This year's College World Series participants are far from strangers as they played one another in eight regular-season series or conference tournament matchups prior to the NCAA Championship. Seven of the eight teams that will play for the national championship in Omaha hail from one of three conferences – the SEC (Arkansas, Florida, Mississippi State), Big 12 (Texas, Texas Tech) or Pac-12 (Oregon State, Washington), with North Carolina as the lone ACC representative.
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We'll have to wait and see how the bracket breaks but there's a good chance some of this year's College World Series matchups could be rematches of games earlier in the season.
Here's how each team in this year's CWS fared this season when playing a fellow Omaha-bound opponent:
| School | Record |
|---|---|
| Arkansas | 5-5 |
| Florida | 2-5 |
| Mississippi State | 6-0 |
| North Carolina | N/A |
| Oregon State | 2-1 |
| Texas | 2-3 |
| Texas Tech | 1-3 |
| Washington | 1-2 |
Of course, these are relatively small sample sizes considering these teams have played more than 60 games this season but it's interesting that Florida, the No. 1 overall seed, is 2-5 against fellow CWS teams while Mississippi State, which went .500 in conference play and entered the Tallahassee Regional 31-25 overall, is 6-0 against the rest of the Omaha field this season.
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Texas at Arkansas, March 13-14
Location: Baum Stadium, Fayetteville, Arkansas
Series result: Arkansas won the series 2-0
How it happened: Arkansas swept Texas in a two-game, mid-week series in March. The Razorbacks took the first game by storm, 13-4, as nine different players scored a run. After Texas starter Beau Ridgeway held Arkansas to one hit in the first two innings, the Razorbacks poured in seven runs in the bottom of the third, ending Ridgeway's day after just 2.1 innings. Arkansas starter Kacey Murphy went six innings, allowing just five hits and two runs, while his team added four more runs in the fifth inning and two in the seventh. Right fielder Eric Cole went 3-for-5 with two doubles, three RBI and one run, while first baseman Jordan McFarland was 2-for-4 with four RBI and two runs.
Two days later, still just as sweet.#OmaHogs pic.twitter.com/UutzdswIBG
— Razorback Baseball (@RazorbackBSB) June 13, 2018
The second game was much closer as Arkansas escaped with a 7-5 win. Neither team's starter made it past the third inning as poor pitching and defense plagued the Longhorns for the second game in a row. Texas committed two errors in the bottom of the fourth as Arkansas scored four runs off of just three hits and the Razorbacks never trailed again. Texas starter Nico O'Donnell allowed six hits and five runs (four earned) in just three innings. The middle of Arkansas' batting order – batters four through seven in the lineup – had a field day, collectively hitting 7-for-13 with two doubles, a home run, five RBI and six runs.
Arkansas at Florida, March 23-25
Location: McKethan Stadium, Gainesville, Florida
Series result: Florida won the series 2-1
How it happened: Arkansas stole the first game on the road from Florida but the Gators, who entered the series ranked No. 2 with a 19-4 record on the season, bounced back to win on Saturday and Sunday to close out the weekend with a series victory. In Game One, Arkansas' top five players in the batting order were just 2-for-19 with six strikeouts, but the back half of the Razorbacks' lineup provided enough pop, led by left fielder Heston Kjerstad's 3-for-3 performance with a double, home run, two RBI and three runs. Blaine Knight picked up the win after throwing 6.2 solid innings with 10 strikeouts.
The final call from @JeffCardozoUF as Langworthy powers the #Gators to Omaha... pic.twitter.com/LDDb7UiOEL
— Gators Baseball (@GatorsBB) June 12, 2018
Florida stormed back with a vengeance in Game Two. The Gators chased Arkansas starter Isaiah Campbell out of the game after just one inning (four hits, four walks, six runs) and his replacement, Caleb Bolden, only lasted one inning himself (one hit, two walks, three runs). By the end of the third inning, Florida led 12-0 and the Gators ran away with a 17-2 win, with huge games from leadoff batter Deacon Liput (4-for-5 with three RBI and three runs) and Jonathan India (2-for-2 with four RBI and two runs). Florida starter Jackson Kowar went six innings, striking out six batters and allowing just four hits and two runs, to pick up the win.
Florida took the rubber match 5-4 after Nelson Maldonado homered in the bottom of the seventh to put the Gators on top for good. Arkansas scored one run in the ninth to cut the deficit to one, but the potential tying run, Dominic Fletcher, was stranded on-base to end the game.
Washington at Oregon State, March 24-25
Location: Goss Stadium, Corvallis, Oregon
Series result: Oregon State won the series 2-1
How it happened: After the first game of the series was rained out on a Friday night in late March, Oregon State took both halves of a doubleheader on Saturday. The Beavers dominated the first game to the tune of a 16-1 win in which Oregon State compiled 21 hits, including eight doubles and two home runs. Seven of the nine starters for OSU record at least one hit, one RBI and one run, led by designated hitter Kyle Nobach's 3-for-3 day with four RBI and two runs. Game Two was more competitve as Oregon State won 5-2, improving to 20-1 on the season while Washington dropped to 10-10. The Beavers scored three runs in the bottom of the second thanks to RBI-singles from Tyler Malone and Steven Kwan, and they never trailed the entire game.
In the series finale, Washington handed Oregon State just its second loss of the season, after chasing Beavers' starter Grant Gambrell out of the game after just 2.1 innings amid a three-run third for the Huskies. Washington cleanup hitter Joe Wainhouse went 2-for-5 with the game's only home run, three RBI and one run.
Arkansas at Mississippi State, April 20-21
Location: Dudy Noble Field, Starkville, Mississippi
Series result: Mississippi State won the series 3-0
How it happened: Mississippi State hosted No. 3-ranked Arkansas for a three-game series with the Razorbacks 18 games over .500 and the Bulldogs at 19-19 on the season. The sweep proved to be a pivotal series for MSU. Mississippi State scored six unanswered runs in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings en route to a 6-5 win on Friday night. Luke Alexander's three-run homer was responsible for half of the team's run production, then a pair of RBI singles in the eighth inning completed the comeback. JP France threw four innings in relief of hitless, scoreless ball for MSU, along with nine strikeouts, to pick up the win.
“We’re the closest group of guys I could say I’ve ever been apart of.”
— #OmaDawgs (@HailStateBB) June 12, 2018
— @E7hanS on the #OmaDawgs#HailState pic.twitter.com/FNXxGXozHB
The Bulldogs won both games of the Saturday doubleheader – 5-3 and 7-5 – to complete the sweep. Rowdey Jordan's solo homer in the third inning broke a scoreless tie, then Mississippi State added two runs in both the fifth and eighth innings. MSU starter Ethan Small went six innings, allowing just one run on six hits. In the second game of the day, MSU manufactured four runs in the bottom of the sixth off of a sacrifice fly, a ground out, an RBI single and a passed ball. The Bulldogs added an insurance run in the seventh and reliever Zach Neff threw 1.1 scoreless innings for the save.
Texas Tech at Arkansas, April 24
Location: Baum Stadium, Fayetteville, Arkansas
Series result: Arkansas won the rain-shortened series 1-0
How it happened: All of the game's action took place in the first three innings of Arkansas' 5-1 victory over then-No. 4 Texas Tech. The first five Razorbacks in their batting order reached base as Arkansas scored three runs in the frame off of two hits, a walk and a hit batter. The Razorbacks added two more runs in the second inning with a two-out rally, which was enough offense for Arkansas to coast to a win. Arkansas starter Jackson Rutledge exited the game after 2.2 innings and 48 pitches, as Texas Tech got one run back in the third inning on an RBI single by Brian Klein, but Evan Lee and Barrett Loseke combined for 6.1 innings of scoreless relief.
Texas at Texas Tech, May 4-6
Location: Rip Griffin Park, Lubbock, Texas
Series result: Texas won the series 2-1
How it happened: Texas stole the first and third games of the series on the road while getting smacked on Saturday in Game Two but the Longhorns left Lubbock with a series victory over a top-10 Texas Tech team. Texas used a six-run third inning on Friday to break open the series opener en route to a 12-6 win. Texas' Golden Spikes finalist Kody Clemens went 4-for-5 with three RBI and three runs in the game.
“This young man is the best hitter in college baseball when the game’s on the line.”
— Texas Baseball (@TexasBaseball) June 13, 2018
Vote @kodyclem for @USAGoldenSpikes. https://t.co/zc0AXVYs6z pic.twitter.com/6JUg2cIFDK
The Red Raiders' bats came alive in the second game when they scored in seven of the eight innings in which they batted, roaring to a 16-5 win. Texas Tech recorded 13 hits and 10 walks as seven of the team's nine starters were responsible for producing multiple runs. Center fielder Cody Farhat was 4-for-4 with three RBI and three runs, while starter Caleb Kilian earned the win after 6.1 innings with six hits and four runs – only two of which were earned.
Texas finished the weekend with a 7-5 win as the two in-state conference foes traded the lead on three occasions. Clemens had another strong performance, going 2-for-5 with one RBI and one run, and designated hitter Zach Zubia was 2-for-4 with three RBI and one run. Parker Joe Robinson picked up the win after 2.2 innings of one-hit ball in relief and Andy McGuire earned the save after throwing a scoreless ninth inning.
Florida at Mississippi State, May 17-19
Location: Dudy Noble Field, Starkville, Mississippi
Series result: Mississippi State won the series 3-0
How it happened: The Bulldogs closed the regular season with authority. Including a game against Kentucky earlier in the week before MSU hosted Florida, Mississippi State went 4-0 with a 49-21 run differential. The first game against the Gators was the outlier for the week for the Bulldogs as they only scored six runs. After falling behind 3-0, their bats woke up in the seventh and eighth innings as home runs by Elijah MacNamee and Tanner Allen, and a triple by Jake Mangum scored two runs apiece in MSU's 6-3 victory.
From 0-3 to Omaha#OmaDawgs | #HailState pic.twitter.com/q9GstHzMzo
— #OmaDawgs (@HailStateBB) June 12, 2018
On Friday, Mississippi State scored two runs in each of the first three innings, then six in the fifth inning, as the Bulldogs' top three hitters in the batting order – Mangum, Rowdey Jordan and Allen – went a combined 6-for-14 with six RBI and seven runs. JP France struck out six batters in the final 4.2 innings to pick up the win.
Florida hung with Mississippi State for the first seven innings in Game Three but a six-run eighth inning for the Bulldogs broke open a one-run game and they ran away with a 13-6 win. MacNamee went 3-for-5 with six RBI and three runs after homering in the first and hitting RBI-doubles in the third and eighth innings. MSU burned through six pitchers, none of whom pitched more than two innings, in the victory.
Arkansas vs. Florida, May 25
Location: Hoover Met Complex (SEC Tournament), Hoover, Alabama
Series result: Arkansas won
How it happened: Arkansas starter Blaine Knight did his job, throwing six innings of four-hit ball, allowing just one run in the process. When he was replaced by reliever Barrett Loseke in the seventh, the Razorbacks had a 4-1 lead thanks to a two-run homer by Casey Martin in the second inning and RBI-singles from Dominic Fletcher and Jared Gates in the sixth. Florida tacked on a run in the eighth inning on a sac fly from Austin Langworthy but Arkansas sealed the win with a grand slam off the bat of Hunter Wilson in the top of the ninth. Arkansas won 8-2.
