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College  | Story  | 5/31/2018

College Baseball Regional Preview

Patrick Ebert      Mike Rooney     
Photo: David Esquer and Nico Hoener (Stanford Athletics)




Field of 64 | Perfect Game Top 25 | College Player Database

Below are breakdowns of the teams playing in each of the 16 Regional sites. The sites are listed starting with the No. 1 National Seed, Florida, followed by the Regional site they are paired with for the Super Regional round. Those teams are also listed just below, with the Regional sites on the left paired through the Super Regionals with the sites on the right. The number in parenthesis is the National Seed (1-16).
Site Host Site Host
Gainesville, FL Florida (1) Raleigh, NC NC State (16)
Stanford, CA Stanford (2) Conway, SC Coastal Carolina (15)
Corvallis, OR Oregon State (3) Minneapolis, MN Minnesota (14)
Oxford, MS Mississippi (4) Austin, TX Texas (13)
Fayetteville, AR Arkansas (5) Greenville, NC East Carolina (12)
Chapel Hill, NC North Carolina (6) Deland, FL Stetson (11)
Tallahassee, FL Florida State (7) Clemson, SC Clemson (10)
Athens, GA Georgia (8) Lubbock, TX Texas Tech (9)


Gainesville, Fla., Regional

1. Florida (1)
4. Columbia

3. Florida Atlantic
2. Jacksonville

The Florida Gators have a very realistic shot at repeating as National Champions. They are led by three sure-fire first round picks in third baseman Jonathan India and righthanders Brady Singer and Jackson Kowar. And while the No. 1 overall seeded-Gators are 7-3 in winning Regionals under Kevin O’Sullivan, this club has currently lost six of their last seven games.

The main concerns are that Brady Singer has missed his last two turns, veteran catcher J.J. Schwarz has missed time with a hand injury and second base has become a revolving door all of a sudden. To top it all off, India made four errors in Hoover as well. All that said, this club is the favorite to win the whole thing and that hasn’t changed.

Jacksonville will be making their eighth Regional appearance in the Super Regional era (since 1999) and this is a scrappy club led by a bullpen featuring two power-armed freshmen in Chris Mauloni and Trent Palmer. Mauloni has 20 saves and the two of them have combined to make 53 appearances. The offense is effective, if not powerful, as the Dolphins hit .292 as a team with a mere .400 slugging percentage but they are 19th in the country with 47 sacrifice bunts.

The FAU Owls’ dynamic offense finished 13th in the nation with 72 home runs and this club is led by the outstanding duo of shortstop Tyler Frank and first baseman Frank Miranda. Getting ace lefthander Jake Miednik back for the C-USA Tournament was a huge development as the undersized lefty has 87 punchouts in 76 2/3 innings and a .226 batting average against.

Columbia will be making their fifth Regional appearance under skipper Brett Boretti and let’s not forget that the Lions went 3-2 in the Coral Gables Regional in 2015, taking Miami to a seventh and deciding game. This club is led by designated hitter Randall Kanemaru, who was the 2017 Ivy League Player of the Year, and shortstop Joe Engel, who was named First Team All-Ivy this year.


Raleigh, N.C., Regional

1. North Carolina State (16)
4. Army

3. Northeastern
2. Auburn

NC State is known as an offensive juggernaut and this club is both athletic and physical. Freshman catcher Patrick Bailey is a switch-hitting star in the making and sophomore shortstop Will Wilson is another star-caliber player. Most importantly, this lineup is deep, old and tested.

The big question mark for this club is pitching, but ironically, senior lefthander Brian Brown was recently named the ACC Pitcher of the Year. That said, roles on this staff (outside of Brown) have been mostly unsettled and they may need to slug their way out of this Regional. One other factor to consider: no other team knows Regional heartbreak quite like NC State. The Wolfpack have lost in game seven of a Regional in three consecutive seasons. Maybe karma will be on their side this time.

Auburn nearly earned a Top 16 seed so it seems fitting that they have been sent to the No. 16 seed’s field. We all know about Casey Mize but the Auburn freshman class will be the key to this Regional. Will Butch Thompson “pitch off” and use dynamite freshman righthander Tanner Burns in game one versus Northeastern?

There is history here as it was Burns who was beaten by Northeastern in the two clubs’ series in early March. It was just a 2-1 game but Burns did not get out of the fifth inning.

Mike Glavine’s Huskies were clearly the most controversial at-large team selected for the field but this team has talent. Outfielder Charlie McConnell is one of the fastest players in College Baseball and he is currently second in the nation with 37 stolen bases. First baseman Jake Farrell has put together a huge year with 11 home runs and 61 RBI. The pitching staff is led by 6-foot-5 sophomore lefthander Sean Mellen and he earned the win versus Auburn in the aforementioned regular season game.

Army’s Jim Foster is a star in the coaching ranks, having built a consistent winner at Rhode Island and then helping Boston College to an unlikely Super Regional in 2015 as the Eagles’ pitching coach. Army looks to pressure you on offense as they are in the Top 30 nationally in both stolen bases and sacrifice bunts.


Stanford, Calif., Regional

1. Stanford (2)
4. Wright State

3. Cal State Fullerton
2. Baylor

The job that first-year head coach David Esquer has done this year after long-time skipper Mark Marquess stepped down cannot be understated. Esquer worked off of the same pitching and defense formula that has allowed Stanford to be successful for as long as they have and made the team even better. They have one of the nation’s best starting trios in Tristan Beck, Kris Bubic and Erik Miller, a very good fourth starter and swing-man in Brendan Beck, as well as one of the nation’s most effective bullpen duos in Jack Little and Jacob Palisch.

Stanford’s offense has been productive as well, with a few somewhat surprising performances from sluggers Kyle Stowers and Andrew Daschbach. Tim Tawa is one of the more athletic players on the West Coast while Nico Hoerner sets the tone on both offense and defense.

Baylor is one of the hotter teams in the nation entering the postseason having won 22 of their last 25 games, including their 4-0 run through the Big 12 Championship. The Bears also have a well-balanced ballclub with a deep, dangerous lineup and a pitching staff that finished the regular season with the best team ERA in the Big 12 (3.19). Cody Bradford is a legit staff ace with numerous effective bullpen components behind him.

This is the time of year when Cal State Fullerton shines the brightest, with a gritty, tried-and-true method of winning games regardless of their competition, representing the Big West in Omaha in both 2015 and 2017. There’s not a ton of pop in the everyday lineup but they grind out at-bats to get on base and manufacture enough runs that gives their pitching staff, led by ace Colton Eastman, the opportunity to win ballgames.

Wright State is one of the more difficult No. 4 seeds in the entire postseason and have two legitimate starters in Ryan Weiss and Zane Collins, while Gabe Snyder and Peyton Burdick give the Raiders a similar 1-2 punch in the middle the lineup. How they fare on the basepaths after stealing 110 bases in 128 attempts this year with Stanford’s star backstop Maverick Handley still injured will be one of the Regional’s more interesting developments.


Conway, S.C., Regional

1. Coastal Carolina (15)
4. LIU Brooklyn

3. Washington
2. Connecticut

After winning it all in 2016, no team is going to look past Coastal Carolina. However, as the No. 15-ranked host they drew one of the most difficult of the non-hosting teams from the remainder of the field, a well-rounded UConn squad that now will be playing with a chip on their shoulder.

Chanticleers’ head coach Gary Gilmore has the postseason experience to keep his team focused on the task at hand, and he has at least one key carryover from his championship team: shortstop Seth Lancaster, who had the game-winning hit in their improbable victory over NC State. Offense continues to be this team’s calling card, with seven regulars batting better than .290, and three of those – Lancaster, Kevin Woodall Jr. and Zach Biermann – have double-digit home runs.

UConn traded wins and losses with East Carolina the last two weekends, and after losing the final of those four head-to-head matchups they ultimately lost out on an opportunity to host. Sophomore lefthander Mason Feole has been especially effective down the stretch while Tim Cate has given head coach Jim Penders yet another low-90s strike-thrower since his return from injury. The offense doesn’t have a ton of pop, but the Huskies’ hitters get on base at a high clip and can be a nuisance on the basepaths once they reach.

Thanks to a very strong 20-10 record in Pac-12 play, Washington finished the regular season with a loud exclamation mark by beating Stanford to secure another postseason appearance. They do have to travel from one corner of the nation to another, which is no easy task for any team. Joe Wainhouse is the hitter to watch on this team after a .309-14-50 season while the weekend rotation of Joe DeMers, Jordan Jones and Lucas Knowles is a good one with an impressive 218-to-50 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 273 2/3 combined innings.

LIU Brooklyn earned their postseason berth with hard-fought wins over the top two teams in the Northeast Conference, Bryant and Wagner. Like the host Chanticleers, the Blackbirds like to run early and often upon reaching base, with four players in their everyday lineup with double-digit steals.


Corvallis, Ore., Regional

1. Oregon State (3)
4. Northwestern State

3. San Diego State
2. Louisiana State

When Oregon State’s season came to a close last year just short of the CWS Finals, it was easy to project that this year’s lineup would be especially lethal. That has held true, and then some, thanks to huge seasons by Trevor Larnach and Adley Rutschman in addition to the job table-setters Steven Kwan and Cadyn Grenier have done at the top of the order. Nick Madrigal as been his usual dynamic self, as has staff ace Luke Heimlich, who has been especially dominant down the stretch and has been named the Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week four times this season. OSU is not only the team to beat in this Regional, they’re one of the favorites to win it all in Omaha.

While the pitching staff hasn’t been quite as dominant as it was a year ago, it is still one of the better units from top to bottom. Bryce Fehmel has been a nice complement to Heimlich as the team’s No. 2 starter, while Jake Mullholland and Brandon Eisert have proven to be an especially effective late-inning duo out of the bullpen.

LSU is in an unfamiliar position of traveling during Regional play, as they are set to compete in the not-so-friendly confines of Goss Stadium considering they were the team that knocked the Beavers from postseason play in Omaha last year. Coming into this season it was projected that the Tigers would endure some growing pains due to a lot of new faces in key roles, but the pieces suddenly clicked at the right time given their inspiring performance in Hoover at the SEC Tournament. Between their young fireballers and a potent lineup, LSU has the talent to emerge victorious.

Both San Diego State and Northwestern State face a daunting task of trying to knock off not just one but two participants from last year’s College World Series. The Aztecs certainly have the firepower to keep up, with a deep, dangerous lineup, but it remains to be seen if they have the arms necessary to keep games within striking distance. Conversely, Northwestern State appears to have the pitching depth with a particularly stingy staff, but may not have the offense one through nine to keep up.


Minneapolis, Minn., Regional

1. Minnesota (14)
4. Canisius

3. Gonzaga
2. UCLA

Pitching appears to be the common theme in the Minneapolis, as UCLA (2.94, 3rd), Gonzaga (2.96, 6th) and Minnesota (3.11, 10th) are all among the top 10 in the NCAA in cumulative team ERA. While they may not have the same depth of arms, Canisius boasts both a 10-game winner in staff ace J.P. Stevenson and a player with 10 saves in closer Tyler Smith.

Gophers’ redshirt junior staff ace Reggie Meyer is coming off of a complete game shutout over Illinois in the Big Ten Championship, and Saturday starter Patrick Frederickson – who was named the Big Ten’s Freshman and Pitcher of the Year – was equally dominant against Ohio State. Those two enter the postseason a combined 16-3 with ERAs of 2.75 and 1.78, respectively. Freshman closer Max Meyer (no relation to Reggie) has 16 saves leading a deep bullpen, while the everyday lineup is full of contact-oriented hitters that know how to grind out at-bats, led by shortstop Terrin Vavra, who hit .385-10-55.

The Bruins are one of the more challenging No. 2 seeds in the nation with a well-rounded team in all phases of the game. In addition to their strong pitching and defense profile, the offense is full of talented sophomores with Jeremy Ydens setting the tone at the top of the order and both Chase Strumpf and Michael Toglia providing middle-of-the-order thump.

Assuming the starting rotations hold, the first game of the Regional will provide one of the better starting pitching matchups between UCLA’s Jake Bird (7-4, 1.99) and Gonzaga’s Daniel Bies (7-4, 2.50). Each hurler has thrown 104 innings in 15 starts this season to lead their team. Gonzaga closer Casey Legumina gives Minneapolis a third closer with double-digit saves (13) as the ‘Zags also claim the nation’s second-best team defense with a .985 fielding percentage.

In addition to their two star pitchers, the 1-2 senior punch of Liam Wilson and Ryan Stekl in the middle of the Canisius order is a formidable one. Wilson has hit .360 and is third in the nation in doubles with 27 while Stekl is hitting .301 with 10 bombs and 62 RBI.


Oxford, Miss., Regional

1. Mississippi (4)
4. Saint Louis

3. Missouri State
2. Tennessee Tech

Ole Miss missed Regionals last year with a very young team and the Rebels came back with a vengeance in 2018. Lefthander Ryan Rolison looks destined for the first round and the bullpen combination of Will Ethridge and Parker Caracci has been lights out for most of the year. Caracci, who is a redshirt sophomore, is one of the great stories in college baseball this season as he had not even made the 35-man roster prior to this year.

Offensively, shortstop Grae Kessinger and utility-man Ryan Olenek have made huge jumps. Catcher Nick Fortes is the most undervalued three-hole hitter in the SEC and he was named SEC Tournament MVP.

Matt Bragga’s Tennessee Tech squad leads college baseball in every imaginable offensive category. The Golden Eagles’ 128 home runs lead the nation by 34. To top it all off, Tennessee Tech has seven regulars with double-digit bombs. Additionally, this team finished seventh nationally in walks. This team is solid on the mound as well and closer Ethan Roberts could pitch for anyone. Roberts runs his fastball into the low-90s with a plus slider and a 12.75 K/9 rate.

Missouri State owns a strong postseason record under skipper Keith Guttin, having reached the CWS in 2003 and playing in Super Regionals in both 2015 and 2017. Shortstop Jeremy Eierman is physical and athletic and he could be a first round pick if things break right. Eierman got off to a slow start this spring but impressively recovered and has recorded double-digit home runs and stolen bases for the second consecutive season. Six-foot-6 junior righthander Dylan Coleman is the ace of the staff and he has 10 wins and 122 punchouts on the year.

Saint Louis is one of the most dangerous No. 4 seeds in the entire tournament and ace Miller Hogan will be a handful for Ole Miss in game one. Hogan deploys a big-time sinker in the low-90s and he is extremely tough on righthanded hitters. The Billikens bring great experience to the table with nine seniors on the roster.


Austin, Texas, Regional

1. Texas (13)
4. Texas Southern

3. Texas A&M
2. Indiana

In the year that College Baseball lost legend Augie Garrido, it feels appropriate that Texas would win the Big 12 and host a Regional. Big 12 Player of the Year Kody Clemens is the youngest of Roger’s four sons and he combines his father’s competitive streak with a profile of an offensive second baseman who hits from the left side. Clemens works with shortstop David Hamilton to make up one of the best middle infields in the nation.

The Longhorns’ offensive numbers are surprisingly superior to their pitching numbers and the bullpen in particular has been a problem. A pair of 23-year old fifth-year seniors recruited by Garrido, Andy McGuire and Parker Joe Robinson, have been part of the solution at the end of games.

Texas A&M entered Hoover in the category of “Bubble Out” and it took a 3-1 showing there to get them an at-large bid. While the Aggies really struggled in SEC play (3-7 in SEC series), there is real pitching talent here and this is a club that reached Omaha last year.

Lefthander John Doxakis had his best start of the season in Hoover and he will be critical to this weekend in Austin. Braden Shewmake is a star player but the Aggies’ offense has struggled. When the bullpen trio of Nolan Hoffman, Kaylor Chafin and Cason Sherrod are sharp this is an Omaha-caliber pitching staff.

Indiana won 38 games and this is one of the most physical teams in the NCAA Tournament. This is the Hoosiers’ fifth Regional appearance in the last six years and this is a veteran club. Matt Gorski, Scotty Bradley, Luke Miller and Logan Sowers all slug .495 or better.  Indiana has good balance and this staff pitched to a 2.91 ERA. One concern might be covering spacious Disch-Falk Field as this club doesn’t possess elite range defensively.

Texas Southern is making back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances for the first time in school history and they finished sixth in the nation with 114 stolen bases. SWAC Player of the Year Kamren Dukes hit .396 with a 34-game hitting streak earlier in the season.


Fayetteville, Ark., Regional

1. Arkansas (5)
4. Oral Roberts

3. Dallas Baptist
2. Southern Miss

The Razorbacks are 30-4 at home and Baum Stadium will be rocking this weekend. The Hogs are third in the nation with 84 home runs and they also have a bona fide ace in Blaine Knight. Dynamic freshmen Heston Kjerstad and Casey Martin have handled middle-of-the-order roles and look like stars. Isaiah Campbell has struggled to stay healthy this year but he is a difference maker as the Sunday starter when he is able to go.

As far as concerns go, defense and the bullpen have been two areas of inconsistency here. Shortstop Jax Biggers is back in the lineup so that helps the defense. The bullpen trio of Matt Cronin, Barrett Loseke and Jake Reindl may be just enough to make a deep run.

Southern Miss brings an interesting team to this bracket as ace Nick Sandlin (1.13 ERA leads the nation) has dominated after being converted from closer to the Friday night role. Will Scott Berry use Sandlin against DBU or save him for a possible showdown with Blaine Knight? Southern Miss hosted a Regional in 2017 but Mississippi State came back through the loser’s bracket to upset the Golden Eagles.

Their high-octane offense is led by third baseman Luke Reynolds and center fielder Matt Wallner. These two have combined for 31 home runs and 126 RBI while the 6-foot-5, 220-pound Wallner also has six saves as a bullpen piece.

Dan Heefner’s DBU Patriots were in the “Last 4 In” group but this is a program that has made a Regional in seven of the last eight seasons. Devlin Granberg is one of the best pure hitters in the country and he is third in the nation with 100 hits. The rotation has been a challenge for DBU and that is something to keep an eye on as this could be a very offensive Regional.

Oral Roberts has been to 19 Regionals in the last 21 years. The Golden Eagles are led by Summit League Player of the Year Noah Cummings who led the conference with 55 RBI.


Greenville, N.C., Regional

1. East Carolina (12)
4. UNC Wilmington

3. Ohio State
2. South Carolina

East Carolina is the best college baseball program never to have advanced to Omaha as this is the Pirates’ 29th NCAA Tournament appearance. This club is well balanced and Bryant Packard and Dwanya Williams-Sutton make for an interesting top of the order. Packard hit .403 this year with a 32-game hitting streak mixed in and he was named AAC Player of the Year. Williams-Sutton is a 220-pound righthanded hitter with a nice blend of power and speed and he is a career .333 hitter.

The bullpen has become a strength for Cliff Godwin’s club as projected weekend starters Trey Benton and Jake Agnos have excelled in their newly established relief roles. Starting pitching will be the key and Chris Holba’s ability to rediscover his early season dominance would be huge. Two-way freshman lefthander Alec Burleson has filled in admirably in the rotation.

It is year one for Mark Kingston at South Carolina and the Gamecocks finished on a tear, winning their final five SEC series. Carlos Cortes hit 15 home runs despite a slow start and this club is led by a veteran lineup. South Carolina is in the Top 20 nationally in both home runs (70) and fielding percentage (.981).

Pitching will be the key for South Carolina as this club has pitched to a 4.31 ERA. Starters Cody Morris and Adam Hill are elite talents who have struggled with consistency.

Ohio State makes its second Regional appearance in the last three seasons and this is a physical and offensive club. Senior closer Seth Kinker has been the Team MVP (15 Saves) but defense will be the key as the Bucs have struggled with a .958 fielding percentage.

This is UNCW’s fifth Regional appearance in the last seven years but this is not Mark Scalf’s typical uber-offensive club. That said, catcher Ryan Jeffers and first baseman Mason Berne have combined for 28 home runs and 106 RBI. Jeffers and freshman shortstop Greg Jones are intriguing pro prospects. Ace Alex Royalty has been his usual workhorse self (45 career starts), and the bullpen duo of Austin Warren and Clark Cota has combined for 52 appearances with ERAs of 1.75 and 1.93, respectively.


Chapel Hill, N.C., Regional

1. North Carolina (6)
4. North Carolina A&T

3. Houston
2. Purdue

For the other teams attending the Chapel Hill Regional it’s important to note that despite their lofty RPI the Tar Heels lost weekend series to East Carolina, Louisville, Florida State and Duke. They also lost midweek contests to UNCW, Coastal Carolina, NC State and St. John’s.

For North Carolina what happened in Chapel Hill a year ago when Davidson pulled off the upset is likely still fresh on their minds, and head coach Mike Fox is sure to use that for added motivation this time around.

The bright spots for UNC include a lineup that can bludgeon opponents with a barrage of hits as well as a deep bullpen with a seemingly bottomless well full of hard throwers. The starting options haven’t been as reliable this season, although getting Luca Dalatri back at the end of the regular season was a huge development for them.

Second-year head coach Mark Wasikowski guides the Boilermakers, a talented and long-time coach and recruiter that immediately made an impact on a team that went 10-44 just two years ago. Purdue can hit, get on base and steal bases once on, giving them a dangerous offensive profile even if they’re lacking in the power department. Tanner Andrews (7-4, 2.71 ERA) is one of the more promising player development stories in all of college baseball this season while Ross Learnhard was one of the Big Ten’s best closers with 15 saves in 28 relief appearances.

Houston’s pitching staff is a little top heavy, with a pair of lefthanded starters (Aaron Fletcher and Trey Cumbie) and bullpen options (Carter Henry and Joey Pulido) that are tough to beat. The offense isn’t quite as dangerous, but they’re aggressive on the basepaths and Joe Davis provides one big power threat to contend with.

North Carolina A&T scored double-digit runs in their last five games which led to their MEAC championship, so you know they can swing the bats. Their weekend starting trio of Michael Johnson, Tim Luth and Marcello Betances combined to go 16-7 with a 3.75 ERA, so they can hold their own on the mound, too.


Deland, Fla. Regional

1. Stetson (11)
4. Hartford

3. Oklahoma State
2. South Florida

No team was better on the mound this season than Stetson, leading all of college baseball with a 2.58 team ERA. Projected weekend starter Logan Gilbert led a weekend staff that included Jack Perkins and Mitchell Senger, a trio that combined to go a remarkable 28-5. Their best starter in regards to ERA was their midweek arm, Joey Gonzalez (1.77), who could be used in an expanded swing role during postseason play.

Their overall team MVP was closer Brooks Wilson, who went 6-0 with 20 saves in 31 relief appearances while also hitting .287-3-26. His offensive contributions are especially welcomed, because for as good as the team’s pitching staff is scoring runs is not a strength as no batter on the squad has an average at or above .300 entering postseason play.

Live-armed South Florida lefthander Shane McClanahan is the straw that stirs the scouts’ drinks when he takes the mound, and while his strikeouts (117 in 71 1/3 innings) are indicative of his power arsenal, the walks (44) tell a similar story about the need for improved command. Peter Strzelecki and Collin Sullivan give the Bulls two more accomplished starters while Andrew Perez is one of the nation’s top closers. USF also has a potent offense with six players that have a batting average above .300, which includes a pair of big boppers manning the infield corners, David Villar and Joe Genord.

Oklahoma State is a difficult team to get a read on, as they started and finished the season sluggish, especially on the tail end, losing nine of their last 10 games. In the middle of the year they built their postseason resume, with series sweeps over four Big 12 opponents including TCU and Oklahoma. This is definitely a sum-of-its-parts unit, although Matt Kroon (.302-11-37) finally broke through with a big season at the plate, giving slugger Colin Simpson (.281-18-51) plenty of RBI opportunities.

Outfielder Nick Campana is the sparkplug at the top of a scrappy Hartford lineup, hitting .389 with 17 doubles, 10 home runs and 21 stolen bases. The pitching isn’t quite as deep, with four arms – two starters (Nicholas Dombkowski and Nathan Florence) and two relievers (Seth Pinkerton and Drew Farkas) – that do most of the heavy lifting.


Tallahassee, Fla., Regional

1. Florida State (7)
4. Samford

3. Oklahoma
2. Mississippi State

For the second year in a row Mike Martin’s Seminoles have risen to the occasion late in the year, putting on a dominant performance through the ACC Tournament to claim the title while beating four tough teams, including two eventual Regional hosts in NC State and Clemson.

The FSU lineup can score some runs, led by switch-hitting catcher Cal Raleigh who leads the team in most offensive categories. The pitching staff has held together admirably since the very first game of the season when staff ace Tyler Holton was lost for the year, as Drew Parrish in particular has done a nice job stepping up. Freshman C.J. Van Eyk looked especially sharp in the ACC Tournament, making both a start and a key appearance out of the bullpen.

Mississippi State endured an up-and-down season, doing a nice job of re-grouping after a difficult start. They went an even 15-15 in SEC play, but three of their four series wins were against the SEC’s elite: Florida, Ole Miss and Arkansas, and they also swept their three opponents at the Shriner’s College Classic in early March. Speedy outfielder Jake Mangum is the player to watch here, a contact-oriented hitter who rarely misses when the bat leaves his shoulder with the ability to change a game both on the basepaths and in center field.

A projected matchup between Mississippi State ace Konnor Pilkington and Oklahoma ace Jake Irvin should be a good one to kick things off in Tallahassee on Friday, as both are big, strong hurlers with pro aspirations with Monday’s draft approaching. The Sooners have some additional star power, especially in the outfield where sweet-swinging Steele Walker and hard-hitting mulit-sport talent Kyler Murray roam. OU didn’t finish the year as strong as they started it, but they have a deep staff of big-bodied, hard-throwing arms to help carry them to Super Regional play.

Samford emerged as the SoCon champs by beating a tough Mercer squad twice last weekend to secure their postseason berth. Freshman lefthander Samuel Strickland enjoyed a very productive (8-2, 1.89) rookie season, while he and fellow starter Cody Shelton, as well as closer Wyatt Burns, give the Bulldogs three quality arms to contend with.


Clemson, S.C., Regional

1. Clemson (10)
4. Morehead State

3. St. John’s
2. Vanderbilt

Clemson would be wise not to get caught looking ahead to a potential Super Regional matchup against ACC foe Florida State as they drew one of the more difficult foursomes to their home turf. Monte Lee will have his work cut out for him to ensure the Tigers’ season doesn’t end at a home Regional for a third consecutive season.

And there’s good reason this club went 45-14 this year, with a dangerous lineup that includes college baseball’s biggest star over the last three seasons, Seth Beer, who enters postseason play with 54 career home runs. Shortstop Logan Davidson sets the tone at the top of the order while Chris Williams provides some much-needed middle-of-the-order protection. While the pitching staff doesn’t have the same kind of star power, Closer Ryley Gilliam and bullpen ace Ryan Miller have been go-to options after their effective weekend starting trio.

Vanderbilt was the team that ended Clemson’s season a year ago, in Clemson, as they return for another chance to advance to Super Regional play. Not surprisingly consistency has been hard to come by for the ‘Dores, with a talented yet inexperienced, freshman-laden roster. While the offense can be explosive, finding reliable strike-throwers past their top two starters, Drake Fellows and Patrick Raby, has proven difficult. Regardless, they’re still a dangerous team.

The same is true for St. John’s, who unlike Vanderbilt has no shortage of strike-throwing options to turn to. Their 2.95 staff ERA is one of the best marks in the nation, as senior lefthander Kevin Magee and sophomore righty Sean Mooney give the Johnnies one of the more dominant 1-2 starting punches. In total they have six pitchers with at least 30 innings with an ERA at or below 2.51, and they also hit .297 as a team, making them much more than one-dimensional.

Morehead State is a dangerous team, especially offensively, as they took down Tennessee Tech in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament and stole a postseason berth away. Niko Hulsizer has been one of the most productive college sluggers not named Seth Beer in recent years, and despite missing about 20 games earlier in the season, he’s currently slashing .327/.439/.635 with 12 bombs and 38 RBI.


Athens, Ga., Regional

1. Georgia (8)
4. Campbell

3. Troy
2. Duke

The Georgia Bulldogs are one of the great stories of 2018 as this program had not made a Regional since 2011 and now they are a Top 8 seed. It may be nitpicking to point out that Georgia finished the season 3-5 over its last eight games, since seven of those games were against Top 8 seeds, but that is the case nonetheless. Overall, this is still a very young, albeit talented, roster and there is virtually no Regional experience here.

The offense is led by outstanding senior Keegan McGovern but the key to the Georgia season has been a deep and productive bullpen. The group of Zac Kristofak, Tony Locey and two-way star Aaron Schunk have been the key cogs here, especially now that Kevin Smith is back in the rotation.

Chris Pollard’s Duke club brings age and Regional experience (2016 Columbia Regional) and this group is also led by a dynamic bullpen. Two-way senior Jack Labosky and graduate transfer Ethan DeCaster (Creighton) make up the back of the bullpen and this duo has given up just six earned runs in 77 innings for a combined ERA of 0.70. Add in the power arms of Graeme Stinson (80 strikeouts in 48 2/3 innings) and Bryce Jarvis (55 in 38 1/3) and you have a legitimate game-shortening unit.

The offense has underperformed in 2018 but there is star power in outfielders Jimmy Herron and Griffin Conine. Duke’s very athletic lineup has led to a stellar fielding percentage of .981. The elephant in the room for the Blue Devils is the rotation as there is no starter with an ERA better than 4.69.

Troy gives this Regional yet another explosive offense as the lineup features four super athletic righthanded hitters at the top: shortstop Drew Sanders, third baseman Matt Federic, right fielder Joey Denison and center fielder Brandon Lockridge. This group has combined for 98 stolen bases and Sanders is leading the nation with an outrageous 85 runs scored.

The Campbell Camels play an uber-aggressive style of offense with 110 HBP (second in the nation) and 94 stolen bases. Matthew Barefoot sets the table and he is hitting .357 with 18 doubles and 31 stolen bases.


Lubbock, Texas, Regional

1. Texas Tech (9)
4. New Mexico State

3. Kent State
2. Louisville

Texas Tech may be the hardest team in the nation to figure out. There are offensive stars in Josh Jung, Grant Little and Gabe Holt, and if you catch the Red Raiders on the right night it is one of the most dynamic lineups in the country. However, defense has been a challenge at times and Tim Tadlock’s club is fielding .971, a low number for a team that plays on turf.

Pitching has been the key area of inconsistency and the loss of Preseason All-American Steven Gingery still seems to haunt this team. A volatile bullpen and strike-throwing appear to be the key factors for this club going forward as their 5.57 BB/9 ratio could be a problem in what appears to be a very difficult bracket.

Louisville went an uncharacteristic 5-5 in ACC series this year but the Cardinals got hot down the stretch and parlayed that into the ACC Tournament title game. Ace lefthander Adam Wolf has been brilliant all year and the return of fellow lefthander Nick Bennett has been a key to the second half surge. The bullpen is full of elite arms but command has been inconsistent. The possible return of a healthy Sam Bordner would make a big difference there.

Dan McDonnell’s lineup features six sophomores some days and the Louisville player development machine has worked on that group. First baseman Logan Wyatt has 22 doubles and a .487 on base percentage. Juniors Josh Stowers and Devin Mann have been hot down the stretch and that has been big for this offense. One area of concern would be defense as Louisville fields .968 as a team, which is again, very low for a turf team.

Jeff Duncan’s Kent State Golden Flashes earned their seventh Regional berth in the last 12 years and ace Joey Murray is one of the most intriguing arms in the entire tournament. Murray, who should match up with Wolf in game one, is fourth in the nation with 139 strikeouts.

New Mexico State leads the country with 117 HBP and this is a very offensive club. Ace Kyle Bradish could give host Texas Tech a problem in game one with his 12.58 K/9 rate.
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