Alabama baseball is back in the College World Series for the first time in 27 years.
The Crimson Tide will enter Omaha undefeated in NCAA Tournament play, sweeping both the Tuscaloosa Regional and Super Regional. Here is everything fans should know as the team aims to bring home its first national title.
Who will the Crimson Tide face
The CWS is formatted like the Women’s College World Series, with the field split up into two four-team, double-elimination brackets. The winner of each four-team bracket will advance to the championship finals, which will take place from June 20-22
Alabama’s bracket will consist of SEC foes Georgia, Texas and Oklahoma. The team will open play against the Sooners at 2 p.m. CT Saturday on ESPN. With a win, Alabama would advance to a winner’s bracket game on Monday, slated for 6 p.m. CT.
If the Crimson Tide falls to Oklahoma on Saturday, it will face the loser of Georgia and Texas in an elimination game Monday at 1 p.m. CT.
Justin Lebron heating up at the right time
Alabama’s star shortstop slumped to end the regular season, but has caught fire in the NCAA Tournament, leading the team to an undefeated run to Omaha. Lebron has hit .375 with 2 home runs, 2 doubles, 8 RBIs and 3 stolen bases so far in the tournament.
The Crimson Tide finished runner-up in Omaha in both 1983 and 1997. If Lebron continues his hot hitting, the team could make some serious noise.
“Coming here for my last year, really the goal was to get to Omaha and go ahead and win the dang thing,” Lebron said. “The fact that we are going there is a step closer, I mean, job’s not done, but shoutout to the fans, families, everyone who came here and put it all together.”
Tyler Fay heading home to Nebraska
Once a walk-on, Alabama’s ace will return home to The Cornhusker State for the most important games of his baseball career. Fay, who is from small-town Doniphan, Nebraska, relished the opportunity to play in a stadium he grew up just over two hours away from.
“I’ve probably watched four or five games there,” he said. “It’s everyone’s dream to go to Omaha, but I feel like it’s a little bit different even for me, because I grew up going to all those games. [It’s] just super special to get the opportunity to go there. We’re really excited for sure.”
