This weekend, the NCAA Baseball Tournament is in the Super Regional round, with 16 teams still standing, and only eight of them will punch their ticket to the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska. In the Super Regional Round, there are eight sites at the host of the better seed where it’s a best two out of three series to determine who will be going to the College World Series. We are doing a two-part preview, with our predictions about who we think will head to Omaha.
Knoxville Super Regional:
Evansville Aces vs. #1 Tennessee Volunteers
The Evansville Aces are this year’s Cinderella of the postseason. They are the only 4-seed from Regionals to advance to the Super Regionals as they took down the host, East Carolina twice to keep their season alive. It also was the first regional title for the school and only the ninth time that a 4-seed has won a Regional. The Aces have won 10 of their last 12 games and took home the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament title by scoring eight or more runs in all four games and double-digit runs in three of the four contests. Kip Fougerousse leads the team in home runs with 21 (that ties the single-season home run record) and was the Regional Tournament Most Outstanding Player. He’s also homered in six consecutive games and eight of the last nine.
The Tennessee Volunteers are used to being in the Super Regionals, as this is the fourth straight year they’ve captured a Regional title. This also is the second time in three years that Tennessee has been the number one overall seed in the tournament. The Vols rolled through Regionals with a pair of six-run wins and a 12-3 win over Southern Mississippi in the Regional Championship game. They are led by Christian Moore, who is Tennessee’s career leader in home runs with 56 and 29 this year. Tennessee has been dominant at home, with a record of 38-3 and they use the long ball effectively. The Vols are powerful and are looking for their third trip to the College World Series in four years.
Predictions:
Tyler – Tennessee advances 2-0
Matt – Tennessee advances 2-0
Tallahassee Super Regional
UConn Huskies vs. #8 Florida State Seminoles
The UCONN Huskies are another Cinderella that advanced to the Super Regionals. Connecticut was a 3-seed in the Norman Regional and took down 2-seed Duke 4-1 before knocking off 1-seed Oklahoma 4-1. The Sooners and the Huskies met again but Oklahoma staved off elimination with a 6-4 victory before UCONN advanced with a 7-1 win over Oklahoma. UCONN lost both games in the Big East tournament with both of their losses going to extra innings. The Huskies were led by Korey Morton, who was the Norman Regional Most Outstanding Player and had a two-run home run in their 7-1 win over Oklahoma. It’s been 45 years since the Huskies last made the College World Series.
Florida State breezed through their Regional with a 7-2 win over Stetson, followed up with a 5-2 win over UCF before defeating UCF once again 12-4 to go undefeated in Regionals. The Seminoles had a good run in the ACC Tournament, making it to the Championship Game where they lost to Duke. FSU has improved tremendously from last season to this season, as they’ve had a 22-win improvement, which is the biggest improvement in school history. This is the 18th trip to the Super Regionals for the Seminoles and their first since 2019 when they also made the College World Series. Cam Smith has led FSU this year as he already has a pair of homers in the NCAA Tournament and has 97 hits on the season, which is the most for a Seminole since Buster Posey had 119 hits in 2008.
Predictions:
Tyler – Florida State advances 2-1
Matt – Florida State advances 2-0
Charlottesville Super Regional
Kansas State Wildcats vs. #12 Virginia Cavaliers
Kansas State fits the Cinderella theme perfectly, the Wildcats won their second Regional in school history and are looking for their first trip to Omaha for the College World Series. In the Fayetteville Regional, Kansas State started with a big bang, winning 19-4 over Lousiana Tech before taking down 1-seed Arkansas 7-6 before seeing the 4-seed, Southeast Missouri State and getting a 7-2 win to advance to the Super Regional. The Wildcats are led by Kaelen Culpepper, who had two home runs, seven RBI, hit for the cycle against Louisiana Tech, and was the Regional Most Outstanding Player. Against Arkansas, the Cats chased off All-American and SEC Pitcher of the Year, Hagen Smith, who lasted only five innings. Kansas State also has All-American Tyson Neighbors who they rely on to come out of the bullpen.
Virginia has made Omaha, its home away from home over the last 15 years. Since 2009, Virginia has made it to the College World Series six times, which is second most of any program in that time, and won it all in 2015. It wasn’t smooth sailing for the Cavaliers in the Charlottesville Regional, as they had a 4-2 win over Penn before squeaking by Mississippi State, 5-4. They faced the Bulldogs again but won 9-2 to once again make it to the Supers. Jay Woolfork pitched a career-high, eight innings and seven strikeouts in their Super Regional clinching game. He was named the Regional Most Outstanding Player for his effort. Ethan Anderson has reached base in 30 straight games for the Hoos and is one of the leaders on the team at drawing walks. Virginia entered the Regional with a program-record 113 home runs and nine players hitting .301 or better.
Predictions:
Tyler – Virginia advances 2-0
Matt – Kansas State advances 2-1
Chapel Hill Super Regional
West Virginia Mountaineers vs. #4 North Carolina Tar Heels
The Tuscon Regional might’ve been the most surprising of them all. 3-seed West Virginia was able to conquer it but they first had to go through Dallas Baptist, winning 4-1 before seeing the 4-seed Grand Canyon who upset the hosts, Arizona. The Mountaineers won 5-2 before seeing Grand Canyon again and winning again, this time 10-6 to win their first-ever Regional. West Virginia had Derek Clark throw a complete game in their win over Dallas Baptist and he also recorded the final two outs of the Regional clincher, which both were strikeouts. Clark was named the Tuscon Regional Most Outstanding Player.
North Carolina had a thrilling Regional at home that started off with an 11-8 win over LIU. The Tar Heels won over LSU 6-2 before facing LSU twice, losing the first one 8-4 before winning 4-3 in the final matchup. North Carolina was the number-one seed in the ACC tournament but lost to Wake Forest. UNC is led by Gavin Gallaher, the Most Outstanding Player in the Chapel Hill Regional. The Tar Heels also have a pair of Washington players. Jackson Van De Brake from Yakima went to West Valley High School and was a fantastic three-sport athlete. He started his college career at Tacoma Community College where he was First Team All-NWAX West Region in 2022. Also, Olin Johnson is from Bellingham, where he played at Squalicum High School before moving to Tennessee for his junior and senior years.
Predictions:
Tyler – North Carolina advances 2-1
Matt – North Carolina advances 2-1
Lexington Super Regional:
#15 Oregon State Beavers vs. #2 Kentucky Wildcats
While no teams from Washington made the tournament, a couple from Oregon survived the regional round and one of those was the Oregon State Beavers. With three College World Series titles in program history, the Beavers will look to get back to Omaha for the first time since 2018 when they won the whole thing. One of the top players in college baseball and projected top overall pick Travis Bazzana leads the way for the Beavers as the Australian went 4-11 with four RBI in the Corvallis Regional. The Beavers hold the second best team ERA in college baseball with Aiden May’s 2.88 ERA leading the way. After finishing second in the Pac-12 regular season, the Beavers struggled in the Pac-12 tournament but dominated the regional round. Oregon State knocked off Tulane and then beat UC Irvine twice, putting up a total of 26 runs in the three games.
A couple of familiar names to Washington state high school baseball can be found on the Oregon State roster. Elijah Hainline out of Mead High School in Spokane has been great for the Beavers in 57 starts this season. Hainline is hitting .286 this season but hit .500 in the regional round. Tyce Peterson out of Kirkland and Juanita High School has also had some success this season, hitting .275 and 9 RBI in 13 games.
It will not be an easy road for the Beavers as they will take on the #2 ranked team in the Kentucky Wildcats. Kentucky finished tied for first place in the SEC East, the conference that has produced the last four College World Series champions. After just avoiding an upset and beating Western Michigan 10-8 to open up the Lexington Regional, the Wildcats dominated their next two games, defeating Illinois 6-1 and Indiana State 5-0. Kentucky boasts a very balanced lineup, but leadoff man Ryan Waldschmidt sets the tone for this team. Waldschmidt is hitting .359 this season with 64 runs scored. Ryan Nicholson provides some pop for the Cats, hitting 20 home runs this season and driving in 58. the biggest strength for Kentucky is their bullpen led by Ryan Hagenow who has allowed just four runs in 18 innings. Kentucky will be looking for their first trip to the College World Series in program history.
Predictions:
Tyler – Kentucky advances 2-1
Matt – Oregon State advances 2-1
Athens Super Regional:
#10 North Carolina State Wolfpack vs. #7 Georgia Bulldogs
If you like offense, this would be the Super Regional for you. The #10 North Carolina Wolfpack exploded onto the scene in ACC play where they ended up finishing second in the Atlantic Division, ahead of a very good Florida State team. In the regional, NC State blew out Bryant 9-2 before winning a close one over South Carolina 6-4. The Wolfpack won their regional with a close 5-3 win over James Madison. Alec Makarewicz is the leading hitter in many categories for NC State. Makarewicz is hitting .379 this season with 20 home runs and 76 RBI. Both Garrett Pennington and Jacob Cozart added 16 home runs on the season. NC State has been to the College World Series three times before with the latest coming in 2021.
Only two teams hit more home runs this season than Georgia’s 145 long balls this year. The #7 Bulldogs have been an offensive juggernaut all season long, scoring 527 runs, the 9th most in college baseball. Georgia finished the season third in the SEC East behind only the top two overall seeds in Tennessee and Kentucky. The Bulldogs had to rally to beat Army to open up the Athens Regional 8-7, before blowing out UNC Wilmington 11-2. Georgia finished off their regional run with an 8-6 win over Georgia Tech. Of those 145 home runs hit by Georgia this season, 36 have been hit by Charlie Condon, the most in the NCAA this season. Mixing that in with his 77 RBI and .445 average, Condon is viewed as a top 5 pick with the potential to be the top pick overall. The one-two punch in the rotation of Leighton Finley and Kolten Smith are very strong as well, but this is an offensive minded team.
Predictions:
Tyler – Georgia advances 2-1
Matt – Georgia advances 2-1
Clemson Super Regional:
Florida Gators vs. #6 Clemson Tigers
If you have watched any baseball in the last five years, then you are aware of Shohei Ohtani. The dynamic two-way player has changed the game and the best two-way player in college baseball will be in the Clemson Super Regional. Jac Caglianone will not be a two-way player when he is taken in the first round of the upcoming MLB draft as he will just focus on playing first base. But Caglianone will worry about that later as he looks to help the Florida Gators spring another upset to make it to Omaha for the second consecutive season and the 9th time since Kevin O’Sullivan took over in 2008. The Gators struggled this season and just snuck into the field as a #3 seed in the Stillwater Regional with a record of 32-28. The Gators took down Nebraska 5-2 to open up the regional before losing to #11 Oklahoma State 7-1. Florida then survived a 17-11 shootout against Nebraska before beating Oklahoma State twice, 5-2 and 4-2. Florida is the only team that did not start off 2-0 in the regional round to reach the Supers.
In the other dugout will be the #6 Clemson Tigers. Winners of the ACC Atlantic Division, Clemson used strong starting pitching to catapult themselves into a top 16 seed and an opportunity to host a regional. While Clemson had to grind through a couple of 4-3 wins over High Point and Coastal Carolina, the regional final wouldn’t be too stressful as the Tigers knocked off Coastal Carolina again 12-5. One of the best freshman in the country will take the mound in one of the first two games for Clemson as Aidan Knaak has taken over as the next great pitcher in the ACC. In 14 starts this season, Knaak has only given up 3+ runs in three of those outings. In his regional appearance, Knaak allowed just two runs on six hits in six innings with no walks and six strikeouts. The lineup is deep for Clemson, but Blake Wright’s 21 home runs and 72 RBI make him the guy to look out for in the Clemson starting nine. The Tigers are looking for their first trip to Omaha since 2010.
Predictions:
Tyler – Clemson advances 2-0
Matt – Clemson advances 2-0
Bryan-College Station Super Regional:
Oregon Ducks vs. #3 Texas A&M Aggies
Finally, we get to the other team from the PNW in the Oregon Ducks. Another #3 seed from their regional, Oregon had to flush a frustrating Pac-12 Tournament on their short trip down to Santa Barbara. Oregon pitching stole the show after their initial 5-4 win over San Diego. The Ducks would then shutdown UC Santa Barbara 2-1 and 3-0 to advance to the Supers. While the lineup has struggled to find consistency throughout the season, the depth of the lineup has scary potential as it could be anyone any given night that steals the show. The trio of Grayson Grinsell, Kevin Seitter, and RJ Gordon were the spotlight stealers. Those three starters combined for 23 innings in the regional and allowed only three runs on 13 hits while walking nine and striking out 19. If that trio can pitch that well, the Ducks can hang with any team left in the field.
Four graduates from high schools in Washington are on the Oregon roster. Freshmen Mason Goodson out of Stanwood High School and Thomas Meluskey out of West Valley High School in Yakima have not played much this season while Dominic Hellman out of Henry M. Jackson High School in Mill Creek has seen some playing time throughout the year. Logan Mercado from Pasco and Tri-Cities Prep will be used by the Ducks out of the bullpen in this Super Regional. Mercado pitched four innings and allowed just one hit in the regional win over San Diego.
The second-place team out of the SEC West and #3 overall seeded Texas A&M Aggies will look to take out one of the remaining PNW teams. It was not easy for the Aggies in their regional after shutting out Grambling 8-0. Texas A&M needed Texas to commit a couple of errors to beat the Longhorns 4-2 in 11 innings. A convincing 9-4 win over Louisiana bumped the Aggies into the Supers. The fifth best team ERA tells the story for Texas A&M but the Aggies are also 12th in runs scored. Braden Montgomery leads the offense with 27 home runs and 85 RBI which is the fourth most in college baseball. Jace LaViolette leads the Aggies with 28 homers. Ryan Prager is the ace of the staff with a 2.53 ERA in 85 1/3 innings, but closer Evan Aschenbeck is as scary of a closer as you will find. Long story short, Texas A&M does everything well.
Predictions:
Tyler – Oregon advances 2-1
Matt – Texas A&M advances 2-0
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