You can follow college baseball managing editor Kendall Rogers on Twitter @KendallRogersPG and can join the Perfect Game College Baseball Facebook page. Fans also can subscribe here to receive the college baseball ultimate ticket.
Like the college baseball content we provide at Perfect Game? If so, get the ultimate college baseball experience by subscribing to the College Baseball Ticket for just $7 monthly or $60 annually ($24 yearly savings). If you're interested in subscribing to the CBT, Click Here.
REGIONAL COVERAGE: SCHEDULE/RESULTS | REGIONAL BREAKDOWN | PAIRINGS | MESSAGE BOARDS
The Road to Omaha has begun and 64 teams around the country are vying for the eight lucrative spots in the first College World Series at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Neb.
As part of our extensive NCAA postseason coverage, we take an in-depth look at each of the 16 NCAA Regionals.
| THE TEAMS |
| Team |
Conference |
Record |
Berth |
Last NCAA appearance |
| 1. Oregon State |
Pac-10 |
38-17 |
At-large |
2010 |
| 2. Creighton |
Missouri Valley |
44-14 |
Auto bid |
2007 |
| 3. Georgia |
SEC |
31-30 |
At-large |
2009 |
| 4. Arkansas-Little Rock |
Sun Belt |
24-32 |
Auto bid |
Never |
| THE BREAKDOWN |
|
The favorite: Oregon State
|
1. Oregon State
2. Creighton
3. Georgia
4. UALR
|
|
The Beavers have a solid pitching staff, but there's no doubt the offense is somewhat of a concern entering the postseason. OSU didn't hit particularly well against rival Oregon last weekend and enters the weekend with an iffy .266 batting average. Andrew Susac leads the team with a .325 average and .461 on-base percentage, while Kavin Keyes is hitting .315 with a home run and 29 RBIs. Interestingly, they're the only two Beavers hitting over .300. Pitching-wise, the Beavers are in excellent shape with starting pitchers Sam Gaviglio and Josh Osich leading the charge. Gaviglio has had a tremendous campaign for the Beavers, while Osich has increased his draft stock with a strong campaign. The Beavers also can rely on several quality bullpen arms.
|
|
The dark-horse contender: Georgia
|
|
When the Bulldogs were pinned against a wall at the SEC tournament last week, they responded with a ferocious bite and won three games in the tourney to qualify for the NCAA postseason. Though Georgia has been inconsistent this spring, there's no question it has the talent to do something special. The offense only is hitting .277 with Levi Hyams (.318), Kyle Farmer (.304) and power producer Chase Davidson leading the way. The Bulldogs have the ability to be dominant on the mound with starting pitchers Michael Palazzone, Alex Wood and Blake Dieterich leading the way. Keep a close eye on the Bulldogs as the week progresses. They're playing with much emotion right now.
|
|
Best hitter: OF Trever Adams, Creighton
|
|
The Bluejays hope to make a statement this weekend and need Adams and others to rise to the occasion. Adams is having an incredible offensive campaign for Creighton. He's hitting a team-high .392 with 14 doubles, four triples, 14 home runs and 57 RBIs. He's also slugging .680 and has a .465 OBP. Additionally, he's 14-for-17 in stolen bases and has struck out 40 times and walked on 26 occasions. It'll be interesting to see how productive Adams is this weekend.
|
|
Best pitcher: RHP Sam Gaviglio
|
|
He might not get the same fanfare as guys such as UCLA's two-headed monster of Gerrit Cole and Trevor Bauer, but few starting pitchers are having a Gaviglio-like campaign. The talented right-hander has started 15 games, is 11-2 and has a 1.95 ERA in 106 1/3 innings. He also has struck out 102 and walked 25 and teams are hitting him at a .204 clip. It's also worth noting Gaviglio has thrown three complete games this season.
|
|
Best prospect: C Andrew Susac, Oregon State
|
|
The Beavers suffered a scare a few weeks ago when Susac suffered a hamate bone injury that required surgery. Susac, though, sat out a few weeks and was back in action sooner than most expected. In addition to his skills behind the plate, Susac has blossomed into an offensive cog this season with a good OBP and respectable .325 batting average. He's the top overall catcher in college baseball and is expected to get drafted in the bottom of the first round, perhaps even a little higher than that.
|
|
The buzz
|
|
Oregon State starting pitchers Sam Gaviglio and Josh Osich might get the most headlines, but it's also important to highlight the solid bullpen. The Beavers have a talented crop of relievers entering the postseason, including Matt Boyd, Tony Bryant and Scott Schultz. Boyd has made 27 appearances and has a 1.55 ERA in 40 2/3 innings, Bryant has made 26 appearances and has a 1.59 ERA in 45 1/3 innings and Schultz has made 18 appearances and has a 2.82 ERA in 44 2/3 innings ... After Trever Adams, the Creighton offense definitely leaves something to be desired with just a .269 batting average. That means the pitching staff, particularly the starting rotation, must rise to the occasion. That starts with Jonas Dufek and Ty Blach. Dufek has started 15 games and has a 2.17 ERA in 103 2/3 innings, while Blach has started 17 games and has a 2.72 ERA in 96 innings. The Bluejays could surprise some people this weekend if they put together a rash of solid starts on the mound ... If you're looking for a pair of Georgia players to watch this weekend, keep an eye on hitters Zach Cone and Chase Davidson. Both players just ooze with talent, but have issues with consistency at times. Cone is hitting .284 with three home runs and 32 RBIs, while Davidson is hitting .276 with seven home runs and 30 RBIs ... Not many are giving Arkansas-Little Rock a chance this weekend, and it must rise to the occasion on the mound to make some noise, entering the tournament with a dismal 5.84 ERA. Pitching-wise, reliever Nick Grimmett (3.83) is the guy to watch, while at the plate Jason Houston leads the way hitting .327 with six home runs and 26 RBIs.
|
Kendall Rogers is the college baseball editor for Perfect Game USA and has covered the sport for over 10 seasons. He can be reached at kendall@perfectgame.org