College World Series 2015: Times, TV schedule and live stream for Friday

Virginia and Vanderbilt can clinch spots in the national championship series -- and set up a rematch of last year’s finals -- with wins on Friday.

by Jeff Gray

Jun 19, 2015, 12:15 PM UTC

Bruce Thorson-USA TODAY Sports

Nathan Kirby has dramatic timing, you have to give him that. Virginia’s ace, who hasn’t pitched since straining a muscle in his throwing arm in mid-April, makes his return to the mound on Friday afternoon with a trip to the national championship series on the line. Kirby isn’t expected to throw deep into the game, but if he and his buddies in the pen can limit the explosive Florida Gators lineup the same way Brandon Waddell did earlier this week, the Wahoos will be into the finals at Omaha for a second year in a row.

Depending on how things go in the nightcap between Vanderbilt and TCU, we could potentially have a rematch of the 2014 national championship. Vandy, who knocked off Virginia for the title last year, can book their own seat in the finals by beating the Horned Frogs for the second time this week.

If Florida and/or TCU win on Friday, their respective series get pushed to a winner-takes-all showdown on Saturday.

Waddell pitched a gem against the Gators on Monday, two-hitting one of the country’s best offenses through seven innings before turning it over to Josh Sborz for a shutdown close. Repeating that dominance on the mound won’t be easy against a club that bounced back to hammer a TD Ameritrade record four home runs against Miami in an elimination game on Wednesday. The Gators blasted the three longest homers in stadium history -- two of which were to dead center, something that had never happened in the 212 games played previously at TD Ameritrade.

Righty Logan Shore (10-2, 2.55 ERA) will get the start for Florida.

Vandy-TCU is also a rematch of a 1-0 game earlier this week, when Philip Pfeifer and Alex Young dueled for the better part of eight innings. Pitching for the Dores this time around will be Walker Buehler, who was just drafted by the Dodgers in the first round. Jim Schlossnagle hasn’t named TCU’s starter yet, but you’d have to think he’ll go with lefty Tyler Alexander.

Here are the game times and tune-in info for Friday.