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| Road To Omaha greeting at home plate |
The first game Saturday, June 17, has 39-22 Cal State Fullerton against 54-4 top seed Oregon State. Cal State Fullerton dropped their first super regional game to host Long Beach State before recovering to win 12-0 and 2-1. Oregon State had no problem sweeping 2014 Champion Vanderbilt 8-4 and 9-2.
The Cal State Fullerton Titans are led by Head Coach Rick Vanderhook. They had a 15-9 conference record in the Big West and their campus is in Fullerton, Calif. Their top eight hitters are Scott Hurst (.332), Sahid Valenzuela (.324), Timmy Richards (.301), Dillon Persinger (.296), Hunter Cullen (.271), Taylor Bryant (.266), Hank LoForte (.253) and Chris Hudgins (.227) with Hurst leading the team with 12 home runs followed by Cullen with six. The team batting average is .270 and they average 5.5 runs a game. Their top three starting pitchers are Connor Seabold (11-5, 3.01), John Gavin (8-2, 2.67) and Gavin Velsaquez (4-3, 4.50) with Brett Conine being their main closer with 15 saves. Their team ERA is 3.57 and they have given up 3.8 runs per game. Hurst was Big West Player of the Week in week 12 and week 14. Seabold was Big West Pitcher of the Week in week 1 and week 8, Gavin in week 5 and Blake Workman in week 11. In the 2017 MLB draft they had seven players taken: Seabold (Phillies, 3rd round), Hurst (Cardinals, 3rd), Gavin (Giants, 8th), Hudgins (Royals, 16th), Persinger (Indians, 18th), Richards (Nationals, 24th), and Bryant (Cardinals, 33rd). This is their 18th CWS appearance and won the title in 1979, 1984, 1995 and 2004.
The Oregon State Beavers are led by Head Coach Pat Casey. They had a 27-3 conference record in the PAC 12 and their campus is in Corvallis, Ore. Their top eight hitters are Nick Madrigal (.383), Steven Kwan (.345), KJ Harrison (.330), Trevor Larnach (.304), Michael Gretler (.300), Jack Anderson (.288), Cadyn Grenier (.280) and Christian Donahue (.258) with Harrison leading the team with eight home runs followed by Grenier with five. The team batting average is .296 and they average 6.1 runs a game. One of their top pitchers Luke Heimlich (11-1, 0.76) is not playing which leaves Jake Thompson (14-0, 1.52), Bryce Fehmel (5-2, 3.80) and Drew Rasmussen (3-0, 0.83) with Jake Mulholland being their main closer with six saves followed by Max Engelbrekt with five. Their team ERA is 1.80 and they have given up 2.2 runs per game. Grenier was PAC 12 Player of the Week in week 5, Harrison in week 6 and Madrigal in week 7. Heimlich was PAC 12 Pitcher of the Week in week 1, week 10 and week 12, Thompson in week 5 and week 14, Fehmel in week 6 and Mulholland in week 8. In the 2017 MLB draft they had five players taken: Rasmussen (Rays, 1st round), Harrison (Brewers, 3rd), Thompson (Red Sox, 4th), Gretler (Pirates, 39th), and Engelbrekt (Nationals, 40th). This is their sixth CWS appearance and won the title in 2006 and 2007.
The second game Saturday has 45-21 Florida State against 48-17 fourth seed LSU. Florida State swept Cinderella hopeful Sam Houston State 7-6 and 19-0 to advance to Omaha. LSU faced familiar SEC conference foe Mississippi State and got the sweep at home 4-3 and 14-4.
The Florida State Seminoles are led by Head Coach Mike Martin. They had a 14-14 conference record in the ACC and their campus is in Tallahassee, Fla. Their top eight hitters are Jackson Lueck (.327), Rhett Aplin (.322), Dylan Busby (.315), Quincy Nieporte (.305), Taylor Walls (.276), Matt Henderson (.265), Drew Mendoza (.263) and JC Flowers (.239) with Busby leading the team with 14 home runs followed by Nieporter with 10. The team batting average is .272 and they average 7.4 runs a game. Their top three starting pitchers are Tyler Holton (10-2, 2.25), Drew Parrish (6-3, 4.40) and Cole Sands (6-3, 5.05) with Drew Carlton being their main closer with six saves. Their team ERA is 3.72 and they have given up 4.5 runs per game. Busby was ACC Player of the Week in week 10. Holton was ACC Pitcher of the Week in week 2, week 3, week 7, week 13 and week 14. In the 2017 MLB draft they had nine players taken: Walls (Rays, 3rd round), Busby (Pirates, 3rd), Nieporte (Phillies, 26th), Cobi Johnson (Angels, 29th), Carlton (Tigers, 32nd), Alec Byrd (Rockies, 33rd), Andrew Carp (Cubs, 34th), Holton (Marlins, 34th) and Jim Voyles (Cardinals, 38th). This is their 22nd CWS appearance and but no championships yet.
The Louisiana State University Tigers are led by Head Coach Paul Mainieri. They had a 21-9 conference record in the SEC and their campus is in Baton Rouge, La. Their top eight hitters are Cole Freeman (.327), Antoine Duplantis (.322), Greg Deichmann (.320), Kramer Robertson (.319), Zach Watson (.313), Josh Smith (.289), Beau Jordan (.277) and Michael Papierski (.260) with Deichmann leading the team with 19 home runs followed by Robertson, Watson and Papierski with eight each. The team batting average is .294 and they average 7.0 runs a game. Their top three starting pitchers are Alex Lange (9-5, 2.92), Jared Poche' (10-3, 3.42) and Eric Walker (8-1, 3.46) with Hunter Newman being their main closer with 10 saves. Their team ERA is 3.54 and they have given up 3.8 runs per game. Freeman was SEC Player of the Week in week 4, Duplantis in week 5 and Robertson in week 14. Poche' was SEC Pitcher of the Week in week 1 and week 3, Walker in week 8 and Lange in week 13. In the 2017 MLB draft they had eight players taken: Lange (Cubs, 1st round), Deichmann (Athletics, 2nd), Robertson (Cardinals, 4th), Freeman (Nationals, 4th), Poche' (Athletics, 9th), Papierski (Astros, 9th), Hunter Kiel (White Sox, 18th) and Doug Norman (Reds, 25th). This is their 18th CWS appearance and won the title in 1991, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000 and 2009.
The first game Sunday, June 18, has 41-21 Texas A&M taking on 52-10 seventh seed Louisville. Texas A&M faced the other Cinderella possibilty Davidson outlasting them 7-6 in 15 innings before breaking out the broom in a 12-6 game. Louisville advanced to Omaha by sweeping in state rival Kentucky 5-2 and 6-2.
The Texas A&M Aggies are led by Head Coach Rob Childress. They had a 16-14 conference record in the SEC and their campus is in College Station, Texas. Their top eight hitters are Braden Shewmake (.335), Nick Choruby (.325), Cole Bedford (.302), Blake Kopetsky (.298), Hunter Coleman (.292), Logan Foster (.283), George Janca (.259) and Joel Davis (.253) with Shewmake leading the team with 11 home runs followed by Foster, Janca and Davis with six each. The team batting average is .275 and they average 6.2 runs a game. Their top three starting pitchers are Brigham Hill (8-3, 3-18), Corbin Martin (7-3, 3.35) and Stephen Kolek (4-4, 3.59) with Mitchell Kilkenny being their main closer with seven saves. Their team ERA is 3.42 and they have given up 4.1 runs per game. Hill was SEC Pitcher of the Week in week 7. In the 2017 MLB draft they had six players taken: Martin (Astros, 2nd round), Hill (Nationals, 5th), Cason Sherrod (Royals, 13th), Choruby (Nationals, 18th), Turner Larkins (Blue Jays, 21st) and Kaylor Chafin (Mets, 32nd). This is their 6th CWS appearance and but no championships yet.
The Louisville Cardinals are led by Head Coach Dan McDonnell. They had a 23-6 conference record in the ACC and their campus is in Louisville, Ky. Their top eight hitters are Drew Ellis (.367), Brendan McKay (.343), Josh Stowers (.311), Devin Hairston (.306), Colin Lyman (.287), Logan Taylor (.279), Devin Mann (.270) and Colby Fitch (.256) with Ellis leading the team with 20 home runs followed by McKay with 17. The team batting average is .289 and they average 7.3 runs a game. Their top three starting pitchers are McKay (10-3, 2.34), Nick Bennett (5-0, 2.70) and Kade McClure (8-3, 3.43) with Lincoln Henzman being their main closer with 16 saves. Their team ERA is 2.85 and they have given up 3.4 runs per game. McKay was ACC Player of the Week in week 11 and Fitch in week 13. McKay was ACC Pitcher of the Week in week 4, week 5, week 9 and week 12. In the 2017 MLB draft they had eight players taken: McKay (Rays, 1st round), Ellis (Diamondbacks, 2nd), Henzman (White Sox, 4th), Hairston (Brewers, 6th), McClure (White Sox, 6th), Fitch (Phillies, 13th), Taylor (White Sox, 16th) and Riley Thompson (Yankees, 25th). This is their 4th CWS appearance and but no championships yet.
The second game Sunday has 47-16 sixth seed TCU taking on 47-19 third seed Florida. TCU didn't allow Missouri State take their second ever trip to Omaha by sweeping them 3-2 and 8-1. Florida also denied Wake Forest a trip since their 1955 Championship season by outlasting them 2-1 in 11 innings and 8-6 in 11 innings to get the sweep.
The Texas Christian University Horned Frogs are led by Head Coach Jim Schlossnagle. They had a 16-8 conference record in the Big 12 and their campus is in Fort Worth, Texas. Their top eight hitters are Austen Wade (.342), Luken Baker (.317), Nolan Brown (.293), Cam Warner (.292), Evan Skoug (.277), Conner Wanhanen (.273), Ryan Merrill (.243) and Elliott Barzilli (.243) with Skoug leading the team with 20 home runs followed by Baker with eight. The team batting average is .272 and they average 6.9 runs a game. Their top three starting pitchers are Jared Janczak (9-0, 1.97), Brian Howard (11-3, 3.95) and Nick Lodolo (5-1, 4.28) with Durbin Feltman being their main closer with 17 saves. Their team ERA is 4.02 and they have given up 4.6 runs per game. Baker was Big 12 Player of the Week in week 3, Wade in week 6 and Skoug in week 12. Janczak was Big 12 Pitcher of the Week in week 5 and week 7 and Howard in week 12. In the 2017 MLB draft they had six players taken: taken: Wade (Indians, 5th round), Skoug (White Sox, 7th), Howard (Athletics, 8th), Mitchell Traver (Angels, 20th), Warner (Tigers, 28th) and Barzilli (Marlins, 32nd). This is their 5th CWS appearance and but no championships yet.
The Florida Gators are led by Head Coach Kevin O'Sullivan. They had a 21-9 conference record in the SEC and their campus is in Gainesville, Fla. Their top eight hitters are Nelson Maldonado (.304), Ryan Larson (.304), Christian Hicks (.286), Jonathan India (.280), Keenan Bell (.275), Dalton Guthrie (.272), JJ Schwarz (.271) and Nick Kolozsvary (.270) with Schwarz leading the team with 12 home runs followed by Maldonado and India with six each. The team batting average is .262 and they average 5.5 runs a game. Their top three starting pitchers are Alex Faedo (7-2, 2.55), Brady Singer (7-5, 3.29) and Jackson Kowar (12-0, 4.00) with Michael Byrne being their main closer with 16 saves. Their team ERA is 3.55 and they have given up 4.1 runs per game. Faedo was SEC Pitcher of the Week in week 2 and week 10. In the 2017 MLB draft they had eight players taken: Faedo (Tigers, 1st round), Guthrie (Phillies, 6th), Michael Rivera (Indians, 6th), Kolozsvary (Reds, 7th), Warner (Tigers, 28th), David Lee (Pirates, 27th), Frank Rubio (Giants, 29th) and Schwarz (Rays, 38th). This is their 11th CWS appearance and but no championships yet.
Oregon State will be the favorite after their dominating season while the SEC has flooded the rest of the bracket with three teams. Brendan McKay may the the X-Factor able to put his team on his back with both his bat and on the mound. Counting down the minutes until first pitch.
The article 2017 Men's College World Series Preview originally appeared on BaseballMeLove.
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