PREVIEW | College World Series

A look at the eight teams competing in the College World Series, which starts Friday at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, Neb.
TEXAS (55-13)
CWS Seed: 1. Coach: Augie Garrido (275-160-1, eighth year). Road To Omaha: Won Austin regional: beat Youngstown State 10-3; beat Oral Roberts 7-5; beat Oral Roberts 7-3. Won Austin super regional: beat Vanderbilt 15-3; beat Vanderbilt 10-2. 2004 record vs. CWS teams: 2-0 (vs. Cal State Fullerton). All-time record in CWS: 70-51 (30 appearances). Players to Watch: RHP J. Brent Cox (1.65, 5-1, five saves), LHP J.P. Howell (14-2, 2.26 ERA), 2B Seth Johnston (.290, 6 HRs, 45 RBIs, 15 SBs), OF Carson Kainer (.351, 21 RBIs), RHP Sam LeClure (9-3, 2.40), LHP Justin Simmons (10-3, 4.21), RHP Huston Street (5-1, 1.46, 12 saves), OF Drew Stubbs (.311, 8, 44, 27 SBs), C Taylor Teagarden (.286, 9, 49), 1B Curtis Thigpen (.369, 7, 48).
SOUTH CAROLINA (50-15)
CWS Seed: 2. Coach: Ray Tanner (369-150, eighth year). Road To Omaha: Won Columbia regional: beat The Citadel 12-4; beat North Carolina 5-2; beat North Carolina 7-6. Won Columbia super regional: beat East Carolina 4-2; beat East Carolina 5-3. 2004 record vs. CWS teams: 4-6 (1-2 vs. Georgia; 1-2 vs. LSU; 2-2 vs. Arkansas). All-time record in CWS: 14-14 (seven appearances). Players to Watch: RHP Chad Blackwell (4-3, 2.79, 19 saves), RHP Billy Buckner (6-2, 3.16), LHP Matt Campbell (10-4, 2.88), OF Michael Campbell (.315, 14, 50), RHP Cliff Donald (2-0, 1.85), 2B Kevin Melillo (.304, 9, 35), 1B Steve Pearce (.327, 20, 65), C Landon Powell (.332, 19, 65), RHP Aaron Rawl (12-4, 4.29), SS Steven Tolleson (.320, 3, 23), OF Brenden Winn (.310, 18, 64).
MIAMI (49-11)
CWS Seed: 3. Coach: Jim Morris (521-176-2, 11th year). Road To Omaha: Won Coral Gables regional: beat St. Bonaventure 6-3; beat North Carolina St. 19-5; beat Florida Atlantic 19-6. Won Coral Gables super regional: beat Florida 8-7; beat Florida 3-1. 2004 record vs. CWS teams: 0-0. All-time record in CWS: 44-32 (20 appearances). Players to Watch: OF Brian Barton (.365, 6, 45), SS-DH Ryan Braun (.347, 9, 43, 20 SBs), 1B Jim Burt (.373, 14, 72), LHP Brandon Camardese (6-2, 3.86), RHP Cesar Carrillo (11-0, 2.73), LHP J.D. Cockroft (9-4, 3.41), RHP Danny Gil (8-0, 3.11, five saves), OF Jon Jay (.364, 5, 49, 19 SBs), 2B Adam Ricks (.336, 10, 48), C Erick San Pedro (.330, 12, 52).
GEORGIA (43-21)
CWS Seed: 4. Coach: David Perno (104-76, third year). Road To Omaha: Won Athens regional: beat Middle Tennessee 16-2; beat Clemson 6-3; lost to Clemson 10-9; beat Clemson 7-6 in 10 innings. Won Atlanta super regional: beat Georgia Tech 7-5; beat Georgia Tech 5-3. 2004 record vs. CWS teams: 4-3 (2-1 vs. South Carolina; 2-2 vs. LSU). All-time record in CWS: 4-5 (three appearances). Players to Watch: OF Bobby Felmy (.295, 9, 45), SS Justin Holmes (.328, 8, 54, 17 SBs), RHP Michael Hyle (7-2, 3.10), OF Kyle Keen (.291, 4, 30, 15 SBs), RHP Bo Lanier (4-1, 2.61, two saves), 1B Josh Morris (.319, 16, 68), RHP Sean Ruthven (7-1, 2.94), 3B Josh Smith (.320, 3, 38), LHP Will Startup (7-2, 2.34, 10 saves), 2B Marshall Szabo (.306, 6, 36).
ARIZONA (35-25-1)
CWS Seed: 5. Coach: Andy Lopez (101-72-1, third year). Road To Omaha: Won South Bend regional: beat UC Irvine 7-3; beat Kent State 7-4; beat Notre Dame 7-6. Won Long Beach super regional: beat Long Beach State 6-5; lost to Long Beach State 9-4; beat Long Beach State 4-3 in 11 innings.2004 record vs. CWS teams: 2-1 (vs. Cal State Fullerton). All-time record in CWS: 32-25 (14 appearances). Players to Watch: 1B Jordan Brown (.306, 11, 53), OF Trevor Crowe (.339, 5, 33, 25 SBs), SS Jason Donald (.321, 8, 43), 2B Moises Duran (.312, 6, 47), C Nick Hundley (.311, 4, 26), RHP Koley Kolberg (9-6, 4.56), RHP Mark Melancon (6-4, 4.63) RHP John Meloan (9-0, 4.80), DH Richard Mercado (.337, 4, 30), RHP Derek Rodriguez (1-3, 4.74, seven saves), OF Jeff Van Houten (.325, 3, 39).
LOUISIANA STATE (46-17)
CWS Seed: 6. Coach: Smoke Laval (135-61, third year). Road To Omaha: Won Baton Rouge regional: beat Army 9-0, beat Southern Mississippi 6-2, beat College of Charleston 11-3. Won Baton Rouge super regional: beat Texas A & amp;M 11-8; beat Texas A & amp;M 4-0.2004 record vs. CWS teams: 4-6 (2-1 vs. South Carolina; 2-2 vs. Georgia; 0-3 vs. Arkansas). All-time record in CWS: 29-15 (12 appearances). Players to Watch: RHP Nate Bumstead (10-3, 3.59), LHP Clay Dirks (8-2, 3.35), SS Blake Gill (.344, 5, 41), 3B Clay Harris (.295, 7, 51), OF J.C Holt (.390, 6, 51, 20 SBs), C Matt Liuzza (.330, 9, 45), RHP Justin Meier (6-2, 3.75), LHP Lane Mestepey (7-3, 3.43), OF Ryan Patterson (.340, 14, 64), DH Nick Stavinoha (.335, 8, 42), OF Jon Zeringue (.387, 12, 55).
CAL STATE FULLERTON (42-21)
CWS Seed: 7. Coach: George Horton (351-153-1, eighth year). Road To Omaha: Won Fullerton regional: beat Minnesota 7-1, lost to Pepperdine 7-6 in 10 innings, beat Arizona State 5-0, beat Pepperdine 15-1, beat Pepperdine 16-3. Won Fullerton super regional: beat Tulane 9-0; beat Tulane 10-7.2004 record vs. CWS teams: 1-4 (0-2 vs. Texas; 1-2 vs. Arizona). All-time record in CWS: 27-20 (12 appearances). Players to Watch: OF Danny Dorn (.329, 4, 56), OF Clark Hardman (.363, 31 RBIs), DH Felipe Garcia (.342, 6, 43), RHP Mike Martinez (8-2, 4.06), OF Sergio Pedroza (.340, 7, 39), 1B P.J. Pilittere (.354, 4, 49), 3B Ronnie Prettyman (.329, 34 RBIs, 12 SBs), LHP Ricky Romero (12-4, 3.36), C Kurt Suzuki (.437, 16, 86), RHP Jason Windsor (11-4, 1.84).
ARKANSAS (45-22)
CWS Seed: 8. Coach: Dave Van Horn (80-44, second year). Road To Omaha: Won Fayetteville regional: beat LeMoyne 4-1; lost to Wichita State 4-3 in 11 innings; beat Missouri 10-7; beat Wichita State 11-9; beat Wichita State 4-3. Won Fayetteville super regional: beat Florida State 7-5; beat Florida State 4-2. 2004 record vs. CWS teams: 5-2 (2-2 vs. South Carolina; 3-0 vs. LSU). All-time record in CWS: 7-8 (four appearances). Players to Watch: RHP Charley Boyce (10-2, 3.10), LHP Clint Brannon (4-3, 3.53), OF Jake Dugger (.299, 8, 44), 3B Clay Goodwin (.327, 4, 32), DH Danny Hamblin (.309, 8, 41), SS Scott Hode (.293, 7, 53), 1B Haas Pratt (.317, 8, 52), OF Casey Rowlett (.298, 3, 21, 22 SBs), LHP Jay Sawatski (10-3, 3.32, seven saves).
Associated Press