In a press release issued earlier this week, ESPN gave details on several notable production elements they will be utilizing during the College World Series, including:
The second year of Tourney Track, a device that has been tracking run probabilities in key situations for the entire three-week tournament (e.g. - percentage of times teams were able to get out of a bases loaded and no outs situation without giving up a run) will now feature the addition of Win Probability which will track the probability of one team defeating another as the game unfolds. Win Probability is predicated on the supposition that before a game begins two teams facing each other have an equal chance of winning and that is altered with each subsequent occurrence of the game.
Also similar to ESPN's Major League Baseball coverage, ESPN and ESPN2 will utilize an on-field handheld camera on College World Series telecasts for the second year. The handheld camera will bring viewers closer to the action with in-game live shots of home run celebrations, head coaches' trips to the mound, batters in the on-deck circle and more.
Every umpire will wear a microphone for live and short turn-around audio, capturing the sounds of the game from all angles on the field.
Dead Center camera, a centerfield camera placed directly in line with the pitcher and catcher at an elevated height that allows viewers to see directly over the pitcher's head and provide a true depiction of pitch location, will be utilized for the seventh straight year.
Cardinal fans hoping to catch a glimpse of Erin Andrews will have to hope for a win because she won't be on until the prime time games on Saturday and Sunday. The trio of Gary Thorne, Robin Ventura and reporter Rob Simmelkjaer have the call for this afternoon's game.