Omaha 2009 All But Set

June 8, 2009 - Posted By: The Top Fan

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Seven of eight teams have earned their spots in the College World Series. The SEC and ACC will make up half of the field when play begins this coming Friday for college baseball's national championship. LSU, Arkansas, UNC and UVA have advanced to the game's biggest amateur stage. The biggest surprise team so far though, has to be Southern Mississippi - the only regional 3 seed to reach Omaha.

In addition to these five teams that hail from the southeastern part of the country, Arizona State and Cal State Fullerton will represent the west coast. The only spot still undecided wil be decided tonite, when Texas and TCU go at it in the deciding game 3 in Austin, TX.

First round matchups in Omaha:

(Bracket 1 - double elimination)

4 UNC vs. 5 Arizona State

1 Texas/TCU vs. Southern Miss

(Bracket 2 - double elimination)

2 Cal St Fullerton vs. Arkansas

Virginia vs. 3 LSU

There are some familiar faces in Omaha again this year such as LSU with their five national titles, and Arizona State, who also have won it all five times. Cal State Fullerton is also a team who is no stranger to Omaha, winning it all in 2005. And UNC has been to Omaha four times in the last nine years. But this field also has some folks who are going to be in uncharted waters.

Southern Mississippi and UVA will be making their first ever trips to Omaha, and Arkansas has only been 8 times. Texas won the national championship in 2002, and are regulars to Omaha. But if TCU is to win game 3 tonite, they would be another new name to Omaha, reaching Rosenblatt Stadium for the x time.