College World Series 2018: Wednesday Winners, Scores, Bracket Results

The 2018 College World Series returned to action on Wednesday, and while rain once again made an appearance, baseball was able to be played in Omaha, Nebraska. 

The first game of the day pitted two teams that won their respective College World Series openers, Arkansas and Texas Tech. The second matchup between Oregon State and North Carolina will feature drama as the two squads battled to avoid elimination.

Below is look at Wednesday's action.

2018 College World Series Schedule: June 20 

Arkansas 7, Texas Tech 4

Oregon State 11, North Carolina 6

Arkansas 7, Texas Tech 4

Mother Nature kept making Arkansas and Texas Tech wait to finally square off, but when they did, the Razorbacks bats were more than ready.

After being postponed Tuesday night and enduring a lengthy rain delay to start Wednesday, Arkansas wasted no time in getting to Tech starter Davis Martin. A leadoff single followed by a double gave the Razorbacks a threat right out of the gate, but after a pair of strikeouts, it appeared as though Martin might wiggle out of trouble.

Unfortunately for the Red Raiders, the defense let the team down:

From 0-0 to 2-0 in the blink of an eye.

Arkansas wasn't done, though. First baseman Jared Gates made it a three-run game with a solo shot to lead off the second: 

While he lucked out on his two-run double in the first, Dominic Fletcher extended the lead by handling business on his own with a no-doubter in the fourth following a nine-pitch battle:

Martin was chased from the game in the fourth, allowing five runs on six hits and one walk in 3.2 innings.

Meanwhile, Arkansas starter Kacey Murphy was in cruise control early on. He held Texas Tech scoreless through the first four frames and allowed just two runs on two hits in 4.2 innings, striking out seven.

While the Red Raiders had to be thrilled to get Murphy out of the game, Razorbacks reliever Barrett Loseke was just as good, if not better. He allowed just two hits in three innings while collecting five whiffs. Tech attempted to mount a rally in the bottom of the ninth against Arkansas southpaw Matt Cronin but came up short.

Fletcher was the star at the plate for Arkansas, falling a triple short of the cycle while going 4-for-4 with four RBI.

Arkansas is now just one win away from the College World Series final while Texas Tech must now try to stave off elimination against the defending champs, the Florida Gators, on Thursday.

Oregon State 11, North Carolina 6

North Carolina defeated Oregon State, 8-6, in its College World Series opener on Saturday, but the Beavers got their revenge with everything on the line.

The Beavers jumped all over Tar Heels starter Cooper Criswell with solo shots from shortstop Cadyn Grenier and catcher Adley Rutschman in the top of the first:

Oregon State added to its lead with a Grenier single and a two-out double by Minnesota Twins first-round pick Trevor Larnach. With the season on the line, Criswell's day was done after allowing three runs on four in just 2.2 innings of work.

Fortunately for Criswell, his teammates had his back. For the second straight game, North Carolina chased Oregon State starter Luke Heimlich in the third inning. The Tar Heels drew even by using three hits and an error in the bottom of the inning.

Carolina grabbed its first lead of the game in the bottom of the fifth. Once again, the Tar Heels took advantage of a Beavers error, scoring the go-ahead run on a single by shortstop Ike Freeman:

After catching another break on a Beavers misplay, the Tar Heels got some breathing room when third baseman Kyle Datres hit the left-field foul pole to make it a 6-3 game:

As good as left-hander Caden O'Brien (4.1 innings, two hits, one run) pitched for North Carolina, Oregon State managed to tie the game with a three-run rally against three Tar Heels pitchers. Rutschman came through in the clutch with a bases-clearing double off right-hander Brett Daniels:

That was followed by three consecutive walks (one intentional) to force in the go-ahead run.

Oregon State tacked on insurance runs in the ninth, with the help of a two-run blast by designated hitter Tyler Malone:

In the span of two innings, the Beavers turned a 6-3 hole into a 11-6 victory to save their season.

While North Carolina's season comes to an end, Oregon State stays alive and will face Mississippi State on Friday. The Beavers must beat the twice in a row to advance to the College World Series final.