"Baseball creates enough adversity as any sport can. We added to it tenfold both offensively and defensively," Texas head coach Augie Garrido said. "To win that game tonight was nothing short of a miracle. They played the game from pitch to pitch. It was rough, ugly, but it got done."

Kole Calhoun finished 3-for-4 with a homer for the Sun Devils, who had beaten UNC in 10 innings in their CWS opener. Carlos Ramirez also homered for ASU. Calhoun's homer opened the second inning for Arizona State, and the Sun Devils got runs later in the frame on a passed ball and Jared McDonald RBI single to take a 3-0 lead. ASU scored three more runs in the third inning -- on Ramirez's leadoff homer, a sacrifice fly from McDonald and a run scored on an error -- to make it a 6-0 game. But Texas came roaring back in the fourth. After the first two batters reached base, Rupp ripped a homer to right field to cut the Longhorns' deficit in half. Preston Clark and Connor Rowe followed with back-to-back singles, and after a fielder's choice left runners on the corners, Tucker singled home a run. Brandon Belt followed with a two-run base hit to tie the game.

"With Mike Leake on the mound and a six-run lead, we felt pretty good about ourselves," ASU head coach Pat Murphy said. "But that just shows you how great our game is, how beautiful college baseball is and how great this event is. The best teams are here, and the best team fought back to win tonight."

The contest remained deadlocked, 6-6, until the seventh frame, when Rupp smacked a leadoff homer off of Mitchell Lambson. The Longhorns tacked on three more runs in the eighth, which Tucker led off with a walk. Lambson was taken out in favor of Seth Blair, who eventually gave up an RBI double to Kevin Keyes and a two-run single to Brandon Loy. The rally gave Texas a 10-6 advantage -- a lead made possible by the Longhorns' relievers. Austin Dicharry followed Ruffin with 1 1/3 innings of scoreless ball, while Taylor Jungmann allowed only two hits over the final 5 2/3 frames to take the win. Lambson got the loss.

"Jungmann was good," Calhoun said. "He pounded the zone, kept guys off- balance. To throw 5 2/3 innings without allowing a run, that's pretty good."

Earlier Tuesday, the Tar Heels pounded Souther Miss thanks mostly to Ackley, who was recently taken second overall by the Mariners in the 2009 MLB First- Year Player Draft.

"Everyone saw today what I've seen for three years from Dustin Ackley," said North Carolina head coach Mike Fox. "I'm glad the country had a chance to see what we've seen. And we've needed it. It was a good win. One more step. Very happy to be still playing."

Ryan Graepel went 4-for-5 with a walk and drove in two runs for the Tar Heels, while Ben Bunting had three hits, scored three times and knocked in a pair. UNC equaled a CWS record with 23 hits while setting a school record for runs scored. Kyle Seager added a two-run homer in the lopsided win. North Carolina starter Adam Warren gave up three runs on three hits with five walks and six strikeouts over six innings to get the victory. B.A. Vollmuth belted a three-run homer for the Golden Eagles, who were making their maiden appearance in the tournament.

"Today was a tough day, kind of my worst nightmare," said Southern Miss head coach Corky Palmer. "North Carolina is a good club, they hit well, pitch well and played good defense. We had a magical season, our kids played great and you can't ask more than what we've done over the past three weeks."

J.R. Ballinger got the start for Southern Miss and took the loss after giving up six runs and nine hits in 2 2/3 innings of work. College World Series play continues Wednesday with one game, an elimination contest between Arkansas and Virginia.

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