Long Beach Advances to the World Series : College baseball: USC eliminates Cal State Fullerton. Trojans face Texas today.

John Swanson hit two home runs for Cal State Long Beach in 56 regular-season games.

But during the East Regional of the NCAA tournament, he hit three in four games.

Swanson’s solo homer during the fifth inning, and Cobi Cradle’s two-run homer during the sixth powered Long Beach to a 13-3 victory over Notre Dame Sunday at Tallahassee, Fla. The victory gave Long Beach the regional title and advances the 49ers to the College World Series in Omaha for the third time in five years.

Arizona State, Texas A&M;, Louisiana State and Wichita State also won regionals Sunday to earn spots in the eight-team, double-elimination World Series June 4-12 at Rosenblatt Stadium.

USC eliminated Cal State Fullerton, 5-2, at the Central II regional in Austin, Tex., and must defeat unbeaten Texas twice today to advance to the World Series for the first time since 1978.

Long Beach (43-17) defeated Central Florida, Mississippi State, Florida State and Notre Dame (46-16) en route to regional title.

“We have a group here that is focused, that doesn’t have a lot to say,� Long Beach Coach Dave Snow said. “For a team 12-12 at one point this year, to turn it around like they did is a testimony to this group.�

Swanson, a senior who played at Oxnard Rio Mesa High and transferred to Long Beach from Oklahoma State, was named most valuable player of the regional.

David Goldstein (3-2) pitched four shutout innings against Notre Dame in relief of Mike Mosebrook for his second win of the regional. Goldstein gave up three hits and struck out seven.

Long Beach trailed, 3-2, when Swanson led off the fifth with his home run. Cradle’s two-run shot during the sixth put the 49ers ahead, 5-3. Long Beach scored four runs in the seventh, one in the eighth and three in the ninth.

USC (35-27), which lost twice to Fullerton during the regular season, beat the Titans on consecutive nights at Austin.

USC lost to Texas, 11-3, Sunday morning, and Fullerton defeated McNeese State, 2-0, in the afternoon to set up Sunday night’s elimination game between the Trojans and Titans.

Although Fullerton (35-19) took a 1-0 lead in the first when Jeff Ferguson scored on a fielder’s choice, USC was in control most of the way as closer Dan Hubbs (5-5) made a rare early appearance--in the second inning--and worked eight innings.

The Trojans scored twice in the second inning with the help of a Ferguson throwing error--that allowed Casey Burrill to score--and an Aaron Boone squeeze bunt.

The Trojans made it 3-1 in the fourth on Walter Dawkins’ run-scoring single.

Fullerton cut the gap to 3-2 when Jim Betzsold scored on Ferguson’s single in the fifth, but the Trojans scored again in the sixth when Boone crossed the plate on a wild pitch after he tripled.

The Trojans added a run in the ninth.

College Baseball Notes

Arizona State beat St. John’s, 12-2, to win the West Regional at Tempe, Ariz. . . . Texas A&M; defeated North Carolina, 14-2, in the Central I Regional at College Station, Tex.

Louisiana State, the 1991 NCAA champion, beat South Alabama, 7-4, to win the South Regional title. . . . Wichita State beat Ohio State, 5-3, to win the Atlantic Regional at Atlanta.

Fresno State defeated Tennessee and Clemson Sunday, and must beat Kansas twice today to win the Mideast Regional at Knoxville, Tenn. . . . Arizona must defeat Oklahoma State twice today to win the Midwest Regional at Stillwater, Okla.