This was the last CWS to use a double-elimination format through the championship game….for under the format used from 1950 through 1987….the bracket was often adjusted after the field was pared to four teams in order to avoid rematches from earlier rounds. Starting in 1988 and continuing through 2002….the eight teams were divided into two four-team brackets, with the bracket winners meeting in a single championship game. In 2003, the single championship game was changed to a best-of-three series.
This game between Texas and Arkansas was a winner’s bracket 1st round game….as Longhorn coach Cliff Gustafson led his team against an arch-rival from the Southwest Conference in facing coach Norm DeBriyn’s Arkansas Razorbacks….as these two teams were more than familiar with each other after having played each other four time in the SWC season and one time in the SWC Tournament.
This game was fairly close until the 5th inning when Arkansas had the lead at 6 – 5….but in the top of the 6th and 7th inning….the Horns would break-out with 4 runs in each top half of the inning to take a 13 – 6 lead….as both teams would go scoreless in the 8th and 9th innings as seen in this video herewith.
