Virginia, Vanderbilt will play it again for College World Series title
Virginia closing pitcher Josh Sborz, left, celebrates with catcher Matt Thaiss following an elimination game against Florida on Saturday. Virginia won 5-4 and advances to play Vanderbilt in the championship series.
Defending national champion Vanderbilt and Virginia will meet for the second straight year in the College World Series championship series beginning Monday night at TD Ameritrade Park.
The Commodores went 3-0 in bracket play. Virginia was 3-1, securing its spot in the best-of-three finals with its 5-4 win over Florida on Saturday.
Virginia will be trying to win the Atlantic Coast Conference’s first national title in baseball since Wake Forest in 1955.
The Cavaliers were just 18-18 in March and April, finished 15-15 in Atlantic Coast Conference play and didn’t qualify for the 10-team league tournament until the last week of the regular season. They were given a No. 3 regional seeding and had to go to the West Coast for the start of the NCAA tournament.
“What we’ve been through this year, the ups and downs of the season, it’s a little bit more satisfying,” Virginia third baseman Kenny Towns said, “just because where we’ve come from and how we’ve been able to have the success late in the postseason.”
Vanderbilt swept three games in bracket play and is 8-0 in the national tournament. The Commodores dropped six of eight in April, but since losing a series to Florida on May 9 they haven’t lost back-to-back games.
Get our high school sports newsletter
Prep Rally is devoted to the SoCal high school sports experience, bringing you scores, stories and a behind-the-scenes look at what makes prep sports so popular.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
