College World Series 2015: Bracket, Predictions and Schedule for Thursday

At 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, the TCU Horned Frogs will take on the LSU Tigers with a chance to advance one step closer to the College World Series Finals. The winner will take on the defending champion Vanderbilt Commodores on Friday.  

Here's a look at the remaining bracket, including Wednesday night's game featuring the Florida Gators vs. the Miami Hurricanes:

	Virginia
Florida
Miami (Fla.)
	Vanderbilt
TCU
LSU

It's hard not to give TCU the edge in this game. To open the current double-elimination portion of the tournament, the Horned Frogs thrashed LSU 10-3. The uncertainty surrounding LSU's pitching doesn't help to calm concerns.

Per Ross Dellenger of the Advocate, LSU manager Paul Mainieri said he would go with "Jack Wholestaff" for the rematch with TCU. Don't check the roster looking for the guy—he doesn't exist. It's a fictional name Mainieri has created that means he'll depend on a team effort from his entire staff to try to shut down the Horned Frogs.

Ted Kirk/Associated Press

When used previously, no LSU pitcher threw more than two innings. The only members of the staff who don't figure to be available are Alex Lange, who pitched a complete-game six-hitter to beat Cal State Fullerton on Tuesday, and Jared Poche, who threw 4.1 innings in the first loss to TCU.

Per Dellenger, Mainieri sounded sure his bullpen could get the job done. He said:

"

I’m as confident as you can get. I feel like our bullpen is as ready as they’ll ever be. This is what we’ve been working for since August. I don’t think it’ll be anything that we’ll make too big of a situation. It’s going to be the same thing as always: You go on the mound and get guys out. I think we have enough guys that are mentally tough enough that we’ll be ready to rise to this occasion.

"

Jesse Stallings could get the start, but he and any other pitcher who takes the ball might find it difficult to find a rhythm. Shuttling pitchers in and out gives the TCU hitters different looks, but it also increases the chances of handing the ball to someone who simply doesn't have good stuff that day.

All it takes is one disastrous inning to kill a game.

In the first meeting, TCU exploded for four runs in the top of the fifth inning and turned a 2-1 game into a 6-1 contest that evolved into a 10-3 rout. The Horned Frogs starter is still unknown as well, but Jim Schlossnagle's staff is in better shape at this point of the season. If his starter has good stuff, he'll be able to ride him while the bats continue to produce.

Ted Kirk/Associated Press

In the first meeting, Connor Wanhanen, Dane Steinhagen and Derek Odell combined to go 7-for-14 with seven RBI against LSU. They then ran into a buzz saw and were shut out by Vandy's Philip Pfeifer. There are no Pfeifers available for LSU on Thursday, and TCU will win again in another lopsided affair.