Texas second baseman Tim Moss follows his throw to first base after forcing out Stanford's Chris O'Riordan in a double-play attempt in the fifth inning. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        OMAHA, Neb. — The school that's been to the College World Series more than any other is back in the title game for the first time in 13 years.

        Texas clinched a berth in Saturday's championship by beating Stanford 6-5 Thursday night.

        “It's been our moment. It's been a ride where we've been destined to be to this point,” Texas coach Augie Garrido said.

        Jeff Ontiveros and Dustin Majewski homered and relievers Jesen Merle and Huston Street shut out the Cardinal over the last four innings as Texas beat Stanford for the second time this week.

        The Longhorns (56-15) advanced to the final game for the first time since 1989 and will play for the title against the winner of today's game between South Carolina and Clemson.

        “We had our goal set on the World Series and winning it,” said Majewski, whose solo homer in the seventh broke a 5-5 tie and held up as the game-winner. “I think we deserve to be here, the way we worked all year long.”

        The Longhorns are in their 29th World Series and have four national titles, the last in 1983.

        Stanford had opened its last two World Series appearances 3-0, then lost in the title game. The Cardinal fell to the elimination bracket after an 8-7 loss to the Longhorns on Monday.

        “They played tough. We jumped on them early but they battled back,” Stanford coach Mark Marquess said. “We had some chances to score, but couldn't get it done and that's a credit to them.”

        Stanford had a chance to tie it in the ninth when Sam Fuld led off with a bunt single, but Street got Ryan Garko to fly out to center and Jason Cooper to ground into a double play. Street, a freshman, has 13 saves this season.

        Chris O'Riordan, who was 2-for-3 with two RBIs, was on deck when Cooper's grounder to first ended the game.

        “It wasn't any different than if I was sitting on the bench with everybody else. You don't like to end the season on a loss,” O'Riordan said. “I would have liked to have had a shot, but it just didn't work out that way.”

        Chris Carter hit a leadoff homer for Stanford (47-18), which took a 3-0 lead in the first but couldn't hang on to it.

        Majewski's solo shot off Jeremy Guthrie (13-2) that broke the tie was Texas' 67th homer, tying the school record set in 1988.

        “I just wished there were people on base because I didn't think one run was going to hold up against Stanford,” Majewski said.

        “We haven't really won anything yet. We've just made it to where we want to be.”

        Stanford had tied the game at 5-5 in the fifth on a hit batter, a double by Cooper and Chris O'Riordan's RBI single.

        After falling behind 3-0 in the first, Texas got two runs after a two-out error in the second and took the lead with a three-run fifth. Omar Quintanilla led off the fifth with a triple and scored on a single by Majewski. Ontiveros followed with a line drive homer to left, his 20th of the year.

        An error with two outs in the second inning started Texas' comeback from a 3-0 deficit. Ryan Hubele reached when Scott Dragicevich couldn't handle a grounder to third. Brandon Fahey singled, Guthrie walked J.D. Reininger, then Kalani Napoleon blooped a single to right that scored two runs.

        “Unfortunately I just didn't have the mental toughness to overcome this,” Guthrie said. “I just didn't come up with the big pitch. It was tough for me.”

        After Carter's leadoff homer, the Cardinal added two more runs on four hits in the inning, including a triple by Fuld. It was Fuld's 109th hit, breaking the season school record he shared with Troy Paulsen (1990) and Mike Dotterer (1981).

        O'Riordan and Dragicevich had RBI singles in the first.

        GAMECOCKS VS. TIGERS: The 258 games between South Carolina and Clemson will mean nothing compared with No. 259. The winner of their game today will play Texas in the World Series championship game.

        The winner of today's Friday's game between the Gamecocks and Tigers will play in the College World Series championship game, while the loser heads back to the Palmetto State.

        “Here there's a lot more riding on it,” South Carolina shortstop Drew Meyer said Thursday. “You're usually fighting for bragging rights. Now we're fighting for a chance to get into the national championship.”

        The rivalry between the schools extends to all sports, but it's never had national championship implications like this. Clemson and South Carolina have only qualified for the CWS in the same season in 1977 and did not meet.

        “You get a one-game shot at advancing to the national championship. Of course it's going to be even more intense,” Gamecocks first baseman Trey Dyson said. “That Carolina-Clemson rivalry is something really special. The people in South Carolina are going to be going crazy tomorrow.”

        Clemson leads the all-time series 152-104-2 and won three of the four regular-season meetings this year.

        The Tigers could have clinched a spot in Saturday's game with a win Wednesday night, but could not hang on to a 3-0 lead.

        The Gamecocks (56-17) rallied and went on to win 12-4. The way they handled it did not sit well with the Tigers (54-16).

        South Carolina's Steve Thomas flipped his bat and paused for a moment before rounding the bases on one of four homers by the Gamecocks. It also didn't please the Tigers when a few South Carolina players tossed their hats out of the dugout when Matt Campbell struck out the side one inning.

        “I'm not worrying about vendettas or trying to get back at somebody. I'm just worrying about trying to go out there and win a game,” Clemson shortstop Khalil Greene said. “I'm not particularly looking to beat USC. I want to win to get into the championship game.”

        Greene had a pitch sail over his head just after Zane Green hit the first pitch of the game for a homer Wednesday. Clemson starter Steve Reba returned the favor by throwing his first pitch over Meyer's head.

        Both dugouts received warnings and that was it for the brushbacks.

        “I don't have any ill will about anything. It was a baseball game and things happen,” South Carolina coach Ray Tanner. “If we get thrown at I hope we get hit. That's a free base.”

        Clemson coach Jack Leggett, who was the most critical Wednesday, had calmed down a little by Thursday afternoon's practice.

        “I was upset with our team yesterday because of how we played. Not any other factor,” he said Thursday. “I didn't think we played our best baseball. I don't think we were really zeroed in the way we needed to be zeroed in. We talked about it and we took care of it.”

        South Carolina has won three straight elimination games after getting shut out in the opener and was pretty relaxed after practice Thursday. The Gamecocks joked with each other on the field and in the dugout during batting practice and appeared composed a day before another game against their rivals.

        Clemson was much more structured. Greene was the only player available for interviews after Clemson's practice. Leggett said he wanted the rest of the Tigers to focus on Friday's game and nothing else.

        “I think we'll be fine,” Leggett said. “They know what we have to do. this is a pretty tough minded bunch and a highly motivated group so I don't have any question in my mind that we'll be ready to play.

        Tanner said he would either start left-hander Steve Bondurant (6-0) or right-hander Chris Spigner (6-1). Leggett was planning on starting Matt Henrie (13-4), who has a win and a save in two relief appearances in the CWS.

        If anybody struggles early, they won't last long with the season on the line.

        “There's no Sunday so you're ready to pitch. If I asked everybody if they were ready to roll and they said they're ready,” Leggett said.

Sports Stories

What's next for U.S.? Brazil 2, England 1 Donovan, O'Brien make Pele's all-star squad Referees committee defends linesmen World Cup schedule Cyclones end Nashville agreement Duff, Rakel ride nerves to Met final Russell to lead Lebanon Martin, Williams have surgery; Charlotte pursues franchise NHL orders safety netting in wake of tragedy in Columbus Theodore wins Vezina, Hart awards Greene is healthy at track championships Texas beats Stanford in CWS semi Texas Tech reveals policy violations in Knight merchandise swap Jaguars sign Marco Coleman Quigley, Tanaka lead at Hartford Coming up this week

Mariners 3, Reds 2
Reds box, runs
Griffey doesn't start, but suit starts a laugh riot
Mariners turn reunion into their own party
At 34 games, Castillo ties a DiMaggio
Athletics-Reds series preview
Owners make steroid-testing pitch in talks
Sonics owner says baseball strike would hurt all sports
St. Louis says goodbye to 'a winner'
Interleague roundup
Notes from Thursday's games