Kansas City has an opportunity to gain ground on Cleveland in the American League Central Division race as the week concludes.

The Royals began a four-game series with Cleveland Thursday night at Kauffman Stadium. The divisional series will conclude Sunday.

Two SEC schools will soon slug it out for the national title in NCAA Division I baseball.

The University of Tennessee and Texas A & M University are slated to begin play in the best-of-three Men’s College World Series final Saturday at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Neb. Game 2 is slated for Sunday. Game 3, if needed, is scheduled for June 24.

Kansas City is slipping in the American League Central Division race.

After running a close second to Cleveland for a stretch of the Major League Baseball regular season, the Royals were third in the division entering Thursday’s interdivisional road meeting with Oakland. They also had gone 2-8 in their last 10 ballgames.

Kansas City manager Matt Quatraro and his Royals remain in contention in the American League Central Division, despite a recent 4-6 stretch.