The Bulldogs, led by the renowned “Thunder and Lightning” combo of Will Clark and Rafael Palmeiro, were loaded with MLB prospects. Despite a tremendous season, they were eliminated in the CWS semifinals—a historic squad that simply couldn’t finish the ride.
This Aggies team went an eye-popping 58-7 during the regular season, thanks to its blazing offense and pitching depth. However, a crushing regional loss to LSU ended their title ambitions early, leaving them as one of the most powerful teams to never reach Omaha.
The defending national champions rebounded strongly in 2004, thanks to a formidable pitching rotation. However, their title defense fell short in the Super Regionals. Despite excellent talent and high hopes, the Owls failed to return to the College World Series.
With assets like David Price, Vandy appeared to be the clear favorite as the top seed. Surprisingly, they were eliminated from the regionals by Michigan, in one of the most surprising upsets in collegiate baseball postseason history.
This UCLA squad possessed a powerful pitching trio that outperformed most opponents, propelling them to the CWS finals. However, South Carolina swept them in the title series, and UCLA’s wait for a national championship would go on for more years.
Oregon State entered Omaha with a 56-6 record and the strongest pitching staff in the nation. After dominating the early rounds, they were knocked out by LSU in the semifinals, leaving fans wondering how such a powerhouse did not win the championship.
The Arkansas Razorbacks were one out away from winning the national championship. A dropped foul pop-up in Game 2 revitalized Oregon State, and the Beavers went on to win Game 3. It is still one of the most painful moments in CWS history.
