On to Omaha

The 2011 college baseball season reaches its zenith, with a new ballpark awaiting for the latest edition of the College World Series.

After a wild weekend plus an extra day of Super Regional play, the 2011 College World Series field is set.

The SEC will be well-represented, as the three powers from the East Division have punched through – Vanderbilt for the first time in program history. South Carolina takes aim at repeating as champions while a loaded Florida team tries to climb to th emountain top for the first time in program history.

The ACC’s 55-year drought could end if top-ranked and No. 1 CWS seed Virginia North Carolina can continue their postseason runs. Virginia advanced with a miraculous ninth-inning rally, scoring two runs after being down to its final out against UC Irvine – reminiscent of the LSU-Rice game in Omaha in 2008.

The Big 12 Conference is also prominent, with regular-season co-champions Texas and Texas A&M in the field.

California carries the Pac-10 banner to Omaha in a season when the program was nearly euthanized. The Bears’ appearance will be the final competition by the soon-to-be defunct league, which evolves into the Pac-12 in the fall with the addition of Utah and Colorado.

This year, Scout.com will be there in Omaha for every pitch as the CWS launches a new era in sparkling TD Ameritrade Park. We’ll provide wall-to-wall coverage at Scout.com as well as on the sites of the teams involved.

Check us out as we embark on a new adventure, along with the eight teams still plugging along with their eyes on the prize.

2011 College World Series
At TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha
Opening round
Saturday
Game 1: Florida (49-17) vs. Texas (50-16), 1 p.m.
Game 2: Vanderbilt (52-10) vs. North Carolina (49-14), 6 p.m.
Sunday
Game 3: Virginia (52-10) vs. California (38-21), 1 p.m.
Game 4: Texas A&M (47-20) vs. South Carolina (50-14), 6 p.m.