The road to Omaha began last week when 64 teams started their postseason journey.
Now, the field has been cut down to just 16 as we head to the Super Regionals. West Virginia and Kansas State are the only two Big 12 teams left.
Here are my five things to watch this weekend in the Super Regionals.
Can West Virginia Keep it going on the Mound?
I have talked countless times about West Virginia’s ability to score runs. Reed Chumley, Sam White, Kyle West, and Grant Hussey are all guys who have at least hit ten or more long balls this season. Plus, JJ Wetherholt has been playing lights out as well. Their offense is good enough to win games. My concern coming into the postseason was the pitching depth. While Derek Clark continues to dominate (2.82 ERA), I didn’t know if the Mountaineers could hold up without him on the mound. But to their credit, they certainly did in the Tucson regional, as they held their opponents (DBU and GCU) to a total of nine runs in three games.
Of course Derek Clark played a big role in game of that regional pitching a complete game but I must give credit to Aidan Major and Tyler Switalski who held up just fine against two really good offense. If they can keep those guys going along with their bullpen then they will have a great shot at taking down North Carolina in a tough road environment.
North Carolina is a National Title Contender
There is a reason why the Tar Heels are the number four overall seed in the tournament. It’s because they are extremely talented on both sides of the plate. North Carolina finished in the top three in team batting average (.298) and first in ERA (4.72) in ACC play. And that was despite losing their top two arms earlier in the year.
The starting duo of Jason DeCaro and Shea Sprague have been great, but what makes this team elite on the mound is their bullpen, led by Dalton Pence, who has a 2.15 ERA in over 50 innings. As good as their pitching has been, their offense is equally as good. The Tar Heels have six guys in their lineup batting over the .300 mark, and four of them are averaging over .340. Not only are they consistent but they have the power to back it up as Vance Honeycutt, Parks Harber, and Casey Cooks have combined for a whopping 62 home runs this season. This team is more than capable of winning it all.
Can Kansas State’s Offense Carry Them?
Make no mistake about it—Kansas State has made it this far because of its offense. While its pitching looked better in Fayetteville, I have my doubts about it. But the one thing I have faith in with this team is its high-powered offense. The Wildcats scored 33 runs last weekend, including putting up a six-spot on college baseball’s best pitcher, Hagen Smith.
This team has some talent in their lineup with guys like Kaelen Culpepper (who hit for the cycle last weekend) along with Brady Day, Jaden Parsons, Brendan Jones, and Chuck Ingram. Kansas State should get plenty of good looks this weekend because Virginia’s weak spot is on the mound. If the Wildcats can put up some runs and get just enough from their key pitchers (Jackson Wentworth, Owen Boerema, and Tyson Neighbors out of the bullpen), then Kansas State has a legitimate shot at making it to Omaha.
Virginia Has Some Serious Power
I know I just talked about how good North Carolina’s is earlier, but Virginia’s is just as good if not better. The Cavaliers finished ACC play with the best team average (.315) and the second-most home runs (61). Harrison Didawick, Jacob Ference, and Henry Ford have combined for 57 bombs this year which is absurd. But what makes them dangerous is the consistency across the board. Bobby Whalen, Henry Godbout, and Jacon Ference (who I just mentioned) are all averaging over .360 right now. While they do have some decent arms with Evan Blanco and Joe Savino, it’s their offense that has taken them this far.
The Omaha Streak
Not to put any more added pressure on Kansas State or West Virginia, but the Big 12 has had a nice run in the College World Series. For the last nine years (minus 2020), the conference has sent at least one team to Omaha. The last time a Big 12 team didn’t make it to the College World Series was all the way back in 2013. I know that Kansas State and West Virginia will have to go through hell and back to make it there, but I would love for both of them to make history. Neither program has made it to Omaha, and it would be really cool to see them get there and keep this Big 12 streak going.
