NCAA Super Regionals Review
The NCAA Super Regionals proved to be unkind to the Southeastern Conference.
Five teams from the SEC – Florida, Mississippi State, Texas A&M, LSU, and South Carolina – participated in the Super Regionals, and all five teams also hosted the tournaments. However, Florida was the only team that advanced to the College World Series.
The Gators squared off against archrival Florida State in Gainesville, and the Seminoles stole the first game of the series 3-0. Florida bounced back the following day with a 5-0 win and closed out the series with a resounding 7-0 victory. This will be the second consecutive appearance in the College World Series for the Gators and the 10th in school history. Florida has never won a national championship in baseball but was the runners-up in 2005 and 2011.
Texas A&M saw its season end the same way it did in 2015. The Aggies fell to TCU in the Super Regionals for the second year in a row after the Horned Frogs defeated them 4-1 in the third game of the best-of-three series. TCU won the first game 8-2, but Texas A&M rallied and won the second game 7-1. The Aggies ended the year with a 49-15 record.
Mississippi State’s incredible turnaround season ended in heartbreaking fashion at the hands of Arizona. The Wildcats squeezed by Mississippi State, 1-0, in the opening game of the series. The Bulldogs led 5-1 in the second game but the Wildcats stormed back late to force extra innings. Arizona won, 6-5, on a walk-off hit in the bottom of the 11th inning. Mississippi State finished the season with a 44-17 record.
Oklahoma State bounced South Carolina from the Super Regionals in only two games. Despite hosting the series, the Gamecocks lost to the Cowboys, 5-1, in the first game and 3-1 in the second game. South Carolina finished the season at 46-17.
The biggest upset of the Super Regionals took place in Baton Rouge. LSU was heavily favored to defeat Coastal Carolina, and the Tigers had been playing about as well as anyone in the country. However, the Chanticleers shocked LSU in the opening game, 11-8, and won the second game, 4-3, on a walk-off hit in the bottom of the ninth inning. The Chanticleers will be making their first appearance in the College World Series. LSU ended the season with a 45-20 record.
NCAA College World Series Preview
The College World Series features eight teams in a best-of-three double elimination tournament.
Bracket 1
UC-Santa Barbara vs. Oklahoma State
Arizona vs. Miami
Bracket 2
TCU vs. Texas Tech
Coastal Carolina vs. Flo-rida