College baseball, from Friday night aces to the road to Omaha

College baseball has a rhythm all its own. Weekend series usually open with the ace on Friday night, the bleachers fill with students, alumni and parents who drove four hours to watch one at-bat, and the sound of the bat tells you right away you're not at a pro game.

Then June arrives and the whole thing turns into a bracket. Regionals, super regionals and, for eight teams, the Men's College World Series in Omaha. A lot of fans plan a trip there once. Plenty end up going back every year.

Our college baseball coverage is written for the people in the stands. That means campus ballpark guides, what to know about tickets and parking on a busy postseason weekend, tailgating customs that differ a lot from one conference to the next, and the stories of players and programs worth knowing. We stay away from recruiting gossip about teenagers. A kid committing to a school is his family's news to share, not ours to chase.