COLLEGE BASEBALL

• Ole Miss, Arkansas, LSU and CS Fullerton each one win closer to CWS

  
  

  Oxford, MS (Sports Network) - The Mississippi Rebels needed a solo home run from Matt Smith in the bottom of the 12th to defeat Virginia, 4-3, in the first game of this weekend's NCAA Super Regional.

  The dramatic win puts Ole Miss one win away from advancing to the College World Series, taking the opener of the best-of-three series with the Cavaliers after erasing a 3-2 deficit in the ninth inning.

  In other super regional games on Friday -- all openers of three-game sets: Arkansas defeated Florida State, 7-2; LSU outlasted Rice, 12-9, and Cal State Fullerton hammered Louisville 12-0.

  Game 2 for all of these games will be played on Saturday.

  The Arkansas-FSU game was a marathon thanks to three rain delays that lasted more than six hours. Mike Bolsinger pitched five innings of scoreless relief to pick up the win. The Seminoles will attempt to even the series on Saturday.

  The Tigers of LSU used a six-run fifth inning -- highlighted by Ryan Schimpf's three-run homer -- to take control of the Owls.

  Rice had won all six postseason meetings with LSU in Baton Rouge.

  Daniel Renken was not overshadowed by the CS Fullerton offense, tossing his first career shutout in the romp over the Cardinals.

  Fourth other matchups are set for Saturday -- all super regional series openers: East Carolina battles North Carolina; Southern Miss faces Florida; TCU tries to upend No. 1 ranked Texas; and Clemson begins its series with Arizona State.

  06/06 02:16:36 ET