Starting tomorrow, the Beavers face North Carolina as they try to become the first repeat champion at the College World Series since LSU in 1996-97.

"I don't know what the odds were for us three weeks ago," said OSU coach Pat Casey. "But we wanted to get better, and the players stayed with it. I was able to make sure they understood I felt confident we were going to turn this thing around."

With a berth in the 64-team field in the balance, Oregon State won two of three games at UCLA to end the regular season. Once in the tournament, the Beavers have grown sharper at every stage:

Sent to the regional in Charlottesville, Va., Oregon State staved off three elimination games—- two against host Virginia — to advance to the super regionals at home against a Michigan team that eliminated No. 1 national seed Vanderbilt.

The Beavers had been no-hit with two outs in the ninth of their super regional opener against Michigan before winning 1-0. They went on to sweep that series.

After having to claw out of the loser's bracket in Omaha a year ago, Oregon State rolled past Cal State Fullerton, Arizona State and UC Irvine to reach this year's finals rested and unscathed.

"We knew we were in a funk," said shortstop Darwin Barney of the tailspin in May. "But that's part of baseball. It was about defining the kind of team you are, finding your identity.

"Last year it took something else, some special energy, some special players for us to win. This year I think all 25 of us truly believe we can make it happen."

Following the lead of pitchers Jorge Reyes, Mike Stutes and Daniel Turpen, the Beavers have allowed more than three runs in only two of 10 NCAA tournament games. Barney, one of only two returning position players from 2006, has keyed a defense that has made a string of run-saving plays. A team that hit .284 in the regular season is batting .333 and producing more than seven runs a game in Omaha.

"They're really clicking," UC-Irvine coach Dave Serrano said after his Anteaters were eliminated Wednesday by the Beavers. "They'll get some rest now. Their arms will be ready. They're going to be tough to beat."

Oregon State has remained focused despite leading hitter Mike Lissman's guilty plea last month to misdemeanor theft after he and his mother were charged with stealing money from the bank account of an 85-year-old relative.

Lissman is on probation, must make $8,000 in restitution to his great-uncle and complete 400 hours' community service. OSU chose to not suspend Lissman, who is hitting .455 with two home runs in Omaha. Lissman and Casey have declined to comment on the issue at the CWS.

Along with the skills that made him a fourth-round pick of the Chicago Cubs this month, Barney's ebullient personality has kept the Beavers on point.

"I think Darwin has a lot to do with how we've played," Casey said. "His leadership has been fantastic with our younger players."

Avoiding the grind of advancing through the loser's bracket has left Oregon State rested and ready.

"It's like night and day," Barney said of the difference. "Last year was such a battle every day. You pack up your bags, go to the ballpark, you don't know if you're coming home or not. You sleep as little as possible because you're worrying about tomorrow."

Can Oregon State complete its turnaround from that lost weekend in May against Arizona State?

"We don't feel we've accomplished anything yet," Barney said. "But we're deep, we can pitch, we defend very well and when our bats are there we're very tough to beat.