Oklahoma State’s Arakawa wins it

Oklahoma State second baseman Tim Arakawa (Moanalua, 2011) hit a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth inning to drive in the winning run of a 5-4 victory over St. John’s in the Stillwater Regional of the NCAA baseball tournament on Friday.

Arakawa’s hit saved the Cowboys from becoming one of two top seeds to lose Friday. He finished 2-for-5.

“I was just trying to win the pitch; (coach) Josh (Holliday) preaches all the time, ‘Win the pitch,’ ” Arakawa said during a postgame press conference. “You’re down 0-2, you don’t want to try and do too much. If you win the pitch, no matter what the outcome is, it’s going to happen. And luckily the outcome was in our favor.”

Gage Green had four hits and scored four times, including the winning run, for Oklahoma State (38-18), which is hosting a regional at Allie P. Reynolds Stadium for the second straight year.

Michael Donadio drove in the tying run on a fielder’s choice in the top of the ninth for St. John’s (39-15), which had its 15-game winning streak snapped. 

Oklahoma State loaded the bases with no outs in its half of the inning. After Thomas Hackimer (3-1) struck out Dustin Williams, Arakawa delivered the winning hit, one that he’ll cherish. 

“It’s up there, definitely (with my best baseball moments). This atmosphere that we just played in front of, with Allie P. sold out, basically, just roaring — that’s what you live for as a kid. That’s the kind of baseball games you want to be a part of. To be able to walk off in the ninth inning before a crowd like that, in front of fans like that, that’s everything you want. I was just trying to fight. The ball ended up over the plate, and I was able to get a good barrel on it.”

Oklahoma State will face No. 2 seed Arkansas on Saturday after the Razorbacks defeated Oral Roberts 8-6.

Arkansas second baseman Rick Nomura (Punahou ’12) went 2-for-4 with a double, scored a run and drove in another.

Oregon shortstop Mark Karaviotis (Maui ’13) singled and scored the Ducks’ lone run in a 3-1 loss to Iowa in the Springfield Regional on Friday.

Oregon will play an elimination game Saturday against the Michigan State/Canisius loser. That game was postponed a day because of weather.

Oregon State second baseman Christian Donahue (‘Iolani, ’14) went 2-for-5 and first baseman K.J. Harrison (Punahou, ’14) went 1-for-3 with a run and an RBI to help the second-seeded Beavers defeat Texas 5-4 in the Dallas Regional on Friday.

Oregon State will play No. 4 seed VCU on Saturday. VCU upset host Dallas Baptist.

Big West runner-up UC Santa Barbara lost to No. 4 seed San Diego State 4-3 when the Aztecs stole home for the winning run in the bottom of the eighth.

Cal State Fullerton held off Pepperdine 9-3 in the Fullerton Regional. Waves senior Kolten Yamaguchi entered the game as a pinch hitter in the sixth inning and finished 0-for-2.