NCAA REGIONALS: LOOKING BACK AT SATURDAY
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REGIONALS:
Atlanta |
Austin |
Chapel Hill |
Charlottesville |
Clemson |
College Station |
Columbia |
Corvallis |
Fort Worth |
Fullerton |
Gainesville |
Houston |
Los Angeles |
Nashville |
Tallahassee |
Tempe
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Atlanta Regional
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Host: Georgia Tech
Where: Russ Chandler Stadium in Atlanta
Super regional pairing: Winner of Gainesville Regional
The skinny: Just a night after dropping a tough decision to Austin Peay, Georgia Tech starting pitcher Jed Bradley allowed just two runs on eight hits in 7 2/3 innings as the Jackets stayed alive in the Atlanta Regional with a 6-2 win over Southern Mississippi ... Mississippi State got a gift Friday when Austin Peay upset Georgia Tech, and it took advantage of the edge on Saturday with an 8-3 win over the Governors. State starting pitcher Evan Mitchell was fantastic, striking out eight and allowing just three runs on five hits in eight innings.
Player of the day: P Evan Mitchell, Mississippi State
Just a week after not exactly impressing on the mound, Mississippi State has received back-to-back solid starts. This time, it was youngster Evan Mitchell, who in front of many family members and friends, put together a fantastic start to put the Bulldogs in the title game.
What we learned: One of Mississippi State's strengths earlier this season was its bullpen depth. But instead of the bullpen being needed this weekend, the starters have done tremendous jobs. Give coach John Cohen credit for having his team ready to play this weekend. Georgia Tech got a solid start from Jed Bradley, who has struggled at times this season, on Saturday. But now it'll be interesting to see how the Jackets do against Austin Peay with Buck Farmer on the mound, and after that game should they take care of the Governors.
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Austin Regional
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Host: Texas – No. 7 seed
Where: UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin, Texas
Super regional pairing: Winner of Tempe Regional
The skinny: With their season on the line, Texas State looked to starting pitcher Mitchell Pitts to set the tone. He didn't disappoint, as he put together a solid start on the way to a 3-1 win over Princeton. Offensively, Bobcats first baseman Casey Kalenkosky finished the contest with three hits ... Kent State starting pitcher and top prospect Andrew Chafin put together a fantastic start as the Golden Flashes shocked the burnt orange crowd with a 7-5 triumph over the Longhorns. While Chafin led the way on the mound, catcher David Lyon had the biggest hit of the game, a grand slam to right field off usually flawless UT starting pitcher Taylor Jungmann.
Player of the day: P Andrew Chafin, Kent State -- The Golden Flashes really couldn't have asked for much more from Chafin. The talented left-hander was fantastic against the 'Horns. He struck out eight batters and allowed just three earned runs on four hits in 8 2/3 innings. He threw 128 pitches in the contest.
What we learned: Texas State entered the weekend with arguably the best offense in this NCAA Regional, but it hasn't exactly impressed in that department. It'll be interesting to see if the Bobcats turn the tide Sunday against Texas. Kent State entered the weekend as the dark horse to win this NCAA Regional, and now it is in the driver's seat. The Golden Flashes showed confidence and composure on Saturday, something that many opposing teams don't show in games at Disch-Falk Field. Color us very impressed with Kent.
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Chapel Hill Regional
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Host: North Carolina – No. 3 seed
Where: Boshamer Stadium in Chapel Hill, N.C.
Super regional pairing: Winner of Fullerton Regional
The skinny: Maine starting pitcher Jeffrey Gibbs tossed an absolute gem as his team stayed alive in the Chapel Hill Regional with a solid 4-1 win over Florida International. While Gibbs led the way on the mound, four Black Bears sluggers finished the afternoon with a pair of hits ... North Carolina starting pitcher Patrick Johnson was fantastic and designated hitter Greg Holt recorded four hits and knocked in four runs as the Tar Heels captured a solid 14-0 win over James Madison.
Player of the day: P Patrick Johnson, North Carolina -- It's difficult to go against Gibbs in this category, but Johnson deserves more credit for silencing a potent JMU lineup. Johnson struck out 11 batters and allowed just three hits in eight shutout innings. He threw 112 pitches and earned his 12th win.
What we learned: UNC starting pitcher Patrick Johnson has been solid the entire season, but his silencing of the Dukes was a huge surprise. JMU entered the contest with a lot of confidence at the plate, but Johnson rose to the occasion. We also are very impressed with the performance put together by Maine starting pitcher Jeffrey Gibbs. It'll be interesting to see if the Black Bears can stay on track against JMU tomorrow.
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Charlottesville Regional
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Host: Virginia – No. 1 seed
Where: Davenport Field in Charlottesville, Va.
Super regional pairing: Winner of Los Angeles Regional
The skinny: With its season on the line, East Carolina starting pitcher Seth Maness rose to the occasion against Navy. Maness struck out four and allowed just a run on five hits in a complete game performance and 6-1 win over Navy ... Virginia starting pitcher Danny Hultzen tossed another gem and third baseman Steven Proscia went 3-for-5 with three runs scored and three RBIs as the Cavaliers are in the driver's seat after earning a 10-2 win over St. John's.
Player of the day: P Danny Hultzen, Virginia -- In not exactly a huge surprise, Hultzen was the most impressive player of the day. He struck out 12 batters and allowed just a run on three hits in seven innings. Hultzen's record improve to an impressive 11-3.
What we learned: We certainly have learned the past two days that Virginia is very much dialed in to this NCAA Regional. The Cavaliers have hit and pitched extremely well so far this weekend, but we'll see if that continues on Sunday ... St. John's needed a much better start from Kyle Hansen, who allowed six runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings ... East Carolina might not have the offense to come back through the loser's bracket, but if there's one thing it does have, it's pitching. We'll see if that becomes a huge factor.
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Clemson Regional
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Host: Clemson
Where: Doug Kingsmore Stadium in Clemson, S.C.
Super regional pairing: Winner of Columbia Regional
The skinny: Facing elimination, Connecticut third baseman Ryan Fuller went 4-for-5 with a run and an RBI as the Huskies stayed alive in postseason play with an easy 13-3 win over Sacred Heart ... Phil Pohl, Richie Shaffer and Will Lamb each had three hits for Clemson as the Tigers captured an impressive 12-7 win over Coastal Carolina to get in the driver's seat and one step closer to facing rival South Carolina in Super Regional action.
Player of the day: 1B Richie Shaffer, Clemson -- The Tigers really couldn't have asked for much more from Shaffer. He finished the night with four hits, a double and a home run. Shaffer helped the Tigers finish the contest with 14 hits.
What we learned: We said it earlier this week, but the Tigers are playing a fabulous brand of baseball right now. They're hitting with consistency and doing a nice job on the mound for the most part. We're not sure South Carolina wants to see Clemson at this point in the season ... Connecticut has an uphill climb to win the Clemson Regional, but it at least saved itself some pitching in the win over Sacred Heart by lifting starter Greg Nappo from the game after just three games. We'll see makes a difference at some point.
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College Station Regional
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Host: Texas A&M
Where: Olsen Field in College Station, Texas
Super regional pairing: Winner of Tallahassee Regional
The skinny: Arizona starting pitcher Kyle Simon struck out six batters and allowed just four hits in a complete game shutout and win over Wright State. Simon accomplished the goal with just 92 pitches and earned his 11th win of the season ... Texas A&M starting pitcher Ross Stripling put together yet another solid start and Tyler Naqin and Matt Juengel each finished the night with three hits as the Aggies captured a 6-3 win over Seton Hall.
Player of the day: P Ross Stripling, Texas A&M -- Arizona pitcher Kyle Simon put together a great start agains Wright State, but Stripling gets the edge by virtue of him pitching well in a winner's bracket game. Stripling struck out five and allowed just one earned run on four hits in a complete game performance.
What we learned: After a sluggish performance against Seton Hall on Friday, Arizona responded in a big way with a balanced performance that included timely hitting and fantastic pitching. We'll see if the Wildcats regain confidence with the victory ... Texas A&M got extra motivation earlier this week after getting snubbed as a national seed, and it's playing like a team on a mission. It'll be interesting to see if the Aggies can close this tourney out the way they've started it.
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Columbia Regional
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Host: South Carolina – No. 4 seed
Where: Carolina Stadium in Columbia, S.C.
Super regional pairing: Winner of Clemson Regional
The skinny: N.C. State starting pitcher Cory Mazzoni put together a solid start as the Wolfpack stayed alive in the postseason with a solid 5-2 win over Georgia Southern ... South Carolina starting pitcher Colby Holmes allowed four runs in 6 2/3 innings, but the offense picked him up with four hitters collected two hits on the way to an 11-5 win over Stetson.
Player of the day: P Cory Mazzoni, N.C. State -- The Wolfpack could've asked for more from Mazzoni. He struck out 12 and allowed just two runs on four hits in eight innings in the winning cause. Mazzoni threw 120 pitches in his sixth win of the season.
What we learned: It should come as absolutely no surprise South Carolina is pushing all the right buttons this time of the year. The Gamecocks used solid pitching to win its opener before timely hitting was the leading cause for Saturday's win over Stetson ... N.C. State showed a lot about its mental makeup with a solid win over Georgia Southern, but we'll now see if it can get a little revenge against Stetson.
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Corvallis Regional
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Host: Oregon State
Where: Goss Stadium in Corvallis, Ore.
Super regional pairing: Winner of Nashville Regional
The skinny: Georgia starting pitcher Alex Wood struck out eight batters and allowed just three runs on nine hits in eight innings as the Bulldogs stayed alive in the Corvallis Regional with a solid 7-3 triumph over Arkansas-Little Rock ... Oregon State starting pitcher Sam Gaviglio was fabulous and Brian Stamps and Carter Bell each had two hits in the game, as the Beavers got into the driver's seat with a 5-1 win over Creighton.
Player of the day: P Sam Gaviglio, Oregon State -- The talented right-handed pitcher has had a solid campaign and that trend continued against Creighton. Gaviglio struck out 11 and allowed just a run on five hits in a complete game performance. He threw 136 pitches in his 12th win of the season.
What we learned: There were some concerns about Oregon State entering the weekend, especially after it got swept by rival Oregon last weekend. However, the Beavers have played a solid brand of baseball so far this weekend and anything but an NCAA Regional title would be a huge surprise. We said earlier this week that Creighton had solid pitching and a good defensive team, but notice we left offense out of equation. There's a reason for that, and you're now seeing why.
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Fort Worth Regional
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Host: TCU
Where: Lupton Baseball Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas
Super regional pairing: Winner of Houston Regional
The skinny: Oral Roberts starting pitcher put together one of his best starts of the season and outfielder Nick Baligod had a solid day at the plate as the Golden Eagles shocked the nation with a 7-0 win over Oklahoma ... Dallas Baptist starting pitcher Jared Stafford was extremely impressive as the Patriots put themselves in the driver's seat with a thrilling 3-2 win over TCU.
Player of the day: P Jared Stafford, Dallas Baptist -- There's no better performance from Saturday when you consider what was on the line. Stafford was solid against the Horned Frogs, striking out two batters and allowing just two runs on three hits in 8 1/3 innings. He threw 101 pitches and earned his eighth victory.
What we learned: Anyone that had doubts about Dallas Baptist belonging in the tournament must be silent right now. The Patriots have played a solid brand of baseball so far this weekend and we'll see if they can seal the deal either Sunday or Monday. What a disappointing finish to a strange season for the Sooners. OU didn't play like a team with any sort of motivation this weekend, leading us to wonder what was happening in the clubhouse.
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Fullerton Regional
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Host: Cal State Fullerton
Where: Goodwin Field in Fullerton, Calif.
Super regional pairing: Winner of Chapel Hill Regional
The skinny: Four Illinois hitters recorded two hits and starting pitcher John Anderson allowed just a run in eight innings as the Fighting Illini stayed alive with a solid 5-3 win over Kansas State ... Stanford starting pitcher Jordan Pries struck out six batters and allowed just two hits in 7 2/3 shutout innings as the Cardinal earned a thrilling 1-0 win over Cal State Fullerton.
Player of the day: P Noe Ramirez, Cal State Fullerton -- Though he came up just short of earning a win over Stanford, Ramirez gets rewarded in this category. The top prospect and talented righty was fantastic, striking out 12 and allowing just a run on four hits in eight innings. He threw 109 pitches and suffered just his fourth loss of the season.
What we learned: There's a reason Stanford was highly ranked to start the season, and you're now seeing why. The Cardinal has gotten back-to-back solid performance from Mark Appel and Jordan Pries, while reliever Chris Reed was fantastic on Saturday. Cal State Fullerton wasted a great start from Ramirez, this just a night after tallying 10 runs against Illinois on Friday. We'll find out all we need to know about the Titans on Sunday, as they're now in a must-win situation at home. Sound familiar to last season, anyone?
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Gainesville Regional
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Host: Florida – No. 2 seed
Where: Alfred A. McKethan Stadium in Gainesville, Fla.
Super regional pairing: Winner of Atlanta Regional
The skinny: Jacksonville needed a solid start on Saturday against Manhattan, and got that from starter Steve Eagerton, who struck out three and allowed just two runs on nine hits in seven innings on the way to a solid 5-4 triumph over Manhattan. It's also worth noting that Jonathan Murphy finished the game with a pair of hits and Adam Brett Walker recorded three hits and two RBIs ... Florida starting pitcher Hudson Randall gritted his way through a start, while relievers Nick Maronde and Tommy Toledo were solid in the Gators' 5-4 win over rival Miami. While they led the way on the mound, five Gators hitters recorded two hits in the game, and the top four hitters in their lineup combined for eight hits.
Player of the day: P Hudson Randall, Florida -- The Gators continued their mastery of rival Miami with another strong performance from the talented right-hander. Randall struck out five and allowed just three runs on six hits in six innings. He didn't have his best start of the year, but was good enough.
What we learned: The absence of Jacksonville's offense so far in this NCAA Regional has been a huge surprise, but first baseman Adam Brett Walker is showing no ill signs, finishing Saturday's contest against Manhattan with three hits and two RBIs. Brett Walker definitely is making a good impression this postseason. As for Florida, the Gators' mental mastery over the Hurricanes continued with another victory. The Gators have made huge strides the past few seasons, and taking care of business against Miami has been a big reason for taking such a step forward. The Gators hadn't shown a killer mentality before this weekend, but we're starting to change our tune about their makeup.
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Houston Regional
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Host: Rice – No. 8 seed
Where: Reckling Park in Houston
Super regional pairing: Winner of Fort Worth Regional
The skinny: California starting pitcher Kevin Miller was lifted against Alcorn State after allowing four runs in 1 2/3 innings, but usual starter Justin Jones regained control with 4 1/3 shutout innings as the Golden Bears defeated the Braves 10-6. Chadd Krist led the offensive charge with three hits and two RBIs ... Baylor starting pitcher Josh Turley put together one of his best outings of the season and the Bears did just enough offensively to capture a huge 3-2 win over Rice. While Turley led the way on the mound, first baseman Max Muncy had two hits and an RBI at the plate and catcher Josh Ludy added a hit and two RBIs.
Player of the day: P Josh Turley, Baylor -- The Bears needed a solid start from Turley to capture a victory over top-seeded Rice. They got just what they needed and more. Turley struck out seven and allowed just two runs (one earned) on seven hits in a complete game performance. Turley's start puts the Bears' pitching staff in fantastic shape.
What we learned: Baylor has been a much different team since it established a weekend rotation of Logan Verrett, Josh Turley and Brooks Pinckard. And though it got off the script last weekend at the Big 12 tournament, the Bears are back on track after a win over Rice. The Bears are playing with a wealth of confidence and should feel great with Pinckard on the mound in Sunday's title game. As for California, it continues to continue its trend of struggling in the postseason, but we'll see how it does against Rice on Sunday.
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Los Angeles Regional
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Host: UCLA
Where: Jackie Robinson Stadium in Los Angeles
Super regional pairing: Winner of Charlotttesville Regional
The skinny: Facing elimination against Fresno State, UCLA looked to right-handed pitcher Trevor Bauer to temporarily bail it out of trouble. Bauer succeeded in that quest as the Bruins captured a 3-1 win over Fresno State ... UC Irvine starting pitcher Matt Whitehouse struck out seven and allowed just three runs (two earned) on four hits in 8 1/3 innings as the Anteaters captured a huge 4-3 win over San Francisco.
Player of the day: P Trevor Bauer, UCLA -- Was there ever any doubt who the elite player would be? Bauer had another amazing performance on the mound. He struck out 14 and allowed just a run on six hits in a complete game performance. He threw 133 pitches and earned his 13th win.
What we learned: Though UCLA took a step forward with Bauer leading the charge, that's now two games in a row where it failed to put up some serious offensive production. The Bruins will need to wake up at the plate (14 LOB on Saturday) to come back and win this NCAA Regional ... It hasn't been talked about a lot this season because of its schedule, but UC Irvine is putting together an impressive weekend with its pitching staff leading the way. Give coach Mike Gillespie a load of credit for having his team in this position.
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Nashville Regional
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Host: Vanderbilt – No. 6 seed
Where: Hawkins Field in Nashville, Tenn.
Super regional pairing: Winner of Corvallis Regional
The skinny: Belmont starting pitcher Chase Brookshire struck out six and allowed just two runs (one earned) on two hits in eight innings as the Bruins stayed alive with a solid 3-2 win over Oklahoma State ... Vanderbilt starting pitcher Grayson Garvin struck out seven and allowed just two runs on seven hits in 6 2/3 innings as the Commodores captured a commanding 10-2 win over Troy. Reliever Will Clinard also was solid, tossing 2 1/3 shutout innings to finish the game.
Player of the day: P Chase Brookshire, Belmont -- With their season on the line, the Bruins looked to Brookshire to provided the needed boost. He matched Oklahoma State starter Brad Propst and helped the Bruins earn their first NCAA tournament win in school history.
What we learned: Vanderbilt didn't exactly put together an impressive showing the last time it hosted an NCAA Regional, but it has been extremely dominant so far this weekend. Great job by coach Tim Corbin and his staff of keeping the players focused on the ultimate goal. Oklahoma State couldn't have finished off the season in worse fashion. OSU stumbled to end the regular season and didn't play well in the Big 12 tournament. We expected much more from this team down the stretch.
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Tallahassee Regional
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Host: Florida State – No. 5 seed
Where: Dick Howser Stadium in Tallahassee, Fla.
Super regional pairing: Winner of College Station Regional
The skinny: UCF sluggers Jonathan Griffin and D.J. Hicks had huge four-hit days as the Golden Knights stayed alive in the Tallahassee Regional with a 16-5 triumph over Bethune-Cookman ... Florida State outfielder James Ramsey went 4-or-5 with a run scored and four RBIs as the Seminoles improved to 2-0 this weekend with a solid 9-5 win over Alabama.
Player of the day: 1B Jonathan Griffin, UCF -- The Knights needed someone to step up on Saturday and Griffin had little trouble rising to the occasion. He went 4-for-5 with a double, a home run (20th), three runs scored and five RBIs in the winning cause.
What we learned: Had you told me Florida State starting pitcher Sean Gilmartin would struggle and the Seminoles would still earn a win over Alabama, I would've said your wrong. Well, give credit to FSU relievers Brian Busch and Daniel Bennett for sealing the deal the final two innings. UCF has the offense to get through this NCAA Regional, but it's safe to say it is in a tough situation when it comes to the pitching staff. Do the Knights have magic, though?
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Tempe Regional
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Host: Arizona State
Where: Packard Stadium in Tempe, Ariz.
Super regional pairing: Winner of Austin Regional
The skinny: Arkansas starting pitcher DJ Baxendale has been extremely consistent this season and that didn't change in a 3-0 win over New Mexico as he struck out seven and allowed just four hits in eight shutout innings ... Arizona State's offense is the primary reason it earned a dominant 16-1 win over Charlotte, but starting pitcher Kramer Champlin put together a solid start, striking out nine and allowing just one hit in seven shutout innings.
Player of the day: C Xorge Carrillo, Arizona State -- The Sun Devils got exactly what they needed from the veteran backstop. Carrillo was amazing on Saturday, going 5-for-6 with a double, a home run, four runs scored and three RBIs. Perhaps the thrilling win over New Mexico got the Sun Devils going for the rest of the weekend.
What we learned: Color me very impressed with the way the Sun Devils played on Saturday. After barely scratching across a win over a bad New Mexico club, ASU responded in a huge way against a Charlotte team that was feeling good about its chances. Arkansas, meanwhile, picked up a win over UNM on Saturday, and we'll now see if its pitching depth shows.
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