Let's take a break from high school sports for a moment and pay tribute to the NCAA Division I College World Series.This event has blown up recently and while we love the fact that ESPN televises all of the games, the network has made two changes we don't care for. First off, the CWS now begins on a Saturday instead of a Friday. We can live with that but the second is the worst of the two.
There is no longer an 'Elimination Day' at Omaha's Rosenblatt Stadium. Until last year, each Tuesday four teams in the losers' bracket took the field in a do-or-die day. Unfortunately, they've split these two elimination games over two days. We miss the drama of an elimination doubleheader.
Speaking of elimination games, that Arkansas-Virginia matchup was insane. If nothing else, Virginia has earned our respect. An SEC snob, yours truly isn't one to give props to any team outside of the conference, but what the Cavaliers did this postseason was amazing.
First, Virginia won the 'Regional of Death' by beating San Diego State and eventual No. 1 draft pick Stephen Strasburg. From there, the Cavs beat No. 1 UC Irvine twice on the Ant Eaters' home field to reach the Super Regionals against SEC co-champion Mississippi.
In Oxford, the Cavs rallied after losing the first game in extra innings to win the next two and reach Omaha. To start things off, Virginia took the other SEC co-champion, LSU, to the brink before falling, 9-5. Then, in an elimination game Tuesday, Arkansas took advantage of a lack of clutch hitting from Virginia to win, 4-3, in 12 innings and send the Cavs back to Charlottesville.
There won't be a national title this year but here's our respect, Virginia. You've earned it.
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