The Arkansas Razorbacks beat the Oregon State Beavers in Game 1 of the College World Series on Tuesday night, 4-1. The Beavs then came back on Wednesday night to top the Hogs, 5-3, forcing a deciding Game 3 tilt in Omaha to crown 2018’s NCAA baseball tournament winner.
Game 3 of the College World Series will be the most interesting baseball game you’ve seen all year
Arkansas and Oregon State are playing strange baseball. It’s amazing.
Bruce Thorson-USA TODAY Sports
Both clubs are stacked top to bottom with trusty bats and solid arms. They contrast well from west coast to southeast baseball. OSU throws around guys and hits the ball, while Arkansas hits the ball and throws their next arm in the pen. Both clubs move men around the bases in classic college baseball fashion, and they’re playing a series-deciding contest in primetime on Thursday night. Let’s just say: its a fun matchup.
1. These teams play close.
First off, both teams have power hitting, and both teams feature MLB draft picks up and down their lineups. A full 10 batters across both teams are hitting over .300 this season, with OSU’s Adley Rutschman batting .400. None of these players are producing as they have at the plate in this series so far, though. Rutschman logged a solo home run in Game 2, and he was 11-21 coming into this series on the tournament, but most every other Beaver bat has found its way into an Arkansas glove the past two nights.
On the whole, just 13 runs have crossed in two games between these clubs, and they aren’t done yet.
Pitchers. The pitchers are great. They’re slinging things of beauty. We’ve witnessed two wonderful pitchers’ duels, and let’s hope for another on Thursday night.
2. There has been some sloppy play.
Base running interference in Game 1 that wiped an Oregon State run off the board. Multiple hit batsmen that scored runs in bases-loaded situations. Fielding errors. Left fielders completely losing the ball in the Omaha sun. Fielder’s choice plays resulting in runs. Wild pitches resulting in runs. Really, this series has had them all, and it’s joyous to watch.
Unpredictable and hilarious, just as baseball should be.
3. There have been some fielding beauties.
Oregon State’s first two batters in Game 2 shot long fly balls to center field, where Dominic Fletcher was forced to sprint back toward the wall to field them over the shoulder. Infield defense on both sides has for the most part been stellar, when they’re not committing throwing errors.
There’s also Razorback first baseman Jared Gates making stupendous catches in foul territory.
Both of these clubhouses want this.
4. College baseball is great baseball.
Minor, Major League Baseball is rather mechanically ratcheted away from the wild, cowboy rules of baseball. College baseball features spectacular fielding errors, right fielders pitching, and sublime bunting so as to one yearn for 10 cent beer nights.
The nature of the college game — with its gaps in talent and endurance up and down lineups and rotations — forces club skippers into wild decision moments concerning personnel and strategy. Bunt here? Sure. Pull an arm after three pitches there? Why not. This is Game 3: the final game of the final series of the NCAA baseball tournament, after a full month of playoff ball with all the money on the line.
If you want to watch some baseball, watch Arkansas and Oregon State in the College World Series rubber match.
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