The 2011 College World Series starts on Saturday and South Carolina took a big step toward defending their title by earning a trip back to Omaha. They will attempt a feat that only five other teams have managed to do although the other USC skews the actual total number by winning five in a row. The other teams to accomplish back-to-back championships were Texas, Stanford, LSU, and Oregon State.
My first experience with South Carolina baseball was in 1985 when the team made it to Omaha with a catcher named Jeff Churchich. Churchich was an Omaha native and played ball at Omaha Burke. Having a local boy on the team playing my favorite position made the Gamecocks my chosen team to root for that year. Unfortunately they went two and BBQ but a bond was made. A few years later I met my friend Ron who had adopted South Carolina as his second team. Due to these two factors I have kept an eye on South Carolina baseball for several years now. The championship last year produced many smiles and cheers in Nebraska both in the stands and at home.
South Carolina returns to Omaha with a good core of the players that battled through the losers bracket to win the whole thing in 2010. Their top six hitters all had experience in the championship game. Christian Walker, Scott Wingo, Brady Thomas, Evan Marzilli, Robert Beary and Adrian Morales all played in that classic 2-1 win over UCLA. Michael Roth was the starter of that game and has returned as the ace of the staff with a 13-3 record and stingy 1.02 ERA. Matt Price also returns and has 18 saves as the closer.
The Gamecocks have the talent and experience to make a realistic run at defending their title. They appear to have a favorable bracket with two of the weaker teams in their first round opponent Texas A&M and California who plays Virginia. I believe they have a better than average chance to make the championship round where another classic is ready to be made.
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