Latest news with #NCAATournamentRegional
USA Today
29-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Full Preview of the Chapel Hill NCAA Baseball Tournament Regional
Full Preview of the Chapel Hill NCAA Baseball Tournament Regional Can the Diamond Heels advance out of a loaded field? Postseason baseball is officially here – and if you haven't been following college baseball this season, your North Carolina Tar Heels are playing their best baseball right now. UNC (42-12, 18-11), which dominated Clemson to win the ACC Tournament as a 3-seed, will host an NCAA Tournament Regional as the fifth national seed. Oklahoma, Nebraska and Holy Cross all join the Diamond Heels in Chapel Hill, compiling one of the postseason's tougher fields. North Carolina will open its Regional slate against Holy Cross (31-25, 17-8) on Friday, May 30 at 12 p.m. If UNC beats the Patriot League champion Crusaders, UNC will advance to face the winner of Oklahoma-Nebraska on Saturday at 6 p.m. The Diamond Heels aren't the only conference tournament champion in the Chapel Hill Regional. Nebraska (32-27, 15-10) beat UCLA to capture the Big 10 Tournament Championship, while Holy Cross downed Army West Point to win the Patriot League. Oklahoma (35-20, 14-16) escaped Kentucky and Georgia in the SEC Tournament, but fell to Vanderbilt in Game Three. Just because North Carolina is hosting a regional, doesn't mean it'll advance to host a Super Regional. UNC nearly watched its season end against LSU in the 2024 Chapel Hill Regional, but mounted a late comeback and advanced to host West Virginia. With how they ended the season, though, I'd be shocked if the Diamond Heels don't advance past the Regional Round. It doesn't help North Carolina's case it welcomes some of the top non-hosting teams in the NCAA Tournament, but if I've learned anything about UNC baseball in 2025, it's that no challenge is too large to overcome. Chapel Hill Regional Seeds/Schedule #1 Seed – North Carolina #2 Seed – Oklahoma #3 Seed – Nebraska #4 Seed – Holy Cross Friday, May 30 Game 1: No. 1 North Carolina vs. No. 4 Holy Cross | 12 p.m. Game 2: No. 2 Oklahoma vs. No. 3 Nebraska | 5 p.m. Saturday, May 31 Game 3: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2 (Elimination game) 12 p.m. Game 4: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2 | 6 p.m. Sunday, June 1 Game 5: Winner of Game 3 vs. Loser of Game 4 - 12 p.m. (Elimination Game) Game 6: Winner of Game 5 vs. Winner of Game 4 - 6 p.m. Monday, June 2 Game 7: (If necessary) Winner of Game 6 vs. Loser of Game 6 - Time TBA Position Players to Watch UNC – Jackson Van De Brake, Kane Kepley After being relegated to a reserve role in 2024, Van De Brake, the Diamond Heels' captain, is taking full advantage of his senior season. Van De Brake is currently hitting .314 (third best amongst North Carolina hitters) with 64 hits, including a UNC-best 15 doubles. Kepley, a speedster in the outfield, is arguably the Diamond Heels' top offseason transfer. UNC needed to replace its entire starting outfield from 2024, but Kepley slides in perfectly. Kepley is mashing .293 with 60 hits, a team-best six triples and 38 stoles bases. Oklahoma – Easton Carmichael, Jason Walk Carmichael is a beast at the dish, leading the Sooners with a .321 batting average, 71 hits, 14 home runs, 55 RBIs and a .588 slugging percentage. Walk also sports the power-speed combo so many teams covet – three triples, eight home runs, 17 stolen bases and an Oklahoma-best 12 doubles. Nebraska – Cayden Brumbaugh, Dylan Carey There are top-tier hitters scattered across the Cornhuskers' lineup, but if I had to pick two guys to watch, I'm looking at Brumbaugh and Carey. Brumbaugh leads Nebraska with 74 hits and 27 walks, while his 18 doubles and .316 batting average are second-best on the team. Carey is arguably the Huskers' top slugger, leading his teammates with 20 doubles, 40 RBIs, plus tying with Tyler Stone for a team-best eight home runs. Holy Cross – Chris Baillargeron, CJ Egrie Baillargeron is mashing a Crusaders-best .386, plus he leads his teammates with 76 hits and 52 RBIs. Egrie is hitting .311, but he does his most damage on the basepaths, stealing a team-high 35 bases and scoring a team-best 67 runs. Pitchers to Watch UNC – Aidan Haugh, Jake Knapp Haugh is an integral part of the Diamond Heels' star-studded, 3-man rotation. Going into the Chapel Hill Regional, Haugh carries a 5-4 win-loss record, 3.74 ERA and 73 strikeouts. Knapp isn't just North Carolina's ace, but one of the top pitchers across college baseball. Knapp, the 2025 ACC Pitcher of the Year, carries a UNC-best 12-0 win-loss record, 2.17 ERA and 78 strikeouts into the Chapel Hill Regional. Oklahoma – Kyson Witherspoon, Dylan Crooks What the Diamond Heels have in Knapp, the Sooners have in Witherspoon. The unquestionable ace of Oklahoma's pitching staff, Witherspoon leads his teammates with 10 victories and 120 strikeouts, with the latter statistic tied for sixth-best in the nation. It's difficult to find strong closers in college baseball, but Crooks is one of the country's elite bullpen arms. Crooks leads Oklahoma and is tied for third nationally with 14 saves, plus he carries a team-best 1.86 ERA. Nebraska – Ty Horn, Luke Broderick Horn sports a concerning 5.29 ERA, but he leads the Cornhuskers with 70 strikeouts. Broderick is another top-tier closer, anchoring Nebraska's bullpen with a team-best 12 saves, tied for fifth nationally. Holy Cross – Danny Macchiarola, Jaden Wywoda The Crusaders have not one – but two – 9-game winners on their pitching staff. Macchiarola leads Holy Cross with a 3.02 ERA and 91 strikeouts, while Wywoda's 9-2 win-loss record is best amongst starters. Chapel Hill Regional Winner – Prediction The Chapel Hill Regional carries an extremely tough field, but I like the Diamond Heels to advance – with three wins in three games. UNC is loaded across its starting lineup, while UNC's pitching staff is a massive upgrade from 2024.
USA Today
26-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Final projection for LSU baseball ahead of NCAA tournament bracket reveal
Final projection for LSU baseball ahead of NCAA tournament bracket reveal On Sunday, LSU baseball learned it would host an NCAA Tournament Regional next weekend. That came as no surprise as the Tigers were a lock for a top-sixteen seed. The Sunday announcement only listed the 16 host sites. The NCAA wants to give those locations a head start so they can be ready to roll this week. However, the full bracket and official seeding position of those 16 squads won't be released until 11 a.m. CT on Monday. LSU fans are confident the Tigers have done enough to earn a top-eight national seed, meaning LSU hosts a Super Regional if it takes care of business in the regional. LSU's resume was strong entering the SEC Tournament, and the Tigers padded it with a win over Texas A&M before falling to Ole Miss on Saturday. With just a few hours to go until the bracket is revealed, here are the final projections for LSU baseball's seeding position. LSU Wire Projection LSU sits No. 10 in the RPI rankings, lower than where most of the projected national seeds rank. But I think LSU's in a good spot anyway. LSU is 43-14 on the year and 19-11 in SEC play. Most of LSU's struggles in the conference schedule came on the road, which is easier for the committee to forgive. LSU was 30-5 at home and 5-1 at neutral sites. LSU had a strong finish to the season, notching series wins over Tennessee and Arkansas in the final month of conference play. The Tigers' resume has some weak spots, so does any resume that would take LSU's spot in the top eight. I think LSU gets the top-eight seed it's looking for. LSU lands at No. 6. D1Baseball D1Baseball dropped its final prediction on Monday morning. On Sunday, D1Baseball had LSU at No. 5. Now, the Tigers sit at No. 7, still making the cut. 64Analytics 64Analytics took to social media to post their final tournament projection. LSU fans will be happy to see the Tigers at No. 5.
USA Today
26-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
LSU baseball named host for NCAA Tournament Regional
LSU baseball named host for NCAA Tournament Regional LSU baseball will host a Regional in Baton Rouge for the 2025 NCAA Tournament. The Tigers are among 16 teams hosting regionals in the field but must wait to find out if they rank among the top-eight teams. The NCAA makes that announcement on Monday, which will determine if LSU will host a Super Regional. Three teams will head to Baton Rouge for the four-team, double-elimination round, which runs from May 30 through June 2. The other teams will be announced on Monday as well. The Regional winner will advance to the Super Regionals from June 6-8 and have a chance to make the College World Series in Omaha. LSU head coach Jay Johnson made his case last week as to why his team earned a top eight seed. The Tigers finished third in SEC regular season standings with a 19-11 record then fell to Ole Miss in the conference tournament semifinals.
USA Today
22-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
12th-seeded Oklahoma beats No. 5 Georgia in SEC Baseball Tournament
12th-seeded Oklahoma beats No. 5 Georgia in SEC Baseball Tournament Dayton Tockey hit an RBI groundout to break a sixth-inning tie and Brayden Horton followed with what would be the game-winning RBI single as 12th-seeded Oklahoma beat fifth-seeded Georgia in the Southeastern Conference Baseball Tournament second round Wednesday, 3-2. The Bulldogs brought the potential tying run to the plate three times in the ninth inning. But OU closer Dylan Crooks retired three of the four batters he faced to finish things. Oklahoma ace Kyson Witherspoon kept the Bulldogs at bay for most of his 7 2/3 innings. He allowed the game's first run on a sacrifice fly in the third and a second run in the seventh on a solo home, but ultimately that was all he gave up in surrendering five hits with no walks while striking out eight. After Georgia opened the scoring, Oklahoma immediately responded with Horton's sacrifice fly in the next half-frame. He was able to get it after Easton Carmichael singled to start the inning and Jaxon Willits moved him to third base with a double. The Bulldogs' loss eliminates them from the tournament and may have been enough to keep them from earning a national seed in next week's NCAA Tournament. Georgia is still likely to host, however. If Oklahoma keeps winning, the Sooners may re-enter the hosting conversation. Regardless, it seems OU is likely to land as second-seed in a different NCAA Tournament Regional next week. In the meantime, Oklahoma readies for its quarterfinal game in the SEC Tournament on Thursday against No. 4-seed Vanderbilt. OU took two of three from the Commodores during the regular season in Normal.
USA Today
06-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Oklahoma Baseball moves up five spots in latest USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll
Oklahoma Baseball moves up five spots in latest USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll Although fluctuation in the polls may be frustrating, the Oklahoma Sooners baseball team is trending in the right direction with two weeks left in the regular season. The Sooners benefitted from a positive move in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll on Monday after taking two of three games from Ole Miss over the weekend. OU moved up five spots to spots to No. 16. The upward change, tied for the biggest jump in the country this week, came after the Sooners dropped six spots the week before after losing two of three against Georgia. Most importantly for Oklahoma, the winning puts the team in a better position for the postseason. Six of the top 10 teams in the poll are fellow Southeastern Conference teams. Texas held its spot at No. 1 despite being swept by Arkansas, the now-No. 2 team. LSU moved down two spots to fourth, while Georgia ranked sixth, Auburn eighth, and Vanderbilt 10th. But it isn't just the big dogs with whom the Sooners are fighting for NCAA Tournament positioning. Tennessee, the defending national champion, ranked just outside of the Top 10 at No. 12, while Alabama (20) and Ole Miss (22) ranked behind Oklahoma from the SEC. Every team has six league games remaining. Texas leads the league by two over Arkansas, who is two games ahead of Georgia and LSU. Tennessee ranks fifth in the SEC standings with Vanderbilt and four teams slot one game behind them in a tie for seventh: Auburn, Alabama, Ole Miss, and Oklahoma. The Sooners' injection into the Top 16 in the country suggests that NCAA Tournament Regional hosting duties remain a distinct possibility. The odds of seeing postseason games played in Norman go up with a higher finish in the SEC, where the league could see as many as 10 teams host. Oklahoma plays Kentucky in its penultimate series of the season and closes things out with Texas next week. Full USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll Rank School Record Points First-Place Votes Previous Rank 1 Texas 38-8 713 12 1 2 Arkansas 40-9 669 10 5 3 Florida State 33-10 666 5 8 4 LSU 38-11 653 0 2 5 North Carolina 35-10 652 1 3 6 Georgia 39-11 625 2 7 7 Oregon 33-13 533 0 10 8 Auburn 33-15 528 0 11 9 Clemson 37-12 498 0 4 10 Vanderbilt 34-14 442 0 15 11 Oregon State 34-12 426 0 12 12 Tennessee 37-11 416 0 6 13 West Virginia 39-7 404 0 13 14 Coastal Carolina 37-11 364 0 19 15 UC Irvine 34-11 355 0 9 16 Oklahoma 32-14 241 0 21 17 UCLA 34-13 239 0 14 18 Troy 34-14 192 0 22 19 NC State 30-15 180 0 17 20 Alabama 36-12 166 0 16 21 Southern Miss 35-13 147 0 23 22 Mississippi 33-15 145 0 18 23 Arizona 33-14 132 0 24 24 Louisville 32-15 127 0 20 25 Dallas Baptist 33-13 46 0 NR Schools Dropped Out No. 25 Kansas; Others Receiving Votes Northeastern 32; USC 25; Georgia Tech 24; Kansas 20; Iowa 19; TCU 18; Florida 15; Duke 10; UTSA 8; Miami (FL) 8; Western Kentucky 5; Arizona State 4; Wake Forest 1; Texas A&M 1; Southeastern Louisiana 1; List Of Voters The USA TODAY Sports board of coaches is made up of 30 coaches at Division I institutions. All are members of the American Baseball Coaches Association. The board for the 2025 season: Mik Aoki, Richmond; Andrew Checketts, UC-Santa Barbara; Jim Chester, Gardner-Webb; Reggie Christiansen, Sacramento State; Terry Davis, Western Illinois; Jeff Forehand, Lipscomb; Craig Gibson, Mercer; Justin Haire, Ohio State; Danny Hall, Georgia Tech; Brian Hamm, Yale; Charlie Hickey, Central Connecticut State; Josh Holliday, Oklahoma State; Randy Hood, UNC-Wilmington; Omar Johnson, Jackson State; Ed Kahovec, Holy Cross; Ryan Klosterman, Bryant; Geoff Loomis, Portland; Sean Lyons, Southern Illinois-Edwardsville; Scott Malone, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi; John McCormack, Florida Atlantic; Jake McKinley, Nevada; Jim Penders, Connecticut; Evan Porter, Nebraska-Omaha; Marc Rardin, Western Kentucky; Sherman Reed, Coppin State; Jake Sabol, Central Michigan; Kevin Schnall, Coastal Carolina; Dan Skirka, Murray State; Alex Sogard, Wright State; Butch Thompson, Auburn.
