A pair of two-run home runs and a pitching performance that followed the team’s new blueprint gave the Colorado Rockies a 4-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies last night. Chris Nelson’s blast in the seventh inning put the Rockies ahead, and Wilin Rosario’s dinger in the ninth provided the insurance. On the mound, the Rockies saw the most successful night in their new four-man rotation experiment’s short history. Jeff Francis was able to get through five full innings on his 75-pitch limit, allowing just one run. Josh Roenicke, Rex Brothers, Matt Belisle and Rafael Betancourt finished things off with four innings of scoreless relief. The Rockies were able to avoid a sweep in Philadelphia. They’ll try and start a winning streak tonight as they start their final interleague series in Texas against the Rangers. ESPN Radio 1410 has the action, with pregame coverage at 6:30 and the first pitch at 7:05.

The North Platte First Nationals won their third game in as many tries this week with an 11-6 victory over Ogallala last night at Bill Wood Field. The First Nationals improve their record to 16-11 with the win. They’ll have the weekend to rest and reload before next Tuesday’s rematch with Kearney. North Platte already claims one victory over their biggest rivals, a 1-0 decision at Bill Wood Field on June 5.

Arizona secured their place in the College World Series championship series, but their opponent has yet to be determined as the two-time defending champions held on for one more game. South Carolina started yesterday’s tripleheader in Omaha with a 4-1 victory over Kent State, eliminating the Golden Flashes. Ace left-hander Michael Roth surpassed the record for most career innings pitched in the CWS in pitching a complete-game two-hitter. That win moved the Gamecocks into another do-or-die game to conclude the day’s action, and they were able to wrap up a 2-0 day with a 2-0 win over Arkansas. The Gamecocks and Razorbacks play again tonight at 8 PM, with the winner advancing to play Arizona. The Wildcats scored six runs in the first inning en route to beating Florida State 10-3. They advance to their first CWS final since 1986.

(by Hilary Winter – Nebraska Sports Information)

Lincoln, Neb.- The Nebraska track and field team continued its academic success as three Huskers earned spots on the Capital One Academic All-America Men’s Track and Field/Cross Country teams announced by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) on Thursday.

The men’s track and field team has produced a total of 22 CoSIDA Academic All-Americans, including 17 since 2002 when the track and field/cross country team was created. It was part of the men’s at-large program prior to the 2002 season.

Senior Bjorn Barrefors earned CoSIDA Academic All-America honors for the third straight year, as he was a repeat selection on the first-team after being named to the third-team in 2010. He is the 12th Nebraska student-athlete all-time across all sports to be a three-time Academic All-American and the first since 2007. His teammate Nate Polacek earned first-team honors after moving up from the second-team last year, while Brett Grieb tabbed third-team accolades.

Nebraska’s nation-leading total of CoSIDA Academic All-Americans has grown to 299 selections across all sports. Besides Stanford’s three selections, Nebraska was the only other school with multiple selections to the Capital One Academic All-America Division I Men’s Track and Field/Cross Country first team. The Huskers also tied for the most men’s track and field/cross country Academic All-America honorees across the first, second and third teams.

Barrefors excelled in the multi-events under Coach Kris Grimes in 2012, adding a pair of first-team All­-America honors. A native of Stockholm, Sweden, Barrefors finished fifth at the NCAA Championships in the heptathlon during the indoor season and eighth at the NCAA Championships in the decathlon outdoors. He also captured the first Big Ten title of his career with a school-record 7,897 points in the decathlon at the outdoor conference championships.

A native of Kearney, Neb., Polacek is a two-time All-American and team captain for the Huskers. He finished fourth indoors at the NCAA Championships in the pole vault in 2011 and tied for 11th in 2012. He is a four-time all-conference honoree.

Grieb is a three-year contributor on the Nebraska track team and a two-year contributor for the Husker cross country team. He was a first-team academic All-Big 12 honoree in 2011 and was a four-time member of the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll.

MIAMI (AP) – Most every night in Miami is a party, but tonight’s festivities might be championship caliber.

The Heat are a win away from the second NBA title in franchise history and first since assembling its Big Three.

LeBron James, Dwyane (dwayn Wade) and Chris Bosh lead Miami into Game 5 of the finals against the Thunder this evening holding a 3-1 advantage in the best-of-seven showdown.

After dropping the opener in Oklahoma City, the Heat has ripped off three straight victories.

No NBA team has overcome a 3-1 deficit in the finals, but the Thunder already wiped out one big hole just one round ago in the Western Conference finals. They trailed San Antonio 2-0 before bouncing back to win the series.

BELLEFONTE, Pa. (AP) – Prosecutors say the jurors in Jerry Sandusky’s child sexual abuse case can’t forget about the 10 boys the former Penn State assistant football coach is accused of abusing.

Senior Deputy Attorney General Joe McGettigan told the jury in his closing argument Thursday not to be distracted by defense conspiracy theories as they decide whether Sandusky sexually abused boys he met through a charity he founded.

Jury deliberations began shortly after McGettigan’s closing arguments.

Earlier Thursday, defense attorney Joe Amendola said the case is a result of overzealous investigators coaching witnesses. He also says accusers are seeking big payouts from potential civil lawsuits.

INTERLEAGUE

St. Louis at Detroit 12:05 p.m.
L.A. Dodgers at Oakland 2:35 p.m.
Minnesota at Pittsburgh 6:05 p.m.
Tampa Bay at Washington 6:05 p.m.
Miami at Boston 6:10 p.m.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Colorado at Philadelphia 6:05 p.m.

NBA FINALS

Oklahoma City at Miami 7:00 p.m. (LISTEN LIVE ON ESPN RADIO 1410)