OMAHA, Neb. -- Adam Plutko limited Mississippi State to a run on four hits in six innings, and UCLA survived some anxious moments to beat the Bulldogs 3-1 in Game 1 of the College World Series finals Monday night. Plutko retired nine straight to start, worked out of trouble twice and turned the game over to the bullpen in the seventh. The Bulldogs (51-19) left runners in scoring position four of the last six innings. "We dodged some bullets, no doubt about it, but you have to give credit to our defence.," UCLA coach John Savage said. "Kind of a Bruin game. Tight game, and at the end of the night we were fortunate to come out with the win." The Bruins (48-17) are one win from their first national championship in baseball and the schools record 109th in a team sport. "Not much to get excited about," Savage said. "It comes down to tomorrow." Mississippi State must win Game 2 on Tuesday night to keep alive its hopes for its first NCAA title in any sport. UCLA made it 3-0 in the fourth on Eric Filias two-out, two-run single off Chad Girodo, who replaced starter Trevor Fitts (0-1) in the second. That was the last of the Bruins six hits. Plutko (10-3) walked in the Bulldogs run in the fourth. UCLA is 40-0 when leading after seven innings. There was drama all the way to the end. The estimated 8,000 Mississippi State fans at TD Ameritrade Park started the "Maroon and White" chant in the bottom of the ninth after C.T. Bradford and pinch-hitter Sam Frost singled to put runners on first and second with one out against closer David Berg. Nick Ammirati flew out, and pinch-hitter Jacob Robson ended the game with his comebacker to Berg, who sprinted toward first base before underhanding the ball to Pat Gallagher. Berg, who was making his 50th appearance of the season, earned his NCAA-record 24th save for 1 2-3 innings of work. "Records are meant to be broken, but titles are what matter," Berg said. "So if we all win a national championship, Ill enjoy that. But right now I dont think about it at all." The loss spoiled a splendid performance by Girodo, who pitched the last 7 2-3 innings. He allowed three hits, walked two and struck out nine. Both runs against him were unearned. UCLAs Plutko wasnt overly sharp, unable to rely on his breaking ball and changeup to get outs. But he still continued his dominance in post-season play. In eight career NCAA tournament games, hes 7-0 with an 0.94 ERA. The Bruins brought a .248 season batting average into the finals, and a .182 average through their first three CWS games. They eked out enough offence to win again. In the first three innings, they had batters reach on a dropped third strike, infield single, two hit batsmen and a throwing error. But there were big hits, too. Filia, who came in 1 for 9 in the CWS, doubled after Kevin Kramer struck out but reached because strike three was in the dirt. Pat Valaikas single to centre drove in Kramer for a 1-0 lead. "First base runner of the game kind of spells it out," Bulldogs coach John Cohen said. "I really wish that kid hadnt swung at that pitch. Im not saying it to be a smart aleck, but that kid doesnt swing at that pitch, it lands in front of the plate, I think the ball game could be different. But crazy things happen in sports." The Bruins added two more in the fourth. Brenton Allen singled and Brian Carroll reached when he bunted and catcher Ammirati made a bad throw to first. Carroll ran into Bulldogs 6-foot-5, 272-pound first baseman Wes Rea while running through the bag. Rea stayed down after the knee-to-knee contact but was able to keep playing after an athletic trainer attended to him. Allen and Carroll came home on Filias base hit to right. Mississippi State got its first hit with one out in the fourth when Alex Detz sent a ball up the middle. Brett Pirtle followed with a base hit and Rea was hit by a pitch to load the bases. That got the "Maroon and White" chant started as Bradford came up to face Plutko. Bradford fouled off three straight pitches before the count ran full. Plutko walked him with a high changeup, bringing in Detz and UCLA coach John Savage out of the dugout for a mound visit. Plutkos 30-pitch inning ended when Trey Porter lined out. Plutko had to endure more stress in the fifth. Filia made a leaping catch in right field to rob Ammirati of extra bases, Demarcus Henderson reached when Plutko misplayed a comebacker and moved to second on a balk. The inning ended on Detzs line out to second baseman Cody Regis. Freshman reliever James Kaprielian came on in the seventh with a man on and none out. After he walked Ammirati, Henderson, the team leader in sacrifice bunts, fouled off two bunt tries and then grounded to second, where Regis started a double play. "Double play against Henderson was a game-changer," Savage said. Custom Muggsy Bogues Jersey . Toronto has dropped games to Indiana and Miami since a five-game winning streak and closed out a three-game road trip at 1-2. Cheap Custom Hornets Jersey . 8 Kansas to a 64-63 win over Texas Tech on Tuesday night. The freshman from Vaughan, Ont. http://www.customhornetsjersey.com/ . Vancouver Whitecaps and Toronto FC failed to make the postseason while Montreal Impact fell at the first hurdle losing heavily to Houston Dynamo in the Eastern Conference Knockout Round. Authentic Custom Hornets Jersey . Bryant, who signed a five-year, $34 million contract as a free agent with Cleveland in March, reported symptoms on Monday morning, a team spokesman said. Hornets Jerseys China . Kozun faked to the forehand and beat Monsters starter, Calvin Pickard, pad side in the second round for the winner. Spencer Abbott also scored in the shootout for the Marlies (25-13-4). CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Concussed quarterback Cam Newton and three other Carolina Panthers starters have been have been ruled out for Monday nights game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers .The leagues MVP hasnt practiced since taking a helmet-to-helmet hit in Sundays 48-33 loss to the Atlanta Falcons.Derek Anderson will start for Carolina in Newtons place.Panthers coach Ron Rivera described Newton as antsy, adding that he cant help himself.This is only the third game Newton has missed since joining the Panthers as the No. 1 pick in 2011.Were going to do what we do, play who we play, Rivera said after Saturdays practice. Weve done this before. Its that next-man-up mentality.Anderson is 2-0 as Newtons replacement since joining the Panthers in 2011, with both wins coming against Tampa Bay in 2014. Anderson threw two TD passes and had two turnovers in relief of Newton last week against the Falcons.You know D.A. is going to get it out quick, quicker probably than Cam, wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin said this week. Were going to have to be fast on our routes.I think he takes what he can get when he plays, Rivera said of Anderson. Unlike Cam, who is going to stand tall in there and maybe skip an opportunity and work something downfield, Derek is going to be quick to pull the trigger and make a quick decision and go forward.Its unclear when Newton will return.The Panthers visit the New Orleans Saints on Oct. 16 and then have a bye the following week, so it is conceivable the team could hold him out through the bye week to make sure hes recovered.ddddddddddddNewton took four helmet-to-helmet hits in Carolinas loss to the Denver Broncos in Week 1. However, he played through those hits and stayed in the game.But last week, Newton took a legal helmet-to-helmet blow from Falcons linebacker Deion Jones in the fourth quarter. He hasnt spoken to the media since because hes been in the leagues concussion protocol.Carolina will also be without three other starters on Monday -- running back Jonathan Stewart (hamstring), left tackle Michael Oher (concussion) and cornerback James Bradberry (toe). Defensive tackle Vernon Butler (ankle), the teams first-round draft pick, is also out.Rivera said he feels reasonably confident Stewart will be back next week. In the meantime, Cameron Artis-Payne and Fozzy Whittaker will share carries.With Bradberry out and Bene Benwikere having been abruptly waived earlier in the week, Rivera said the Panthers will start Robert McClain and rookie Daryl Worley at cornerback.Outside linebacker Thomas Davis (hamstring), defensive end Charles Johnson (quad), fullback Mike Tolbert (hamstring) and wide receivers Ted Ginn Jr. (foot) and Devin Funches are listed as questionable. All three practiced and are expected to play against the Buccaneers (1-3).---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '