The 2015 Men’s College World Series begins June 13th in Omaha, Nebraska at TD Ameritrade Park with some fantastic matchups during bracket play in the elimination round. There are plenty of talent on the remaining teams that were once Baseball Factory players that are currently helping to get their team to the Championship. In total, 90 Baseball Factory players make up the rosters of the eight remaining teams in the College World Series.

The Arkansas Razorbacks take on the Virginia Cavaliers in the first game of the day on Saturday at 3:00 P.M. EST. The Razorbacks advanced after defeating Missouri State two-games-to-one in the Super Regionals. The Cavs arrived to Omaha after beating the Maryland Terrapins with two come-from-behind victories during Super Regionals.

Arkansas is led by the play of outfielder Andrew Benintendi, who was drafted seventh overall by the Boston Red Sox during this year’s MLB Draft. Benintendi, a former Baseball Factory National Tryout player, is hitting .380 with 13 doubles,  two triples, 19 home runs and 55 RBI to go along with a .715% slugging percentage. The sophomore led the nation in home runs this season for Division I.

Virginia’s Brandon Waddell was selected in the fifth round by the Pittsburgh Pirates during Tuesday’s portion of the draft. In 2011, Waddell participated in an Under Armour Baseball Factory Premium Video Program and selected to the Under Armour Southwest Regional Tournament in July of that year. Waddell has made 50 career starts, and is one of the record for most in Virgina Cavalier history. Waddell has worked 293 2/3 career innings, which is fifth most in Virginia history and has a 3.43 career ERA.

The winner of the game will then play on June 15 at 8:00 P.M. EST against the winner of an interstate rival matchup between the Florida Gators and the Miami Hurricanes.

The Gators arrived to Omaha after beating the Florida State Seminoles two-games-to-none during Super Regionals. Miami took care of VCU in both of their games, 3-2 and 10-3 to move on.

Florida is led by infielder Josh Tobias who participated in the 2007 Dodgertown World Series and numerous Under Armour Baseball Factory National Tryout events in North Carolina in 2008 and 2010. Tobias is hitting a team leading .373 for the Gators with 14 doubles, five homers and 41 RBI in 60 games this season.

Zack Collins has led the Hurricanes offensively this season, pacing the team with his 15 home runs and 70 RBI in 63 games this season. Collins participated in Team One Futures events and was a 2012 Under Armour All-American.

In Sunday’s matchups, No. 2 National seed LSU will take on TCU, beginning at 3:00 P.M. EST. The Tigers took care of Louisiana-Lafayette by scores of 4-3 and 6-3 to advance against the Horned Frogs, who are making their third appearance in the College World Series by beating Texas A&M in Game 3 of their Super Regional series, 5-4 in 16 innings to advance.

LSU is led by shortstop, Alex Bregman, a Team One Futures participant and two-time Under Armour Pre-Season All-American in 2010 and 2011. Bregman was taken No. 2 overall by the Houston Astros in the 2015 MLB Draft and the 2013 SEC Freshman of the Year has helped lead the Tigers to their 17th College World Series appearance in school history.

The Horned Frogs are led by pitcher Mitchell Traver, a former Team One South participant in 2011. This season, Traver is 9-2 in 15 appearances with a 1.60 ERA in 73.0 innings pitched. He’s holding opponents to a .179 batting average.

In the night time matchup, Cal State Fullerton takes on last year’s NCAA Champion, Vanderbilt, beginning at 8:00 P.M. EST. The Titans defeated Louisville in three games, heading to their 17th College World Series appearance with a walk-off homerun in the 11th inning by David Olmedo-Barrera to win Game 3, 4-3. Vanderbilt got here by taking care of Illinois in two games by scores of 13-0 and 4-2.

Olmedo-Barrera, a 2011 Team One West participant, led the Titans this season with a .328 average, 10 home runs and 45 RBI in 58 games.

Vandy is led by freshman outfielder Jeren Kendall, an Under Armour Baseball Factory National Tryout player and 2012, 2013 Under Armour Pre-Season All-American. Kendall was named to the 2015 Nashville NCAA Regional All-Tournament Team after he scored two runs and collected his sixth triple of the season in NCAA Regional championship vs. Radford. For the season, Kendall is hitting .289 with seven home runs, 37 RBI and 18 stolen bases. 

Baseball Factory Alumni in the 2015 Men’s College World Series

University of Arkansas

Cal State-Fullerton

University of Florida

Louisiana State University

University of Miami (FL)

Texas Christian University

Vanderbilt University

University of Virginia