Mancini goes deep twice, Smith and Burke throw shutout, and James Madison advances to Raleigh final

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Mike Mancini hit two solo home runs, Casey Smith and Donovan Burke combined on a five-hit shutout and James Madison defeated South Carolina 2-0 on Sunday to reach the championship round of the Raleigh Regional.

James Madison (36-24) won the elimination game and will face regional host North Carolina State later on Sunday. NC State needs one win to advance to the super regionals while James Madison will have to beat the Wolfpack on Sunday and again on Monday in order to advance.

Mancini's home run in the bottom of the first inning was the game's only run until he did it again in the eighth. He and Jason Schiavone had two hits each among five total for the Knights. Kyle Langley had a double for the other hit.

Smith, who has pitched 43 innings this season, started on the mound for JMU and went 2 1/3 innings with two hits a strikeout and two walks. Burke (7-2), with more than 100 innings, pitched the final 6 2/3, allowing three hits, striking out seven and walking two.

Austin Brinling had two hits for South Carolina (37-25). ___

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The Associated Press