Who You Should Pick in Each College Baseball Super Regional
Early June means the World Series is right around the corner and, with the College Baseball Super Regionals starting this weekend, it’s time to preview who you should expect to make the trip to Omaha, Nebraska for the College World Series.
College Baseball Super Regionals Preview and Picks
Fayetteville Super RegionalNorth Carolina State (33-17) at No. 1 Arkansas (49-11)
Arkansas has been one of the best teams in college baseball all season, represented by their 49-11 record in American’s best conference — the SEC.
The Razorbacks didn’t run away in their regional, but they have been one of the hottest teams since mid-May winning 10-of-11 games, including a 9-1 record against teams ranked in the top-25.
Kevin Kopps has been unhittable all season. The redshirt senior has a 12-0 record with a 0.68 ERA in his 79.2 innings pitched.
Nashville Super Regional No. 13 East Carolina (44-15) at No. 4 Vanderbilt (43-15)
Vanderbilt has been the gold standard in college baseball over the last decade, and with two of the best starting pitchers in baseball in 2021 the Commodores are on track to make it back to Omaha again.
Kumar Rocker and Jack Leiter haven’t lost in the same weekend all season, and it’s not going to change this season. Rocker comes into the weekend with a 12-3 record, 2.65 ERA and 144 strikeouts. Meanwhile, Leiter has an 11-3 record with a 2.15 ERA and 168 punchouts this season.
Lubbock Super Regional No. 9 Stanford (36-15) at No. 8 Texas Tech (45-15)
Texas Tech has made it to two consecutive trips to the College World Series and is looking to make it three straight under head coach Tim Tadlock.
The most eye-popping thing in this matchup is Stanford’s schedule. The Cardinal haven’t traveled farther east than Phoenix all season, so a trip to Lubbock is their first true road series all season.
Tucson Super Regional No. 12 Ole Miss (44-20) at No. 5 Arizona (43-15)
There is a rule in college football that says not to bet against the SEC. Well, the same rule applies — and even more so — in college baseball, but the Arizona offense produces the second most runs of any team in college baseball. This could be one of the most entertaining series this weekend.
With the series being in Tucson, side with the Wildcats but don’t be shocked to see Ole Miss advance to Omaha.
Austin Super Regional South Florida (31-28) at No. 2 Texas (45-15)
Texas is the winningest program in the history of college baseball, but hasn’t won a national championship since 2005, and hasn’t made it to Omaha since 2018. But that’s going to change this year.
Pitching and defense win championships at all levels of baseball and the Longhorns pitching staff has a nation-leading 2.87 team ERA.
South Florida made it this far by beating two in-state rivals in Florida and Miami, as well as South Alabama, but the Cinderella story ends in Austin for the Bulls.
Knoxville Super Regional LSU (38-23) at No. 3 Tennessee (48-16)
The Volunteers had their best season since 1995 when they posted a.771 winnings percentage, and despite there being some bad blood between these two teams this season, Tennessee should be able to handle LSU.
Expect this to be a high-scoring series, but Tennessee has a little bit more pitching depth, so side with the Vols and their bullpen carrying them late in games.
Starkville Super RegionalNo. 10 Notre Dame (33-11) at No. 7 Mississippi State (43-15)
Teams north of the Mason-Dixon line don’t usually make it to Omaha, but the Irish looked to be locked in during the regional round, outsourcing Central Michigan and UConn by a combined score of 50-5.
The Irish are hot, and weird things happen in postseason baseball all the time. Side with the team that scored 50 games in just three games.
Columbia South Carolina Super Regional Dallas Baptist (40-16) vs. Virginia (32-24)
Dallas Baptist won the Missouri Valley this year and Virginia has been one of the better programs in the ACC in the last 10-years.
This is one of the more intriguing super regionals because Dallas Baptist has never made it this far and Virginia wasn’t great this season, but still was able to win the ACC Tournament with a 14-1 win over Notre Dame.
Neither team is hosting this regional, which is already weird. So, why not get weirder and pick Dallas Baptist to make it to their first College World Series ever.
