FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas is hosting a regional for the third consecutive season, but this one doesn't feel a lot like the past two.
After hosting three teams from bordering states in 2017 and 2018, the Razorbacks host just one team from a bordering state this year - TCU from 360 miles away in Fort Worth, Texas.
The other visitors to Baum-Walker Stadium will be Central Connecticut and California, each from more than 1,400 miles away.
Arkansas will open the regional against Central Connecticut on Friday at 1 p.m. Cal and TCU will play the nightcap at 6 p.m.
Central Connecticut (30-21) made the tournament field by defeating Bryant 3-1 and 3-2 on consecutive days at the Northeast Conference Tournament in Norwich, Conn., about an hour away from the Blue Devils' home campus.
The other three teams in the field made it as an at-large selection. California (32-18) was fourth in the Pac-12. TCU (32-26) was tied for sixth in the Big 12.
Arkansas and TCU are old hats in the postseason, each having advanced to the College World Series at least four times in the past 10 seasons.
Cal made a run to the College World Series in 2011, one year after the school announced it would shut down the baseball program because of a lack of funding but later changed its mind. The Golden Bears have only made the postseason twice in the past eight seasons.
Central Connecticut is in the postseason for the sixth time under longtime coach Charlie Hickey. The Blue Devils are 0-10 all-time in NCAA Tournament games.
Here are five more things to know about this year's Fayetteville Regional field:
National Player of the Year
California first baseman Andrew Vaughn is the reigning winner of the Golden Spikes Award, presented by USA Baseball to the best amateur baseball player in the country.
Vaughn, a junior, is a semifinalist for this year's Golden Spikes Award and the Dick Howser Trophy, which is presented by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association to the best college baseball player.
Vaughn ranks third nationally with a .549 on-base percentage, is eighth with 58 walks, 14th with a .728 slugging percentage and is 23rd with a .387 batting average.
Vaughn also has hit 15 home runs and has 49 RBI. He fields his position with a .991 average.
Baseball America projects Vaughn to be the third overall pick in the upcoming MLB Draft.
Tournament Surprise
TCU was not in most projections to make the NCAA Tournament after the Horned Frogs were eliminated by Oklahoma State in the Big 12 Tournament semifinals Sunday.
TCU finished the regular season with an RPI of 59 and a strength of schedule of 45. The Horned Frogs were 11-13 and tied with Oklahoma for sixth place in the nine-team Big 12.
TCU made the tournament ahead of Oklahoma and Kansas, which had one more conference win than the Horned Frogs. TCU won a series against Kansas this season.
"I don't think too many out there thought TCU would get in," ESPN analyst Kyle Peterson said during the tournament selection show. "I'm not sure TCU thought TCU would get in."
TCU is one of five Big 12 teams in this year's tournament field. A Big 12 team has been sent to Fayetteville six times in the Razorbacks' eight home regionals.
Quality Left Handers
TCU brings two 6-6 starting left-handed pitchers to Fayetteville.
Juniors Nick Lodolo and Brandon Williamson, who have started 15 games apiece, are both projected by Baseball America to be drafted in the top three rounds of the upcoming MLB Draft. Lodolo is projected to be the eighth pick and Williamson is projected to go 87th.
Lodolo is 6-5 this season with a 2.48 ERA. Lodolo is 15th nationally in strikeout-to-walk ratio with 125 strikeouts and 21 walks in 98 innings.
Williamson is 4-5 with a 4.30 ERA in his first season of Division I baseball. He previously played two seasons at North Iowa Area Community College.
TCU will be without one of top right handers in Fayetteville. Freshman closer Marcelo Perez, who has five saves, was lost for the season because of a shoulder injury prior to the Big 12 Tournament.
Home Run Hitters
Arkansas, California and TCU are all in the top 50 nationally in home runs hit.
Cal is tied for ninth with 80 home runs, just ahead of Arkansas at 12th with 78. TCU is 48th nationally with 58 home runs.
Central Connecticut State is not a power team, with just 25 home runs in 51 games.
Because of warmer weather brought by favorable wind patterns, home runs have been prevalent in regionals played in Fayetteville the past two seasons, with 38 home runs hit in 13 games.
Arkansas, Missouri State, Oklahoma State and Oral Roberts combined to hit 14 home runs in seven games in 2017.
Arkansas, Southern Miss, Dallas Baptist and ORU combined to hit 24 home runs in six games last season.
One week later, the Razorbacks and South Carolina combined to hit 11 home runs during their three-game super regional in Fayetteville.
Common Opponents
Arkansas has played at least one common opponent with all three visiting teams in this year's Fayetteville Regional.
The Razorbacks and Central Connecticut both played Stony Brook. Arkansas swept Stony Brook in a three-game weekend series, while Central Connecticut lost to Stony Brook during a midweek game.
Arkansas and TCU have three common opponents: Vanderbilt, Texas A&M and Texas. The Horned Frogs defeated Vanderbilt during the first weekend of the season in Scottsdale, Ariz.,; lost a game to Texas A&M at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Baseball Classic in Houston in March; and won two of three games against Texas in March.
The TCU-Texas series came two days following the conclusion of Arkansas' midweek series against the Longhorns, which the Razorbacks split. Arkansas went 1-2 at Vanderbilt in April and 1-2 at Texas A&M earlier this month.
Arkansas and Cal have both played Southern Cal and LSU. The Razorbacks won two of three at USC in February, and took two of three from LSU at home earlier this month.
Cal lost both series 1-2 - at LSU and at home against USC in consecutive weekends in March.