By: Dave Collins
Sports Director
The NCAA baseball tournament doesn't carry the same national intrigue, luster and lore of March Madness, but it's another 64-team field that will begin creating lasting memories when Regional action begins Friday.
Personally, the Road to Omaha is something I always enjoy watching. Clicking around all over the traditional ESPN channels and now everywhere on ESPN+ from the opening rounds through Super Regionals, and every few years culminating with a road trip to the College World Series in Omaha.
There are several teams that could take the trophy this summer, so I offer you a few tournament thoughts & predictions for who I expect to play in Omaha!
Regional Winners - Bolded
KNOXVILLE REGIONAL
#1 Tennessee, #2 Southern Miss, #3 Indiana, #4 Northern Kentucky
Knoxville pulls me in different directions in a battle of head versus heart. My wife is a Southern Miss alum, so naturally I've developed a fandom for the Hattiesburg squad over the years and they're so fun to watch at home. Tennessee is arguably the best team in the nation and have some recent Rockies draft picks, plus a bunch more that are tasting the Majors as exciting young prospects, and that's made the Vols a program that's been a constant competitor. Head over heart wins this pick - I'm going with the Vols. Sorry Shaunda, I hope you'll forgive me!
GREENVILLE REGIONAL
#1 East Carolina, #2 Wake Forest, #3 VCU, #4 Evansville
NORMAN REGIONAL
#1 Oklahoma, #2 Duke, #3 UConn, #4 Oral Roberts
TALLAHASSEE REGIONAL
#1 Florida State, #2 Alabama, #3 UCF, #4 Stetson
FAYETTEVILLE REGIONAL
#1 Arkansas, #2 Louisiana Tech, #3 Kansas State, #4 Southeast Missouri State
CHARLOTTESVILLE REGIONAL
#1 Virginia, #2 Mississippi State, #3 St. John's, #4 Penn
TUCSON REGIONAL
#1 Arizona, #2 Dallas Baptist, #3 West Virginia, #4 Grand Canyon
The nation's leading team in strikeouts-to-walks, the Cats will pitch their way into the Supers.
CHAPEL HILL REGIONAL
#1 North Carolina, #2 LSU, #3 Wofford, #4 LIU
LEXINGTON REGIONAL
#1 Kentucky, #2 Indiana State, #3 Illinois, #4 Western Michigan
CORVALLIS REGIONAL
#1 Oregon State, #2 UC Irvine, #3 Nicholls State, #4 Tulane
RALEIGH REGIONAL
#1 NC State, #2 South Carolina, #3 James Madison, #4 Bryant
ATHENS REGIONAL
#1 Georgia, #2 UNC-Wilmington, #3 Georgia Tech, #4 Army
Charlie Condon leads the country in home runs with 35 for Georgia. SEC baseball is always so deep and dangerous, I like the Dawgs at home to advance.
CLEMSON REGIONAL
#1 Clemson, #2 Vanderbilt, #3 Coastal Carolina, #4 High Point
STILLWATER REGIONAL
#1 Oklahoma State, #2 Nebraska, #3 Florida, #4 Niagara
Brett Sears has been among the best pitchers in the country for Nebraska. He's 8-0 with a 2.00 ERA, his opponents hit under .200 and he's struck out 97 hitters compared to just 18 walks. Okie State has two dominant front-line starters that don't get themselves into trouble. Stillwater is a hitter's park however, so which staff keeps the ball in the yard, especially with a frisky three-seed Florida team waiting to launch away?!
SANTA BARBARA REGIONAL
#1 UC-Santa Barbara, #2 San Diego, #3 Oregon, #4 Fresno State
COLLEGE STATION REGIONAL
#1 Texas A&M, #2 Louisiana, #3 Texas, #4 Grambling
SUPER REGIONALS
Tennessee over Wake Forest
Florida State over Duke
Arkansas over Mississippi State
Arizona over North Carolina
Oregon State over Kentucky
Georgia over South Carolina
Oklahoma State over Clemson
Louisiana over UC-Santa Barbara
CWS FIELD
Tennessee
Florida State
Arkansas
Arizona
Oregon State
Georgia
Oklahoma State
Louisiana
CWS CHAMPION
Tennessee