The World Series is becoming old hat for former UT Arlington standout and San Francisco Giants right fielder Hunter Pence.

Pence is back in the Fall Classic for the second time in the last three years, as the Giants face the Kansas City Royals. Game 1 of the World Series is Tuesday night at Kauffman Stadium, with the first pitch scheduled 8:07 p.m. on FOX.

The Giants and Royals both took the long road to the World Series.

"That's the beauty of baseball at this time," Pence said after San Francisco clinched the National League pennant. "It's two teams that have gone through a lot to get here. The Wild Card brothers. It's pretty special to see what they've done and to be a part of what we're done, so it's exciting."

The Giants won the World Series in 2012 (with Pence) and 2010. The Royals hadn't been in the playoffs since winning the World Series in 1985.

"They're playing some great baseball, some passionate baseball," said Pence, an Arlington High School graduate and an emotional leader for the Giants.

The Game 1 pitching matchup features San Francisco's Madison Bumgarner against Kansas City's James Shields.

"From all the games I've faced Shields, I remember he's got good pitches," Pence said. "He has a good changeup, got a cutter, got a curveball, slider, he's got a lot of good pitches."

Pence became the highest draftee in UTA history at the time when he taken 64th overall (second round) by the Houston Astros in 2004. Pence made his MLB debut with Houston in 2007 and was traded to San Francisco (from Philadelphia) in 2012.

Pence closed his two-year UTA career as the 2004 Southland Conference Player and Hitter of the Year after hitting .395 with eight doubles, five triples, eight home runs, 35 RBI and a .616 slugging percentage.