2014 Regionals preview: Columbia

South Carolina didn't play particularly well in the SEC tournament last weekend, but head coach Chad Holbrook vows to have his club ready for this weekend. The Gamecocks should be healthier with Max Schrock expected to return, and finally to be healthy, while the offense is led by Kyle Martin (.329/5/33), catcher Grayson Greiner (.328/8/50) and Joey Pankake (.307/5/29). Athletic outfielder Tanner English is a versatile threat for the Gamecocks, while DC Arendas is more productive than his .269 batting average would indicate … On the mound, pitching coach Jerry Meyers has done yet another impressive job with a unit entering the postseason with a stellar 2.37 earned-run average. Lefthanded pitchers Jack Wynkoop (2.71) and Jordan Montgomery (3.52)  both have primarily upper-80s fastballs with good overall stuff, with Montgomery having the ability to touch 90-91, while freshman righthanded pitcher Wil Crowe is the perfect pitcher to have in the No. 3 role. Crowe attacks hitters and has a premium arm with a 3.05 ERA in 82 2/3 innings. In the bullpen, the Gamecocks have plenty of options, but are led by righthanded pitcher Joel Seddon, who has a big-time breaking ball to go with an 0.85 ERA in 42 1/3 innings, along with 14 saves.

Maryland is one of the great stories in college baseball this season. The Terrapins are in the postseason for the first time in a long time, and have a stellar one-two punch on the weekend in righthanded pitchers Jake Stinnett and Mike Shawaryn. Stinnett has blossomed into one of the nation's elite starting pitchers as a senior, having a fastball anywhere from 91-95, along with a wipeout slider, while Shawaryn is an excellent freshman arm with a 2.70 ERA in 80 innings, along with a fastball in the low-90s. Ben Brewster (2.74, 23 IP) and Bobby Ruse (2.91, 55.2 IP) are quality arms out of the bullpen … Offensively, Blake Schmit is coming off a good showing in the ACC tournament with a .310 average and 16 stolen bases, while Kevin Martir earned all-tournament honors last week and has a .275 average with four homers and 25 RBIs, and LaMonte Wade is sizzling hot at the plate. Also watch out for athletic Charlie White, who's 24-for-28 stolen bases this spring.

Old Dominion is back in the NCAA postseason and has an intriguing club to watch. ODU possesses some quality starting pitching with lefthander Andy Roberts and righthander Victor Diaz leading the way. Roberts is the most consistent arm on the staff with a 3.01 ERA in 80 2/3 innings, while Diaz has a 3.04 ERA in 68 innings, along with 45 strikeouts and 13 walks. Ryan Yarbrough has served as a reliever the past couple of weeks and has a 4.52 ERA in 83 2/3 innings, while Conner Overton (2.25), Brad Gero (2.77), Brett Harris (3.38) and Dean Ali (3.81) are other quality arms to watch … Offensively, the Monarchs won't overwhelm teams, but they have some key cogs, such as athletic leading hitter Nick Walker, who's hitting .319 with four homers and 26 RBIs, along with 15 stolen bases. Meanwhile, Josiah Burney is a power threat with six homers and 41 RBIs, and Connor Myers is another athletic, speedy guy to watch this weekend.

Campbell was devastated around this time last year when it was snubbed from the NCAA postseason. Now, head coach Greg Goff and his club are here and want to make a statement. The Camels aren't quite as offensive as they were last season with just a .273 team batting average, but still have some quality hitters, such as athletic Matt Nadolski, who's hitting .303 with five homers and 47 RBIs, along with 11 stolen bases. Aggressiveness seems to be a real theme with this club, as Steven Leonard (.303/0/29) and Danny Pardo (.279/3/23) also have double digit stolen bases … On the mound, the Camels have one of the best in the business in the bullpen in righthander Ryan Thompson, who's appeared in 37 games and has a 1.22 ERA in 81 1/3 innings, while starting pitchers Hector Cedano (2.40, 86.1 IP) and Heath Bowers (2.95, 109.2 IP). The big key to beating the Camels is getting deep into their bullpen, as they don't possess a wealth of quality depth.

South Carolina