North Carolina moved on and sent Texas home behind an outstanding pitching performance at the College World Series yesterday afternoon. Freshman Kent Emanuel tossed a complete-game shutout as the Tar Heels knocked off the Longhorns in the Bracket One elimination game 3-0 yesterday in Omaha. Emanuel permitted just four hits, all singles, in throwing the first complete-game shutout at the College World Series since Robert Woodard, also of North Carolina, hurled one in 2006. In the night game, Florida led Vanderbilt 3-1 in the bottom of the sixth inning when heavy rain and wind moved into the area and washed out the action. The game will be resumed this morning and Bracket Two action will continue as scheduled afterwards. California takes on Texas A&M in the elimination game while Virginia plays South Carolina in the winners bracket contest.

The Colorado Rockies are one National League team that fits in with American League play just fine, thanks to the former designated hitter who lurks on their bench. Jason Giambi got his chance to DH for the first time this season last night, and made the most of it, hitting a three-run homer for the Rockies in an 8-7 win over the Cleveland Indians. Giambi’s blast capped off a six-run fifth inning that erased an early 4-1 deficit for the Rockies. All the scoring in that frame came after the first two outs were recorded in order. Troy Tulowitzki had a two-run double in the inning that preceded Giambi’s seventh homer of the season. Matt Lindstrom earned the win in relief, while Huston Street retired the side in order in the ninth for his 21^st save. The Rockies and Indians play game two of their series tonight. ESPN Radio 1410 has the action with pregame coverage at 5:30 and first pitch at 6:05.

The Colorado Rockies were searching for their first three-game series sweep of the 2011 season, but they ran into the one-man buzzsaw known as Justin Verlander. The Detroit Tigers ace pitched a complete-game four hitter as the Tigers routed the Rockies 9-1 at Coors Field yesterday afternoon. Ty Wigginton’s solo home run represented the only offense for the Rockies. Aaron Cook took the loss on the mound, allowing four runs on eight hits in six innings of work. He was no match for Verlander, who struck out five in his winning effort to win his ninth game of the season. The Rockies drop back to a game below .500 with the loss but finish with a record of 6-4 on their longest homestand of the season. They hit the road tonight to begin a three game series with the Cleveland Indians. ESPN Radio 1410 has the action with pregame coverage at 5:30 and the first pitch at 6:05.

A Hershey woman took home the barrel racing crown as the often-soggy but always-entertaining PRCA Buffalo Bill Rodeo concluded at the Wild West Arena on Saturday. Rachel Reichenberg posted a time of 17.27 seconds on Friday, and it held up through the messy conditions on Saturday night to give her her first Buffalo Bill Rodeo win. Reichenberg wasn’t the only local winner. Mullen’s Steven Dent came in a tie for first place in the saddle bronc riding event with his first day score of 83 being matched only by Luke Rush of Natoma, Kansas. Dent also finished in a tie for second in the bareback riding event, behind Jared Smith of Cross Plains, Texas. Other event winners were Ronnie Fields of Oklahoma City in steer wrestling, Charles Pogue of Ringling, Oklahoma and Walt Woodard of Stephenville, Texas in team roping, Hunter Herrin of Apache, Oklahoma in tie-down roping and Danny Schlobohm of LaMonte, Missouri in bullriding.

The Colorado Rockies have been one of the best teams in interleague play over the last five seasons. They’re hoping that trend continues as they take on their first American League opponent of the season as the Detroit Tigers come to Denver to open a three-game series tonight. The Rockies are 48-30 against the junior circuit since 2006. They’ll need to be sharp against a Tigers team that has won 26 of their last 40 games to take the outright lead in the AL Central Division. Jason Hammel gets the start for the Rockies on the mound tonight, in search of his first win since April. He left his last start with back stiffness but expects to have no problems tonight. Detroit will start Rick Porcello, who is looking for his seventh win of the season. ESPN Radio 1410 has all the action tonight from Coors Field. Pregame coverage starts at 7:05 with the first pitch at 7:40.

Heavy rains late last night didn’t deter the action on the second night of competition at the PRCA Buffalo Bill Rodeo at Wild West Arena. Some of the very best in professional rodeo submitted standout performances in last night’s events. 2005 world champion saddle bronc rider Jeff Willert of Belvidere, South Dakota had the top score in saddle bronc last night. Monty Lewis of Hereford, Texas, who has qualified for the National Finals Rodeo four times in his career, had the fastest time in tie-down roping. Other leaders from last night’s second go-round included George Gillespie IV of Placerville, California in bareback riding; Jace Rambat of Alva, Oklahoma in steer wrestling; team ropers Charles Pogue of Ringling, Oklahoma and Walt Woodard of Stephenville, Texas; barrel racer Jeanne Anderson of White City, Kansas, and Danny Schlobohm of LaMonte, Missouri in bull riding.

After not winning a three-game series since mid-April, the Rockies have now won their last two three-game sets after taking a 6-3 victory in the rubber game over the San Diego Padres in Denver yesterday afternoon. A five-run rally on seven singles in the sixth inning provided the winning margin for the Rockies, who supported six strong innings on the mound from right-hander Jhoulys Chacin. Chacin won his eighth game of the season, allowing just one run on three hits to lower his ERA to 2.81 and bolster his case for an All-Star Game appearance. Charlie Blackmon led the Rockies offensive attack with three hits. Ryan Spilborghs drove in two runs off the bench. The Rockies are off today as they prepare for the start of interleague play. The Detroit Tigers come to Denver this weekend for three games. Colorado will also play the Indians, Yankees, Royals and White Sox in interleague.

Mullen’s Steven Dent stole the show on the opening night of the PRCA Buffalo Bill Rodeo at the Wild West Arena last night. Dent had the top scores in both Bareback Riding and Saddle Bronc, posting an 86-point ride in the first event and an 83 point ride in the second. Other first go-round winners from last night include Ronnie Fields from Oklahoma City in Steer Wrestling; Michael Otero from Lowndesboro, Alabama and Hunter Herrin from Apache, Oklahoma in Tie-Down Roping; and Turtle Powell from Stephenville, Texas and Jhett Johnson of Casper, Wyoming in Team Roping. Sabra O’Quinn of Ocala, Florida had the top time in Barrel Racing, and Hutch Haslam of Morgan, Utah posed a 79 point ride in bullriding to take the first-night lead. Night number two of the Buffalo Bill Rodeo begins tonight at 8.

The North Platte First Nationals Seniors left Columbus empty handed last night after dropping two out of two games in a doubleheader. In game one the First Nationals managed just five hits in a 7-1 loss. Jamie McKain had the lone RBI for the seniors in the opener. The second game was even more one-sided, a 9-1 win for Columbus shortened to five innings due to the mercy run rule. North Platte had just four hits in that game, and Joe Smidt drove in the seniors’ only run. The First Nationals juniors managed to split their doubleheader against Columbus at Bill Wood Field. A slugfest in the opening game saw Columbus come out on top 10-7. The First Nationals got their revenge in the nightcap, rolling to a 12-4 victory thanks to three RBI from Alec Wesslund and a complete game for Ty Brockmoller. The First Nationals seniors travel to Hays, Kansas for a doubleheader tonight.

The Colorado Rockies held a team meeting prior to last night’s game against the San Diego Padres at Coors Field. Whatever was said must have taken hold as the Rockies knocked off the Padres 6-3. Rockies pitcher Juan Nicasio picked up his second win in his fourth big-league start, striking out nine batters in six innings. He was backed by an offense that scored three times in the fourth and three more times in the sixth inning, with Chris Iannetta’s three-run dinger in the sixth capping the scoring and giving the Rockies the winning margin. Todd Helton, Ty Wigginton, and Charlie Blackmon also drove in runs in the win. Those three along with Troy Tulowitzki had two hits apiece. The Rockies and Padres wrap up their three-game set with the rubber match this afternoon. ESPN Radio has the action with pregame coverage at 1:30 and the first pitch at 2:10.