Vanderbilt's Connor Harrell, left, celebrates his two-run home run against North Carolina in the sixth inning of an NCAA College World Series baseball game in Omaha, Neb. , Saturday, June 18, 2011. (AP Photo)
Vanderbilt left fielder Tony Kemp, top, makes a diving catch for the out on a ball hit by North Carolina's Levi Michael during the fourth inning. (AP Photo)OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Connor Harrell hit the first College World Series home run in the new TD Ameritrade Park to break a sixth-inning tie and first-time qualifier Vanderbilt defeated North Carolina 7-3 on Saturday.
Harrell's two-run homer off Patrick Johnson over the left-field bullpen followed Conrad Gregor's tying double off the top of the wall. The Commodores added two runs in the eighth.
Corey Williams (2-0) worked 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief for Vanderbilt starter Sonny Gray.
Johnson (13-2), who had allowed three earned runs in his previous 45 innings, was tagged for four earned runs and five total in six innings.
Vanderbilt (53-10) advanced to a Bracket 1 game Monday night to face against Florida, who defeated Texas 8-4 in their first round game.
The Gators' Brian Johnson and Bryson Smith drove in two runs apiece, and Hudson Randall turned in another strong start for Florida.
Johnson's two-out double in the seventh broke open a close game. Smith's second RBI single the next inning gave reliever Nick Maronde a four-run cushion going into the ninth.
Randall (11-3) scattered five hits over 6 2-3 innings, walked none and struck out five. Only one of the four runs against him was earned. He retired 13 straight from the third to seventh innings.
Taylor Jungmann (13-3) had a third straight rough outing for the Longhorns. He went 4 1-3 innings for his shortest start of the season.
Texas (49-18) meets North Carolina, both losers on Saturday, play on an elimination game Monday afternoon.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
