College World Series 2015: Latest Results and Updated Picks for Tuesday
The 2015 College World Series field was whittled down from eight to seven Monday, and another team will make the long trip back home from Omaha, Nebraska, Tuesday as play continues at TD Ameritrade Park.
LSU and Cal State Fullerton will fight for their World Series lives as they are both one loss away from elimination. Vanderbilt and TCU have a buffer as they were victorious in their respective first-round matchups, but their battle will be just as important since the winner will be just three more triumphs away from a national title.
As the 2015 College World Series continues to work its way down to the cream of the crop, here is a look at the latest results, as well as predictions for how each of Tuesday's contests will play out.
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Monday's College World Series Results
| First Round | Vanderbilt | Cal State Fullerton | 4-3 |
| Losers Bracket | Miami (Fla.) | Arkansas | 4-3 |
| Winners Bracket | Virginia | Florida | 1-0 |
Tuesday's College World Series Picks
| Losers Bracket | LSU | Cal State Fullerton | 3-1 |
| Winners Bracket | Vanderbilt | TCU | 7-4 |
Breaking Down Tuesday's College World Series Matchups
LSU vs. Cal State Fullerton
The Tigers and Titans took very different routes to get to this point. LSU sports an incredible 53-11 record, while Cal State Fullerton's road to the College World Series was far rockier as it went 39-24.
Despite that, LSU was obliterated 10-3 by TCU in the first round. Cal State Fullerton, on the other hand, seemed destined for the winners' bracket, but a walk-off home run by Vanderbilt sent the Titans to within one loss of going home.
Neither team has much momentum after its respective loss, but both will have to put those results behind them in order to avoid an early exit.
Although it has been quite some time since the Tigers and Titans last met, the College World Series regulars have a history together with LSU getting the better of Cal State Fullerton more often than not, according to Ross Dellenger of The Advocate:
Tuesday's clash has all the makings of a close, low-scoring affair as neither team is particularly dominant offensively. That is especially true of the Titans, as they entered the College World Series with a team batting average of just .265.
LSU has had its hitting struggles at times as well, but it does boast All-American shortstop and No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 MLB draft Alex Bregman at shortstop. He knows how to get on base and wreak havoc when he does, which could make him the game's biggest difference-maker.
Cal State Fullerton's hitting issues bode well for the Tigers, who will send freshman Alex Lange to the hill. The first-year hurler has been incredible this season to the tune of an 11-0 record with a 1.89 ERA and 121 strikeouts in 105 innings.
He may be young and inexperienced, but Lange is relishing the opportunity to keep his team in contention for a championship, per James Moran of TigerRag.com:
"Alex Lange: "It's going to be fun. I'm not nervous. I'm in a good place ... This is the reason you come to #LSU." pic.twitter.com/QwspOFIVB9
— James Moran (@SmartestMoran) June 15, 2015"
Cal State Fullerton will counter with a solid freshman in its own right, as Connor Seabold and his 2.84 ERA will ascend the mound. Seabold has been excellent with 74 punch-outs in 66.2 innings, but he doesn't quite measure up to what Lange has accomplished in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
LSU has the pressure of being the favored team in this game, but Lange hasn't allowed that to impact him at any point during the 2015 campaign, and he will use his calm demeanor to lead the Tigers to a 3-1 win.
Vanderbilt vs. TCU
In Tuesday's second game, Vanderbilt and TCU will fight tooth and nail to take a giant leap toward winning a national championship.
The winner will need to win just one more game in order to reach the College World Series final, while the loser will suddenly find itself one loss from elimination, so the stakes can't get much higher.
While things are pretty much out in the open for LSU and Cal State Fullerton, the Commodores and Horned Frogs have been far more secretive. Neither team is at liberty to reveal its starting pitcher, although they both have several great options.
Vandy is likely deciding between first-round pick Walker Buehler and third-rounder Philip Pfeifer, while TCU could go with one of Mitchell Traver, Alex Young or Tyler Alexander, all of whom have lost just two games this season.
Regardless of who pitches, it can be argued that the Horned Frogs have the mental edge since they scored a 4-2 win over Vanderbilt earlier in the season. TCU head coach Jim Schlossnagle isn't surprised that a rematch is on tap, but he knows a lot has changed since early March, according to Carlos Mendez of the Star-Telegram:
"I had a feeling at the end of the game that we were going to play them again, whether it be in the Super Regional or in Omaha," Schlossnagle said. "And here it is. That was a long time ago. We're a more complete club now than we were then, and I'm sure they are, too."
In addition to their win over Vandy earlier in the season, TCU is coming off a 10-3 thrashing of LSU, which means it is currently in top form. At the same time, Vanderbilt's dramatic 4-3 win over Cal State Fullerton could potentially give the Commodores even more confidence.
They also have a secret weapon on their hands in the form of Jeren Kendall, who hit a walk-off home run to take down the Titans and has a penchant for coming through in big games, per Adam Sparks of The Tennessean:
Vandy's biggest advantage is the fact that it can turn games around in the blink of an eye due to its big-time power. No. 1 overall draft pick Dansby Swanson, Zander Wiel and Rhett Wiseman have all hit at least 14 home runs this season, while the Horned Frogs have nobody in the top 50 in that category.
TCU will likely try to play some small ball and manufacture runs when possible, but the Commodores' power will prove to be too much as they will mash their way to a 7-4 victory.
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