Super Regionals Preview

The road to Omaha runs through several familiar stops this weekend, and few states have more to celebrate than Alabama. For the first time ever, Alabama, Auburn, and Troy have all advanced to the Super Regional round, giving the Yellowhammer State three teams still in the hunt for a trip to the College World Series. From SEC powers in Tuscaloosa and Auburn to a historic postseason run in Troy, baseball fans across the state have plenty to watch as eight highly anticipated Super Regional matchups get underway. Here’s a look at each series and what to expect this weekend.

Ole Miss @ Auburn

This matchup is a very interesting one that could go either way. Auburn enters the Super Regional after a bit of a scare in its regional, but the Tigers are now riding a four-game winning streak and swinging some very hot bats. Not to mention, Auburn boasts one of the top three pitching staffs in the country.

On the flip side, Ole Miss completely swept its regional despite not hosting it. That being said, the Rebels are a very underrated and unpredictable team to play against. This matchup is going to come down to precise game management and should be one of the most exciting series of the weekend.

Little Rock @ Troy

It’s almost hard to believe that we are discussing a Super Regional matchup between these two teams.

Troy is hosting its first-ever Super Regional appearance after entering its regional as the No. 3 seed and defeating teams such as Miami and Florida. The Trojans have some of the hottest bats in baseball right now.

Little Rock, meanwhile, is also making its first-ever Super Regional appearance. The Trojans entered their regional as a No. 4 seed and swept Southern Miss and Virginia. Overall, this should be a fascinating matchup, and it will be exciting to watch these two Cinderella stories battle it out.

Cal Poly @ West Virginia

This is an intriguing matchup between Cal Poly and West Virginia.

Cal Poly entered its regional as a No. 3 seed and swept through the field, allowing only five runs in three games while showcasing an elite pitching staff. The Mustangs are on a hot streak, but West Virginia is built around an older, veteran, fundamentally sound roster.

The Mountaineers proved during regionals that they can win big games and compete until the very last pitch. If Cal Poly can effectively manage its pitching staff, this could turn into one of the more surprising series of the weekend.

USC @ North Carolina

Both teams turned in dominant regional performances.

While USC dropped a game to Texas A&M, the Trojans responded by outscoring the Aggies 21-4 over the next two contests. USC enters this series with hot bats and a well-balanced lineup.

North Carolina, meanwhile, went 3-0 in its regional and outscored opponents 28-10. If the Tar Heels’ deep pitching staff can contain USC’s offense, this should be a close series. Otherwise, I expect USC to keep rolling.

Mississippi State @ Georgia

This will be a big-time SEC showdown in Athens as the two Bulldogs face off.

Georgia enters the weekend as one of the best teams in the country and arguably possesses one of the best offenses college baseball has seen in recent years. The Bulldogs also feature elite starting pitching, though their overall depth on the mound could be a concern.

Mississippi State, on the other hand, is getting hot at the right time. The Bulldogs outscored opponents 39-11 over three games during a dominant regional performance. Don’t be surprised if Mississippi State pulls off the upset this weekend.

Oregon @ Texas

This weekend, the Texas Longhorns will host the Oregon Ducks in Austin.

Oregon dominated its regional, sweeping through the competition while outscoring opponents 22-4. It’s safe to say the Ducks possess one of the best pitching staffs in the country.

That said, Texas outscored opponents 41-7 in one of the most dominant regional performances we have seen in recent memory. I would argue that Texas is the hottest team in the country right now, boasting a loaded offense and more than capable pitching. Whoever emerges from this matchup will have a strong chance to win it all.

St. John’s @ Alabama

To most fans, this appears to be Alabama’s easiest matchup of the postseason so far. However, a closer look reveals that St. John’s is the type of team capable of pulling off major upsets.

After trailing by a large margin in one of its regional games, St. John’s stormed back with 18 unanswered runs. Alabama should be able to contain this team, but if the Red Storm get hot, they can look unstoppable.

St. John’s is also one of the very few No. 4 seeds to reach a Super Regional, accomplishing the feat with a 3-0 sweep in regional play. As good as Alabama is, overlooking this team could be a recipe for disaster for the Crimson Tide.

Oklahoma @ Kansas

Kansas will host Oklahoma this weekend in what should be one of the most exciting matchups of the Super Regionals.

Both teams delivered impressive regional performances and feature balanced rosters. Neither team necessarily dominates in one particular area, but both excel at winning close games and managing key moments.

I was particularly impressed with Oklahoma’s performance, as the Sooners defeated No. 2 national seed Georgia Tech twice. While Kansas swept its regional and Oklahoma suffered one loss, I still believe the Sooners have the higher upside entering this series.