College World Series Tickets

OMAHA, Neb. -- Omaha is TigerTown once again.

LSU broke open a great College World Series finale Wednesday with five runs in the sixth inning to pull away for an 11-4 win over Texas and claim the Tigers' sixth national championship.

On a balmy evening at Rosenblatt Stadium, the third-seeded Tigers jumped out to a 3-0 lead, only to see the top-ranked Longhorns battle back to tie the game at 4-4 on Kevin Keyes' two-run homer in the fifth.

LSU came right back in the sixth, taking advantage of some timely hits and some untimely mistakes by the Longhorns. Two hit batters, two walks and a throwing error helped open the door for the Tigers. Mikie Mahtook's RBI double in the gap in right center broke the tie, and the five-run outburst was something the Longhorns couldn't answer.

With the win, the Tigers match Texas with six College World Series championships, second only to the 12 won by USC. It's the first win for the Tigers in the best-of-three series era, and they ended Texas' hopes of being the first No. 1 seed to win it all since Miami (Fla.) did it in 1999.

For the best seats to all the best concerts and sporting events, get your tickets at Ticket Express -- where no event is ever sold out.

Monday, June 22

Game 1 -- LSU 7, Texas 6, 11 inn.

Tuesday, June 23

Game 2 -- Texas 5, LSU 1 (Series tied 1-1)

Wednesday, June 24

Game 3 -- LSU 11, Texas 4 (LSU wins series 2-1)

OMAHA, Neb. -- Two games couldn't decide the 2009 College World Series champion, so let's play three.

Texas rode the arm of Taylor Jungmann, who struck out seven and tossed a complete-game four-hitter to help the Longhorns beat LSU 5-1 and force a third and deciding game that will be played at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Rosenblatt Stadium.

While Jungmann was shutting down the Tiger bats, his offense gave him plenty of support with a 12-hit effort, led by Preston Clark's 3-for-4 performance. he hit a solo home run in the second inning, and Russell Moldenhauer added his fourth home run of the tournament in the third to give Jungmann the run support he would need and keep alive the hopes of the top-seeded Longhorns.

It was an unusual night for the third-seeded Tigers, however. A team that has averaged more than nine runs a game during the College World Series was completely shut down, limited to a second-inning run off a throwing error that allowed Jared Mitchell to score from second.

Texas never trailed in the game, breaking the ice in the top of the first when Michael Torres scored on Brandon Belt's single to right. Clark homered in the second to make it 2-1, and Texas broke it open in the third when Moldenhauer homered, Connor Rowe hit an RBI double to left and Clark singled to left.

LSU had chances to score throughout the game, but Jungmann shut the Tigers down at every opportunity. LSU left runners in scoring position in the third, eighth and ninth innings, but were unable to bring the runs home.

So now it comes down to this -- two of the most dominant programs in college baseball with one game to decide the champion. The third game is set to start a 6 p.m., with the winner walking away as College World Series champions.

Get your tickets now at Ticket Express -- where no College World Series game is ever sold out.

Monday, June 22

Game 1 -- LSU 7, Texas 6, 11 inn.

Tuesday, June 23

Game 2 -- Texas 5, LSU 1 (Series tied 1-1)

Wednesday, June 24

Game 3 -- LSU (55-17) vs. Texas (50-15-1), 6 p.m.

OMAHA, Neb. -- Texas figured out how to hit the long ball, but LSU found out they could come back and win at the College World Series.

The Longhorns hit five solo home runs, but the Tigers scored two in the eighth to erase a 6-4 deficit, then got a two-out single by Mikie Mahtook in the 11th to win an exciting 7-6 decision and take the first game of the best-of-three series. LSU can wrap up the school's sixth College World Series championship with a win in the second game Tuesday at 6 p.m.

Texas, the top-seeded team in the tournament, didn't make a name for themselves this season by hitting home runs. They've found their stroke at Rosenblatt Stadium, however, and touched LSU starter Louis Coleman for three solo dingers in the fourth inning to take a 3-1 advantage. Travis Tucker got the party started, leading off the inning with a blast to center. Two batters later, Russell Moldenhauer hit the first of two solo shots to center, and Kevin Keyes added a two-out bomb to left center.

LSU hung around, though. They got two in the sixth on Jared Mitchell's triple to the deepest part of the park in left center, but found themselves trailing again after Moldenhauer's second homer and a wild pitch that scored Keyes from third.

DJ LeMahieu came up big down the stretch, hitting a solo homer in the seventh and lining a two-out double down the left field line in the ninth to tie the game and send it to extra innings.

The game stayed tied until the 11th, when Mahtook singled to center off Texas reliever B Workman, scoring LeMahieu with the winning run. Matty Ott worked three scoreless innings of relief and got Connor Rowe to ground out to second to end the game.

If LSU wins Tuesday, the Tigers will claim their sixth national championship. Texas will need a win to force a third and deciding game, which would be played Wednesday at 6 p.m.

Great seats for Tuesday's second game are on sale now at Ticket Express -- where no College World Series game is ever sold out.

Monday, June 22

Game 1 -- LSU 7, Texas 6, 11 inn. (LSU leads series 1-0)

Tuesday, June 23

Game 2 -- LSU (55-16) vs. Texas (49-15-1), 6 p.m.

Wednesday, June 24

Game 3 -- LSU vs. Texas, 6 p.m. (If necessary)

OMAHA, Neb. -- The players are a big part of what makes the College World Series the special event that it is, but this year's championship round features two of the games great teachers and motivators.

The Tigers are being led by Paul Maineri, who came into a very challenging situation after the retirement of legendary coach Skip Bertman, who led the Tigers to five College World Series championships. Maineri was best known for his ability to turn Notre Dame's program into a perennial national contender, and he rebuilt an LSU program that had slipped a notch or two, bringing them to Rosenblatt Stadium last year.

This year, the Tigers have been at or near the top of all the major rankings, in no small part to the efforts of their head coach and the job he's done leading an experienced team in 2009. Mainieri has got the Tigers playing their traditional "Gorilla Ball" at this year's College World Series, as they come into the series averaging more than 10 runs per game.

Texas' standards for college baseball are rather simple -- national champions or bust. And thanks to the efforts of Augie Garrido, they've been right there as far as the who's who of college baseball is concerned. The Longhorns have won a pair of national championships under Garrido's guidance winning College World Series crowns in 2002 and 2005.

Texas came into the postseason as the No. 1 seed in the 64-team field, and they've certainly given fans their money's worth. After going the distance with TCU in the super regionals, the Longhorns have had to come from behind to win all three of their games, with two of the wins coming in the bottom of the ninth over Southern Miss and Arizona State, the second sealing their 12th trip to the championship round.

The action gets underway Monday at 6 p.m., with Texas' ace Chance Ruffin (10-2, 3.27 ERA) going up against the Tigers' Louis Coleman (14-2, 2.68). The two teams will battle again on Tuesday night at 6 p.m. at Rosenblatt Stadium, and if a third game is required, it is scheduled for Wednesday at 6 p.m.

Don't miss out on what should be a classic College World Series championship series. Get your tickets now at Ticket Express -- where no College World Series game is ever sold out.

Monday, June 22

Championship Game 1 -- LSU (54-16) vs. Texas (49-14-1), 6 p.m.

Tuesday, June 23

Championship Game 2 -- LSU vs. Texas, 6 p.m.

Wednesday, June 24

Championship Game 3 -- LSU vs. Texas, 6 p.m. (If necessary)

OMAHA, Neb -- The two teams that will do battle in the finals of the 2009 College World Series took different routes to the best-of-three championship round that starts Monday at Rosenblatt Stadium.

LSU was the No. 1 ranked team in the nation according to the major polls going into the postseason, yet it was Texas that came away as the top-seeded squad in the 64-team tournament earlier this month.

Both LSU and Texas went undefeated in their brackets at the College World Series, but got through their brackets in different styles as well. The Tigers dominated their half of the bracket, averaging 10 runs a game in the process. The Longhorns, on the other hand, had to come from behind in all three games, getting walk-off wins in two of those battles.

The Tigers are riding a 13-game winning streak into the finals, and appear to be playing very well on both sides of the field. Their offense has sprung to life and hit nine home runs so far in this College World Series, while their pitching has been solid throughout the tournament.

Texas has come up big when it needed to every time in an effort to win their seventh College World Series championship. The Longhorns took advantage of seven free passes in the final two innings of their first game, erased a six-run deficit with 12 unanswered runs in their next game, then capped the bracket tournament win by overcoming a ninth-inning deficit with two solo home runs in the bottom of the ninth to reach the finals.

Although they have yet to reach the finals since the onset of the best-of-three format six years ago, the thing working in LSU's favor is that they are a perfect 5-0 in the championship game. Texas, though, has plenty of experience in reaching the finals over the history of the tournament, and with an experienced Augie Garrido and his resume of tournament championships, the Longhorns certainly know what it takes to get it done at this point in the season.

The College World Series best-of-three championship matchup gets underway Monday at 6 p.m. at Rosenblatt Stadium. The second game of the series will be held on Tuesday at 6 p.m., and if the teams need a third game to decide the champion, it wll be held Wednesday at 6 p.m.

You can pick up great seats for the championship finals of the 2009 College World Series now at Ticket Express -- where no College World Series game is ever sold out.

OMAHA, Neb. -- What's the College World Series without a little drama?

Texas and Arizona State provided plenty of dramatics in their bracket final showdown Friday night at Rosenblatt Stadium, with the Longhorns providing the epilogue to a dramatic 4-3 win over the Sun Devils to reach the best-of-three championship finals.

Texas will face LSU in what should be an exciting clash of the titans, made possible with the Tigers' 12-5 rolling over fellow SEC foe Arkansas in the first bracket final game of the day.

While exciting for LSU fans, the opener lacked the late-inning dramatics of the nightcap, which saw the Sun Devils break a 2-2 tie with a two-out triple in the ninth, only to see the top-seeded Longhorns counter with a pair of two-out solo homers in the bottom of the ninth to beat Arizona State for the second time in the 2009 College World Series and earn a trip to the finals.

Arizona State got on the board first when the hot-hitting Kole Calhoun -- the author of a six-RBI night just 24 hours earlier against North Carolina -- slapped a single to center, scoring Jason Kipnis.

Texas answered in the bottom of the inning when Michael Torres led off the inning with a solo shot to right field, but Arizona State came right back in the top of the fourth when Drew Maggi singled home Zack MacPhee with a single up the middle.

Texas tied it up in the bottom of the fifth on Travis Tucker's single to center, and the game stayed tied until the decisive ninth inning.

Kipnis led off the inning with an infield single and moved to second quickly to get into scoring position. He came home easily when Zach Wilson sent a shot down the line in right field for an RBI triple, putting the fifth-seeded Sun Devils in position to force a second game in the double-elimination tournament on Saturday.

After Brandon Loy struck out to open the bottom of the ninth, Cameron Rupp smacked a homer to center to tie the game. A foul pop-up gave Texas two outs in the inning, setting up the dramatic finish by Connor Rowe, who homered to left field to send the Longhorns to the finals and send the Sun Devils home with a heart-breaking loss.

Both teams got great pitching, as starters Mike Leake and Cole Green each pitched six solid innings for the Sun Devils and Longhorns, respectively. Austin Wood scattered three hits and struck out two in the final three innings to get the win, while Mitchell Lambson struck out five and allowed just two hits in a losing effort, but both were the home runs that sent Texas to the win.

LSU never let Arkansas get into the game in the first bracket final of the day. Twelve Tigers got at least one hit as they pounded out 16 hits and broke the game wide open with five runs in the seventh inning to cruise to the finals.

The Tigers, who have outscored their opponents 32-11 in three College World Series games, hit four more home runs to bring their tournament total to nine. Blake Dean and Jared Mitchell hit solo shots in the fifth and sixth innings, respectively, and Ryan Schimpf and Tyler Hanover added bombs of their own to fuel the rout.

While the LSU bats were pinging, LSU's Anthony Ranaudo was dominating the Arkansas bats. He allowed just four hits in six innings while striking out five and walking none. He had good command throughout the day and left the final three innings up to the Tiger bullpen. Arkansas simply couldn't get it going, in spite of a 3-for-5, 3 RBI day by left fielder Chase Leavitt, and were denied a chance at forcing a second game on Saturday.

The best-of-three championship series for the 2009 College World Series is now set, as the top-seeded Longhorns meet the third-seed Tigers for the title. There are 11 CWS championships between these two outstanding programs, and they will kick off the series Monday night at 6 p.m. at Rosenblatt Stadium. The second game of the series will be played Tuesday night at 6 p.m., and if a third game is needed, that will take place Wednesday at 6 p.m.

It should be a fantastic championship series, and you can get your College World Series tickets right now at Ticket Express -- where no College World Series game is ever sold out.

College World Series Schedule, Results
(All times CDT)

Saturday, June 13

Game 1 -- Arkansas 10, Cal State Fullerton 6
Game 2 -- LSU 9, Virginia 5

Sunday, June 14

Game 3 -- Arizona State 5, North Carolina 2 (10 inn.)
Game 4 -- Texas 7, Southern Miss 6

Monday, June 15

Game 5 -- Virginia 7, Cal State Fullerton 5 (CSF eliminated)
Game 6 -- LSU 9, Arkansas 1

Tuesday, June 16

Game 7 -- North Carolina 11, Southern Miss 4 (Southern Miss eliminated)
Game 8 -- Texas 10, Arizona State 6

Wednesday, June 17

Game 9 -- Arkansas 4, Virginia 3 12 inn. (Virginia eliminated)

Thursday, June 18

Game 10 -- Arizona State 12, North Carolina 5 (North Carolina eliminated)

Friday, June 19

Game 11 -- LSU 12, Arkansas 5 (Arkansas eliminated)
Game 12 -- Texas 4, Arizona State 3 (Arizona State eliminated)

Monday, June 22

Championship Game 1 -- LSU (54-16) vs. Texas (49-14-1), 6 p.m.

Tuesday, June 23

Championship Game 2 -- LSU vs. Texas, 6 p.m.

Wednesday, June 24

Championship Game 3 -- LSU vs. Texas, 6 p.m. (If necessary)

OMAHA, Neb. -- Arizona State saw a big lead get away in the last game they played at the College World Series.

This time, they turned the tables -- thanks to the help of left fielder Kole Calhoun -- and sent North Carolina packing with a 12-5 win Thursday at Rosenblatt Stadium.

The junior leftfielder came up huge and, with one swing of the bat, changed the game's momentum to keep the Sun Devils' College World Series title hopes alive.

With one out and the bases loaded in the bottom of the fifth, Arizona State trailed the Tar Heels 4-0. That would change when Calhoun launched a 3-2 pitch into the right-center field seats, tying the game at 4-4.

That seemed to take all the wind out of North Carolina's sails, and Calhoun delivered the killing blow in the seventh with a two-run double, launching an eight-run inning that saw the Sun Devils send 13 batters to the plate.

Early in the game, it looked like North Carolina's small ball would keep them in the College World Series. Jacob Stallings executed a safety squeeze to get the Tar Heels on the board in the second, then pulled the same play a second time to ignite a three-run fourth inning that gave North Carolina a four-run lead.

North Carolina's pitching let them down in the fifth, though. Two walks and a hit batter brought Calhoun up to bat, and he worked the count full before Brian Moran's pitch into the gap and over the wall. Calhoun finished the night going 2-for-3 with six RBIs.

So the 2009 College World Series final four is set, with games scheduled this Friday. At 1 p.m., LSU will need just one win against Arkansas to reach the finals, while the 6 p.m. game will feature a Texas team facing Arizona State with a single win standing between the Longhorns and the championship.

There are great seats for Friday's games, and the rest of the 2009 College World Series, right now at Ticket Express -- where no College World Series game is ever sold out.

College World Series Schedule, Results
(All times CDT)

Saturday, June 13

Game 1 -- Arkansas 10, Cal State Fullerton 6
Game 2 -- LSU 9, Virginia 5

Sunday, June 14

Game 3 -- Arizona State 5, North Carolina 2 (10 inn.)
Game 4 -- Texas 7, Southern Miss 6

Monday, June 15

Game 5 -- Virginia 7, Cal State Fullerton 5 (CSF eliminated)
Game 6 -- LSU 9, Arkansas 1

Tuesday, June 16

Game 7 -- North Carolina 11, Southern Miss 4 (Southern Miss eliminated)
Game 8 -- Texas 10, Arizona State 6

Wednesday, June 17

Game 9 -- Arkansas 4, Virginia 3 12 inn. (Virginia eliminated)

Thursday, June 18

Game 10 -- Arizona State 12, North Carolina 5 (North Carolina eliminated)

Friday, June 19

Game 11 -- LSU (53-16) vs. Arkansas (41-23), 1 p.m.
Game 12 -- Texas (48-14-1) vs. Arizona State (51-13), 6 p.m.

Saturday, June 20

Game 13 -- Winner Game 11 vs. Loser Game 11, 1 p.m.
Game 14 -- Winner Game 12 vs. Loser Game 12, 6 p.m.
(NOTE: If only one "if necessary" game is played, it will be at 6 p.m.)

Monday, June 22

Championship Game 1 -- Bracket winners, 6 p.m.

Tuesday, June 23

Championship Game 2 -- Bracket winners, 6 p.m.

Wednesday, June 24

Championship Game 3 -- Bracket winners, 6 p.m. (If necessary)

OMAHA, Neb. -- Trailing 3-1 heading into the ninth inning, it appeared Arkansas' College World Series dreams were dying on the vine, and they needed something big if they were going to come back and beat Virginia.

Brett Eibner came up huge in the top of the ninth. His two-run homer with two out tied the game, and Razorbacks reliever Dallas Keuchel got out of jams in the ninth, 10th and decisive 12th inning to help the Razorbacks eliminate the Cavaliers in an exciting 4-3, 12-inning affair Wednesday at the College World Series.

With the win, the Razorbacks get a day off before they face SEC rival LSU Friday afternoon at 1 p.m. Arkansas will need to beat the Tigers twice this weekend to reach the best-of-three championship finals.

It was shaping up to be a pitcher's duel early on, as neither team could plate a run during the first four innings.

Virginia broke the ice in the bottom of the fifth, thanks to a John Hicks solo homer and an RBI double by Danny Hultzen. Arkansas cut the deficit in half in the seventh on an Eibner sacrifice fly, but Virginia got the insurance run back in the eighth on Dan Grovatt's solo shot to left.

Arkansas' ninth-inning rally came with two outs in the inning. Zack Cox slapped a single to center to keep the Razorbacks' hopes alive, and Eibner followed with a blast to left that swung the momentum back in Arkansas' favor.

Virginia had their chances to win. The Cavaliers had runners on second and third with one out, but Arkansas intentionally loaded the bases and got out of the jam with an inning-ending double play to send the game to extra frames.

Virginia again had runners on second and third in the 10th, but Keuchel struck out two batters to get out of that mess, then got out of another two-on, two-out situation in the 11th. Arkansas broke the tie in the 12th when Jarrod McKinney scored on Andrew Darr's double to left. The Cavaliers had the tying run on third in the bottom of the 12th, but Keuchel got a strikeout to end the game.

Thursday is another elimination game, with North Carolina taking on Arizona State at 6 p.m. The winner of that game faces Texas on Friday at 6 p.m. and will need to beat the Longhorns twice to reach the championship finals.

Great seats for these College World Series games are available now at Ticket Express -- where no College World Series game is ever sold out.

College World Series Schedule, Results
(All times CDT)

Saturday, June 13

Game 1 -- Arkansas 10, Cal State Fullerton 6
Game 2 -- LSU 9, Virginia 5

Sunday, June 14

Game 3 -- Arizona State 5, North Carolina 2 (10 inn.)
Game 4 -- Texas 7, Southern Miss 6

Monday, June 15

Game 5 -- Virginia 7, Cal State Fullerton 5 (CSF eliminated)
Game 6 -- LSU 9, Arkansas 1

Tuesday, June 16

Game 7 -- North Carolina 11, Southern Miss 4 (Southern Miss eliminated)
Game 8 -- Texas 10, Arizona State 6

Wednesday, June 17

Game 9 -- Arkansas 4, Virginia 3 12 inn. (Virginia eliminated)

Thursday, June 18

Game 10 -- North Carolina (48-17) vs. Arizona State (50-13), 6 p.m.

Friday, June 19

Game 11 -- LSU (53-16) vs. Arkansas (41-23), 1 p.m.
Game 12 -- Texas (48-14-1) vs. Winner Game 10, 6 p.m.

Saturday, June 20

Game 13 -- Winner Game 11 vs. Loser Game 11, 1 p.m.
Game 14 -- Winner Game 12 vs. Loser Game 12, 6 p.m.
(NOTE: If only one "if necessary" game is played, it will be at 6 p.m.)

Monday, June 22

Championship Game 1 -- Bracket winners, 6 p.m.

Tuesday, June 23

Championship Game 2 -- Bracket winners, 6 p.m.

Wednesday, June 24

Championship Game 3 -- Bracket winners, 6 p.m. (If necessary)

OMAHA, Neb. -- The College World Series has seen a lot of good pitching so far, but Tuesday was a day for the bats to make their mark.

North Carolina avoided elimination by jumping on the back of the nation's top hitter, and Dustin Ackley responded with a 5-for-6 day to help the Tar Heels eliminate Southern Miss 11-4.

Not to be outdone, top-ranked Texas spotted fifth-seeded Arizona State six runs, then scored 10 unanswered to earn a couple of days off at the College World Series with a 10-6 win over the Sun Devils.

In Tuesday's first game, Ackley became the all-time career leader in hits at the College World Series, breaking the mark of 26 hits set by Stanford's Sam Fuld from 2001-2003.  He came within a ninth-inning flyout of going 6-for-6 on the day, something only one other player has done in College World Series history.

Ackley's effort was part of a 23-hit outing for the North Carolina squad, which jumped out to an 8-0 lead and never looked back. The first-round draft pick of the Seattle Mariners had four singles and a double to highlight the winning effort.

It was the final game for Southern Miss coach Corky Palmer, who announced his retirement midway through the season.

A wild game was expected between two of the all-time winningest programs in college baseball, but it looked like it would be a one-sided affair when the Sun Devils rocked Texas for three runs in the second and three more in the third.

Texas responded with an amazing comeback, scoring six runs in the fourth to tie the game. They got the go-ahead run in the seventh when Cameron Rupp hit his second homer of the night -- a solo shot right -- then added three more in the eighth for insurance.

Arizona State broke the ice in the second with a solo homer by Kole Calhoun, then scored two more runs on a passed ball and a Jared McDonald single. They would double their lead in the third with another leadoff homer, this one by Carlos Ramirez, along with a sacrifice fly and a Texas throwing error.

Texas came right back in the fourth, thanks to a three-run homer by Rupp, an infield RBI single by Travis Tucker and a two-run single by Brandon Belt to tie the game at 6-6.

By winning their first two games, the Longhorns will wait until Friday before they play again, as North Carolina and Arizona State will meet Thursday at 6 p.m. to determine which team will face Texas in one of the bracket finals this weekend.

Wednesday night will be another elimination game, as Arkansas takes on Virginia at 6 p.m. The winner of that game will face LSU and will have to beat the Tigers twice to get to the finals.

You can get great seats to all the remaining games at the 2009 College World Series right now at Ticket Express -- where no College World Series game is ever sold out.

College World Series Schedule, Results
(All times CDT)

Saturday, June 13

Game 1 -- Arkansas 10, Cal State Fullerton 6
Game 2 -- LSU 9, Virginia 5

Sunday, June 14

Game 3 -- Arizona State 5, North Carolina 2 (10 inn.)
Game 4 -- Texas 7, Southern Miss 6

Monday, June 15

Game 5 -- Virginia 7, Cal State Fullerton 5 (CSF eliminated)
Game 6 -- LSU 9, Arkansas 1

Tuesday, June 16

Game 7 -- North Carolina 11, Southern Miss 4 (Southern Miss eliminated)
Game 8 -- Texas 10, Arizona State 6

Wednesday, June 17

Game 9 -- Virginia (49-14-1) vs. Arkansas (40-23), 6 p.m.

Thursday, June 18

Game 10 -- North Carolina (48-17) vs. Arizona State (50-13), 6 p.m.

Friday, June 19

Game 11 -- LSU (53-16) vs. Winner Game 9, 1 p.m.
Game 12 -- Texas (48-14-1) vs. Winner Game 10, 6 p.m.

Saturday, June 20

Game 13 -- Winner Game 11 vs. Loser Game 11, 1 p.m.
Game 14 -- Winner Game 12 vs. Loser Game 12, 6 p.m.
(NOTE: If only one "if necessary" game is played, it will be at 6 p.m.)

Monday, June 22

Championship Game 1 -- Bracket winners, 6 p.m.

Tuesday, June 23

Championship Game 2 -- Bracket winners, 6 p.m.

Wednesday, June 24

Championship Game 3 -- Bracket winners, 6 p.m. (If necessary)

OMAHA, Neb. -- Fans at the College World Series got their money's worth Sunday, as both first-round games came down to the final inning before two traditional powerhouses came away with victories.

In the first game, Arizona State's Josh Spence and North Carolina's Alex White hooked up in a great duel, but it was a key defensive miscue that turned the game in the Sun Devils' favor, as they came away with a 5-2 win in 10 innings over the Tar Heels.

In the nightcap, Texas broke a 6-6 tie without swinging the bat, as three walks and a hit batsman helped the top-seeded Longhorns win a wild one over upstart Southern Mississippi, 7-6.

Some were expecting a matchup of first-round draft picks Sunday afternoon, as White was taken by the Cleveland Indians while Arizona State ace Mike Leake was taken by the Cincinnati Reds. Coach Pat Murphy rolled the dice, though, going with Spence, who came through with seven solid innings of work to keep the Tar Heels' bats at bay.

Spence was relieved by Mitchell Lambson, who made a big pitch in the bottom of the ninth, getting the nation's leading hitter -- North Carolina's Dustin Ackley -- to look at a called third strike to send the game to extra innings.

In the 10th, a dropped fly ball by Garrett Gore led to a tie-breaking single by Carlos Ramirez, scoring Drew Maggi from second base. Kole Calhoun followed with a three-run homer to cap the Sun Devils' four-run outburst in the 10th. Lambson gave up a run in the bottom of the 10th, but settled down and struck out the last two batters to end the game.

Texas looked to be in command with a 4-2 lead going to the eighth, highlighted by Russell Moldenhauer's solo homer in the sixth and an RBI single by Connor Rowe in the seventh. But Southern Miss took advantage of a couple of Texas errors and Corey Stevens' bases-loaded walk to score three runs and take a 5-4 lead.

Texas came back with two in the eighth, both coming on bases-loaded walks, but Southern Miss tied the game at 6-6 on a two-out single by by James Ewing.

Southern Miss had trouble finding the plate in the bottom of the ninth, and with two outs and the bases loaded, Brandon Loy saw four straight pitches and strolled to first with a bases-loaded walk to end the game.

Monday is elimination day for one team, as the loser of the 1 p.m. matchup between Cal State Fullerton and Virginia goes home. The winner will meet the loser of tonight's 6 p.m. battle between Arkansas and LSU on Wednesday.

You can get great seats for all the remaining games of the College World Series now at Ticket Express -- where no College World Series game is ever sold out.

College World Series Schedule, Results
(All times CDT)

Saturday, June 13

Game 1 -- Arkansas 10, Cal State Fullerton 6
Game 2 -- LSU 9, Virginia 5

Sunday, June 14

Game 3 -- Arizona State 5, North Carolina 2 (10 inn.)
Game 4 -- Texas 7, Southern Miss 6

Monday, June 15

Game 5 -- Cal State Fullerton (47-15) vs. Virginia (48-14-1), 1 p.m.
Game 6 -- Arkansas (40-22) vs. LSU (52-16), 6 p.m.

Tuesday, June 16

Game 7 -- North Carolina (47-17) vs. Southern Miss (40-25), 1 p.m.
Game 8 -- Arizona State (50-12) vs. Texas (47-14-1), 6 p.m.

Wednesday, June 17

Game 9 -- Winner Game 5 vs. Loser Game 6, 6 p.m.

Thursday, June 18

Game 10 -- Winner Game 7 vs. Loser Game 8, 6 p.m.

Friday, June 19

Game 11 -- Winner Game 6 vs. Winner Game 9, 1 p.m.
Game 12 -- Winner Game 8 vs. Winner Game 10, 6 p.m.

Saturday, June 20

Game 13 -- Winner Game 11 vs. Loser Game 11, 1 p.m.
Game 14 -- Winner Game 12 vs. Loser Game 12, 6 p.m.
(NOTE: If only one "if necessary" game is played, it will be at 6 p.m.)

Monday, June 22

Championship Game 1 -- Bracket winners, 6 p.m.

Tuesday, June 23

Championship Game 2 -- Bracket winners, 6 p.m.

Wednesday, June 24

Championship Game 3 -- Bracket winners, 6 p.m. (If necessary)

OMAHA, Neb. -- Dave Van Horn can finally take off that horse collar.

Making his fourth trip to the College World Series as a coach, the Arkansas mentor had yet to see his team win a game at Rosenblatt Stadium, going 0-for-6 in two trips with Nebraska and his first with Arkansas five years ago.

The Razobracks jumped on second-seeded Cal State Fullerton early and gave Van Horn his first win in Omaha as Arkansas knocked off the Titans 10-6 in Saturday's opening game of the 2009 College World Series.

The Razorbacks will face LSU on Monday night, after the Tigers beat Virginia 9-5 in Saturday's nightcap. Virginia will drop into the losers' bracket to face Cal State Fullerton.

Arkansas got to freshman Noe Ramirez early, and Andy Wilkins hit a three-run homer to cap a five-run fourth inning that put the Razorbacks in command.

The Arkansas trio of Scott Lyons, Wilkins and Zack Cox came through in the clutch all afternoon, as the heart of the Razorback batting order brought home all 10 runs with hits, nine of those coming with two out in the inning.

Things came apart for Ramirez in the fifth, as he was pulled by coach Dave Serrano after loading the bases with a walk in the fourth inning. Lyons grounded a single into the hole on the left side of the infield, and Wilkins -- who is batting .593 in the postseason -- followed with his 19th home run of the season.

That was more than enough for Arkansas ace Dallas Keuchel, who pitched six strong innings and allowed just five hits before Mike Bolsinger came on in relief.

Virginia didn't look like a team making its first College World Series appearance, as they battled the Tigers tough until the end. The Cavaliers took a 4-3 lead in the fifth when Steven Proscia hit a solo homer and Keith Werman stroked a single to left.

LSU responded in the bottom of the inning in a big way when Sean Ochinko smashed a three-run homer to left to put the TIgers ahead to stay. Ryan Schimpf added a two-run homer in the eighth after Virginia had cut the lead to 6-5 to put the game out of reach.

The other half of the bracket meets today, with North Carolina and Arizona State hooking up at 1 p.m. and top-seeded Texas meeting Southern Miss at 6 p.m.

Great seats to all the games at the 2009 College World Series are available now at Ticket Express -- where no College World Series game is ever sold out.

College World Series Schedule, Results
(All times CDT)

Saturday, June 13

Game 1 -- Arkansas 10, Cal State Fullerton 6
Game 2 -- LSU 9, Virginia 5

Sunday, June 14

Game 3 -- Arizona State (49-12) vs. North Carolina (47-16), 1 p.m.
Game 4 -- Texas (46-14-1) vs. Southern Miss (40-24), 6 p.m.

Monday, June 15

Game 5 -- Cal State Fullerton (47-15) vs. Virginia (48-14-1), 1 p.m.
Game 6 -- Arkansas (40-22) vs. LSU (52-16), 6 p.m.

Tuesday, June 16

Game 7 -- Loser Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4, 1 p.m.
Game 8 -- Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4, 6 p.m.

Wednesday, June 17

Game 9 -- Winner Game 5 vs. Loser Game 6, 6 p.m.

Thursday, June 18

Game 10 -- Winner Game 7 vs. Loser Game 8, 6 p.m.

Friday, June 19

Game 11 -- Winner Game 6 vs. Winner Game 9, 1 p.m.
Game 12 -- Winner Game 8 vs. Winner Game 10, 6 p.m.

Saturday, June 20

Game 13 -- Winner Game 11 vs. Loser Game 11, 1 p.m.
Game 14 -- Winner Game 12 vs. Loser Game 12, 6 p.m.
(NOTE: If only one "if necessary" game is played, it will be at 6 p.m.)

Monday, June 22

Championship Game 1 -- Bracket winners, 6 p.m.

Tuesday, June 23

Championship Game 2 -- Bracket winners, 6 p.m.

Wednesday, June 24

Championship Game 3 -- Bracket winners, 6 p.m. (If necessary)

The eight teams have made their way to Omaha, found their hotels, took some batting practice and a little infield, signed a bunch of autographs, and now...the fun REALLY begins.

The 2009 College World Series kicks off Saturday with two first-round games and continues with another two first-round matchups on Sunday. On Saturday, Arkansas meets Cal State Fullerton at 1 p.m., while LSU and Virginia hook up at 7 p.m. Sunday's matchups feature North Carolina and Arizona State at 1 p.m., with Southern Miss and top-seeded Texas duking it out in the nightcap at 7 p.m.

There should be some exciting matchups in the first round. Both Southern Miss and Virginia are in the College World Series for the first time, and both will be facing two of the traditional powerhouses of college baseball. LSU has had quite a run of success in recent years, while Texas is making their 33rd trip to Omaha and looking for yet another national title.

North Carolina and Arizona State have both been close to reaching the promised land in recent years, but one of those teams is guaranteed not to reach the championship round. Arkansas hasn't been to the finals in 30 years and will face a Cal State Fullerton team that may be short on enrollment -- especially when compared to Texas, LSU or Arizona State -- but long on success in Omaha.

There are a lot of interesting stories that will be played out during the next two weeks, and you can get tickets for all the first-round matchups at Ticket Express -- where no College World Series game is sold out.

The College World Series schedule is as follows (all times CDT):

Saturday, June 13

Game 1 -- Arkansas (39-22) vs. Cal State Fullerton (47-14), 1 p.m.
Game 2 -- Virginia (48-13-1) vs. LSU (51-16), 6 p.m.

Sunday, June 14

Game 3 -- North Carolina (47-16) vs. Arizona State (49-12), 1 p.m.
Game 4 -- Texas (46-14-1) vs. Southern Miss (40-24), 6 p.m.

For more than a half-century, college baseball fans have made their way to the nation's heartland, congregating in the stands at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, Neb., for the College World Series.

There are a million moments that players, coaches and fans have experienced at "The 'Blatt" over the years, but the days of traveling to Rosenblatt Stadium will soon be a distant memory as the tournament will move to a new stadium for the 2011 season.

Last year, the city of Omaha and the NCAA came to an agreement that resulted in the building of a new stadium in downtown Omaha. As a show of good faith, the NCAA agreed to an unprecedented 25-year contract to continue playing the College World Series in the same city that has embraced the tournament as its own for more than 50 years.

Rosenblatt Stadium has been a home away from home for two weeks each summer for fans from Louisiana, Texas, California, North Carolina, Florida and all parts in between. Memories of "Dingerville" and walking across the street for a Zesto's burger are just some of the many pieces of history fans will cherish, even after the final out is recorded and the winning team dogpiles on the mound in celebration of winning the 2010 national championship.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves just yet...there are still plenty of memories waiting to be made at the 2009 College World Series, and action gets underway Saturday with Arkansas and Cal State Fullerton at 1 p.m., followed by LSU and Virginia at 7 p.m.

Don't miss out on the memories...get your tickets for the 2009 College World Series now at Ticket Express -- where no College World Series game is ever sold out.

The 2009 College World Series gets underway Saturday at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, Neb.

Here's a look at the teams involved in Sunday's matchups -- Arizona State vs. North Carolina and Texas vs. Souther Miss.

Arizona State vs. North Carolina

It's a battle of a traditional titan and a recent powerhouse in Sunday's opener between five-time champion Arizona State and North Carolina.

The Pac 10-champion Sun Devils are making their third trip to the College World Series in the last five years and 21st overall. They got to Omaha thanks to a solid effort in the super-regionals against Clemson, wrapping it up with an 8-2 win that saw junior lefthander Josh Spence throw a complete-game four-hitter, striking out 10.

The Sun Devils are loaded with quality pitching, led by junior righthander Mike Leake, who brings a 16-1 record and a 1.36 earned-run average to Omaha. He has allowed just 20 earned runs in more than 132 innings pitched and has 150 strikeouts on the year.

Spence picked up his ninth win in 10 decisions over the weekend and has a 2.33 ERA with 109 strikeouts and 23 earned runs on the year. Sophomore righthander Seth Blair gives ASU a third solid arm, and freshman lefty Mitch Lambson has come through with five saves to lead a solid bullpen.

Offensively, Jason Kipnis is batting .385 with 16 homers and 71 RBIs. He is a speedster on the basepaths, adding 20 doubles and 26 stolen bases to the Sun Devil offense.

Carlos Ramirez has 18 homers and 72 RBIs while batting at a .349 clip for coach Pat Murphy, who has the Sun Devils in the College World Series for the fourth time in his 15 years at the helm.

North Carolina became the first ACC team to make it to four straight College World Series, and after two runner-up finishes and a third-place finish last year, coach Mike Fox is hoping this team can finally get the Tar Heels over the hump.

UNC beat East Carolina to make it to Omaha, using a Dustin Ackley three-run homer to highlight a 9-3 win in the series finale. Ackley is one of the top offensive standouts in the nation, as the junior first baseman has hit .412 with 22 homers and 70 RBIs this season.

The Tar Heels also have some solid bats in junior infielder Kyle Seager (.386), freshman Levi Michael (13 HR, 56 RBI) and junior catcher Mark Fleury (12 HR, 59 RBI).

On the mound, the Tar Heels have a lot of solid arms, led by junior lefty Brian Moran (7-1, 1.95 ERA), who has allowed just eight walks the entire season. Senior righthander Adam Warren (9-2) has proven himself as a leader, and Colin Bates' six saves leads a solid bullpen.

Texas vs. Southern Miss

One of the most successful programs in college baseball history draws one of the new kids on the block in Sunday's finale between six-time champion Texas and CWS newcomer Southern Miss.

Golden Eagles coach Corky Palmer announced his retirement late in the regular season, and that seemed to spark Southern Miss. They have won 12 of their last 15 games, finished as runner-up to highly-ranked Rice in the Conference USA tournament, beat Georgia Tech twice in its regional and swept eighth-seeded Florida in Gainesville to earn the school's first trip to the College World Series.

Bo Davis has sparked the Golden Eagles offense with 14 homers and 53 RBIs while hitting at a team-best .371 clip. Kameron Brunty (.342, 7 HR, 53 RBI) and Corey Stevens (.330, 8 HR, 59 RBI) have also fired up the Southern Miss offense this season, and Joey Archer had a two-run single in a key three-run eighth inning to help Southern Miss sweep Florida in the super regional.

On the mound, Southern Miss has had its ups and downs and carries a 5.01 team earned-run average into the tournament. They are led by J.R. Ballinger (6-3, 3.89) and Todd McInnis (9-4, 3.61), and Collin Cargill has come up with 13 saves in relief.

it's been four years since the Longhorns made the trip to Omaha, but they come in as the top-seeded team in the entire tournament, winning the Big 12 Conference title and sweeping its regional before winning two of three against in-state rival TCU in the super regionals.

Texas made history during this year's tournament, playing a 25-inning game in a 3-2 win over Boston College in regionals. The game featured an outstanding pitching performance by senior lefthander Austin Wood, who pitched over 12 innings of hitless baseball in relief, finishing with 14 strikeouts and two hits over 13 innings. He didn't get the win, but does lead the team with 15 saves coming out of the bullpen.

Texas has a trio of outstanding arms in Chase Ruffin (10-2, 3.02, 101 K, 23 BB) and freshmen Taylor Jungmann (8-3, 2.27, 86 K) and Austin Dicharry (8-2, 2.40). Offensively, they have a balanced attack, led by junior first baseman Brandon Belt (.336, 8 HR, 40 RBI) and sophomores Cameron Rupp (.287), Kevin Keyes (.305) and Connor Rowe (.275).

This is Texas' 33rd trip to the College World Series, and they will be looking for their seventh national title this year. With the No. 1 seed coming into the tournament, and with the way they are playing now, they should definitely be in the hunt for a national title.

You can get tickets for Sunday's matchups between Arizona State and North Carolina at 1 p.m., or Texas vs. Southern Miss at 6 p.m., at Ticket Express -- where no College World Series game is ever sold out.

The 2009 College World Series gets underway this weekend at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, Neb.

Let's take a look at the two matchups that will kick off this year's NCAA Div. 1 baseball championship -- Arkansas vs. Cal State Fullerton and Virginia vs. LSU.

Arkansas vs. Cal State Fullerton

Thirty years ago, these two teams met for the championship at the 1979 College World Series. The Titans beat the Razorbacks 2-1, and Arkansas has one just one CWS game in three appearances since, that coming in 1989.

Dave Van Horn is making his fourth appearance in the College World Series as a head coach. He took Nebraska to Rosenblatt Stadium in 2001 and 2002, and brought the Razorbacks to Omaha in 2004, where they went 0-2.

The Razorbacks got hot at just the right time after stumbling home with eight losses in their last nine regular-season games. Arkansas upset ninth-ranked Florida twice in the SEC tournament, then drilled seventh-seeded Oklahoma twice in the regional at Norman, Okla., beating the Sooners 17-6 and 11-0. In regional and super-regional play, Arkansas is averaging almost 11 runs a game, doing a good chunk of their damage in the middle innings.

It was late-inning heroics that got Arkansas' ticket punched to the big dance. Andrew Darr had four hits in the Razorbacks' 9-8 come-from-behind win over Florida State in the super-regional finale, including a two-run double in the bottom of the ninth. his home run in the seventh ignited a five-run rally that helped the Razorbacks keep things close until the end.

Bo Bigham has had a hot bat for Arkansas, hitting .429 against the Seminoles. Freshman Zack Cox batted .310 in the postseason with four homers and 10 RBIs, and also contributed a 5-1 record with a 3.50 ERA on the mound this season.

Dallas Keuchel is Arkansas' top pitcher, but the Razorbacks' pitching staff is prone to giving up runs in bunches. Their team ERA is 4.56, but if their bats stay as hot as they have during the month of June, they could provide some high-scoring affairs in Omaha.

Cal State Fullerton is no stranger to Omaha. The four-time national champions last won it all in 2004, defeating Texas, and seem to be regulars at Rosenblatt Stadium every summer. This is their fourth trip to the College World Series in the last six years, but the first under second-year coach Dave Serrano.

The Titans have a lot of youth on their team, but don't let that lull you into a false sense of security...they have some very talented young players, led by freshman hurlers Noe Ramirez (9-1, 2.86 ERA, 96 K) and Tyler Pill (11-3, 3.95, 73 K) and reliever Nick Ramirez, who leads the team with seven saves.

Sophomore Daniel Renken has had an outstanding year on the mound for CSF, posting an 11-2 record with a 2.36 ERA and 98 strikeouts. Noe Ramirez helped secure the TItans' trip to Omaha with an impressive eight-inning effort against Louisville, striking out 10 and allowing three hits in eight innings.

As dominating as their pitching is, the Titan bats have also been tough to beat. Cal State Fullerton has scored 64 runs in the postseason, with their only real test a 7-4 win over Gonzaga in the regional. Junior outfielder Krist Davis leads the team with 16 homers, while Jared Clark paces the Titans with 81 RBIs. Josh Fellhauer leads the team with a .399 average and is a very solid leadoff batter. He and Gary Brown have combined for 41 stolen bases.

Virginia vs. LSU

LSU fans are arguably the most hospitable and most fun group of people that make up the College World Series fan experience, and the Tigers are back once again after going 1-2 in last year's tournament.

The Tigers were one of the most dominant programs in college baseball during the 1990's, and are looking to end the first decade of the 21st century the same way they started it. They beat Stanford to win the 2000 title and are gunning for their sixth overall championship.

The Tigers are playing well at the right time, having won the SEC tournament title and sweeping through regionals and super-regionals, beating Rice to earn a trip to Omaha.

LSU has a balanced offensive lineup, led by Ryan Schimpfe (.335 19 HR, 63 RBI) and Blake Dean (.333 15 HR, 65 RBI). Jared Mitchell has 35 stolen bases this year, and DJ Lemahieu leads with a .340 batting average.

On the mound, the Tigers have had some great efforts this year from starters Louis Coleman (13-2, 2.76 ERA, 124 K, 19 BB) and Anthony Ranaudo (10-3, 2.95, 147 K, 41 BB), while Matty Ott has come through with 16 saves, including getting a strikeout with the tying run at bat in the bottom of the ninth of their series-clinching win over Rice.

LSU's tradition will carry this team a long way in the tournament. With four national championships in the last 14 years, they will certainly be in the hunt for a shot at the title coming from this side of the bracket.

Virginia, on the other hand, is one of the Cinderella stories of this year's postseason, and the Cavaliers capped their storybook run to the College World Series by claiming regional and super-regional titles on the road.

The champions of the ACC tournament had to travel to the other side of the country when the regional bids came out, but they didn't seem to mind having to go all the way out to Irvine, Calif., to prove their worth. They beat the host Anteaters twice on their home field, then moved to Oxford, Miss., where they took two of three over the Runnin' Rebels to get their first trip to Rosenblatt Stadium.

It's an interesting reunion of sorts for Virginia coach Brian O'Connor, who was an assistant under current LSU coach paul Mainieri when he was head coach at Notre Dame.

O'Connor brings a talented Cavalier squad to Omaha for the first time, including a great 1-2 punch in Dan Grovatt (.365, 7 HR, 50 RBI, 14 SB) and Jarrett Parker (.364, 16 HR, 65 RBI, 19 SB). The Cavaliers are solid up and down the lineup.

Virginia has some good arms coming to town, including Danny Hultzen (9-1, 2.09 ERA, 95 K) and Tyler Wilson (9-3, 2.73, 60 K). Virginia's bullpen is solid as well, led by Kevin Arico (2.06, 11 saves).

Virginia comes into the CWS playing very solid baseball. They beat fellow CWS competitor North Carolina in their round-robin bracket of the ACC tournament, then polished off Florida State to win the conference title. While they may have stars in their eyes with this being their first trip to the College World Series, they still have a talented team that will make things interesting during the next week.

You can get tickets for Saturday's matchups between Arkansas and Cal State Fullerton at 1 p.m., or LSU and Virginia at 6 p.m., at Ticket Express -- where no College World Series game is ever sold out.

The 2009 College World Series gets underway Saturday at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, Neb., as the top eight teams in the country battle for the honor of being called the best college baseball team in America..

The action begins Saturday with Arkansas vs. Cal State Fullerton at 1 p.m. CDT, followed by Virginia and LSU at 6 p.m. First-round action continues Sunday with North Carolina and Arizona State battling at 1 p.m., and Southern Miss and Texas in the 6 p.m. nightcap.

First-round elimination games will be Monday and Tuesday at 1 p.m., with the winners' bracket games following each night at 6 p.m. The two four-team, double-elimination brackets will continue play through Friday, June 19. Any "if necessary" games will be played Saturday, June 20.

The championship series is a best-of-three format and will begin Monday, June 22. Game Two will be Tuesday, June 23, and if a third game is needed, it is scheduled for Wednesday, June 24. Starting time for all the championship games is at 6 p.m.

Don't forget . . . you can purchase all-session tickets for the College World Series, as well as single-game tickets, at Ticket Express, the number one source for College World Series tickets. No game is ever sold out when it comes to Ticket Express, and they have great seats anywhere in the stadium for all the games at the 2009 College World Series.

The College World Series schedule is as follows (all times CDT):

Saturday, June 13

Game 1 -- Arkansas (39-22) vs. Cal State Fullerton (47-14), 1 p.m.
Game 2 -- Virginia (48-13-1) vs. LSU (51-16), 6 p.m.

Sunday, June 14

Game 3 -- North Carolina (47-16) vs. Arizona State (49-12), 1 p.m.
Game 4 -- Texas (46-14-1) vs. Southern Miss (40-24), 6 p.m.

Monday, June 15

Game 5 -- Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 1 p.m.
Game 6 -- Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 6 p.m.

Tuesday, June 16

Game 7 -- Loser Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4, 1 p.m.
Game 8 -- Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4, 6 p.m.

Wednesday, June 17

Game 9 -- Winner Game 5 vs. Loser Game 6, 6 p.m.

Thursday, June 18

Game 10 -- Winner Game 7 vs. Loser Game 8, 6 p.m.

Friday, June 19

Game 11 -- Winner Game 6 vs. Winner Game 9, 1 p.m.
Game 12 -- Winner Game 8 vs. Winner Game 10, 6 p.m.

Saturday, June 20

Game 13 -- Winner Game 11 vs. Loser Game 11, 1 p.m.
Game 14 -- Winner Game 12 vs. Loser Game 12, 6 p.m.
(NOTE: If only one "if necessary" game is played, it will be at 6 p.m.)

Monday, June 22

Championship Game 1 -- Bracket winners, 6 p.m.

Tuesday, June 23

Championship Game 2 -- Bracket winners, 6 p.m.

Wednesday, June 24

Championship Game 3 -- Bracket winners, 6 p.m. (If necessary)

Some old friends have found their way back to Omaha as the final spot for the 2009 College World Series was secured Monday night in Austin, Texas.

The top-seeded Texas Longhorns locked up their 33rd trip to Rosenblatt Stadium with a 5-2 win over in-state rival TCU in game three to win the best-of-three super regional and advance to the College World Series, which gets underway Saturday in Omaha, Neb.

The Longhorns did it in front of a packed house of 7,241 in their home stadium, riding the arm of Taylor Jungmann, who kept the Horned Frogs guessing throughout the night, allowing just two hits in six innings to get the win and send Texas back to the College World Series for the first time since beating Florida to win the 2005 national title.

Wood got plenty of help early in the game. Kevin Keyes hit a two-run homer to spark the Longhorns to a 3-0 advantage in the first, then added an RBI double in the fourth to give the hosts a five-run advantage. Wood held TCU without a hit until the fifth, then gave up a single run in the eighth.

With the Texas win, the field is now set for the 2009 College World Series. First-round matchups include Texas vs. Southern Miss, Arizona State vs. North Carolina, Cal State Fullerton vs. Arkansas and Virginia vs. LSU. The tournament starts Saturday, June 13, with two four-team double-elimination brackets. The winners of each bracket will meet in a best-of-three championship series that starts Monday, June 22.

Get your tickets for the 2009 College World Series at the number one source for tickets -- Ticket Express, where no College World Series game is ever sold out.

It's that time of year again, and you can feel the excitement in the air here in Omaha.  And you know what that means, it's time for another College World Series!  The excitement begins with a double header on Saturday June 13 at 1:00 PM.

Four teams have already advanced to the CWS by winning their Super Regionals.  Arkansas, LSU, North Carolina, and Cal State Fullerton will join four other teams in the tournament for a chance at winning the Series.  All four teams have made it to the College World Series in Omaha in the past.  Combined, the four teams have traveled to Omaha a total of 41 times.  The remaining four teams will be decided tonight or on Monday if a game three is necessary.

It will be exciting to see LSU Tiger's fans back at Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium for a second year in a row.  The Tiger fans are notorious here in Omaha for being some of the most dedicated and fun fans in all of college baseball. Not surprisingly, many LSU fans come every year to the College World Series in Omaha even if the Tigers aren't playing!

The number one seeded team in the Regionals, the Texas Longhorns, are one win away from making the CWS this year.  Game two is today against the TCU Horned Frogs who have surprised many disbelievers in their Super Regional thus far.  The Longhorns have a stacked bullpen that revolves around star hitter Brandon Belt who has had whopping eight home runs so far this season.  Texas won game one 11-4 against the Horned Frogs.

Fresno State will not make it to Omaha this year for the CWS.  The Bulldogs knocked off Georgia in the finals last year to win it all but fell short in Regional play this year.  San Diego State knocked off Fresno State with a 4-1 win in Irvine.  Fresno State was the underdog last year and made for a great cinderella story for the fans.  No underdog has been found yet this year, but we will soon have one.  The local fans here in Omaha are known for cheering on the underdog and love to find a team to latch on too.