THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION
| 2,497 MLB PLAYERS | 15,833 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,497 MLB PLAYERS | 15,833 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Sign in Create Account
Sign in Create Account
College  | Story | 6/9/2011

Santa Clara SR: Who has the edge?

Kendall Rogers

You can follow college baseball managing editor Kendall Rogers on Twitter @KendallRogersPG and can join the Perfect Game College Baseball Facebook page. Fans also can subscribe here to receive the college baseball ultimate ticket.

Like the college baseball content we provide at Perfect Game? If so, get the ultimate college baseball experience by subscribing to the College Baseball Ticket for just $7 monthly or $60 annually ($24 yearly savings). If you're interested in subscribing to the CBT, Click Here.

SUPER REGIONAL COVERAGE: SCHEDULE/RESULTS | PAIRINGS | MESSAGE BOARDS


After the many miles traveled by some teams last week, the Road to Omaha either continues or comes to an abrupt halt for 16 teams this weekend.

With the NCAA Super Regionals around the corner, we take an in-depth look at how each team stacks up against the other.

In our last NCAA Super Regional preview, we took an inside look at the Austin Super Regional. Now it's time to take an in-depth look at the Santa Clara Super Regional, which features Dallas Baptist (42-18) and California (35-21).

For Dallas Baptist, there's no doubt it should score some runs against California this weekend. However, the bullpen is the big question mark. The Patriots have a stud reliever in Chris Haney, but otherwise have some very average options. Those guys must rise to the occasion if called upon this weekend.

For California, its starting pitching and bullpen should be fine this weekend. But with DBU having a potent offense, the Golden Bears likely will need to be solidly productive at some point. That means the offense, which stepped up in the Houston Regional last weekend, must emulate those performances.

WHO HAS THE EDGE? Austin | Chapel Hill | Charlottesville | Columbia | Gainesville | Nashville | Tallahassee

Santa Clara Super Regional: Who has the edge?
Starting pitching

California has a tendency to use different starters at times, but it enters the weekend with the edge in this category with more potential solid starters. The Golden Bears have a very solid ace pitcher in Erik Johnson. Johnson has a 2.91 ERA in 96 innings. He has struck out 96 and walked 50 and teams are hitting him at a .194 clip. Kevin Miller, Dixon Anderson and Kyle Porter also started last weekend. Miller has a 2.62 ERA in 79 innings, Anderson has a 3.90 ERA in 67 innings and Porter has a 1.62 ERA in 50 innings. Also keep an eye on talented sophomore Justin Jones, who has a 3.09 ERA in 119 2/3 innings ... Dallas Baptist has a very solid ace pitcher in Jared Stafford. He has started 15 games and has a 3.03 ERA in 101 innings. He also has struck out 60 and walked 33 and teams are hitting him at a .239 clip. Also keep an eye on No. 2 starter Brandon Williamson, who has a 3.98 ERA in 115 1/3 innings with teams hitting .296 against him. Meanwhile, Will Lane and Jordan Staples are options to start Game 3. Lane has a 4.58 ERA in 37 1/3 innings and Staples has a 5.37 ERA in 53 2/3 innings.
Bullpen

If there's one area that could differentiate Dallas Baptist and California, it's the bullpen and overall consistency of the pitching staff. The Patriots enter the weekend with a 4.68 ERA while the Golden Bears have a 2.88 ERA against superior competition for much of the season. The Bears don't have an incredibly deep bullpen, but they have some sold options. Kyle Porter, who started last weekend and likely will start again this weekend, has a 1.62 ERA in 50 innings, Matt Flemer has made 26 appearances and has a 2.14 ERA in 33 2/3 innings, Kevin Miller has a 2.62 ERA in 79 innings and Logan Scott has a 3.10 ERA in 40 2/3 innings ... Dallas Baptist has several arms in its bullpen, but it lacks several quality arms in the worst way. The Patriots have an exceptional closer in Chris Haney, who has recorded 15 saves and has a 2.34 ERA in 34 2/3 innings. But after Haney, the Patriots don't have a single reliever with an ERA below 4.50. That could be an issue as the weekend progresses. Keep an eye on Will Lane and Michael Smith, who have ERAs of 4.58 and 4.88, respectively.
Offense

Both California and Dallas Baptist did fantastic jobs in their respective NCAA Regionals last week of getting key hits during crucial situations. Though Cal finished the Houston Regional on a high note offensively, DBU enters the weekend with the better offensive lineup. The Patriots have the nation's best player most haven't heard of in outfielder Jason Krizan. Krizan is hitting a team-high .419 with 10 home runs and 81 RBIs. He's also slugging .714 and has a .502 on-base percentage. Additionally, Krizan is 13-for-17 in stolen bases. Landon Anderson is hitting .358 with seven home runs and 58 RBIs, Tyler Robbins is hitting .325 with 10 home runs and 40 RBIs, Ryan Behmanesh is hitting .323 with four home runs and 51 RBIs and Joel Hutter is hitting .308 with nine home runs and 49 RBIs. Also keep an eye on Duncan McAlpine, who has slammed nine home runs this spring ... Though DBU leads the way in the offensive category, the Golden Bears certainly aren't a bad hitting team. They're hitting .286 with Tony Renda leading the way, hitting .335 with 14 doubles, two triples, three home runs and 41 RBIs. Austin Booker is hitting .313 with a home run and 24 RBIs, Chadd Krist is hitting .306 with a home run and 40 RBIs, Devon Rodriguez is hitting .292 with five home runs and 33 RBIs, Chad Bunting was solid in the Houston Regional and is hitting .278 with six home runs and 20 RBIs and Marcus Semien and Vince Bruno are hitting .272 and .301, respectively.
Defense

Both Dallas Baptist and California field the ball at a high level, as both teams enter the weekend with identical fielding percentages of .974. But going much deeper than actual numbers, there's a reason the Golden Bears have a slight advantage in the defensive category. For California, catcher Chadd Krist is a solid backstop. Krist has an above average arm, is very athletic and is a good receiver and thrower to second base. Second baseman Tony Renda has been stable while shortstop Marcus Semien is an above average shortstop. The Golden Bears also are strong at third base with consistent Mitch Delfino leading the way. In the outfield, there are no concerns with Austin Booker, Darrel Matthews or Chad Bunting ... For Dallas Baptist, catcher Duncan McAlpine is more known for his power at the plate, but he's a serviceable catcher. Going around the infield, second baseman Tyler Robbins is nearly flawless at second base, first baseman Ryan Behmanesh is stable at first, shortstop Joel Hutter is just OK at shortstop and third baseman Kenny Hatcher is serviceable. The outfielder also is fine with Landon Anderson and Jason Krizan leading the way. No team has a substantial advantage in this category.
Intangibles

This is the toughest category to pick in this series. Dallas Baptist wasn't expected to do much entering the NCAA postseason, but played exceptionally well in the Fort Worth Regional last weekend. California, meanwhile, fought through the loser's bracket at the Houston Regional to take care of business. In other words, both teams are playing with an extreme level of confidence. Considering neither team has experienced a wealth of postseason success in past years, no teams has an edge from an experience standpoint. That boils down the category to the home-field advantage issue. California is hosting the NCAA Regional on the campus of Santa Clara University, but playing nearby in California still is an advantage for the Golden Bears. For that reason, they get the edge in this category.


Kendall Rogers is the college baseball editor for Perfect Game USA and has covered the sport for over 10 seasons. He can be reached at kendall@perfectgame.org
Give us your feedback
College | Story | 7/10/2026

Cape Cod Notebook No. 1
Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Cape Cod League Scouting Notebook  Maverick Rizy | Ole Miss | RHP | Brewster Whitecaps  The towering 6-foot-9, 250-pound right-hander continues to stand out with one of the more unique looks on the Cape, pairing a massive frame with a low three-quarter slot that creates difficult angles for hitters. While his fastball velocity was down from its typical mid-90s range during this look, working mostly 90-92 mph, it still generated plenty of swing-and-miss. He paired the heater with an 81-83 mph gyro slider featuring tight bullet-spin action and mixed in an 85-mph changeup with quality separation. Rizy battled his command early in the outing I saw, before settling in to strike out five over three innings, showing the ability to adjust as the game progressed. Through 12.2 Cape League innings, he has recorded 18 strikeouts, and his combination of size, deception, and projectability...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 7/12/2026

14u BCS Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Austin Way (2030, Yulee, FL) was 2-3 in game four, driving in a run and scoring once himself. Picked it well defensively at shortstop but really showed out in the box today. Works the barrel path to the middle of the field and whips the barrel through the zone. The RHH creates lift in the turn, and the ball jumps off the bat hot.  Sutton Walling (2029, Ponte Vedra, FL) is an athletic 5’11/160lb infielder who gets it done on both sides of the ball. Dominated at the plate right behind his teammate Way in the batting order going 3-3 with two doubles. He does a really good job with the barrel accuracy and works through contact with heavy hands. Lots of project-ability in the profile and is having a sneaky great week at the plate. Banks Kennedy (2030, Arcadia, FL) received it well behind the dish and was the leading force in this one driving in three rbis. He ended up going 2-3...
Read More
Draft | Story | 7/12/2026

2026 MLB Draft: Best Available

Tyler Henninger
Article Image
2026 MLB Draft: Best Available for Day Two  A total of 135 players heard their name called on Saturday. As always, signability, bonus pool strategy, and organizational preferences play a major role in how the board unfolds. With that being said, we saw a majority of the top half off the board get selected, but there are a number of players ranked inside our Top 150 that remain available. From high-upside prep talent to polished college performers, these are the top names still available according to our Final Top 500 Draft Board.  Top Prep Bats Available (with Top-500 Board Rankings) 38. Archer Horn, SS/RHP, St. Ignatius College Prep (CA) 58. Blake Bowen, OF, JSerra Catholic (CA) 64. James Tronstein, SS/OF, Harvard-Westlake (CA) 66. Noah Wilson, OF, McCallie School (TN) 71. Cole Koeninger, SS/RHP, Keller (TX) 77. Sean Dunlap, C, Crown Point (IN) 82. Alex Weingartner, OF//RHP,...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 7/11/2026

17U National Elite Heads to Hoover

Kinley Kitchens
Article Image
Another week, another big tournament makes its way to Hoover.  This week, 104 of the nation’s top 17U teams will make their way to Hoover for the 2026 Perfect Game 17U National Elite Championship.  Featuring nationally ranked teams, Division I commits, and many of the country’s top 2027 players, the tournament promises another week of elite competition as teams battle for one of the biggest championships of the summer.  With many players already committed to some of the nation’s top college programs, every game in Hoover this week offers a glimpse into the future of college baseball.  Now entering its eighth year, the National Elite Championship continues to bring in the nation’s best. Past champions include Team Elite Scout Team, Canes National, USA Prime National, Scorpions/Giants Scout Team, 5 Star Performance National, Knights Knation Scout...
Read More
Draft | Story | 7/12/2026

2026 MLB Draft: Day One Recap

Tyler Henninger
Article Image
Storylines Heavy College Run Early We came into the day knowing that there were a lot of talented college players at the top of the board, more specifically college bats. That came to light very early in the day, as we saw just two prep players selected within the first ten picks. The college preference lasted throughout most of the entire first round. Nearly 75% of the first 40 selections were college players. It is clear teams want players at the top of the draft that can quickly get through the system and help the big league club as soon as possible. Underslot Strategy Throughout this cycle, we knew that once you get past the first handful of picks the difference in value you were getting for let say pick ten was not that difference compared to pick 30. Because there was a large collection of players that are relatively close in value, teams were looking to get creative. We saw this...
Read More
Draft | Mock Draft | 7/11/2026

Final 2026 MLB Mock Draft

Vincent Cervino
Article Image
It's draft day and that means it's time for our final Mock Draft with the 2026 group. 1. Chicago White Sox | Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA It’s between Roch and Grady Emerson at this pick, though there have been heavy rumors of a very late deal potentially with another top 5 pick. This boils down to negotiations and we think that they will get there.  2. Tampa Bay Rays | Grady Emerson, SS, Fort Worth Christian (Tex.) If Grady isn’t the first pick then he is almost certain to be the second pick. The Rays like to get creative but Emerson is a well worth prospect in his own right.  3.  Minnesota Twins | Vahn Lackey, C, Georgia Tech This is likely the floor for Roch Cholowsky, though the Twins might prefer Lackey to Roch outright. They are thought to be in on the top college players with Emerson a distant third.  4. San Francisco Giants | Jackson Flora, RHP, UC...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 7/10/2026

Ohio Valley Regional Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
‘28 INF Christian Ramirez (OH) WALKS IT OFF for @CincyDBulls2028 to win the chip! Has shown impressive tools throughout the weekend and in this AB showed the ability to adjust to the offspeed and win the game. #OVElite pic.twitter.com/J3MXJXFnbM — Perfect Game Ohio Valley (@PG_OhioValley) July 5, 2026 Christian Ramirez (2028, Mason, Ohio) helped his team win the championship batting out of the two-hole. Though he didn’t win tournament MVP, Ramirez was my favorite player to watch take a plate appearance. He has an advanced feel for the zone and sees the ball out of the pitcher’s hand quicker than most. Ramirez led the tournament with eight walks, batting .375 with a .583 on-base percentage. Much more than just the approach, the swing is efficient with little wasted movement, creates quality separation, and puts him in an excellent position at contact. With such an...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 7/10/2026

16u WWBA Scout Notes: Day 4

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
16u WWBA Scout Notes: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 ‘28 C Nico Ayars (FL) coming off a monster game yesterday & comes up with the biggest swing of this one. A triple right down the LF line to drive in two. Came into today hitting .833 this week. #WWBA @PG_Uncommitted @Florida_PG pic.twitter.com/Hvb7UvtkNi — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) July 8, 2026 Nico Ayars (2028, Fort Myers, Fla.) has just been on the barrel throughout the week so far, collecting six hits across the first four games of the tournament. That didn’t slow down on day three at Mt. Zion High School as he came up with the biggest swing of the day, hitting a triple down the left field line to drive in a pair. It’s been a standout week so far for Ayars and he’ll be a driving force behind the run through the tourney for CBU 2028 Scout Team Lawson. Rylan Jenkins (2028, Tennille, Ga.) put...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 7/10/2026

14u & 17u West Scout Notes: Days 1-2

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Tre Hallberg (‘27, AZ) hammers this out to deep LCF for a 2-run 💣. Continues to stand out at the plate. Power will only continue to develop #WWBAWest @PG_Uncommitted https://t.co/NlWlDygpwg pic.twitter.com/RHrgYXLmwm — Perfect Game Four Corners (@PG_FourCorners) July 10, 2026 Tre Hallberg (2027, Mesa, Ariz.) was nearly impossible to get out over the first two days of action, going 7-for-9 with a triple and a home run. A balanced right-handed swing stays compact to contact. There is quick hand speed through the zone with feel for the barrel. Hallberg has a strong feel to hit to go with power that continues to develop. The upside is apparent.  William Garcia Falmer (2027, El Dorado Hills, Calif.) collected a pair of mulit-hit games over the course of day one and two, going 5-for-7 with two doubles, a homer, and seven runs driven in. Garcia Falmer features a physical build...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 7/10/2026

Windy City Invite & Open Scout Notes: Part 2

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Windy City Invite & Open Scout Notes: Part 1 Braedon Paczocha (2028, Palmyra, Wis.), a 5-foot-11, 180-pound frame catcher for GRB STiKS 16U Black, displayed a quick bat with the ability to do damage. Showed a good feel for the barrel throughout the weekend, hitting .538 (7-for-13) with 3 doubles, 8 RBI, 2 stolen bases, and a 1.376 OPS. Also received well behind the plate with quick, efficient transfers and displayed good instincts.    ’28 1B Brock Hamilton (IL) displays some present strength, driving this ball deep into the LCF gap to leg out a triple. Creates loud contact off the bat and does damage here. #WCInvite @WhitesoxAce pic.twitter.com/6EK81gG9Wi — Perfect Game Illinois (@PG_Illinois) July 5, 2026 Brock Hamilton (2028, Flossmoor, Ill.), one of the top first basemen in Illinois, brings a physical 6-foot-5, 240-pound frame with plenty of present strength...
Read More
Loading more articles...
About Perfect Game :: Contact us :: Terms of Use :: Privacy Policy :: Testimonials :: Job Opportunities
Copyright 1994-2026 by Perfect Game. All rights reserved. No portion of this information may be reprinted or reproduced without the written consent of Perfect Game.