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College  | Story  | 3/10/2016

Weekend Preview: Week 4

Patrick Ebert      Jheremy Brown      Andrew Krause      Mike Rooney     
Photo: Eric Evans/GoDucks.com




Perfect Game Top 25 | National Notebook | Perfect Game College Baseball on SiriusXM College Sports

This weekend marks the beginning of ACC play, with several key series both in and outside of the conference that could have huge ramifications when the Top 25 rankings are updated come Monday. Plenty of teams are off to hot starts across the country, and while the level of competition has made it hard to determine just how seriously to take those programs, this weekend provides several key tests that should help shed some light.

The two big marquee matchups (as detailed below) see No. 7 Oregon traveling to No. 21 Mississppi State and No. 25 Texas Tech playing No. 11 Cal in Berkeley. Fresno State, Georgia Tech and Alabama all face stout tests in the form of Texas A&M, Florida State and Houston respectively to determine if they deserve to also be ranked among the Top 25.

LakePoint will once again play host to numerous notable Division I contest as part of the Spring Swing as Nebraska-Omaha returns for the third time this year and will be joined by Iowa, Bowling Green, Presbyterian, Seton Hall and Savannah State.

Stay tuned to Perfect Game throughout the weekend as Andrew Krause will be in Louisville, Ky. as the No. 5 Cardinals host Notre Dame to open ACC play.


Top 25 in Action
Rk. Team Opponent Location
1 Florida home vs. Harvard Gainesville, FL
2 Vanderbilt home vs. Xavier Nashville, TN
3 Texas A&M home vs. Fresno State College Station, TX
4 Oregon State home vs. San Francisco Corvallis, OR
5 Louisville home vs. Notre Dame Louisville, KY
6 Louisiana State home vs. Ball State Baton Rouge, LA
7 Oregon at No. 21 Mississippi State Starkville, MS
8 Texas Christian home vs. Southern California Fort Worth, TX
9 North Carolina home vs. Pittsburgh Chapel Hill, NC
10 NC State home vs. Boston College Raleigh, NC
11 California home vs. No. 25 Texas Tech Berkeley, CA
12 Miami at Virginia Tech Blacksburg, VA
13 Mississippi home vs. Grambling State Oxford, MS
14 Virginia at Duke Durham, NC
15 Florida State home vs. Georgia Tech Tallahassee, FL
16 UCLA home vs. Texas Los Angeles, CA
17 Louisiana at Troy Troy, AL
18 Arkansas home vs. Western Illinois Fayetteville, AR
19 Missouri home vs. Youngstown State Columbia, MO
20 Houston at Alabama Tuscaloosa, AL
21 Mississippi State home vs. No. 7 Oregon Starkville, MS
22 Coastal Carolina Coastal Carolina Invitational (Illinois, UNC Greensboro) Conway, SC
23 Oklahoma State home vs. Abilene Christian Stillwater, OK
24 Michigan at Hawaii Honolulu, HI
25 Texas Tech at No. 11 California Berkeley, CA



Marquee Matchup #1

No. 7 Oregon at No. 21 Mississippi State

Oregon makes the long trek from the Northwest to the Deep South as they roll in to Starkville in one of the most anticipated series of the weekend and the season up to this point. A Pac-12/SEC showdown is always one to behold and this series should be no different as both programs find themselves ranked within the Perfect Game Top 25.

The seventh-ranked Oregon Ducks play a Thursday evening game against Alabama to get tuned up for the weekend, and they currently sit at 8-2 overall, with both of their losses coming by just one-run margins. Their most recent loss came this past weekend at the hands of UC Santa Barbara in a thrilling 14-inning game that ended with a 1-0 score.
Cole Irvin (Eric Evans/GoDucks.com)
Oregon has been able to rack up the wins thanks in large part to their outstanding trio of southpaw starters. David Peterson, Matt Krook and Cole Irvin have absolutely shut down opposing lineups, with all three boasting more strikeouts than innings pitched and Irvin owning a ridiculous 27-to-2 strikeout-to-walk rate through three starts. Krook, who like Irvin is draft-eligible this June, may have the best overall stuff (26 strikeouts in 17 innings) and he was especially sharp last weekend when he struck out 12 and walked just two in six innings.

Mississippi State has also performed well this season and after a 1-1-1 showing at the Dodger Stadium Classic last weekend, the Bulldogs will be aiming to win a series against their toughest competition to date.

Dakota Hudson has been as advertised (1-1, 1.50 ERA) after a sizzling summer in the Cape Cod League, and the junior righty has been an effective anchor for the starting rotation. Other pitchers will have to be on their game this weekend, as Daniel Brown and Austin Sexton have flashed at times this spring but been a bit inconsistent. Veteran Vance Tatum has been extremely effective out of the bullpen, and he should continue to provide valuable innings this weekend.

The true battle of course will be between the respective pitching staffs and the opposing lineups. While Oregon garners the advantage in the starting pitching department, a number of their position players have struggled to establish themselves as consistent threats in this early part of the season. Catcher Tim Susnara is the only Duck hitting over .300, and while others like Phil Craig-St. Louis and A.J. Balta have flashed in-game power, the results will have to start coming sooner rather than later because it is hard to see a pitching staff—even one as talented as Oregon’s—maintaining such a dominant level of production.

On the flip side of things, the Mississippi State offense has been on a roll, with six regulars hitting over .300 and Jack Kruger particularly hot (.479, 3 home runs, 9 doubles). They’ve faced some quality starters—namely UCLA’s Griffin Canning—but the Bulldogs will be up against some stiff competition this weekend with all three Oregon starters owning Friday night level stuff and polish. This weekend should certainly provide some context as to where both teams stand heading into conference play and be an interesting case study in the timeless ‘pitching vs. offense’ debate.


Marquee Matchup #2

No. 25 Texas Tech at No. 11 California

This is a great matchup of two sure-fire Regional teams. In fact, this series has Regional final written all over it. The best part is that both of these coaches have challenged their teams with difficult early season slates and that will culminate with this final pre-conference test.
Daulton Jefferies (Coastal Carolina Athletics)
Cal carries big momentum as they return home from a loud four-game sweep of Texas in Austin. Early reports on this club are very strong and many have commented that Cal is built for an Omaha run. The Golden Bears defend at a high level, especially in the middle of the field, and their overall team speed puts a ton of pressure on opposing defenses.

The lineup is sneaky good, led by veterans like Brenden Farney and Nick Halamandaris who are more offensive in person than the scouting report might indicate. Skipper David Esquer has a multitude of lefthanded hitters so this group can create matchup problems as well.

Cal's starting pitching has been as advertised even though there isn't any outrageous stuff there outside of Daulton Jefferies. Closer Erik Martinez has been the biggest development thus far and he has been unhittable at times.

Two things about Texas Tech that jump out at you are the depth of this lineup and the vast experience of this group as a whole. The Red Raiders are hitting .296 as a team and it's likely that seven or eight of these hitters will finish the year with 15 or more doubles.

While this is a talented pitching staff, and Ray Heyward is one of the nation's best pitching coaches, this is an area of slight concern right now. Friday night arm Ryan Moseley has a plus-plus sinker but below average command and consistency have led to spotty results.

Most importantly though, Tech plays with an edge that you would expect from a Tim Tadlock team. The position player group is a special one and they could very well carry this team until the pitching staff settles into their eventual roles. Come to think of it, this may be more a Super Regional matchup.


Mound Matchup

James Karinchak (Bryant) vs. Michael Shawaryn (Maryland)
James Kanrinchak (Bob Ellis)
With spring rolling in full force throughout the Northeast at the beginning of March, the stage is set for what is arguably the best pitching matchup the East Coast has to offer this spring and gives scouts and fans alike a look at an early round selection for each of the next two drafts. Maryland’s Michael Shawaryn and Bryant’s James Karinchak have put their high level stuff on display early this spring and each are vital pieces for their team’s long-term success.

Just as he’s done throughout his career, the Terrapin’s Michael Shawaryn will take the ball Friday afternoon at Turtle Smith Stadium and looks to rebound off his start prior against the University of Tennessee. Strongly built at 6-foot-3, 211-pounds, Shawaryn has shown the same type of high-level stuff just as he did last spring, working 90-94 mph with his fastball early in 2016 with the same late and heavy life.  When he’s on Shawaryn has proved he’s more than difficult to square up as evidenced by the eight-inning gem he spun against Rhode Island in which he surrendered just a hit while striking out eight and needed just 91 pitches to do so. His changeup and slider are both quality off-speed offerings when all three are working he’s as difficult of an arm to face as any in the country, allowing him to carry the ball deep into the game on Friday nights.

James Karinchak has picked up exactly where he left off last season winning the Northeast Conference Pitcher of the Week award each of the first two weekends and rightfully so with the performances he’s turned in. Over three starts the Bulldog’s projectable 6-foot-2 ace is 3-0 over 18 innings and a miniscule 1.00 ERA while averaging 13 strikeouts per nine innings with just five walks. Gaining helium and national attention with nearly every pitch that leaves the righthander’s hand, Karinchak has worked in the 91-94 mph range deep into outings early this spring, which included a six-inning start against San Diego State on the West Coast. Along with the premium fastball Karinchak offers a late-biting curveball and quality mid-80s changeup and he’ll need the full arsenal to work through a talented Maryland lineup that’s already combined for 11 home runs.


National Notes

While the rankings this past week didn't have many significant changes, with no teams leaving or entering the Top 25, this week we expect to see a lot more turnover. Several teams that have been performing at a high level but haven't had a signature win to this point will face significant challenges, while a few other teams that have been scratching and clawing to remain among those ranked will have an opportunity to right the ship.

Fresno State at No. 3 Texas A&M: Since winning the National Championship in 2008 Fresno State has made three Regional appearances, but they haven’t made the postseason since moving from the WAC to the Mountain West Conference. However, this year they’re off to a red-hot 11-2 start, and both of their losses came in their last two games against San Diego State on Sunday and Long Beach State on Monday. They face their biggest test of the season this weekend in College Station against third-ranked Texas A&M.

The Bulldogs  pitching has carried them thus far, with a cumulative team ERA of 1.78. All four of their starters – Edgar Gonzalez, Jimmy Lambert, Anthony Arias and Ricky Tyler Thomas – have sub 2.00 ERAs and have combined to go 8-0 with a 1.13 ERA.

Holding the Aggies bats at bay will be the real test as they're hitting .353/.432/.534 as a unit with two regulars – Boomer White and J.B. Moss – hitting over .400. The pitching staff has been nearly as dominant with a 2.10 ERA leading to their impressive 12-1 record.

Georgia Tech at No. 15 Florida State: Georgia Tech opened the year among those in the Top 40, checking in at No. 31, and it was really hard to leave them out of last week’s ranking update given their 11-0 start. They since have pushed it to 12-0 with a midweek win over Auburn, but face their biggest test of the year as ACC play opens with a trip to Tallahassee to face Florida State.

The Jackets are getting it done on both sides of the ball, hitting .321 with a staff ERA of 1.72. Freshmen Jonathan Hughes (3-0, 0.50 ERA) has been particularly impressive, locking down a critical weekend starting spot seemingly with little to no trouble adjusting to college ball.

Florida State on the other hand just keeps on winning with Mike Martin’s signature team-based approach in all phases of the game, exemplified by the collective no hitter Cole Sands, Cobi Johnson and Jim Voyles spun over Toledo on Wednesday night. John Sansone is enjoying a career year hitting .458 with a pair of home runs and 20 RBI. Quincy Nieporte, who missed the first six games due to off-the-field issues, has been red-hot since re-joining the team, batting .409. Senior Mike Compton, sophomore Drew Carlton and Sands, a freshman, have created a formidable weekend rotation thus far.

No. 20 Houston at Alabama: Alabama, like Oregon as detailed above, have one of the toughest overall weeks ahead of them, beginning with their midweek matchup against the Ducks tonight. After that they host No. 20 Houston, a club that got off to a good start before taking a step back at the Shriners Hospitals for Children College Classic.

The Crimson Tide opened the season by taking two of three against Maryland, swept an upstart North Dakota squad the following week and are coming off of a successful 3-1 showing at the Irish Classic, which included a win over Notre Dame. Once again it has been pitching that has defined this team, with a staff ERA of 1.33, led by Friday night starter Geoffrey Bramblett’s 0.84 ERA over 21 1/3 innings.

Houston opened the year strong before scuffling at the aforementioned College Classic before seemingly re-finding their moxie against Baylor last weekend. Freshman Joe Davis is on an absolute tear to begin his college career, hitting .467 with three home runs and 18 RBI. Sophomore lefty Seth Romero returned to the starting rotation last Sunday and his presence is key for a team sitting at 6-5 as the 20th ranked team in the nation, as Alabama and Houston could very well trade places come Monday should the Tide claim this series.

USC at No. 8 TCU: Heading into the 2016 season we believed Texas Christian could be a much more physical team on offense. For as good as they were in 2015, when they advanced to the College World Series, they lacked that big, can’t-miss presence in the middle of their lineup. This year they have several such players, as sophomore Evan Skoug has heated up, freshman Luken Baker has been as-advertised and Elliott Barzilli is hitting .500 to open the year. And the pitching staff has been dominant, even without projected staff ace Mitchell Traver, not to mention the arms they lost to last summer’s MLB Draft.

They continue their challenging early season schedule by hosting Southern California. USC hasn’t been quite as good to open the year as they were a year ago, but their 6-5 record doesn’t reflect just how close every contest they have played has been. As a result this series is more critical for the Trojans than it is for TCU, at least in regards to the National landscape and how they could fit into the Top 25 picture if they’re able to string together a handful of successful weekend series.

It won’t get any easier for USC who have midweek contests against UConn, Cal State Fullerton and Loyola Marymount sandwiched in between weekend series against California, UC Santa Barbara and Stanford. However, if they fare well during that stretch it's easy to envision them working their way back into the Top 25 picture.

Notre Dame at No. 5 Louisville: Similar to USC, Notre Dame is 6-5 and got off to a bad start this year after losing their opening weekend series to Santa Clara. They did go 2-2 at last week’s Irish Classic in Cary, N.C., but have a very tough draw to open ACC play as they head south to Louisville to take on the Cardinals.

Notre Dame has talent, without a doubt, on both sides of the ball, which is the reason they opened the year ranked within the Top 25. They have several hard throwers to turn to, both in their starting staff and from their bullpen, but those pieces haven’t come forth and truly grasped their roles to this point in the season, something they will need to do if they hope to claim their series against No. 5 Louisville.

The Cardinals have rattled off five straight wins since losing their Week 2 series against Ole Miss in Oxford. The squad is hitting .340 as a team, which is notable considering their star outfielder, Corey Ray, is currently fourth on the team (among regulars) in batting with a .396 average. On the flip side their pitching staff has a cumulative ERA of 2.21, and their staff ace, Kyle Funkhouser, appeared to get out of his early season funk (pun intended) with a strong outing last weekend against Princeton.

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