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College World Series: UVA vs. TCU preview

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college world seriesThe UVA baseball team takes on TCU Tuesday evening in a winners’ bracket matchup in the NCAA College World Series at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha. Game time is 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT in Omaha, Neb.

The double-elimination tournament consists of two four-team brackets. The winners of each bracket will meet June 23-25 in the best-of-three championship series. The UVa-TCU winner advances to play Friday for an opportunity to win the bracket and move on to the championship series. The losing team will play the winner of the Ole Miss-Texas Tech contest on Thursday in an elimination game.

Virginia is the designated home team for the game.

Broadcast Information
ESPN will air the game, while the broadcast also will be streamed online via the WatchESPN app. WINA 1070-AM and WINA.com will carry the live radio broadcast, while SiriusXM Channel 91 will air the national broadcast on satellite radio. Select stations also the Virginia Sports Radio Network also will pick up the coverage.

Live statistics (GameTracker) also will be located on VirginiaSports.com. The live stats also can be accessed through the Virginia Sports app, which is available through iTunes.

Probable Starting Pitchers
UVa: LHP Brandon Waddell (9-3, 2.66 ERA)
TCU: LHP Brandon Finnegan (9-3, 2.12 ERA)

Virginia vs. TCU, Big 12
This is Virginia’s first-ever meeting with TCU (48-16). UVa is 11-8 against current Big 12 members: WVU (8-5), Oklahoma (2-3), Oklahoma State (1-0). UVa has not played Baylor, Kansas, Kansas State, Texas or Texas Tech.

UVA-Ole Miss CWS Notes
• The walk-off win was UVa’s second-ever in NCAA tournament play. The other was Chris Taylor’s 2-run single in Game 3 of the 2011 Super Regional vs. UC Irvine.
• The walk-off win was UVa’s third of the year (Boston College 3/15, Georgia Tech 5/10).
Virginia has allowed one hit or fewer in a game three times this season.
• UVa won its 50th game, marking the fourth 50-win season in program history (all in the last five years).
• Joe McCarthy (25), Kenny Towns (21) and Mike Papi (16) each have reached base safely in at least 16-consecutive games.
• Branden Cogswell reached base safely in each of his four official plate appearances (three walks, single) and owns a seven-game hit streak.

Cavaliers Familiar with Tight Games
UVa is 15-7 in one-run games and is tied with East Carolina for seoncd-most one-run wins in the nation (Florida, 16). This marks the most one-run wins in the Brian O’Connor coaching era. The 2004 team posted 14 one-run victories. The Cavaliers are 25-9 in games decided by three runs or fewer.

Virginia Tournament Trends
Virginia is batting .309 in the NCAA tournament.
• UVa has held opponents to a .191 batting average in the tournament while the pitching staff has posted a 1.71 ERA.
• After Artie Lewicki’s two scoreless innings Sunday, Virginia’s bullpen has allowed just three earned runs and two walks in 18 innings of work in the NCAA tournament.
• UVa has committed four errors in seven tournament games (.985 fielding percentage).
Mike Papi is batting a team-best .483 (14-for-29) in the NCAA tournament.

Waddell Earns Game 2 Start
Sophomore southpaw Brandon Waddell is slated to start on the mound. The Houston, Texas, native is 2-0 with a 2.19 ERA in the NCAA tournament this season. UVa is 13-3 in games he has started in 2014.

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