Without question two of the most intriguing teams remaining in the 2012 College World Series, the Kent State Golden Flashes and South Carolina Gamecocks will clash on Wednesday night for an all-important elimination game.
One of college baseball's dominant forces lately, South Carolina's 22-game postseason win streak came to an abrupt halt against Arkansas over the weekend, forcing USC into its first must-win situation in two years. Polar opposites as the resident Cinderella of the field, the Golden Flashes will be looking to oust their 3rd SEC opponent of the tournament if they can pull off yet another upset after already having dispensed of Florida and Kentucky.
With so much media focus on the game, South Carolina coach Ray Tanner is well aware of Kent State's propensity to leave elite-caliber squads scratching their heads. "They're very good," Tanner said. "I got a chance to watch them in the Super Regional against Oregon. They had a hard-fought game [Sunday] and they were able to hang on and win."
The two teams will get underway at 8:00 p.m ET on Wednesday with a trip to college baseball's version of the Final Four on the line. The game can be seen on television at ESPN or online through the Watch ESPN app.
Read more about the College World Series and Kent State's quest for a national championship at our StoryStream and SB Nation Cleveland.