College World Series Update

By Andrew Musur on June 20, 2015

Last week I took a look at some of the best players that have been on display this past week at the College World Series. Although a couple of the players mentioned in that article saw their seasons come to an end, there are still four teams fighting for the right to be crowned National Champions.

Let’s take a look at the final four teams in this year’s College World Series.

The University of Virginia (2-0)

Virginia is a team with a ton of College World Series experience. The Cavaliers were runners up last season, and have a fantastic shot at getting back to the national title this season. Virginia is not a team that leads any statistical categories, but the Cavaliers play some of the best team baseball I have ever seen.

The Cavaliers were a 3 seed when they entered this tournament, and few thought they would make it out of their regional; now they sit a game away from being in the College World Series national championship. For a team that was 15-15 in ACC play, Virginia has really proven to people what they are made of. The Cavaliers have several consistent hitters and a lights out closer in Josh Sborz. Sborz has 15 saves on the year, and is lights out when he enters the game. Virginia still has a lot of work to do with Florida up next.

University of Florida (2-1)

Florida was a team that many thought would make it pretty far in this year’s tournament, but a loss away from elimination the Gators are playing with their backs up against the wall. The Gators finished 19-11 in the toughest conference in America, and they hung tough before eventually falling to Virginia 1-0. Florida is a team with a lot of power in their lineup, something that has helped them all season.

JJ Schwarz  is one of two players in the Gator’s starting lineup with more than 16 home runs. Not to mention Schwarz’s batting average is through the roof, as he has hit at a casual 329 all season. Along with Schwarz the Gators all sport the bat of Harrison Bader who has crushed 18 home runs this season. Bader has dominated pitchers all season long and will have to bring some power into Friday’s matchup with Virginia if the Gators hope to survive another day in Omaha.

Vanderbilt (2-0)

Vanderbilt is a team that is very familiar with the sights and sounds of Omaha, Nebraska. The Commodores won the National Championship last season and they are three wins away from hoisting the trophy yet again. And the craziest part is we might see a rematch in the national title as Virginia is in the driver’s seat on the other side of the bracket.

After watching Vanderbilt dismantle my beloved Illini, I thought one thing: this team has all the tools to win a national title. From the number one pick in the MLB draft to a vast array of stud pitchers, Vanderbilt really is better than they were last season. As good as this Commodore team is, there is no guarantee they make it to the College World Series championship game. Vanderbilt will have to beat a tough as nails TCU team if they hope to advance.

TCU gave the Commodores a run for their money in their first meeting as they only allowed three hits and didn’t give up a run till the seventh inning. I am really excited to see what this Vanderbilt team can do in their rematch with TCU, especially when the Horned Frogs are hungry for some revenge.

Texas Christian University (2-1)

TCU has been one of the grittiest teams I have watched this entire tournament. The Horned Frogs made it out of the loser’s bracket in their regional by beating North Carolina State twice and then faced off elimination by taking down in-state rival, Texas A&M. This TCU team has a lot of fight in them, and they are going to need it as they attempt to fight off elimination against the defending national champs.

The Horned Frogs will have to use their exceptional pitching to take care of the pesky Commodores. TCU currently sits at number two in the nation in Earned Run Average, with an ERA of 2.37. A lot of good things are going to have to happen if the Horned Frogs hope to pull off the improbable upset, but for a team that has refused to lose this entire tournament, I expect TCU to force an elimination game with Vanderbilt. TCU has their work cut out for them, but it will be exciting to see what the Horned Frogs are made of.

Follow Uloop

Apply to Write for Uloop News

Join the Uloop News Team

Discuss This Article

Back to Top

Log In

Contact Us

Upload An Image

Please select an image to upload
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format
OR
Provide URL where image can be downloaded
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format

By clicking this button,
you agree to the terms of use

By clicking "Create Alert" I agree to the Uloop Terms of Use.

Image not available.

Add a Photo

Please select a photo to upload
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format