Image – JustBaseball.com
It is time for postseason college baseball and the road will end in Omaha like it always does in just a few weeks. Enjoy my preview of all 16 regionals in the 2026 NCAA Baseball Tournament below:
Image – Daily Bruin
Los Angeles Regional (Los Angeles, CA)
No. 1 seed UCLA 51-6 (28-2) Big Ten
(4) Saint Mary’s 34-25 (15-12) West Coast
(2) Virginia Tech 30-24 (15-15) ACC
(3) Cal Poly 36-22 (22-8) Big West
UCLA was the pre-season favorite to win the national and they followed through, winning 51 of their 57 games between the regular season and Big Ten Tournament, on their way to both a Big Ten regular season and conference tournament title.
Shortstop Roch Cholowsky is the engine of the Bruins offense, slashing .329/.461/.662 with 71 runs, 72 hits, 10 doubles, 21 home runs, 59 runs batted in and 35 walks. Senior right-hander Michael Barnett and junior right-hander Logan Reddeman anchor the UCLA’s weekend pitching rotation, striking out a combined 153 batters to only 37 walks.
The Bruins went 3-0 against SEC tournament teams Tennessee, Texas A&M and Mississippi State while they swept USC and won three of four games against No. 11 national seed Oregon. They will be a favorite alongside national No. 2 seed Georgia Tech to win it all.
Saint Mary’s will attempt to pull an incredible upset by defeating UCLA. The Gaels won the West Coast conference tournament with a 5-0 record and wins over Pepperdine, Gonzaga, and San Francisco twice to clinch an NCAA Tournament appearance.
Sophomore catcher Ian Armstrong (15 home runs and 49 runs batted in) and redshirt sophomore infielder Jacob Johnson (12 home runs and 50 runs batted in) power the Gaels offense while senior right hander John Damonzonio leads their pitching staff with a 2.71 era, 7-2 record, and 81 strikeouts to only 19 walks through 76.1 innings pitched.
The two seed in the Los Angeles Regional is Virginia Tech, who won 30 games during the regular season, with half of them being in ACC play. The Hokies’ took single losses to No. 12 national seed Texas A&M, No. 14 national seed Mississippi State, and the No. 2 seed headed to Chapel Hill Tennessee, and lost series to national No. 2 Georgia Tech, the No. 2 seed headed to Hattiesburg Virginia, and the No. 2 seed headed to Athens Boston College. So, the Hokies weren’t as successful as they wanted to be in conference play but they made it in and must take advantage of their opportunity if they want to advance.
Freshman infielder Ethan Ball is far and away the power guy in the Virginia Tech offense, recording 41 runs, 61 hits, 17 doubles, one triple, and 16 home runs. Senior Luke Craytor, juniors Madden Clement and Brett Renfrow, and sophomore Chase Swift are four arms that the Hokies trust as they begin their run across country against Cal Poly.
Cal Poly will make the short three-hour trip to Los Angeles as the three seed in the Los Angeles Regional. Similar to Virginia Tech, the Mustangs rely on one power bat to hit nukes and get the ball deep in the park. That guy is Ryan Tayman, who is slashing .355/.444/.664 with 48 runs, 78 hits, 18 doubles, one triple, 16 home runs, 53 runs batted in and an impressed 27 walks. Three players headline the Cal Poly pitching staff including redshirt junior Carson Turnquist junior Griffin Naess and freshman Corden Pettey.
The Mustangs defeated the No. 3 seed headed to the Eugene Regional, Washington State, two out of three times, were swept by the No. 2 seed on their way to the College Station Regional, USC, and the no. 2 seed going to the Eugene Regional, Oregon State but dominated the Big West on their way to sharing the regular season championship and a conference tournament championship.
With UCLA’s offensive firepower and athletes on the diamond, they should dominate their opponents in the Los Angeles Regional. Virginia Tech, Cal Poly, and Saint Mary’s don’t have the arms or bats to match the Bruins firepower.
The winner of the Los Angeles Regional will play the winner of the Morgantown Regional in the best-of-three super regionals from June 5-7 or June 6-8.
Carter’s Pick: No. 1 UCLA in six games
Image – Sports Illustrated
Morgantown Regional (Morgantown, WV)
No. 16 seed West Virginia 39-14 (21-9) Big 12
(4) Binghamton 31-20 (17-7) America East
(2) Wake Forest 38-19 (16-14) ACC
(3) Kentucky 31-21 (13-17) SEC
The runner-up in the Big 12 for both the regular season and tournament titles is the West Virginia Mountaineers. West Virginia swept No. 15 national seed Kansas, the winner of both the regular season and tournament titles in the Big 12 but the Jayhawks defeated them win the Big 12 Tournament Championship game.
The Mountaineers offense is not strong top to bottom as some other national hosts are but sophomore utility player Gavin Kelly, who slashed .379/.480/.680 with 54 runs, 77 hits, 16 doubles, three triples, 13 home runs, 48 runs batted in and 36 runs batted in. Redshirt junior left-hander Maxx Yehl, sophomore right-hander Chansen Cole, and graduate senior right-hander Ian Korn lead the weekend pitching rotation.
West Virginia’s opponent is No. 4 seed Binghamton, who won both the America East regular season and tournament championships. The Bearcats did not get much experience against NCAA Tournament competition so they must come ready to play against the Mountaineers. Binghamton’s top bat is sophomore outfielder Matt Bolton, who slashes .349/.456/.568 with 46 runs, 67 hits, 16 doubles, four triples, six home runs, 44 runs batted in, and 37 walks. Junior arm Conner Griffin leads the Bearcats in innings pitched with 57.1 and a 3-3 record.
The no. 2 seed headed to Morgantown is Wake Forest, who won 16 of their 38 games in ACC play. The Demon Deacons lost a series to the No. 2 seed headed to Hattiesburg, Virginia, the No. 2 seed headed to Gainesville in No. 2 seed Miami, but defeated the No. 2 seed on their way to Tallahassee, Coastal Carolina.
The Wake Forest offense is powered by four position players. Sophomores Luke Costello (17 home runs and 61 RBIs), Dalton Wentz (17 home runs and 51 runs batted in), and Matt Conte (10 home runs and 46 runs batted in), and junior Kade Lewis (13 home runs and 55 runs batted in) have powered the Demon Deacons offense. Sophomore right-hander Chris Levonas, who recorded a 2.90 earned run average, a 10-3 record, 110 strikeouts, and only gave up 42 hits, 24 runs, 22 earned runs, and 32 walks over 68.1 innings pitched and junior left-hander Matthew Dallas recorded a 2.45 earned run average, a 2-0 record, 14 strikeouts, and only gave up seven hits, two runs and earned runs, and three walks will anchor the Wake Forest weekend rotation.
The Demon Deacons’ opponent is the No. 3 seed going to Morgantown, the Kentucky Wildcats. Kentucky was apart of the last four in the NCAA Tournament this season and still made it in despite only two SEC series wins and series losses to the two bottom teams in the league, Missouri and South Carolina. The Wildcats must prove their worth with a win against Wake Forest and potentially advancing on through the Morgantown Regional.
Kentucky has a balanced offense, with junior infielder Ethan Hindle slashing .306/.434/.622 with 47 runs, 55 hits, 18 doubles, three triples, 11 home runs, 47 runs batted in and 27 walks. Wildcat ace Jaxon Jelkin has recorded an 8-3 record with 46 runs, 37 earned runs, and only 20 walks and 98 strikeouts in 88.1 innings pitched.
This is a regional West Virginia can definitely win but watch out for Wake Forest, Kentucky and Binghamton. If Wake Forest matches up with the the Mountaineers in the 1-0 game on Saturday, the Demon Deacons will advance to the super regionals but it will take seven games.
The winner of the Morgantown Regional will play the winner of the Los Angeles Regional in the best-of-three super regionals from June 5-7 or June 6-8.
Carter’s Pick: Wake Forest in seven games
Image – WRUF 98.1 FM
Gainesville Regional (Gainesville, FL)
No. 8 seed Florida 39-19 (18-12) SEC
(4) Rider 33-18 (22-8) MAAC
(2) Miami 38-18 (16-14) ACC
(3) Troy 32-29 (17-13) Sun Belt
Florida has been playing fantastic baseball of late. The Gators defeated SEC regular season and tournament champion Georgia during the regular season and had a 6-0 lead on them in the SEC Tournament Semifinals before losing the lead in that game and losing 8-7. Kevin O’Sullivan’s team is always going to be playing baseball in May and June as long as he is in charge and they are capable with the combination of their offense, pitching staff, and overall defense.
Florida has four bats that stood out this season in sophomore infielder Brendan Lawson (11 doubles, two triples, 16 home runs, and 43 runs batted in), sophomore infielder Ethan Surowiec (14 doubles, one triple, 11 home runs, and 61 runs batted in), Blake Cyrl (15 doubles, one triple, 13 home runs and 56 runs batted in) and junior outfielder Hayden Yost (10 home runs and 22 runs batted in).The Gators’ top two arms Aidan King (84.0 innings pitched) and Liam Peterson (79.1 innings pitched) combined for 196 strikeouts so far this season.
Florida’s opponent on Friday is the Rider Broncs. The regular season and conference tournament champions of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference don’t have much experience this season against NCAA Tournament competition but they sure earned their bid to the tournament after dominating their conference this season. The Rider offense does not have an overlying star but were still able to put together a 3-1 week to win the league tournament title. Seniors Christian Aiello and PJ Craig anchor the Broncs’ pitching and will have to step up if they want a shot against Florida.
Miami, the No. 2 seed headed up north for the Gainesville Regional on Friday, fell to the Gators twice at the end of February before 16 wins in the ACC regular season and a run to the tournament semifinals.
The Hurricanes have three impressive position players that can swing the bat. Junior catcher Alex Sosa, who slashes .332/.447/.663 with 60 runs, 69 hits, 14 doubles, two triples, 17 home runs, 66 runs batted in and 40 walks. Graduate senior outfielder Derek Williams slashes .376/.466/.673 with 52 runs, 76 hits, 15 doubles, 15 home runs, 66 runs batted in and 28 walks. Junior infielder Daniel Cuvet slashes .305/.437/.649 with 49 runs, 46 hits, 14 doubles, one triple, 12 home runs, 45 runs batted in and 33 walks. Senior left-hander Rob Evans and sophomore right-handers AJ Ciscar and Lazaro Collera will be important pitchers for the Hurricanes if they want to get past Florida and advance to the Super Regionals.
Another Sun Belt team, the Troy Trojans, are in the NCAA Tournament as the No. 3 seed in the Gainesville Regional. Troy won 16 games in a tough Sun Belt and despite losing to Southern Miss in the tournament, they are here in the NCAA Tournament ready to make their run. The Trojans have two offensive stars including sophomore catcher Jimmy Janiki (22 doubles, one triple, 17 home runs and 73 runs batted in) and senior infielder Blake Cavill (10 doubles, 12 home runs and 44 runs batted in). Senior left-hander Benjamin Stubbs and senior right-hand pitcher Tommy Egan will anchor the Troy pitching staff this weekend as pitchers with the two most innings pitched on the team.
Given that Florida continues its success against Miami from earlier in the season, the Gators will advance to the super regionals fairly easily. The Hurricanes have the bats to keep up with their instate rival but will they have the arms? That will determine the result of the Gainesville Regional. I favor Florida to advance to the Super Regional round.
The winner of the Gainesville Regional will play the winner of the Hattiesburg Regional in the best-of-three super regionals from June 5-7 or June 6-8.
Carter’s Pick: No. 8 Florida in six games
Image – Southern Miss Athletics
Hattiesburg Regional (Hattiesburg, MS)
No. 9 seed Southern Miss 44-15 (22-8) Sun Belt
(4) Little Rock 36-26 (16-11) Ohio Valley
(2) Virginia 36-21 (14-16) ACC
(3) Jacksonville State 46-13 (23-7) Conference USA
Southern Miss won the Sun Belt regular season title by one game and also took care of the conference tournament, clinching a hosting spot though not as a national seed in the top eight. Head coach Christian Ostrander continues the great tradition of baseball in Hattiesburg. Eyes are on this team making it to Omaha for the Eagles this season.
Southern Miss has four position players with over four home runs including senior infielder Kyle Morrison (16 home runs), senior designated hitter and outfielder Joey Urban (14), redshirt junior outfielder and designated hitter Davis Gillespie (13) and senior infielder Matthew Russo (11) to power the Eagle offense. Southern Miss has a lot of reliable pitchers including sophomore Camden Clark (8-0) and Grayden Harris (8-1 record) plus senior Colby Allen (7-1). All three of those guys can give good innings for the Eagles.
Little Rock should pose problems for Southern Miss like they did for reigning national champion LSU in the Baton Rouge Regional last year. The Trojans forced a winner-take-all game 7 in the regional a year ago and fell just short against the Tigers, who would go on to win their second championship in the last three seasons.
The star of last season’s run for Little Rock was senior first baseman Angel Cano. Cano slashes .299/.365/.515 with 42 runs, 69 hits, 14 doubles, 12 home runs, 29 runs batted in and 14 walks. Redshirt freshman right hander and Arkansas transfer Tag Andrews stood out and won the Most Valuable Player of the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament last week. Andrews has a .307 earned run average, a 4-2 record, and he has struck out 41 batters this season.
The No. 2 seed heading to Hattiesburg is Virginia. The Cavaliers made the NCAA Tournament even after losing head coach Brian O’Connor to Mississippi State. Former Duke head coach Chris Pollard won 36 games overall but only 14 in the ACC regular season. The Cavaliers defeated Pollard’s old school to open the ACC Tournament but quickly bowed out against No. 2 national seed Georgia Tech in their final game in Charlotte.
Junior outfielder AJ Garcia, junior outfielder Joe Tilroy, and junior first baseman and outfielder Sam Harris all have hit 14 home runs and have accounted for 40 or more runs batted in this season for Virginia. Sophomore left-hander Henry Zatkowski, graduate senior right-hander Lucas Hartman, and freshman right-hander John Paone will eat up innings for the Cavaliers.
Jacksonville State is the three seed that will be matching up with Virginia in Hattiesburg. The Gamecocks dominated the Conference USA with 46 overall wins and half of them being in conference (23). Jacksonville State challenged No. 7 national seed Alabama during the regular season as well.
There is no true standout on the Gamecock offense but senior infielder Brady Thomas, who slashes .316/.470/.632 with 42 runs, 48 hits, 10 doubles, four triples, 10 home runs, 38 runs batted in and 32 walks is a guy that can really swing the bat. Senior left-hander Steven Cash leads the Jacksonville State pitching staff with 93 strikeouts in 82.2 innings pitched.
Southern Miss got a bad draw with the Trojans, Cavaliers, and Gamecocks coming into their regional. This regional should definitely be seven games and there is always a three seed that wins a regional so give me Jacksonville State to do so. The Gamecocks would pull the upset with some incredible pitching.
The winner of the Hattiesburg Regional will play the winner of the Gainesville Regional in the best-of-three super regionals from June 5-7 or June 6-8.
Carter’s Pick: Jacksonville State in seven games
Image – University of North Carolina Athletics
Chapel Hill Regional (Chapel Hill, NC)
No. 5 seed North Carolina 45-11-1 (22-8) ACC
(4) VCU 37-23 (20-10) Atlantic-10
(2) Tennessee 38-20 (15-15) SEC
(3) East Carolina 36-22-1 (17-10) American
North Carolina earned another top eight national seed after finishing second in the ACC during the regular season and were the runner-up in the ACC Tournament, losing to No. 2 national seed Georgia Tech after winning a series in Atlanta versus the Yellow Jackets during the regular season.
The Tar Heels’ offense includes four notable name. Juniors Cooper Nicholson, Gavin Gallaher, and Erik Paulsen make up one of the best offensive infields in the country with a combined 37 home runs and 146 runs batted in. Right-hander Caden Glauber won ACC freshman of the year behind a 1.93 earned run average and 80 strikeouts.
Their opponent will be VCU, a team that dominated the Atlantic-10 throughout the entire season, winning 20 of their 37 games in conference play. The Rams lost both of their opportunities to the No. 2 seed headed to the Tallahassee Regional, Coastal Carolina, and lost a single game to the No. 2 seed going to the Los Angeles Regional, Virginia Tech.
Two power bats in the VCU lineup are sophomore catcher Jacob Lee (14 doubles, one triple, 17 home runs and 56 runs batted in) and junior outfielder Michael Petite (14 doubles, three triples, 14 home runs, and 43 runs batted in). Redshirt senior right-hander Patrick Steitz, redshirt senior right-hander Elias Holbert and sophomore right-hander Cooper Campbell eat up innings on the mound for the Rams.
In Josh Elander’s first season as head coach at Tennessee following Tony Vitello’s exit, the Volunteers won 38 games and went .500 in the SEC. The Volunteers was able to salvage a game versus No. 3 overall seed Georgia, they swept No. 14 overall seed Mississippi State, and they won two out of three against No. 7 national seed Alabama and No. 6 national seed Texas.
Junior infielder and outfielder Henry Clark, who slashes .300/.364/.609 with 50 runs, 70 hits, 15 doubles, 19 home runs, 56 runs batted in and 25 walks, Levi Clark, who slashes .245/.359/.527 with 42 runs, 45 hits, 13 doubles, 13 home runs, 44 runs batted in and 26 walks, and sophomore outfielder Blaine Brown, who slashes .243/.312/.473 with 43 runs, 54 hits, 12 doubles, 13 home runs, 42 runs batted in and 20 walks. Sophomore right-hander Tegan Kuhns, senior left-hander Evan Blanco, and freshman left-hander Cam Appenzeller headline Tennessee’s weekend rotation.
East Carolina had to win the American tournament just to make sure they were not left out of this season’s NCAA Tournament after an okay regular season based on the Pirates’ normal expectations. East Carolina won game two and tied game three against the Tar Heels during the regular season back at the end of February.
The Pirates’ all-conference junior Ethan Norby leads the pitching staff with a 7-3 record with 120 strikeouts in 83.2 innings. With an up and down regular season, there was no standout bat in the East Carolina lineup. Senior outfielder Jack Herring leads the way in home runs (9) and runs batted in (51) for the Pirates but the rest of the lineup must be better if they want to advance through Chapel Hill.
All four teams in the Chapel Hill Regional could advance through to the super regionals but North Carolina has been consistent this season and I don’t see the Tar Heels being eliminated this weekend. North Carolina will advance after a tough seven games and will get to host a super regional if they do.
The winner of the Chapel Hill Regional will play the winner of the Bryan-College Station Regional in the best-of-three super regionals from June 5-7 or June 6-8.
Carter’s Pick: No. 5 North Carolina in seven games
Image – Sports Illustrated
College Station Regional (College Station,TX)
No. 12 seed Texas A&M 39-14 (18-11) SEC
(4) Lamar 34-25 (19-11) Southland
(2) USC 43-15 (16-14) Big Ten
(3) Texas State 36-24 (16-14) Sun Belt
Texas A&M is joined by a 43-win USC and two other schools in the state of Texas in their regional this season. After missing the NCAA Tournament last season, second year head coach Michael Earley made sure the Aggies did not miss the tournament back to back seasons. Texas A&M fell to No. 1 overall seed UCLA back on Feb. 28 in Arlington but won SEC series against instate rival No. 6 overall seed Texas, No. 8 overall seed Florida, and No. 14 overall seed Mississippi State.
The Aggies have one of the stronger offenses in the SEC with juniors Caden Sorrell (17 doubles, one triple, 23 home runs and 74 run batted in) and Graham Grahovac (16 double, three triples, 19 home runs and 71 runs batted in), freshmen Nico Partida (eight doubles, 12 home runs, and 41 runs batted in) and Jorian Wilson (six doubles, two triples, 12 home runs and 32 runs batted in). The pitching staff has stronger starters in sophomores Gavin Lyons (9-0 record) and Aiden Sims (8-1) but must get production out of their up and down bullpen if they want to close out this regional and advance.
There is no true offensive star for Lamar but senior right-handers Chris Oliver (88.0 innings pitched) and Travis Lutz (59.1) have struck out a combined 170 batters this season. The Cardinals fell to Texas A&M 25-5 back on Feb. 24, meaning they will have to have a different approach if they want to defeat the Aggies and get to the 1-0 game on Saturday. Other notable results for Lamar include a 14-4 loss to No. 6 overall seed Texas on Feb. 17, being swept by the No. 2 seed heading to the Eugene Regional Oregon State from April 2-4, but they were able to defeat No. 15 overall seed Kansas in a single game, 4-1 on Feb. 18.
USC is in the NCAA Tournament for back to back years since the 2001 and 2002 seasons. The Trojans won an incredible 43 games but a lack of quad 1 wins kept them from being a regional host. That led them to be sent to College Station, where they are capable of advancing to the super regionals. The Trojans did fall to Oregon State in a single game, were swept by in city rival No. 1 UCLA and No. 13 overall seed Nebraska, and lost the series to No. 11 overall seed Oregon. The Trojans blanked Michigan State 7-0 to open the Big Ten Tournament but fell to the Bruins again to end their stay in Omaha.
Junior left-hander Mason Edwards has stood out on the mound for USC this season. Edwards has an 8-0 record with 160 strikeouts and just 39 walks in 88.1 innings pitched. Four bats pace the Trojan lineup. Sophomore catcher Augie Lopez leads the way with 17 home runs and 48 runs batted in, junior infielder Adrian Lopez pitches in with 11 home runs and 41 runs batted in, senior outfielder Jack Basser has accounted for 10 home runs and 36 runs batted in and junior outfielder and infielder Andrew Lamb has hit 10 home runs and has accounted for 33 runs batted in.
In their last season in the Sun Belt, Texas State won 16 of their 36 games in conference play. The Bobcats defeated the No. 3 seed heading to the Eugene Regional this weekend, Washington State, in a series on March 6th and 8th before falling to No. 6 national seed Texas on March 10 and again on March 31. Texas State upset Texas A&M back on April 7 but if they want to challenge the Aggies again both teams will have to win their first round games.
The Bobcats offense has immense power with seven of the nine bats in their lineup with double-digit home runs so far this season. Junior infielder and outfielder Jaquae Stewart (16 home runs) leads Texas State while junior infielder Manny Salas (15), sophomore infielder and right-hand pitcher Dawson Park (13) lead the way are right behind him. Freshman right-hander Cooper Wade (66 strikeouts), redshirt junior left-hander Jesus Tovar (65), and graduate senior Kyle Froehlich (63) lead the Bobcats’ pitching staff in punch outs.
If the Aggies’ get down in the 1-0 game of this regional, their bullpen will have to step up while their offense attempts to stage a comeback. That makes me think USC can and will win this regional but they have not proven it, not being able to win an important Big Ten series this season. With the help of the home crowd, Texas A&M will get it done in seven games.
The winner of the Bryan-College Station Regional will play the winner of the Chapel Hill Regional in the best-of-three super regionals from June 5-7 or June 6-8.
Carter’s Pick: No. 12 Texas A&M in seven games
Image – MSN
Auburn Regional (Auburn, AL)
No. 4 seed Auburn 38-19 (17-13) SEC
(4) Milwaukee 25-31 (14-10) Horizon League
(2) UCF 31-21 (19-11) Big 12
(3) North Carolina State 32-22 (14-16) ACC
Auburn’s No. 3 ranked RPI and top ranked strength of schedule paired with their 17 SEC wins and run to the SEC Tournament Semifinals helped them lock up the national No. 4 seed. The Tigers defeated No. 10 overall seed Florida State in Arlington on Feb. 21 and won a series against No. 14 overall seed Nebraska from Feb. 27-March 1 in non-conference play. Despite series losses No. 6 overall seed Texas and No. 7 overall seed Alabama, they bounced back with series wins over the No. 2 seed heading to the Lawrence Regional, Arkansas, No. 8 overall seed Florida, the No. 2 seed going to the Atlanta Regional Oklahoma, No. 12 overall seed Texas A&M,and No. 14 overall seed Mississippi State.
Auburn’s pitching staff is full of great arms that can get them through the regional, especially the fact that they only gave up three runs in three games at the SEC Tournament in Hoover. Sophomore Jake Marciano has only allowed 62 hits, 29 runs, 24 earned runs, 17 walks, and has struck out 100 over 81.2 innings pitched. Junior Alex Petrovic has only allowed 62 hits, 30 runs, 29 earned runs, 19 walks, and struck out 81 over 81.1 innings pitched. Sophomore outfielder Bub Terrell has been a highlight reel all season for the Tigers, hitting home runs (16) and robbing them in left field. Sophomore catcher Chase Fralick also is a solid offensive piece with 16 doubles, 14 home runs, and 45 runs batted in and junior infielder Eric Guevara does his thing too with 11 home runs and 42 runs batted in.
The way Auburn’s pitching staff is dominating lineups right now, Horizon League Tournament champions Milwaukee may not have a great chance to beat them on Friday. The Panthers finished six games under .500 and won 14 out of 24 games in their league. They defeated the top seed in their conference tournament with a walk-off home run from senior catcher and first baseman Joey Spence. Spence has only hit four home runs and batted 33 runs home this season but his teammates senior outfielder Charlie Marion (12 home runs and 54 runs batted in) and junior catcher and outfielder Dominic Kibler (11 home runs and 59 runs batted in) do enough to lead the Panther offense.
No. 2 seed UCF won an impressive 31 games, including 19 of their 30 games against Big 12. The Knights lost both of their games against the No. 2 seed headed to the Gainesville Regional, Miami, but bounced back with series wins in conference against the No. 2 seed going to the Tuscaloosa Regional, Oklahoma State, and No. 15 overall seed Kansas. UCF’s John Smith III (12 home runs and 49 runs batted in) and Andrew Williamson (12 home runs and 41 runs batted in) stand out in their lineup. Arms Camden Wicker (72.0 innings pitched) and Mateo Gray (57.1) struck out a combined 108 batters so far this season while only giving up a combined 43 walks.
Elliott Avent gets to start his last NCAA Tournament run as the head coach of North Carolina State at the Auburn Regional. Longtime assistant coach Chris Hart was already promoted to replace Avent as he retires. But the focus must be on making a last run, especially in a tough regional. The Wolfpacks have proven they can compete, after series wins against the No. 2 seed going to the Athens Regional, Boston College, and the No. 2 seed headed to the Gainesville Regional, Miami.
Sophomore outfielder Ty Head leads the NC State offense with eight doubles, 14 home runs, 48 runs batted in and 56 walks. Junior infielder Luke Nixon also has impressed this season for the Wolfpack with 16 doubles, three triples, nine home runs, 44 runs batted in and 31 walks. Junior left-hander Cooper Consiglio and junior right-hander Heath Andrews have both pitched 59.2 innings this season. While both of their earned run averages are above five, Cooper has struck out 71 and Andrews has struck out 55 batters.
If Auburn continues to pitch the way it has over the past few weeks, they will advance to the super regional round with ease. The Tigers cannot look past anybody in their regional, but the combination of Marciano and Petrovic on the mound and Terrell, Fralick, and Guevara are swinging the bat makes me think they will advance in six games.
The winner of the Auburn Regional will play the winner of the Lincoln Regional in the best-of-three super regionals from June 5-7 or June 6-8.
Carter’s Pick: No. 4 Auburn in six games
Image – On3
Lincoln Regional (Lincoln, NE)
No. 13 seed Nebraska 42-15 (23-7) Big Ten
(4) South Dakota State 24-31 (12-15) Summit League
(2) Ole Miss 36-21 (15-15) SEC
(3) Arizona State 37-19 (19-11) Big 12
Nebraska impressed this season in the Big Ten with 42 wins overall and 23 in a Big Ten that also had No. 1 overall seed UCLA and No. 11 seed Oregon as hosts. The Corn Huskers welcome Ole Miss, Arizona State, and South Dakota State to Lincoln this weekend for their regional. They will attempt to advance to the super regional round for the second consecutive season. Senior infielder Dylan Carey is the one clear star of the offense for Nebraska, slashing .342/.414/.610 with 52 runs, 79 hits, 16 doubles, two triples, 14 home runs, 63 walks and 19 runs batted in. Redshirt sophomore right-hand pitcher Carson Jasa recorded 81.1 innings pitched and has struck out 109 batters so far this season.
Their opponent is South Dakota State, who finished seven games under .500 overall and three games under .500 in Summit League play. That meant the Jackrabbits had to win their conference tournament to advance to the NCAA Tournament and they did so by beating Oral Roberts two out of three times in Minneapolis last weekend. SDSU lost to the Cornhuskers 5-4 back on March 4 but they will get another shot to defeat them on Friday.
The Jackrabbits’ lineup is paced by junior infielder Luke Luskey, who slashes .303/.326/.559 with 47 runs, 59 hits, nine doubles, one triple, 13 home runs, 55 runs batted in and 25 walks. Seniors Sam Schlect (72.0 innings pitched) and Ty Madison (66.1), and junior Sam Novotny (63.1) led the SDSU pitching staff.
Ole Miss’ hosting chances ended after a 10-8 loss to Missouri last week in Hoover at the SEC Tournament. While the Rebels probably wanted to host, they are capable of advancing to Omaha no matter how they have to. They swept the No. 3 seed headed to the Lawrence Regional, Missouri State, from Feb. 20-22, won series against No. 8 national seed Florida, and the No. 2 seed going to the Chapel Hill Regional Tennessee, and No. 12 national seed Texas A&M.
They have two position players with 20 home runs. Senior infielder Judd Utermark and outfielder Tristan Bissetta also drove in more than 40 runs each. Redshirt junior left-hander Hunter Elliott leads the Rebels pitching staff, striking out 96 hitters in 71.0 innings.
Arizona State will face Ole Miss on Friday as the No. 3 seed in the Lincoln Regional. Four bats the Sun Devil lineup have hit 16 or more home runs. Sophomore infielder Landon Hairston (20 doubles, two triples, 28 home runs and 79 runs batted in), redshirt junior infielder Nu’u Contrades (15 doubles, one triple, 17 home runs and 53 runs batted in), graduate senior outfielder Dean Toigo (15 doubles, one triple, 17 home runs, and 52 runs batted in) and junior infielder Dominic Smaldino (13 doubles, one triple, 16 home runs, and 49 runs batted in) lead the Arizona State offense. Junior left-hander Cole Carlon has struck out 124 hitters in 77.0 innings and senior right-hander Kole Klecker has struck out 65 hitters in 61.0 innings, anchoring their pitching staff.
Ole Miss did not finish the regular season well but if their bats wake up, watch out. Arizona State also has a strong lineup so it will be difficult for Nebraska to advance out of their home regional. The Rebels will advance through to the super regionals, potentially matching up with No. 4 seed Auburn.
The winner of the Lincoln Regional will play the winner of the Auburn Regional in the best-of-three super regionals from June 5-7 or June 6-8.
Carter’s Pick: Ole Miss in seven games
Image – JustBaseball.com
Austin Regional (Austin, TX)
No. 6 seed Texas 40-13 (19-10) SEC
(4) Holy Cross 25-28 (13-13) Patriot League
(2) UC Santa Barbara 38-18 (22-8) Big West
(3) Tarleton State 37-19 (12-6) WAC
Jim Schlossnagle’s Texas Longhorns earned a top eight national seed and the right to host through the super regionals assuming they advance through this season. Texas fell to UTSA a year ago in this same round. It does not feel like any of the other three teams heading to Austin this weekend are as capable of defeating the Longhorns as the Roadrunners were a year ago.
Texas had an early exit in the SEC Tournament just like a season ago but something tells me Schlossnagle will have his team better focused on the job to advance this season with the roster they have now. Juniors Carson Tinney (10 doubles, 20 home runs, 54 runs batted in and 45 walks), Aiden Robbins (nine doubles, two triples, 19 home runs, 53 runs batted in and 32 walks), and redshirt senior Casey Borba (10 doubles, 17 home runs, 55 runs batted in and 31 walks) head up the Longhorn offense. Sophomore left-hander Dylan Volantis is one of the best pitchers in the country with an 8-1 record and 109 strikeouts in 76.2 innings pitched.
Texas’ opponent is the champion of the Patriot League Tournament, Holy Cross. The Crusaders finished three games under .500 overall and at 13-13 in the league during the regular season. Senior right-hander Jaden Wywoda (79 strikeouts in 93.1 innings pitched) leads their pitching staff and Gianni Royer (32 runs, 46 hits, 12 doubles, one triple, six home runs, 28 runs batted in and 15 walks) leads the offense.
UC Santa Barbara is the No. 2 seed that will be in Austin this weekend. Despite losing to UC San Diego in the Big West Tournament, the Gauchos are the team that is likeliest to be able to compete with Texas this weekend if they can get through their first game against Tarleton State with a win. Senior catcher Nate Vargas (31 runs, 40 hits, 10 doubles, 11 home runs, 36 runs batted in and 19 walks) and graduate outfielder Noah Karliner (28 runs, 37 hits, six doubles, nine home runs, 27 runs batted in and 24 walks) headline the UCSB lineup offensively. Junior right-hander Jackson Flora has dominated the innings for the Gauchos with 124 strikeouts in 94.1 innings pitched.
No. 3 seed Tarleton State will face UCSB on Friday and attempt to make a run after potentially winning that game. The Texans won the WAC Tournament after an impressive regular season that saw them win 37 games and 12 in the regular season in the conference. Sophomore utility player Rayner Henrich leads their offense with 22 doubles, four triples, 12 home runs, 62 runs batted in and 18 walks. Junior right-hander Ethan Wendel tops the TSU pitching staff with 41 strikeouts in 68.2 innings pitched. They will need to be at the top of their games if they want to advance through the Austin Regional.
If Texas does not advance through their regional with relative ease, I would be shocked. The Longhorns have the arms and the bats to advance deep into this tournament so they should get to the super regionals by winning the Austin Regional in just six games.
The winner of the Austin Regional will play the winner of the Eugene Regional in the best-of-three super regionals from June 5-7 or June 6-8.
Carter’s Pick: No. 6 Texas in six games
Image – The Register-Guard
Eugene Regional (Eugene, OR)
No. 11 seed Oregon 40-16 (20-10) Big Ten
(4) Yale 30-13-1 (14-6-1) Ivy League
(2) Oregon State 43-12 Indepedents
(3) Washington State 30-26 (15-9) Mountain West
Despite being slated as the No. 14, 15, or 16 seed in late tournament projections, the tournament committee decided on Oregon as the No. 11 national seed. The Ducks won 40 games overall and half of them in the Big Ten, taking one game from No. 1 national seed UCLA and won a series against in-city rival USC to close out the regular season. They lost to instate rival Oregon State back on March 3 and may get a chance to avenge that loss in the 1-0 or elimination game on Saturday depending on Friday’s results.
Senior infielder and outfielder Drew Smith (15 home runs), freshman outfielder Angel Laya (14), junior infielder Maddox Molony (12) and redshirt freshman infielder Naulivou Lauaki Jr. (12) top the Oregon offense. Junior right-hander Will Sanford and sophomore right-hander Collin Clarke will do the same for the Ducks’ pitching staff, striking out a combined 91 batters.
Yale has made the cross-country trip to Eugene after winning 30 games in the regular season, 14 in the Ivy League regular season, the tournament against Brown. The Bulldogs don’t have much experience against the tournament field but will need to be ready to face Oregon on Friday. Overall, the Yale offense plays small ball with sophomore infielder and catcher Jack Dauer heads up the Bulldog offense with 17 doubles and 48 runs batted in. Tate Evans leads the Yale pitching staff with 78 strikeouts in 79.1 innings. They will have to play their A game if they want to defeat the Ducks.
Like mentioned above, No. 2 seed Oregon State defeated their instate rival at the beginning of March. Despite 43 wins on the season, they did not get a hosting spot, likely due to the fact that they are not in a conference. That will likely change next year if the Beavers want to win another Men’s College World Series, which would be their first since 2018.
Oregon State relies on a balanced offense with senior catcher Bryce Hubbard, who slashes .272/.402/.467 with 33 runs, 46 hits, six doubles, nine home runs, 33 runs batted in and 28 walks and senior infielder AJ Singer slashing .290/.394/.478 with 48 runs, 60 hits, 15 doubles, eight home runs, 54 runs batted in and 33 walks. While the Beaver offense does not have much power, their pitching staff should make the difference. Junior left-hander Ethan Kleinschmit (88 strikeouts in 71.1 innings pitched) and junior right-hander Eric Segura (72 strikeouts in 66.1 innings pitched) are the guys to look out for this weekend for Oregon State’s staff.
No. 3 seed Washington State will begin NCAA Tournament play against a team that is in their conference and serves as a big rival in every other sport, Oregon State. While the Beavers remain an Independent on the diamond, the Cougars are in the Mountain West, winning the conference tournament against San Diego Stateto clinch a bid in the NCAA Tournament.
Making their first regional since 2010, redshirt sophomore Nick Lewis has dominated the innings pitched for Washington State with 91.1 with 65 strikeouts. Senior right-hander Luke Meyers also is a big contributor to the Cougars pitching staff, with 58 strikeouts in 74.1 innings pitched. Senior corner infielder Ryan Skjonsby is a big part of their offense, slashing .333/.425/.518 with 43 runs, 65 hits, 10 doubles, one triples, eight home runs, 57 runs batted in and 23 walks.
In a regional with a lot of Pac-12 flavor, Oregon State will make the short trip and win the Eugene Regional in seven games, taking down Oregon, Washington State, and Yale on the way. The Beavers’ pitching staff will be the difference as they advance to the super regionals.
The winner of the Eugene Regional will play the winner of the Austin Regional in the best-of-three super regionals from June 5-7 or June 6-8.
Carter’s Pick: Oregon State in seven games
Image – Georgia Bulldogs
Athens Regional (Athens, GA)
No. 3 seed Georgia 46-12 (23-7) SEC
(4) Long Island 30-20 (26-7) Northeast
(2) Boston College 36-21 (17-13) ACC
(3) Liberty 41-19 (21-9) Conference USA
Hot-hitting Georgia attempts to make it back to the College World Series in Omaha for the first time since 2008, when they were national runners-up. Head coach Wes Johnson has the Bulldogs as a consistent NCAA Tournament team but they have not made it to the Super Regionals since 2024. Johnson and the Bulldogs have the bats and the arms to do just that. SEC Player of the Year Daniel Jackson was incredible this season, slashing .391/.485/.813 with 77 runs, 88 hits, 12 doubles, one triple, 27 home runs, 79 runs batted in and 38 walks. Junior third baseman Tre Phelps slashes .376/.491/.679 with 74 runs, 82 hits, 10 doubles, 1 triple, 18 home runs, 55 runs batted in and 20 walks. While Jackson and Phelps power the Bulldogs’ offense, ace Joey Volchko leads the Georgia pitching staff with a 8-2 record, 71 hits, 37 runs, 35 earned runs, 39 walks, and he struck out 88 over 75.1 innings pitched.
Georgia dominated the SEC with 23 conference wins and four sweeps. The Bulldogs won both the regular season and tournament championships. They will be a tough out for the other three opponents Boston College, Liberty and Long Island to advance to the Super Regionals. The Bulldogs’ opponent is No. 4 seed Long Island. The Sharks won 26 of their 30 overall games in Northeast Conference and tournament play. They must play their A game if they even want to complain with the regional’s top seed.
Boston College is the No. 2 seed that will be in Athens this weekend. The Eagles own 17 ACC wins including a series win over the No. 2 seed headed to Hattiesburg, Virginia, but ended their season with four losses in a row. Graduate infielder Nick Wang leads the Boston College offense with 16 home runs and 61 runs batted in. Senior left-hander AJ Colarusso (76.0 innings pitched) and graduate left-hander Tyler Mudd (59.1) will be the differences on the mound for the Eagles if they want to advance through Athens to the super regional round.
No. 3 seed Liberty went through Conference USA play easily, winning 21 of their 41 games in conference play. The Flames won one out of three games against the No. 3 seed going to Lawrence Missouri State, lost to both the No. 2 seed heading to Morgantown, Wake Forest, and the No. 2 seed going to the Hattiesburg Regional, Virginia. So, much better play will be expected from Liberty this weekend if they want to win the Athens Regional this weekend.
Georgia should not have many problems advancing through the Athens Regional this weekend if they continue to play as well as they have been. The Bulldogs should easily dispatch Long Island before coasting to the Super Regionals, behind the bats of Jackson and Phelps.
The winner of the Athens Regional will play the winner of the Starkville Regional in the best-of-three super regionals from June 5-7 or June 6-8.
Carter’s Pick: No. 3 Georgia in six games
Image – The Clarion-Ledger
Starkville Regional (Starkville, MS)
No. 14 seed Mississippi State 40-17 (16-14) SEC
(4) Lipscomb 29-24 (19-11) Atlantic Sun
(2) Cincinnati 37-20 (17-13) Big 12
(3) Louisiana 39-23 (16-14) Sun Belt
Mississippi State hosts their first regional in Starkville since they went all the way and won their first national championship in Omaha in 2021. The Bulldogs were on the hosting bubble entering Selection Monday and were selected to do so despite a 1-6 record against NCAA Tournament teams during the regular season. Their No. 13 RPI ranking and tough SEC schedule are two reasons why the committee chair said they selected Mississippi State to host this weekend.
A sold out Dudy Noble Stadium crowd will be ready to see junior infielder Ace Reese, who slashes .327/.424/.691 with 65 runs, 73 hits, 21 doubles, 20 home runs, 69 runs batted in and 38 walks in addition to freshman outfielder Jacob Parker, who slashes .315/.412/.651 with 36 runs, 47 hits, nine doubles, one triple, 13 home runs, 51 runs batted in and 23 walks. Sophomore left-hander Tomas Valincius leads the Bulldogs pitching staff with a 10-2 record and 120 strikeouts over 86.0 innings pitched.
Lipscomb will face Mississippi State on Friday. The Bisons have already been swept by the Bulldogs back from March 5-7, where they scored a combined seven runs across three games and were shut out 26-0 in game 3.
The Bisons do not have a powerful offense but junior outfielder Jordan Thomas has recorded 11 doubles, a triple, 10 home runs, and 40 runs batted in. Senior left-hander Alexander Llinas (75.0 innings pitched) and freshman left-hander Jackson Lee (54.0) will be trusted to pitch against top bats this weekend for the Cincinnati, Louisiana and the Bulldogs.
Cincinnati is the two seed in Starkville this weekend after a 17-win season in the Big 12. The Bearcats defeated No. 4 national seed Auburn and bowed out early in the Big 12 tournament but are ready for a run in the NCAA Tournament.
The Bearcats’ offensive power is in two of their guys. Sophomore infielder Quinton Coats (13 doubles, 28 home runs and 78 runs batted in) and junior catcher Jack Natili (14 doubles, 16 home runs and 59 runs batted) will have to produce like they have all season if they want to advance through this regional. Nate Taylor leads the Cincinnati pitching staff with a team-leading 112 strikeouts through 84.0 innings pitched.
The Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns impressed in the Sun Belt this season with 16 conference wins and had a deep run in the conference tournament. Louisiana won one of three games against the No. 3 seed headed to the Lawrence Regional, Missouri State, but did not get many good series outside of the tough Sun Belt conference play.
The Rajin’ Cajuns’ offense is highlighted by junior outfielder Donovan LaSalle, who slashes .230/.342/.461 with 39 runs, 44 hits, 11 doubles, 11 home runs, 41 runs batted in and 19 walks. Graduate senior left-hander Andrew Herrmann (108 strikeouts in 103.2 innings pitched) and junior left-hander Ty Roman (84 strikeouts in 80.1 innings pitched) lead the Louisiana pitching staff.
Like I wrote about, Mississippi State was on the hosting bubble and most experts had the Bulldogs as the No. 16 overall seed. That being said, Mississippi State has the crowd behind them to elevate their performance as they look to advance deep into the NCAA Tournament in Brian O’Connor’s first season as head coach. If the Bulldogs offense shows up, they will advance but it will take them seven games against the group of Bisons, Bearcats and Rajin’ Cajuns.
The winner of the Starkville Regional will play the winner of the Athens Regional in the best-of-three super regionals from June 5-7 or June 6-8.
Carter’s Pick: No. 14 Mississippi State in seven games
Image – Tide 100.9 F
Tuscaloosa Regional (Tuscaloosa, AL)
No. 7 seed Alabama 37-19 (18-12) SEC
(4) Alabama State 34-21 (20-10) SWAC
(2) Oklahoma State 37-20 (18-12) Big 12
(3) South Carolina Upstate 33-28 (13-11) Big South
Rob Vaughn has put Alabama back on the map on the diamond. The Crimson Tide won 37 games overall and an impressive 18 in the always difficult SEC. They defeated Alabama State 2-1, the No. 4 seed in their regional back on Feb. 18 and swept No. 8 national seed Florida and instate rival No. 4 overall seed Auburn during conference play.
Alabama’s offense has been inconsistent much of the season outside of junior shortstop Justin LeBron, who is a likely top 10 pick in this summer’s MLB Draft. LeBron is s inconsistent in the field making throws to first but he is a fantastic hitter, slashing .266/.384/.522 with 52 runs, 55 hits, 11 doubles, 14 home runs, 40 runs batted in and 26 walks. The rest of the offense will have to step up around LeBron if the Crimson Tide want to get through to the super regionals. Senior right-hander Tyler Fay has been Alabama’s ace this season, recording a 9-4 record with a team-high 104 strikeouts in 90 innings pitched.
Alabama State might have fallen to the Crimson Tide during the regular season but they dominated the Southwest Athletic Conference during both the regular season and the tournament, going 5-0 on their way to clinching a tournament bid. Sophomore catcher and first baseman Trey Callaway is the top bat in the Hornets’ lineup with 36 runs, 45 hits, two doubles, one triple, 16 home runs, 46 runs batted in and 23 walks. Senior left-hander Jorhan LaBoy powers the Alabama State pitching staff with 65 strikeouts in 85.2 innings pitched.
Josh Holliday and Oklahoma State are NCAA Tournament regulars but they have not made it back to the College World Series since 2016. The Cowboys have 37 overall wins and 18 in the Big 12 this season. Six Cowboys position players have 10 or more home runs this season with junior outfielder Kollin Ritchie (29), senior infielder Aiden Meola (17), senior first baseman Colin Brueggeman (16), Alex Conover (14), junior outfielder Garrett Shull (14) and sophomore midfielder Brock Thompson (10). Sophomore left-hander Ethan Lund (77.0 innings pitched) and senior right-hander Pesca Mario (65.2 innings pitched) lead the OSU pitching staff with a combined 202 strikeouts and 76 walks.
South Carolina Upstate’s 33-28 overall record and 13-11 record in the Big South. The Spartans have already lost opportunities against No. 3 national seed Georgia, were swept by No. 6 seed Texas, and took a single loss to the No. 2 seed going to Chapel Hill, Tennessee during the regular season. Senior utility player Wylie Waters (35 runs, 62 hits, nine doubles, one triple, 12 home runs and 50 runs batted in) and fifth year senior Johnny Sweeney (50 runs, 51 hits, 10 doubles, two triples, 12 home runs and 54 runs batted in) head up the USC Upstate batting order. Junior left-hander Chris Torres (69 strikeouts in 71.2 innings), Brent Stukes (50 strikeouts in 73.0 innings), and Max Kaplan (64 strikeouts in 71.2 innings).
Oklahoma State’s lineup’s offensive power will overtake Alabama, USC Upstate, and Alabama State and win the Tuscaloosa Regional in seven games. The Cowboys will do what they have not in the past and have a chance to advance to the Men’s College World Series by appearing in the super regionals next weekend.
The winner of the Tuscaloosa Regional will play the winner of the Tallahassee Regional in the best-of-three super regionals from June 5-7 or June 6-8.
Carter’s Pick: Oklahoma State in seven games
Image – Seminoles.com
Tallahassee Regional (Tallahassee, FL)
No. 10 seed Florida State 38-17 (19-11) ACC
(4) St. John’s 33-24 (15-6) Big East
(2) Coastal Carolina 37-21 (21-9) Sun Belt
(3) Northern Illinois 35-17 (21-12) Mid-American
Florida State will get to host another regional with Coastal Carolina, Northern Illinois, and St. John’s coming to Tallahassee this weekend. The Seminoles won an impressive 38 games overall and 19 in the ACC and are in line for 40+ wins with another run in the NCAA Tournament. They lost both games to instate rival No. 8 seed Florida but swept the No. 2 seed heading to the Morgantown Regional, Wake Forest, and a series win against the No. 2 seed going to the Gainesville Regional, Miami, before a short trip to Charlotte for the ACC Tournament.
Florida State has two true power bat in its lineup and has some strong arms that can help the Seminoles advance through this regional. Their top bats are sophomore first baseman Myles Bailey (13 home runs and 33 runs batted in) and Brayden Dowd (10 home runs and 34 runs batted in). Junior left-handers Wes Mendes (89.0 innings pitched and 117 strikeouts) and Trey Beard (64.0 innings pitched and 88 strikeouts), and junior right-hander Bryson Moore (62.2 innings pitched and 59 strikeouts) serve as FSU’s most trusted pitchers.
FSU’s opponent on Friday is St. John’s, the champion of the Big East Tournament. The Red Storm won 15 of 21 league games during the regular season and defeated Creighton in the tournament championship game. Sam Agresti powers the SJU offense with 14 doubles, 17 home runs, 48 runs batted in and 43 walks. Junior right-hander Liam O’Leary, has throw 68 strikeouts in 100 innings so far this season, redshirt junior left-hander Evan Chafee has thrown 74 strikeouts in 76.0 innings, and junior right-hander Ian Mowad has thrown 34 strikeouts in 5o.1 innings to lead the Johnnies pitching staff.
Coastal Carolina finished second in the Sun Belt standings during the regular season and a short trip to their conference tournament. They will look to return to Omaha for the Men’s College World Series after being swept by LSU in the championship series last June. They will begin their run against No. 3 seed Northern Illinois on Friday. Sophomore outfielder Rex Watson slashes .295/.378/.556 with 43 runs, 61 hits, 16 doubles, one triple, 12 home runs, 64 runs batted in and 14 walks to headline the Chanticleers lineup. Right-handers Luke Jones, Ross Norman, and Cam Flukey anchor the weekend pitching rotation for CCU.
Northern Illinois played out their final season in the Mid-American Conference before they move to the Mountain West going forward. The Huskies won 35 games overall, 21 in conference, before winning their conference tournament. NIU will face Coastal Carolina on Friday. If they win that game, a run could begin for them. Graduate outfielder and first baseman Gavin Baldwin and senior outfielder Caden Robertson have combined for 29 home runs and 115 runs batted in, helping the Huskies win games with their offense. Senior pitcher Max Vaisvila leads their pitching staff with an 8-0 record and 85 strikeouts in 83.0 innings pitched.
On the backs of their pitching staff, Florida State will outlast Coastal Carolina, Northern Illinois, and St. John’s and get to the super regionals in seven games. The Chanticleers should be the Seminoles top competition and it will get to an extra game but they will still advance.
The winner of the Tallahassee Regional will play the winner of the Tuscaloosa Regional in the best-of-three super regionals from June 5-7 or June 6-8.
Carter’s Pick: No. 10 Florida State in seven games
Image – Kansas Athletics
Lawrence Regional (Lawrence, KS)
No. 15 seed Kansas 42-16 (23-7) Big 12
(4) Northeastern 38-20 (22-8) CAA
(2) Arkansas 39-20 (17-13) SEC
(3) Missouri State 34-19 (20-10) Conference USA
The Lawrence Regional gives memories of the 2022 Stillwater Regional with a Big 12 host, a No. 2 seed Arkansas, Missouri State, and it is paired with an ACC team in the Super Regional round. No. 15 overall seed Kansas won the Big 12 regular season and tournament title, earning Lawrence a host site for the first time in program history. A year ago, they went to the Fayetteville Regional and lost back-to-back games, ending their season. Head coach Dan Fitzgerald has this program even better than it was a year ago when they were the No. 2 seed in Arkansas’ regional so it should go better than last season. That being said, the Razorbacks, Bears, and the Northeastern Huskies are all almost regional locks annually, so it won’t be easy for the regional’s top seed.
The Jayhawks are paced by four position players with 14 or more home runs including senior first baseman and right-hand pitcher Josh Dykoff (15), junior infielder and outfielder Tyson LeBlanc (21), junior catcher Augusto Mungarrieta (15) and sophomore outfielder and catcher Tyson Owen (14). Junior right-hander Dominic Voegel, sophomore Mason Cook, and junior Kannon Carr will attempt to get Kansas started on the right foot from the mound against the Huskies, Razorbacks, or Bears.
The Jayhawks’ opponent on Friday is Northeastern. The Huskies are a consistent NCAA Tournament team under head coach Mike Glavine. Northeastern took chances against NCAA Tournament quality teams during the regular season but did not have much success. If they are going to upset Kansas, they will have to have everything working against the Big 12 regular season and tournament champions.
One hitter stand out for the Huskies and that is redshirt senior outfielder Harrison Feinberg. Feinberg slashes .330/.443/.599 with 63 runs, 75 hits, 13 doubles, 16 runs batted in, 63 runs batted in and 37 walks. Graduate right-hand pitcher Andrew Wertz leads Northeastern in earned run average at 2.84.
The two seed headed north to Lawrence is Arkansas, who many believed deserved to host a regional. Losses to Stetson, Arkansas State, and UT-Arlington mixed with a No. 21 RPI kept them out of contention, per the committee chair. The Razorbacks still won seven of 10 SEC series and made a run all the way to the SEC Tournament Championship game thanks to wins over the No. 2 seed headed to Chapel Hill Tennessee, No. 6 overall seed Texas and No. 4 overall seed Auburn.
Junior shortstop Camden Kozeal, who slashed .322/.409/.622 with 56 runs, 74 hits, 17 doubles, two triples, a team-leading 20 home runs and 34 walks, has powered the Arkansas offense, especially this last week at the SEC Tournament in Hoover, where he recorded three home runs and seven runs batted in. The Razorbacks can win the Lawrence Regional if junior catcher Ryder Helfrick, senior left fielder Damian Ruiz, senior right fielder Zack Stewart, and junior third baseman TJ Pompey step up offensively to help Kozeal after junior designated hitter Kuhio Aloy’s season-ending injury in Hoover last week.
The pitching is all on Friday night starter Hunter Dietz, who is the only Arkansas starter that has been consistent this season. The left-handed redshirt sophomore was the first to record 100 strikeouts this season in the SEC and he has an impressive 7-3 record. In last week’s SEC Tournament Quarterfinal win against Texas, Dietz took a 105-mile hit to his leg, prompting him to leave the game injured. Head coach Dave Van Horn said he is doing well in press conferences but it is reassuring that sophomore right-hander Steele Eaves and junior right-hander Gabe Gaeckle came in relief and threw a combined no-hitter to dispatch the Longhorns. The Razorback pitching depth will tested no matter if Dietz’s status is headed into the Lawrence regional.
Their opponent is the No. 3 seed Missouri State Bears. Arkansas and Missouri State split their regular season meetings in 2026 and will play again on Friday night to determine who will advance to the 1-0 game of the Lawrence Regional. Bears head coach Joey Hawkins always has good offenses and this team is just that. Senior utility player Taeg Gollert, who slashed .254/.368/.549 with 43 runs, 54 hits, 13 doubles, one triple, 16 home runs, 64 runs batted in and 30 walks and senior catcher Carter Bergman, who slashed .260/.381/.566 with 45 runs, 45 hits, five doubles, 16 home runs, 44 runs batted in, and 20 walks. The Bears pitching staff has struggled at times this season, with no pitcher throwing below a 4.69 earned run average.
There is no doubt that Kansas will not have an easy path to win this regional with Arkansas and Missouri State as two teams that finished in the top 25 of the RPI. One of those three teams should advance past Northeastern in seven games. With Dave Van Horn’s 24 years of experience as the head coach in Fayetteville, Arkansas should use the fact that they aren’t a regional host, play well in Lawrence, and advance to the super regionals.
The winner of the Lawrence Regional will play the winner of the Atlanta Regional in the best-of-three super regionals from June 5-7 or June 6-8.
Carter’s Pick: Arkansas in seven games
Image – Atlantic Coast Conference
Atlanta Regional (Atlanta, GA)
No. 2 seed Georgia Tech 48-9 (25-5) ACC
(4) Illinois-Chicago 27-27–1 (16-8) Missouri Valley
(2) Oklahoma 32-21 (14-16) SEC
(3) The Citadel 35-24 (11-10) Southern
Georgia Tech’s impressive 48-9 overall record and 25 wins in the ACC had them in contention for the No. 1 overall seed just days leading up to Selection Monday. But they ended up getting No. 2 overall and that is okay. The Yellow Jackets’ offense is one of if not the best in the country and they pitched well enough to win every conference series, win the regular season ACC Championship and defeated North Carolina in the ACC Tournament Championship game.
Georgia Tech has four players that have 10 or more home runs and two more with nine. The Yellow Jackets’ junior third baseman Ryan Zuckerman has slashed .350/.445/.757 and recorded 66 runs, 75 hits, 16 doubles, one triple, 23 home runs, 76 runs batted in and 35 walks. Junior center fielder Drew Burress slashed .366/.478/.660 and he has 78 runs, 87 hits, 22 doubles, three triples, 14 home runs, 56 runs batted in, and 45 walks. Junior right-handers Tate McKee, Jackson Blakely and sophomore left-hander Carson Ballard headline the Yellow Jackets’ weekend rotation and will be crucial in making sure they advance to the Super Regionals.
Georgia Tech’s first opponent is Illinois-Chicago, the winner of the Missouri Valley conference tournament. The Flames don’t have much experience against NCAA Tournament competition so they must get used to it when they begin play on Friday versus the Yellow Jackets.
Illinois-Chicago has one of the best offenses in the Missouri Valley conference with three position players with over 10 home runs and two of those players have north of 50 runs batted in. Junior infielder and right hand pitcher Jake Busson slashed .273/.366/573 with 36 runs, 60 hits, 10 doubles, one triple, 18 home runs, 52 runs batted in and 15 walks. Junior first baseman Ashton Kampa slashed .367/.426/.734 and recorded 44 runs, 65 hits, 17 doubles, 16 home runs, 47 runs batted in and 14 walks. Junior catcher and outfielder Thomas Curry slashed .317/.412/.594 with 49 runs, 64 hits, 13 doubles, two triples, 13 home runs, 53 runs batted in and 25 walks. The starting arms for the Flames are senior left-hander Brandon Bak, senior right-hander Kendall Lyons, and junior right-hander Mason Lei. .
The No. 2 seed headed to Atlanta is Oklahoma, who won only 14 SEC games but swept their opening-weekend of Big 12 teams at Globe Life Field in Arlington and have series wins against national No. 12 seed Texas A&M. The Sooners also had a quick trip to Hoover at the SEC Tournament, losing to LSU on May 19.
Oklahoma has an average SEC offense but junior catcher Deiten LaChance, who slashed .335/.417/.612 and recorded 37 runs, 63 hits, 12 doubles, two triples, 12 home runs, 51 runs batted in and 28 walks and junior infielder Camden Johnson, who slashed .323/.410/.533 with 47 runs, 63 hits, 11 doubles, three triples, eight home runs, 43 runs batted in and 24 walks serving as important players in the Sooners’ lineup. Pitchers LJ Mercerious allowed only 61 hits, 43 runs, 38 earned runs, 21 walks, and struck out 82 batters over 60.2 innings and Cameron Johnson has given up 39 hits, 30 runs, 24 earned runs, 42 walks, and struck out 72 batters over 53.2 innings pitched.
The Sooners’ opponent is the Southern Conference champion The Citadel. The Bulldogs have four batters with 40 or more runs batted in, including junior first baseman Zach Hunt (47), senior utility players TJ Anderson (43) and Michael Gibson (40), and redshirt sophomore Christian Stratis (41). Left-hander Will Holmes and right-handers Andrew Bufkin and Trip Brown are the arms the Bulldogs rely on to start them out in weekend action on the mound.
The Bulldogs did not have much success against regional hosts No. 10 Florida State, No. 3 Georgia, or regional teams No. 3 seed in the Morgantown Regional Kentucky but at least they have the experience against those teams, especially going into a regional where they wouldn’t have to face No. 2 overall Georgia Tech until their second game, if both teams win and advance to the 1-0 game.
The Yellow Jackets should advance to the Super Regionals fairly easily on the back of their impressive offense that can out-swing anybody in the country. Oklahoma’s up and down pitching staff will not be able to control Georgia Tech’s bats, assuming both teams make it there for the 1-0 game and The Citadel and Illinois-Chicago just don’t have the depth to win three or four games against James Ramsey’s team.
The winner of the Atlanta Regional will play the winner of the Lawrence Regional in the best-of-three super regionals from June 5-7 or June 6-8.
Carter’s Pick: No. 2 Georgia Tech in six games
Check out the NCAA Baseball Tournament Regionals schedule here.
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