My experience of the college World Series is one that I will never forget and will hopefully not be my last. When I got married I knew I married into a crazy baseball fan family. My husband and his dad of course being the worst. Well that was fine since I really did not hate the sport. I gladly became a baseball fan by marriage and have enjoyed the things I have learned over the past few years.
Since my husband was a little boy all he wanted to do was go to the College World Series in Omaha Nebraska. I am sure as a young kid that desire was to play in it, but as he got older it changed to going to watch the games. With that in mind, him and a friend decided to see if they could get tickets. Tickets are very hard to get and they usually see out with in 15 minutes of going on sale. They were lucky enough to score some tickets and decided to sell what they did not need and buy the tickets they needed from other people selling tickets. This went on for about a month and they finally ended up with tickets for both of them to the first 4 sessions.
Well I guess that was not enough. They wanted to come back, on our way back from a week in Minnesota to catch the first game of the championship series. So my husband got up early went to the Mall of America and purchased tickets for the three of us. Oh boy wasn’t I excited (sense the sarcasm) I could have cared less about going to the College World Series but I knew it meant a lot to my husband and it would be fine.
So it’s the Saturday of the big game. We arrive in Omaha pretty early that day and begin to check out T-shirt stands and buy our souvenirs. We all got shirts and a few hats and so gifts for other people. About an hour before the game started we checked out the ESPN Zone which is pretty close to the front gate, we walked around there for a little while and when the gates opened we headed in. Now being the not huge fan that I am I was not really routing for any team and really had no clue who was even playing (if I am being honest). So of course after being briefed and informed of all the useful info I needed for the game. I was able to choose a team to go for. I actually got excited for the game once I heard the story about the two teams playing. I know that sounds stupid and you are probably thinking I just jumped on the bandwagon, but you have to start some where to become a fan and I got pumped up when I thought about who I would really like to see win.
I mentioned in the overview briefly about the two teams. Oregon State and North Carolina were the two teams playing and neither had won a college world series before. Oregon was making only its second appearance ever in the schools history and that part of the country is not really know for baseball. When I watched a few of the first round games Oregon lost pretty bad to some top schools who have been contenders in the past of the championship. This left Oregon in a bind, having to come back and win almost every game and every match up to make the finals. North Carolina came in with a strong team and pretty much beat every one they played they did not loose a round. Matching these two teams against each other in the championship round.
Well it would be clear to any one who the winner would and should be but that was only the beginning. I choose to cheer for the underdog, and I liked the orange and black beaver thing better than that Carolina blue. So that was the team for me. This first game that we went to was an incredible game. Both teams played extraordinary and in the last inning Carolina took the lead and won the game. A little disappointing but nevertheless a great game. The next match up would put the pressure on Oregon State. Well that was no problem for them they took the game easily that time and then we were on to another game. By now I am on the edge of my seat and a fan for sure. Getting into the intense match up between two schools that are obviously great teams and both wanting to win more than anything.
In the end Oregon State went on to win their first College World Series Title a game I will never forget. The intensity and the pressure that was involved, the heart and hard work these boys must have had to endure paid off in a victory. So it seems my fan ship was not a total lose and I am so excited for next years College World Series. I think this is much more exciting than anything else I have ever experiences sports wise. I will never forget it and am glad my husband drug me to the game.
"Eight Teams, One Dream"