• Box Score: South Carolina 3, Oklahoma 2, 12 innings (OU eliminated)

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South Carolina showcased Thursday night the tenacity that got it to Omaha in dramatically extending its stay at the College World Series.

Down to the last strike in the 12th inning against Oklahoma, the Gamecocks saved their season when Jackie Bradley Jr. and Brady Thomas delivered RBI singles to produce a 3-2 Bracket Two victory before 24,180 fans at Rosenblatt Stadium.

Thomas’ single gave South Carolina its only lead of the game. The Gamecocks fell behind early, tied it in the eighth inning and then fell behind again when Tyler Ogle led off the 12th with a homer to put the Sooners ahead 2-1.

“Certainly, we’re not comfortable with being a come-from-behind team,’’ South Carolina coach Ray Tanner said. “But that’s who we are. We try to find a way to win from the middle on, and tonight certainly was as good as it’s been for us.’’

In winning the best pitching duel of the CWS, South Carolina improved to 50-16 and advanced to Friday’s 8 p.m. Bracket Two championship game against in-state rival Clemson. The Tigers won two of three from the Gamecocks in early March, but the stakes now are so much greater.

A Clemson win would advance the Tigers to next week’s best-of-three championship series. A South Carolina victory would force a second championship game Saturday.

“Of course, we know who we’re playing, big rivalry and all,’’ Bradley said. “But it’s just another baseball game. We have to win or go home. It’s going to be fun.’’

Bradley and Thomas found little enjoyment in their first five trips to the plate against Oklahoma pitchers Zach Neal and Jeremy Erben. Bradley, who had been 5 of 8 in the Gamecocks’ first two Omaha games, grounded out twice, popped out to the catcher, hit a fly ball to left and struck out.

Thomas struck out twice and flied out twice before coming to the plate in the 11th after Christian Walker singled to open the inning. The signal came for a sacrifice. Thomas popped up his bunt, one of several opportunities the Gamecocks missed to move runners.

“It was a little frustrating,’’ Tanner said, “but you just keep plugging.’’

Tanner’s frustration level might have popped off the charts after Evan Marzilli failed to get two bunt attempts down after Robert Beary had opened the 12th with a single off Oklahoma relief ace Ryan Duke.

Marzilli ended up striking out, but Beary got himself to second, stealing the base before Duke retired Whit Merrifield on a foul popup for the second out.

That brought Bradley to the plate. With first base open, the Gamecocks’ most dangerous hitter thought Duke might put him on.

“I thought he might pitch around me,’’ Bradley said. “As soon as he started coming at me, I got ready again.’’

Bradley worked the count, taking a pitch that Sooner fans thought was strike three to run the count full.

“It was close,’’ Bradley said. “It was too close to take, but it was off the plate. I was able to get a pitch right down the middle of the plate. He made his pitch not to walk me, and I put a good swing on it.’’

Bradley’s hit bounced past diving Oklahoma first baseman Cameron Seitzer into right field, scoring Beary to tie the game. Duke, who had saved 13 games this season, then walked Jeffery Jones to move Bradley to second.

Thomas laced the first pitch he saw into center field, scoring Bradley and touching off a joyous celebration among the Gamecocks.

“I knew the pressure was on them,’’ Thomas said. “I was just looking for a strike to hit somewhere hard. I got a fastball and was fortunate to put a good swing on it.’’

The swing finished off Oklahoma’s season at 50-18 and brought to an excruciating end its first trip to Omaha since 1995.

“If you know you’re going to play your last game and you’re going to lose, you want something that you’re going to be proud of,’’ Oklahoma coach Sunny Golloway said. “And I couldn’t be more proud of the way our players played.’’

The Sooners took a 1-0 lead in the second on Seitzer’s RBI single, and Neal protected it through the first seven innings. South Carolina tied it in the eighth on Walker’s run-scoring single.

Neither team mounted a threat until the 12th as Erben and South Carolina reliever Matt Price blew through the lineups. Then Ogle, facing Ethan Carter to open the 12th, blasted the freshman’s second pitch into the first row of the bleachers in right-center field.

“As soon as I got back in the dugout, the No. 1 thing on my mind was, ‘Let’s go win a ballgame,’ ’’ Ogle said. “I knew it wasn’t over. We still had another half inning.’’

That was more than enough time for the Gamecocks.

“We just battled like we’ve done all year,’’ Thomas said. “And we were able to come through. It felt really good.’’

Contact the writer:

679-2298, steve.pivovar@owh.com

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