College World Series predictions, picks for Day 2: Will Arkansas or LSU start CWS strong?
In the afternoon game (2 p.m. ET, ESPN), Murray State will take on UCLA. In the nightcap (7 p.m. ET, ESPN), Arkansas will face LSU.
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The game between the Tigers and Razorbacks is the only one among the Omaha openers featuring two teams that hosted a regional.
Saturday's two losing teams will play an early game Monday in the losers bracket, while the winning teams will play Wednesday night for a spot in the semifinals.
Here are our predictions:
Murray State vs. UCLA
UCLA 9, Murray State 7
How's this one for intrigue? UCLA hasn't been to Omaha since its national title run in 2013 and Murray State is making its first trip ever. The Racers are the mid-major darlings who have proven near-impossible to put away. Their offense is a perfect fit for Charles Schwab Field, too.
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But the Bruins, while lacking a true ace, have a trump card: arguably the best player in Omaha, shortstop Roch Cholowsky. He has the ability to take over any game, and that's a powerful thing.
CWS storylines: Biggest strength, weakness of every team in Omaha
LSU vs. Arkansas
Arkansas 4, LSU 2
This matchup, which features a battle of aces (Zach Root vs. Kade Anderson), is the headliner of the Omaha slate. It's easy to see either team coming away victorious, as LSU has better top-end pitching, but Arkansas has more depth and a better offense. The Tigers won the series when the two teams faced off earlier this season in Baton Rouge, but the bet is that the Razorbacks get a few more big hits.
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Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Contact her at agerson@gannett.com or on X @aria_gerson.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: College World Series picks, predictions for Day 2 in Omaha
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