Today, the University of Tampa Spartans are set to compete against Angelo State in the D-II NCAA World Series Championship at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina. They aim to secure their ninth national championship, which would tie them for the D2 baseball program record with their rival, Florida Southern.
The game can be streamed at NCAA.COM – 1:30 p.m.
Here’s what you need to know:
- Game Format: Unlike softball, which has a three-game championship series, DII baseball follows a double-elimination format. If Tampa wins the first game on Saturday, they’ll be crowned national champions since Angelo State already has one loss. However, if there’s a Game 2, it will start shortly after Game 1 ends.
- Stats Comparison:
- Tampa: Season record of 51-8, batting average of .318, OPS of .958, and 85 home runs.
- Angelo State: Season record of 44-20, batting average of .318, OPS of .940, and 48 home runs.
- Historical Context:
- Tampa is playing for their ninth national championship, aiming to tie Florida Southern for the most DII baseball titles.
- EJ Cumbo, a strong candidate for national player of the year, became DII’s all-time hits leader this season.
- Angelo State seeks to repeat as national champion, a feat not achieved since Tampa’s back-to-back wins in 2006-07.