA's only runs. LSU's only score came on a solo homer from Mason Katz.

Adam Plutko tossed seven innings of one-run ball for the Bruins and David Berg worked out of trouble in the ninth to send UCLA into the winner's bracket.

All four teams will be in action on Tuesday, with NC State squaring off against UCLA, while North Carolina and the fourth-seeded Tigers will play an elimination game.

Trea Turner drew a walk for the Wolfpack to begin the game, stole second base, and scored on a single by Senay.

North Carolina's best opportunity early came in the bottom of the inning. Chaz Frank walked to start and stole second. However, Colin Moran struck out and Skye Bolt grounded out to end the frame.

With two outs in the third, Clyde, Williams and Adametz connected on three consecutive RBI hits to give NC State a 4-0 lead. Emanuel was then replaced by Chris McCue, who walked Jake Armstrong before giving up an RBI single to Ratledge.

Austin produced a sacrifice fly in the eighth and Ratledge pushed NC State's final run across in the ninth with a groundout. North Carolina's only score came on Landon Lassiter's double in the final frame.

In the second contest of the day, Katz broke a scoreless contest in the fourth with a one-out shot over the left field wall.

The Bruins struck back by manufacturing a run in the sixth. Brian Carroll laid down a bunt to begin the frame and took second on catcher Ty Ross's throwing error. Kevin Kramer pushed him over with a groundout and Eric Filia's sac fly tied it at 1-1.

UCLA then took the lead for good in the eighth as a result of a costly two-out error by shortstop Alex Bregman on Filia's ground ball. The play allowed Christoph Bono to score and stake the Bruins to a 2-1 lead.

LSU had runners on first and second in the ninth, but Berg got JaCoby Jones to fly out to end the game.