UC Santa Barbara, Coastal Carolina Clinch CWS Berths

This is real…

A walk-off GRAND SLAM to go to Omaha by UC Santa Barbara's Sam Cohen! #CWS https://t.co/avSzj06I9t

— NCAA Baseball (@NCAACWS) June 12, 2016

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A full Sunday of super regionals action saw six teams advance to the College World Series. On a suspenseful day across the Southeast, nowhere was there more drama than at Louisville.

Louisville, the No. 2 national seed, entered the day needing a victory to push its series against UC Santa Barbara to a decisive third game. The Cardinals got off to a strong start, led by Atlantic Coast Conference pitcher of the year Drew Harrington, and led the Gauchos, 3-0, going to the ninth.

Louisville had closer Zack Burdi, the 26th overall pick in the draft Thursday, on the mound, and had not lost a game when entering the ninth inning with a lead since May 2012, a streak of 186 games. But UCSB loaded the bases with one out, and coach Andrew Checketts inserted freshman Sam Cohen, who only had 26 at-bats this season, as a pinch hitter. Ahead in the count 1-2, Burdi threw Cohen a changeup, which the lefthanded hitter ripped over the right field wall for a grand slam and a 4-3 victory.

Burdi throws his fastball in excess of 100 mph and has been one of the best closers in the country this year. But Cohen said he walked to the plate just trying to put the barrel on the ball. He wound up with a walk-off grand slam, which he said was his first walk-off ever.

“I didn’t realize until when I touched home plate that I hit one out,” he said. “It’s a humbling experience.”

The win sends UCSB to the College World Series for the first time. The triumph comes a year after the Gauchos had 10 players drafted, the second most of any team in the country.

The Cardinals were stunned at home by a Big West Conference team in super regionals for the second year in a row. Last season, it was Cal State Fullerton that beat Louisville. This year, the Cardinals came into the weekend 36-1 at home, but were unable to get past the Gauchos.

“Frankly, for us to move on, we feel like we might have just beat the best team in the country,” Checketts said.

Joining UCSB as a first-time CWS participant, will be Coastal Carolina. The Chanticleers were the last team of the day to punch their ticket to Omaha, as they defeated Louisiana State, the No. 8 national seed, 4-3, to sweep the Baton Rouge Super Regional.

LSU tied the game at three in the top of the ninth, but Coastal Carolina came right back in the bottom half of the inning. Shortstop Michael Paez delivered the walk-off single to send the Chanticleers to Omaha for the first time in program history.

Coach Gary Gilmore, who has won more than 800 games at his alma mater, said the last two victories are the biggest in program history.

“When I got hired, I made the distinction of telling them that one day this program would go to Omaha,” Gilmore said. “I think they thought I was smoking something or whatever. At least the looks I got when we first started.

“To see where the program’s gone from that point, the unbelievable amount of great players that have come through our program, I’m just so happy for all of them. And every one of them has a piece of this.”

Sunday was also a big day for the Big 12 Conference. It put three teams in the NCAA tournament, and all three advanced the CWS on the same day.

Texas Tech, the conference champion and No. 5 national seed, routed East Carolina, 11-0, to claim the Lubbock Super Regional and return to Omaha for the second time in three years. Oklahoma State defeated South Carolina, 3-1, to win the Columbia Super Regional and return to the CWS for the first time since 1999. Texas Christian, the conference tournament champions, defeated Texas A&M, 4-1, to win the College Station Super Regional and will make its third straight appearance in the CWS.

TCU coach Jim Schlossnagle said it was an incredible accomplishment to again be headed for Omaha.

“What it speaks to is the pedigree of our program and a true program,” he said. “I think there’s an expectation and really some great leadership.”

Miami will also be back in the CWS this year, making back-to-back trips to Omaha for the first time since 2004, after defeating Boston College, 9-4. The Hurricanes jumped out to an early lead, as Edgar Michelangeli hit a three-run homer in a four-run second inning, and held on to defeat their ACC rivals.

With Arizona clinching its spot in the CWS on Saturday, only one place remains in the field. That will be decided Monday at 7 p.m. ET, when Florida, the No. 1 national seed, hosts Florida State. The Gators defeated the Seminoles, 5-0, Sunday to force the third game.