NCAA College Baseball – Final Draw Before the Men’s World Series
The NCAA Men’s Division Baseball is getting so close to deciding the 2026 champions, surrounded by two suspenseful knockout matches. North Carolina will face West Virginia once again, and Oklahoma will face Georgia again. Ultimately, this second round knockout will send two teams to the Men’s College World Series. Previously, North Carolina beat West Virginia 5-2, and Oklahoma beat Georgia closely 4-3. The tables might turn this time, but uncertainty still lingers. Let’s see the schedule and expert predictions below.
North Carolina had a rough road to the top, starting with moderate expectations. With a series of wins, North Carolina took over the Chapel Hill Regionals. Driven by Owen Hull and Jason DeCaro, North Carolina excelled in the batting position. Leading nearly in every category, they managed to get past some of the best college teams. Appearing for the 13th time, North Carolina captured the big stage and is awaiting their fate at the Men’s World Series.
West Virginia
West Virginia’s historic run in the 2026 campaign was spearheaded by Maxx Yehl and Chansen Cole’s pitching brilliance. Besides, Armani Guzman and Tyrus Hall’s efforts drove the team towards the NCAA College Baseball’s Men’s World Series. They beat Troy twice and are facing North Carolina for the second time to secure a chance in the finals.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma captured the NCAA Atlanta Regional and beat the Big 12 champions, the Kansas Jayhawks. After that, they entered the regional bracket and ultimately eliminated Georgia Tech. After that, they beat the 7th-ranked Alabama and Georgia successively.
Georgia
The 3rd-ranked Georgia reached the 2026 Men’s College World Series by sweeping the SEC regular-season. For the Road to Omaha, they beat Texas 7-1. However, they lost narrowly to Oklahoma 4-3. When they faced Texas the second time, they eliminated the team with Dylan Vigue and Justin Byrd’s tight pitching.
North Carolina vs West Virginia – Prediction
North Carolina Expected Squad
Player
Position
Jake Schaffner
Shortstop (SS)
Gavin Gallaher
Second Base (2B)
Owen Hull
Center Field (CF)
Mason Winslow
Designated Hitter (DH)
Erik Paulsen
First Base (1B)
Cooper Nicholson
Third Base (3B)
Tyler Howe
Left Field (LF)
Colin Hynek
Catcher (C)
Carter French
Right Field (RF)
Ryan Lynch
Starting Pitcher (RHP)
West Virginia Expected Squad
Player
Position
Armani Guzman
Right Field (RF/1B)
Gavin Kelly
Second Base (2B/C)
Paul Schoenfeld
Center Field (CF)
Sean Smith
Designated Hitter (DH)
Matthew Graveline
Catcher (C/LF)
Matt Ineich
Shortstop (SS)
Brodie Kresser
First Base (1B/2B)
Ben Lumsden
Left Field (LF/RF)
Tyrus Hall
Third Base (3B)
Maxx Yehl / Dawson Montesa
Starting Pitcher (LHP/RHP)
Previous Games Highlights
West Virginia vs North Carolina
North Carolina beat West Virginia and moved to the second elimination round in the NCAA Men’s College World Series. They opened the innings at Charles Schwab Field and built a quick 2-0 lead. West Virginia’s defense kept things tight until it turned into batting. Armani Guzman scored an RBI single in the third inning and tied the game in the fourth inning, 2-2. The tie broke when Gavin Gallaher gained a clutch score with a two-run triple to deep right-center field. Owen Hull added another RBI single and sent the game straight to a win. West Virginia threatened with two runners on base in the final frame. But Caden Glauber saved the moment with his back-to-back strikeouts.
West Virginia vs Troy
West Virginia nullified Troy 12-0 in a dominant performance at Charles Schwab Field. They advanced to the 2026 Men’s College World Series semifinals with this electrifying 12-run affair. They had an early lead when Matthew Graveline hit an RBI double. They broke out the scoring threshold in the sixth inning when Gavin Kelly hit three homers. Ben Lumsden gave another explosive performance, making the target completely out of reach for the opponents. Similarly, West Virginia’s pitching was flawless, never allowing a single run to Troy. Starter Dawson Montesa kept the Troys off balance for a long time. Ultimately, they eliminated Troy from the game.
Prediction
North Carolina is favored to win over West Virginia in the upcoming NCAA Men’s World Series double-elimination round. West Virginia enters this rematch with solid momentum to secure a spot in the finals. While they come after eliminating Troy 12-0, North Carolina has a strategic advantage. Having already beaten West Virginia, North Carolina enters with a well-rested bullpen. Although West Virginia’s potent attacking side will perform fiercely to avoid a loss, North Carolina’s defensive consistency will prevail. Coupled with their elite pitching depth, North Carolina is expected to restrict West Virginia in this Men’s World Series clash.
Pick: North Carolina.
Oklahoma vs Georgia – Prediction
Oklahoma Expected Squad
Player
Position
Nick Wesloski
Starting Pitcher (RHP)
Jackson Cleveland
Relief Pitcher / Closer (RHP)
Jason Walk
Left Field (LF)
Camden Johnson
Third Base (3B)
Deiten Lachance
Designated Hitter (DH)
Jaxon Willits
Shortstop (SS)
Dayton Tockey
Right Field (RF)
Brendan Brock
Center Field (CF)
Kyle Branch
Second Base (2B)
Georgia Expected Squad
Player
Position
Dylan Vigue
Starting Pitcher (RHP)
Justin Byrd
Relief Pitcher (RHP)
Ryan Wynn
Left Field (LF)
Kolby Branch
Shortstop (SS)
Daniel Jackson
Catcher (C) / Outfield (OF)
Tre Phelps
Third Base (3B)
Brennan Hudson
First Base (1B)
Kenny Ishikawa
Center Field (CF) / Outfield (OF)
Rylan Lujo
Second Base (2B) / Infield (INF)
Previous Games Highlights
Oklahoma vs Georgia
Oklahoma had already beaten Georgia in a 4-3 close contest. They gained early control and utilized their aggressive baserunning and clutch hitting. They quickly earned a three-run lead. Georgia’s strong offense was mostly held back, but it bagged hits when needed the most. They relied solely on individual power to escape a terrible loss, but failed. Kenny Ishikawa, Brennan Hudson, and Daniel Jackson gave considerable efforts, but Oklahoma’s pitcher, Xander Mercurius, never allowed Georgia to score any more. Oklahoma protected its lead late to advance directly into the semifinals.
Georgia vs Texas
After losing to Oklahoma, Georgia bounced back with a 2-0 win over Texas and knocked them out. In the second elimination round of the Men’s World Series, Georgia blew away Texas’s hopes, restricting their chances. They completely froze Texas’s offense and secured a comfortable win. Justin Byrd closed the game flawlessly and earned a comfortable win.
Prediction
Georgia is expected to bounce back from the loss and beat Oklahoma, and move on to the finals. Although Oklahoma had already won earlier, Georgia has renewed momentum. Georgia tends to perform well under pressure. They delivered a strong defensive game against Texas recently. The same defensive force is expected in the upcoming Men’s World Series clash. Georgia will adjust their approach, giving it the winning chance this time.