Oh baby, WE ARE BACK! The college baseball regular season has ended and the bracket is set! My flights are already booked for opening weekend (and our free youth baseball camp that will be out there as well) and I couldn’t be more excited.
Below is a rundown of the NCAA baseball tournament field this year, where Jared Perkins and I toss out our unsolicited predictions and analysis. I am a West Coast guy, so there is some bias in there, but this year is no different from other years… Once again we are left asking the question, is the 9th best SEC team better than a 40+ win mid-major?
First, here is the full CWS bracket from NCAA.com and you can head to this link for a schedule of all the games this weekend.
Starting Nine
1) Biggest Surprise—
Ray: The WAC gets two bids in New Mexico State and GCU (first since 2012)
Jared: Coppin State going from a 1-53 team in 2012 to making a regional 10 years later. Beautiful turnaround.
2) Biggest Snub—
Ray: Rutgers (44-15) will be watching from home.
Jared: NC State (33 in the RPI) *Insert tweet for the #Pack9
3) Most Offense-packed Regional—
Ray: Texas. Offense galore with these 4 teams. DBU known for banging, LA Tech and coach Lane Burroughs has hit the cover off the ball since he took over in 2013, and Air Force has five guys in their lineup with double-digit homers (and don’t give me that “elevation” bs).
Jared: Oklahoma State. 1,659 runs scored this year between those four teams… Arkansas had the fewest with 384. Be ready for fireworks.
4) Toughest Regional—
Ray: Stanford, as the #2 overall seed, has two 40+ win teams in their regional (UCSB 43-12, Texas State: 45-12). Only Maryland (#15) has the same dilemma. Limited West Coast opponents does not help but damn, good luck.
Jared: Florida. CMU is a tough first game for Florida, Liberty is scary and Oklahoma has a chance to make a run.
5) Easiest Regional for Host—
Ray: Louisville. Oregon OK, Michigan playing hot, SEMO State.
Jared: Tennessee, deservedly so. It’s The Vols vs The Field right now.
6) Favorite Storyline—
Ray: Texas A&M head coach, Jim Schlossnagle hosting former team TCU. Also, if LSU and Arizona matchup in a Super–OH MY! LSU head coach Jay Johnson left Arizona last year.
Jared: UCONNs run without their first-round pick, Reggie Crawford, who suffered an arm injury this fall. The road-tested Huskies have taken the “next man up” strategy and will be a dangerous team in Maryland. The grad transfers galore are absolute mashers.
7) Dark horse pick for Omaha—
Ray: Campbell. Yes, I realize they are going to Tennessee. This is a dark horse. But that pitching staff and offense is strong enough to make a run. One weekend like the Vols had against Kentucky and it’s over. Flashbacks of 2017 Oregon State *(56-4, lost twice to LSU at the CWS). San Diego would be my biased pick, but the boys are hot and something scary about a team playing on house money.
Jared: Virginia. Hard not to love Coach O’Connor and the Cavaliers after he sat down with us for an interview before the season. Offense is loaded and led by Sophomore Jake Gelof who hit .373 with 19 HRs 74 RBI. Looked like they had a chance to host there for a bit but they have been impressive all year and might just turn some heads in June.
8) Eight to Omaha—
Ray: Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Maryland, Oklahoma State, LSU, San Diego
Jared: Tennessee, Stanford, Oregon State, Oklahoma State, Florida, LSU, North Carolina, Maryland
9) Pick to win it all—
Ray: Oklahoma State returns and finally completes the job. Hopefully a matchup with Tennessee for the natty.
Jared: Oregon State. The Beavers are making their 21st appearance in the NCAA tournament, looking to win a for the first time with a coach not named Pat Casey since 1952. Head Coach Mitch Canham dog-piled in Omaha as a player with the Beaver in 2006 and 2007, and is hoping this team does the same.
