SEC rivals to meet for CWS title

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) Florida and South Carolina don’t immediately come to mind when conversation shifts to Southeastern Conference rivalries unless you’re talking about baseball. The Gators (53-17) and defending national champion Gamecocks (53-14) will play their biggest series to date when they meet in the College World Series finals beginning Monday. Last year, the Gators traveled to Columbia, S.C., the final weekend of the regular season and won two of three to edge out the Gamecocks for the SEC title. Three months ago, South Carolina went to Florida and won two of three, and the teams ended up in a three-way tie with Vanderbilt for best record in the league. Florida will start Hudson Randall (11-3) against South Carolina’s Forrest Koumas (6-1) in Game 1 of the best-of-three series.