The fight for college baseball’s biggest prize is down to a handful of contenders.
Once again, it will pack a strong punch when it comes to Chattanooga being represented.
The College World Series begins Friday in Omaha, Nebraska, and seven former stars of the area’s prep scene are spread across five of the eight teams that advanced to the event, which features two double-elimination brackets to set up a best-of-three title round that starts on June 22.
The Florida Gators have a pair of pitchers with area ties in Cade Fisher (Northwest Whitfield) and Grayson Smith (McCallie), the Virginia Cavaliers have two infielders from Baylor School in Henry Ford and Henry Godbout, and another former Red Raiders standout, Christian Moore, is now starring for the top-ranked Tennessee Volunteers. McCallie is also represented by Olin Johnson with the North Carolina Tar Heels, while Walker Valley’s Landon Franklin is on the roster for the Kentucky Wildcats.
Fisher, Godbout and Moore all competed in the CWS last year, when six Chattanooga-area products appeared on the big stage in Omaha.