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USA Today
9 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
College baseball tournament super regionals: Ranking the 16 teams left in the field
College baseball tournament super regionals: Ranking the 16 teams left in the field Show Caption Hide Caption 5 men's NCAA baseball tournament players to watch The Mongomery Advertiser's Adam Cole and The Tennesseean's Aria Gerson break down the top players to watch in the men's NCAA baseball tournament. With the NCAA baseball tournament field now whittled down to 16 teams, it's natural to ask which of the regional champs have the best chance to bring home the title in Omaha, Nebraska, at the end of the month. In all honesty, given that half the national seeds have already been eliminated, your guess is probably as good as ours. Nevertheless, we shall take a stab at ranking the 16 remaining teams. First and foremost, a few caveats are in order. This ranking is completely unscientific. Poll positions and seeds are taken into account, but recent performance and historic postseason success are also factors considered. Home field in the upcoming super regional round is an edge, but it's anything but a guarantee of success as we've already seen in this tournament. With all that out of the way then, here's how we rank the 16 survivors. No. 1 Arkansas Is this finally the Razorbacks' year? Arkansas was a win away in 2018 but has yet to claim a national championship. In addition to being the highest-seeded team still in the tournament, this year's squad would appear to have the necessary combination of pitching depth and timely hitting for a long stay should it make it to Omaha. But the Hogs have a tough assignment against the defending champion Volunteers. No. 2 North Carolina The Tar Heels look to have the best position of the ACC's sizable five-team contingent in the round of 16 after getting past Oklahoma in an elimination game to advance. UNC is also seeking its first title, but Gavin Gallaher has been on an absolute tear at the plate in the postseason, and Jake Knapp is a true staff ace. No. 3 Auburn The Tigers rebounded in a big way from a subpar 2024 campaign thanks to a significant roster overhaul. They swept their regional while several of their SEC brethren weren't nearly as successful, and now they seek a return trip to Omaha after a two-year absence. Their last obstacle, however, is significant (see below). No. 4 Tennessee The Volunteers weren't the most consistent bunch in SEC play this season, particularly in the latter half of the campaign. The offense gets a lot of the headlines but there are enough arms to weather what should be an electric atmosphere at Arkansas. They've had success against the Razorbacks before, and if they find a way to reach Omaha they'd have a solid chance to repeat. No. 5 LSU Though the Bayou Bengals had to work a little harder than expected to get past a pesky group of Trojans from Little Rock, they'd be a popular choice to add to their seven championship banners if they reach the College World Series. LSU isn't as reliant on offense as years past with Anthony Eyanson and Kade Anderson giving the pitching staff two elite starting options. No. 6 Oregon State Perhaps it was the shock of losing to Saint Mary's in the opener last week, but the Beavers' bats woke up in time for them to avoid elimination in their home park. It won't hurt that they get to stay in Corvallis while their opponent must travel across the continent, but maintaining the hit parade against Florida State's accomplished hurlers will be a challenge. No. 7 Louisville After sweeping their regional that included top overall seed Vanderbilt, the Cardinals can't be counted out. Their matchup against Miami guarantees at least one ACC squad will be represented next week at the CWS, though Louisville did not encounter the Hurricanes during the regular season. No. 8 UCLA The Bruins broke through for their first baseball title in 2013. Somewhat surprisingly, they haven't been back to Omaha since. This year's group is happy to be home after accumulating many more travel miles in its first Big Ten season. Balance is a big part of their success with excellent defense supporting a solid hitting and pitching group. No. 9 Florida State As long-time Seminoles' fans are well aware, getting to Omaha has not been the issue. They've been there 24 times without a title. But first things first, as they'll need to win a series on the west coast before dealing with the inevitable questions about all the years of CWS futility. Starting pitchers Jamie Arnold and Joey Volini will be asked to lead the way in slowing down Oregon State. No. 10 Coastal Carolina We admit we might have the Chanticleers too low here. They rank second in ERA (3.22), which certainly gives them a chance to cool Auburn's hot bats. The offensive firepower in the Sun Belt top to bottom doesn't match the SEC, of course, but Coastal faced its share of major conference competition during the season as well. The offense relies less on the long ball than manufacturing runs. No. 11 Duke Even Duke's meager College World Series history comprising three appearances, the most recent in 1961, is more than that of its opponent this weekend. We'll say this much – the Blue Devils' series against Murray State should be quite entertaining, especially if you like to see a lot of runs scored. No. 12 Arizona The Wildcats flew under the radar a bit this season as they negotiated their new conference, but they still won the Big 12 tournament and got through regionals - albeit with the benefit of not facing host Oregon. There's no shortage of history in the program that claims four national championships, but this group has a difficult road assignment in Chapel Hill. No. 13 Texas-San Antonio The Roadrunners are sailing in uncharted waters. But now that they've cracked the super regionals for the first time – at the expense of their state's flagship school no less – they won't be bothered by the increasingly bigger stage. UTSA has scored more runs than any of the remaining 16 teams, so their bats should provide a test for UCLA's solid pitching staff. No. 14 West Virginia "No lead is safe" might be a cliché, but it definitely applies to this scrappy bunch of Mountaineers after thrilling comeback victories against Clemson and Kentucky that got them through their regional in three games. They also perform well away from Morgantown, but overcoming the home environs in Baton Rouge will still be a major challenge. No. 15 Miami (Fla.) The Hurricanes are arguably the shakiest of the handful of ACC squads to reach this point even thought they worked their way through both Alabama and Southern Mississippi for their first super regional since 2016. As mentioned above, they did not meet Louisville earlier, though their results against the conference's upper tier would suggest winning twice on the road is a tall order. No. 16 Murray State Perhaps we should pay more attention to the Missouri Valley tournament on an annual basis. The Racers' run through Mississippi's regional means an MVC squad has reached the super regionals in four of the last five seasons. Murray State will undoubtedly have to continue its high run production to keep up with Duke, but the Racers will enjoy the ride regardless.
USA Today
18 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
WCWS schedule: Score, start time, TV channel for Wednesday NCAA championship game
WCWS schedule: Score, start time, TV channel for Wednesday NCAA championship game Show Caption Hide Caption 5 men's NCAA baseball tournament players to watch The Mongomery Advertiser's Adam Cole and The Tennesseean's Aria Gerson break down the top players to watch in the men's NCAA baseball tournament. Editor's note: Follow along here for live updates from Game 1 of the WCWS championship series between Texas and Texas Tech. The 2025 Women's College World Series championship series features a dream pitching matchup: NiJaree Canady vs. Teagan Kavan. No. 6 Texas and No. 13 Texas Tech are set to square off in the best-of-three game championship series to determine the 2025 national champion. Both teams entered the WCWS finals undefeated in the double-elimination tournament at Devon Park in Oklahoma City. Neither team has won a national championship in softball before. The Red Raiders knocked off four-time defending national champion Oklahoma on Monday in the semifinals, while the Longhorns beat Tennessee to advance to the championship series. REQUIRED READING: How many innings are in college softball games? What to know amid WCWS finals Here's a look at the schedule for WCWS on Wednesday, including start TV channel and more: Women's College World Series game today Texas and Texas Tech revive their Big 12 rivalry in the 2025 WCWS championship series. Both programs are seeking their first national championship in softball in program history. The Longhorns have won 14 in a row in the series, including two victories this season. Here's a look at Wednesday's WCWS schedule: All times Eastern No. 13 Texas Tech vs. No. 6 Texas | 8 p.m. | ESPN (ESPN+) Who is in the Women's College World Series? The WCWS began May 29 with eight teams vying for a national championship and the field has narrowed down to two teams ― Texas and Texas Tech ― in a best-of-three game championship series. Here's who remains: No. 2 Oklahoma (51-8) No. 3 Florida (48-16) No. 6 Texas (53-11) No. 7 Tennessee (45-16) No. 9 UCLA (55-12) No. 12 Texas Tech (52-12) No. 16 Oregon (53-9) Ole Miss (42-19) Women's College World Series bracket Click here to see the official bracket for the 2025 Women's College World Series. When is the Women's College World Series? The 2025 WCWS began May 29 and will wrap up on either June 5 or June 6, depending on whether the best-of-three championship series goes two or the full three games. Watch the 2025 Women's College World Series live with ESPN+ What channel is the Women's College World Series championship series on? TV channel : ESPN : ESPN Live stream: ESPN app | ESPN+ All three WCWS championship series games will be air on ESPN. Beth Mowins (play-by-play), Jessica Mendoza (analyst) and Michele Smith (analyst) will have the call for the Texas-Texas Tech matchups, with Holly Rowe serving as the sideline reporter. Streaming options for all four games include the ESPN app, which requires a valid cable login to access, and ESPN+, ESPN's subscription streaming service.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Erik Bakich talks Clemson baseball's win vs USC Upstate in NCAA Tournament
SEC baseball predictions: Tennessee and Vanderbilt could get hot at the perfect time The Montgomery Advertiser's Adam Cole makes his predictions for which team will win the 2025 SEC baseball tournament, highlighting Tennessee, Vanderbilt, LSU, Arkansas and more. 1:06 Now Playing Paused Ad Playing
USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Texas baseball vs K-State live updates: Start time, TV channel for NCAA regional game
Texas baseball vs K-State live updates: Start time, TV channel for NCAA regional game Show Caption Hide Caption 5 men's NCAA baseball tournament players to watch The Mongomery Advertiser's Adam Cole and The Tennesseean's Aria Gerson break down the top players to watch in the men's NCAA baseball tournament. Texas baseball knew it would play at some point on June 1 – though the Longhorns are playing earlier than they may have anticipated. The Longhorns, the No. 2 national seed in the 2025 NCAA baseball tournament, find themselves in the Austin Regional's elimination game against Kansas State after falling 9-7 to UTSA on May 31. Jim Schlossnagle and Co. need to win two games – first against the Wildcats, then in a rematch vs. the Roadrunners – just to force a rubber match vs. UTSA on June 2. Of course, Texas must first beat Kansas State, which began its run in the Austin Regional with a loss to UTSA before staving off elimination with a win over Houston Christian. Whoever wins the matchup between the Longhorns and Wildcats will advance to take on the Roadrunners in the Austin Regional championship. USA TODAY is providing live updates, scores and highlights from Texas and Kansas State's elimination game. Follow along here: Watch Texas vs Kansas State with ESPN+ Texas baseball live score vs Kansas State This section will be updated TEAMS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 F Texas — — — — — — — — — — K-State — — — — — — — — — — Texas baseball vs Kansas State live updates This section will be updated. What time does Texas baseball vs Kansas State start? Date: Sunday, June 1 Sunday, June 1 Time: 3 p.m. ET First pitch for Texas and Kansas State's elimination game is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET. What TV channel is Texas baseball vs Kansas State on today? TV channel: ESPN ESPN Streaming: ESPN app | ESPN+ The Longhorns-Wildcats game will air live on ESPN. Streaming options include the ESPN app (with a valid cable login) and ESPN+, the latter of which serves as ESPN's streaming service. NCAA baseball tournament schedule Regionals: May 30-June 2 May 30-June 2 Super regionals: June 6-9 June 6-9 College World Series: June 13-22/23 June 13-22/23 CWS finals: June 21-22/23 The 2025 NCAA baseball tournament began on May 30 with the regional round, which will conclude no later than June 2. Following the regional round are the super regionals, which will take place June 6-9. After that, the College World Series will begin on June 13 and end on either June 22 or 23, depending on whether the three-game championship series needs two or three games.
USA Today
6 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Northeastern baseball enters NCAA Tournament as hottest team in nation
Northeastern baseball enters NCAA Tournament as hottest team in nation Show Caption Hide Caption 2 dark-horse picks for the 2025 men's NCAA baseball tournament The Montgomery Advertiser's Adam Cole and The Tennesseean's Aria Gerson make their dark-horse picks for the NCAA baseball tournament: Duke and Northeastern. Northeastern baseball enters the NCAA Tournament as the hottest team in the country, and it's not particularly close. The Huskies, who were just on the outside of hosting a regional, are on a ridiculous 27-game win streak going into the Tallahassee Regional, hosted by No. 9 Florida State. REQUIRED READING: College World Series predictions: Who will reach Omaha in 2025 NCAA baseball tournament? Northeastern, which boasts the nation's best team ERA at 2.92 this season, is ranked No. 21 in the latest USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll. They have three starting pitchers with sub-3.00 ERAs, and four hitters batting over .300. Amid a historic season, the Huskies are looking to make a run to their second College World Series appearance ever, as they last made it in 1966. The NCAA Tournament appearance is only their 11th bid. Here's everything to know about Northeastern baseball's win streak, as it prepares for Mississippi State on Friday: Northeastern baseball win streak Northeastern won its 27th consecutive game after beating UNC Wilmington 9-6 in the CAA tournament championship, which locked up its NCAA Tournament bid. The Huskies haven't lost in nearly two months, last taken down by Campbell 18-8 in eight innings, as the game ended in run-rule fashion. At one point during the win streak, Northeastern won by run-rule in three consecutive games, beating Charleston 10-0 and Monmouth 16-5 and 10-0. The record for most consecutive wins in Division I baseball is 34, which was set by Texas in 1977 and tied by Florida Atlantic in 1999. Northeastern would have to sweep the Tallahassee Regional and the following super regional, plus win its first CWS game to tie the record. That won't be easy, but it is certainly doable for the red-hot team. Northeastern has a 48-9 record this season, which is its best mark in program history. Not only does it lead the nation in team ERA, but it also leads in shutouts (17) and WHIP (1.04). The Huskies also get it done offensively, led by CAA Player of the Year Harrison Feinberg and a lineup that ranks second nationally in stolen bases (192). Northeastern has yet to win a regional game since the NCAA Tournament format changed in 1999, but coach Mike Glavine, the brother of Baseball Hall of Famer Tom Glavine, thinks this team is ready for the challenge. "This is the best group – the most prepared group – going into a regional tournament that we've had," Glavine told the university's in-house news outlet. "For me, now it's just making sure our guys believe they can do this. "We get in these situations where sometimes we don't play our best baseball and we worry about things that we can't control. I want to see the same team I've seen all year long. It's going to be a great opponent, an SEC opponent, in Mississippi State. We have to focus on ourselves and can't get caught up in who we're playing. It's going to be tough, obviously, but we're going to be tough." Northeastern baseball record Here's a look at Northeastern's record in 2025:
