The Southeastern Conference has a record five teams in the College World Series, with the last six national champions hailing from the conference. However, it’s not just the same old story this year, as Troy (38-30) and West Virginia (45-15) are set to square off in the opener as first-time participants on college baseball’s biggest stage.

Troy’s Journey to the College World Series

Troy, which received one of the last four at-large bids for the 64-team NCAA Tournament, carries the flag for the little guys this year. The team has been aiming toward the CWS since coach Skylar Meade was hired five years ago from South Carolina, where he was pitching coach for four seasons.

The Trojans played the toughest nonconference schedule in the country this season and sixth-toughest overall. They are the first 30-loss team to make the CWS, but that’s partly because they were, in Meade’s words, an ‘honorary member of the SEC.’ They went 4-4 against SEC teams with all but one of those games on the road.

Other Teams in the Running

North Carolina (50-12-1) plays Mississippi (41-21) in the other Bracket 1 game at Charles Schwab Field. Play begins in the all-SEC Bracket 2 on Saturday with Oklahoma (38-22) meeting Alabama (42-19) and Georgia (51-12) facing Texas (45-13).

Mississippi is back for the first time since it won the 2022 national championship. So is Hunter Elliott, who as a freshman started the Rebels’ title-clinching game against Oklahoma and pitched a strong 6 2/3 innings.

Original reporting: Texarkana Gazette — read the source article.