Holy Cross, one of three teams with a losing record to make the NCAA Tournament, will keep playing Sunday after winning its first regional game since 1978.
The Crusaders eliminated Big Ten regular-season champion Nebraska 7-4 in Corvallis, Oregon, on Saturday. It was their second win of the season over a team from a power five conference. They beat Southern California in March.
Holy Cross (24-28) lost 8-2 to No. 1 national seed Oregon State on Friday in what was a close game through five innings. Against the Huskers, the Crusaders made the most of 10 singles and two doubles, scoring four runs with two outs and batting .455 (5 for 11) with runners in scoring position. They also got solid pitching from senior pitchers Joe Cravero, George Capen and Phil Reese.
The Crusaders play Oregon State or Yale on Sunday after becoming the second team in two years to come into the tournament under .500 and win a game. Utah was 25-27 when it knocked off Mississippi in 2016.
“I told them before the game that I liked where we’re at,” 10th-year Holy Cross coach Greg Dicenzo said. “I liked the fact we’re going to have to face some adversity. To be honest with you, this program and this team have been built around people who said they can’t do things. We’re in the losers’ bracket of a four-team double-elimination tournament. That’s a tough road ahead. No better way, no better group to keep fighting and keep punching back with than this one.”