The Associated Press

OMAHA, Neb. - Jason Windsor knows the Cal State Fullerton team that lost twice to Texas in March is nothing like the one the Longhorns will face in the College World Series finale.

Texas beat the Titans' top two pitchers, Windsor and Ricky Romero, at a time when Fullerton was mired in a 15-16 start.

Fullerton's 4-0 victory over South Carolina Thursday marked the Titans' 30th victory in 36 games.

"There isn't anything about us that is even similar to what we were back then," Windsor said. "A complete 180."

The best-of-three championship series begins today.

The top-seeded Longhorns (58-13), playing for their second national championship in three years, advanced Wednesday with a 7-6 victory over Georgia.

Windsor, who has pitched 12 innings of shutout ball in the CWS, is a microcosm of the Titans' improvement. He has won 11 consecutive starts after opening the season 1-4.

The final series will pit Texas coach Augie Garrido against his old team and former top assistant, George Horton.

Garrido won 931 games and three national championships in two stints totaling 21 seasons at Fullerton.

Since taking over at Fullerton after Garrido left eight years ago, Horton has guided the Titans to four College World Series.

"With Coach Garrido and Coach Horton and their relationship over the years, there aren't going to be too many secrets," South Carolina coach Ray Tanner said. "I would not make a prediction, but I'll be watching. I expect it to be exciting baseball."

Horton's team was on the brink of reaching the championship round last season after a 2-0 start, but the Titans were eliminated with two losses to Stanford.

Thursday, Scott Sarver pitched five-hit ball over six-plus innings, and Windsor finished to lead the Titans (45-22) to the finals for the first time since the 1995 team won the title.

Sarver was brilliant in only his second start of the season. He (3-2) struck out seven and walked two.

Windsor, who earned his first career save, limited the Gamecocks to three hits and struck out the side in the ninth.

Fullerton became the first team since Pepperdine in 1992 to record two shutouts in the same Series and the first since California in 1957 to shut out the same opponent twice.

The Gamecocks became the first team to be shut out twice in the same CWS since Fullerton in 1982.