Virginia, Tennessee, Florida expect experience from '23 College World Series to provide an edge
The game’s the same
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The game's the same. It's what happens away from the field and how players deal with it that can affect how long a team sticks around at the College World Series.
The CWS opens Friday with North Carolina (47-14) playing Virginia (46-15), and Florida State (47-15) facing Tennessee (55-12) in Bracket 1. North Carolina State (38-21) meets Kentucky (45-14), and Florida (34-28) plays Texas A&M (49-13) in Bracket 2 on Saturday. Winners in double-elimination bracket play square off in the best-of-three finals beginning June 22.
Virginia, Tennessee and Florida are here for the second straight year, and each brought back the majority of their lineups.
“I can tell you that last year was the first time any of us had played in front of 25,000 fans,” Virginia's Casey Saucke said. “It was electric and you love hearing the stadium like that, seeing the stadium like that. It's not going to faze us as much this year with the core of our lineup returning. We’ve already played in front of that, so when you’re getting in the box for the first time, you’re not as nervous.”
