Florida takes Game 1 in a CWS battle of familiar foes

OMAHA, Neb. -- There are no secrets in these College World Series finals.

Before LSU and Florida squared off at TD Ameritrade Park to settle the SEC championship -- they shared the regular-season title -- Paul Mainieri, 11th-year coach of the Tigers, said of Kevin O'Sullivan, the Gators' 10th-year coach, "He'll be the first to know as soon as I decide" on a starting pitcher for the opening game Monday of the CWS championship series.

LSU and Florida know each other so well, no point exists in trying to hide anything. After all, such a ploy -- as a few Tigers perceived it, anyway -- on Saturday by Oregon State in announcing one pitcher and starting another, served only to anger LSU players.

So let it all hang out. And both teams did just that Monday night in the Gators' 4-3 victory in Game 1 of the best-of-three series for the national title.

Read more: http://www.espn.com/college-sports/story/_/id/19745930/florida-gators-take-game-1-college-world-series-battle-familiar-foes