Texas dominates Alabama to stay alive at the College World Series

With its season on the line in an elimination game at the College World Series, Texas rode an offensive explosion to a 14-2 rout of Alabama at Charles Schwab Field on Monday to stay alive in Omaha.

The Longhorns throttled the Crimson Tide to the tune of 13 hits, seven of which went for extra bases. Adrian Rodriguez had a historic 5-for-5 afternoon, becoming the third player in the 79-year history of the College World Series to hit for the cycle with a two-run double in the first inning, a two-run triple in the second, a single in the fifth and a two-run home run to right field in the bottom of the sixth.

With the win, Texas (46-14) advances to another elimination game on Tuesday (6 p.m., ESPN) against the loser of Monday’s winner’s bracket game between Georgia and Oklahoma. The Longhorns avoided a winless stay in Omaha by pouncing on Alabama's (42-21) left-handed starting pitcher Zane Adams, roughing him up for seven earned runs on seven hits in 1.2 innings.

Adams, who worked six scoreless innings against Texas at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on April 18, opened his 63-pitch outing by giving up a double to Aiden Robbins (1-for-4 with three runs scored) and walking Carson Tinney (0-for-1, four walks and two runs scored). After back-to-back doubles by Ethan Mendoza (3-for-4, two RBI and two runs scored) and Rodriguez, Texas had control of the game with a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first and never looked back.

Anthony Pack Jr. (3-for-5, four RBI, a two-run home run and three runs scored), Mendoza and Rodriguez shoveled more dirt on Alabama with three consecutive run-scoring hits in a four-run second. With a 7-1 lead when he took the mound for the third inning, Ruger Riojas settled in and kept the Crimson Tide bats at bay, recording a quality start with two earned runs allowed in six innings.

Striking out 11 in five innings in a win over Alabama earlier this season, Riojas scattered six hits, walked two and struck out seven. Riojas threw 105 pitches before giving way to the bullpen, with Brody Walls, Ethan Walker and Cody Howard combining for three scoreless innings to end the game.