2018 College World Series Preview

The 2018 College World Series will be played in Omaha, NE at Ameritrade Park from June 16 thru June 26 or 27 if necessary. Defending champion Florida made it back to go for the repeat. Six of the national seeds made it to Omaha including top seed Florida. There are three former champions and one team making their first trip.

The first game Saturday has 49-10-1 third seed Oregon State against 43-18 sixth seed North Carolina. Oregon State swept Minnesota 8-1 and 6-3 to earn a return trip to Omaha.  North Carolina swept Cinderella hopeful Stetson 7-4 and 7-5. 

The Oregon State Beavers are led by Head Coach Pat Casey. They had a 20-9-1 conference record in the PAC 12 and their campus is in Corvallis, OR. Their top eight hitters are Nick Madrigal (.397), Adley Rutschman (.386), Steven Kwan (.357), Trevor Larnach (.336), Cadyn Grenier (.322), Michael Gretler (.316), Kyle Nobach (.303) and Tyler Malone (.273) with Larnach leading the team with 18 home runs followed by Gretler and Rutschman with seven each. The team batting average is .320 and they average 7.7 runs a game.  Their top three starting pitchers are Luke Heimlich (16-1, 2.32), Bryce Fehmel (10-1, 2.87) and Grant Gambrell (5-1, 4.40) with Jake Mulholland being their main closer with 15 saves. Their team ERA is 3.26 and they have given up 3.7 runs per game.   In the 2017 MLB draft they had six players taken: Madrigal (White Sox, 1st round), Larnach (Twins, 1st), Grenier (Orioles, 1st), Kwan (Indians, 5th), Drew Rasmussen (Brewers, 6th), and Gretler (Pirates, 10th). This is their seventh CWS appearance and they won the title in 2006 and 2007.

The North Carolina Tar Heels are led by Head Coach Mike Fox. They had a 22-8 conference record in the ACC and their campus is in Chapel Hill, NC. Their top eight hitters are Kyle Datres (.344), Michael Busch (.333), Ike Freeman (.295), Brandon Riley (.294), Cody Roberts (.276), Zack Gahagan (.274), Brandon Martorano (.247) and Ashton McGee (.246) with Busch leading the team with 13 home runs followed by Martorano with nine. The team batting average is .286 and they average 7.1 runs a game. Their top three starting pitchers are Austin Bergner (7-2, 4.28), Tyler Baum (4-1, 4.55) and Cooper Criswell (6-2, 2.82) with Josh Hiatt being their main closer with six saves. Their team ERA is 3.60 and they have given up 4.4 runs per game.  In the 2018 MLB draft they had 10 players taken: Rodney Hutchison (Yankees, 6th round), Roberts (Orioles, 11th), Datres (Rockies, 12th), Criswell (Angels, 13th), Riley (Cardinals, 14th), Hiatt (Blue Jays, 16th),  Brett Daniels (Astros, 17th), Bergner (Diamondbacks, 32nd), Jason Morgan (White Sox, 35th), and Gahagan (Cardinals, 39th). This is their 11th CWS appearance and they have yet to win the title.

The second game Saturday has 35-24 Washington against 37-27 Mississippi State. Washington started their super regional with an 8-5 victory over Cal State Fullerton, then lost 5-2 before advancing to Omaha with a 6-5 win. Mississippi State faced familiar SEC conference foe Vanderbilt revenging a regular season sweep by beating Vanderbilt 10-8 in the first game, slipping 4-3 in the second then claiming the ticket to Omaha with a 10-6 victory.

The Washington Huskies are led by Head Coach Lindsay Meggs. They had a 20-10 conference record in the PAC 12 and their campus is in Seattle, WA. Their top eight hitters are AJ Graffanino (.373), Mason Cerrillo (.335), Joe Wainhouse (.312), Braiden Ward (.309), Levi Jordan (.302), Nick Kahle (.293), Christian Jones (.269), and Willie MacIver (.243) with Wainhouse leading the team with 19 home runs followed by Jordan with eight. The team batting average is .274 and they average 5.1 runs a game. Their top three starting pitchers are Joe DeMers (7-3, 2.56), Lucas Knowles (6-5, 3.89) and Jordan Jones (6-4, 3.99) with Alex Hardy being their main closer with eight saves. Their team ERA is 3.70 and they have given up 4.4 runs per game.  In the 2018 MLB draft they had four players taken: Graffanino (Braves, 8th round), MacIver (Rockies, 9th), DeMers (Athletics, 11th), and Jordan (Cubs, 29th). This is their first CWS appearance.

The Mississippi State Bulldogs are led by Head Coach Gary Henderson. They had a 15-15 conference record in the SEC and their campus is in Starkville, MS. Their top eight hitters are Jake Magnum (.353), Rowdey Jordan (.333), Hunter Stovall (.319), Elijah MacNamee (.318), Tanner Allen (.298), Josh Hatcher (.259), Marshall Gilbert (.257) and Justin Foscue (.256) with MacNamee leading the team with eight home runs followed by Jordan with seven. The team batting average is .281 and they average 6.1 runs a game. Their top three starting pitchers are Ethan Small (5-3, 3-11), Jacob Billingsley (5-3, 4.92) and Konnor Pilkington (2-6, 4.56) with closing duties split with Blake Smith and Cole Gordon having three saves each. Their team ERA is 4.39 and they have given up 5.0 runs per game.  In the 2018 MLB draft they had 10 players taken: Pilkington (White Sox, 3rd round), JP France (Astros, 14th), Stovall (Rockies, 21st), Small (Diamondbacks, 26th), Zach Neff (Twins, 31st), Magnum (Mets, 32nd), and Billingsley (Astros, 32nd). This is their 10th CWS appearance and they have yet to win the title.

The first game Sunday has 44-19 fifth seed Arkansas taking on 42-21 13th seed Texas. Arkansas faced SEC foe South Carolina winning he first game 9-3, losing the second 8-5 before dominating the deciding game 14-4. Texas gave Cinderella Tennessee Tech hope by dropping the first game to them 5-4 before taking straight games 4-2 and 5-2.

The Arkansas Razorbacks are led by Head Coach Dave Van Horn. They had a 21-12 conference record in the SEC and their campus is in Fayetteville, AR. Their top eight hitters are Casey Martin (.344), Carson Shaddy (.341), Heston Kjerstad (.340), Eric Cole (.329), Luke Bonfield (.307), Jax Biggers (.287), Dominic Fletcher (.282) and Grant Koch (.251) with Cole and Kjerstad leading the team with 14 home runs each followed by Martin and Shaddy with 13 each. The team batting average is .301 and they average 7.2 runs a game. Their top three starting pitchers are Blaine Knight (12-0, 2.84), Kacey Murphy (8-5, 3.12) and Isaiah Campbell (4-6, 4.19) with Matt Cronin being their main closer with 12 saves. Their team ERA is 3.60 and they have given up 4.3 runs per game.  In the 2018 MLB draft they had 11 players taken: Knight (Orioles, 3rd round), Cole (Royals, 4th), Koch (Pirates, 5th), Biggers (Rangers, 8th), Shaddy (Nationals, 10th), Murphy (Tigers, 11th),  Evan Lee (Nationals, 15th), Barrett Loseke (Yankees, 17th), Jake Reindl (Cubs, 17th), Campbell (Angels, 24th), and Zack Plunkett (Diamondbacks, 37th). This is their ninth CWS appearance and they have yet to win the title.

The Texas Longhorns are led by Head Coach Philip Miller. They had a 17-7 conference record in the Big 12 and their campus is in Austin, TX. Their top eight hitters are Cody Clemens (.356), Duke Ellis (.297), David Hamilton (.294), Zach Zubia (.277), DJ Petrinsky (.261), Masen Hibbeler (.256), Ryan Reynolds (.252) and Jake McKenzie (.246) with Clemens leading the team with 24 home runs followed by Zubia with 11. The team batting average is .272 and they average 5.9 runs a game. Their top three starting pitchers are Nolan Kingham (8-4, 4.34), Chase Shugart (6-3, 4.07) and Blair Henley (6-6, 3.32) with Andy McGuire being their main closer with seven saves. Their team ERA is 4.09 and they have given up 4.6 runs per game.  In the 2018 MLB draft they had five players taken: Clemens (Tigers, 3rd round), Kingham (Braves, 12th), Shugart (Red Sox, 12th), Josh Sawyer (Cubs, 16th), and McGuire (Blue Jays, 28th). This is their 36th CWS appearance and have won six titles in 1949, 1950, 1975, 1983, 2002 and 2005.

The second game Sunday has 42-17 top seed Florida taking on 39-17 ninth seed Texas Tech. Florida came out on top in yet another all SEC super regional beating Auburn 8-2 in the first game, losing 3-2 in the second and flipped the score to advance in another 3-2 game. Texas Tech took on another baseball Cinderella in Duke taking the first game 6-4, took a step back losing 11-2 and claimed the super regional with a 6-2 win.

The Florida Gators are led by Head Coach Kevin O'Sullivan. They had a 20-10 conference record in the SEC and their campus is in Gainesville, FL. Their top eight hitters are Jonathan India (.354), JJ Schwarz (.325), Austin Langworthy (.294), Deacon Liput (.291), Nelson Maldonado (.278), Nick Horvath (.270), Will Dalton (.266) and Brady Smith (.259) with India leading the team with 20 home runs followed by Dalton with 19. The team batting average is .278 and they average 6.7 runs a game. Their top three starting pitchers are Brady Singer (12-1, 2.30), Jackson Kowar (9-5, 3.24) and Tyler Dyson (5-3, 4.47) with Michael Byrne being their main closer with 15 saves. Their team ERA is 3.46 and they have given up 4.0 runs per game.  In the 2018 MLB draft they had 10 players taken: India (Reds, 1st round), Singer (Royals, 1st), Kowar (Royals, 1st), Schwarz (Athletics, 8th), Liput (Dodgers, 10th), Byrne (Reds, 14th), and Horvath (Orioles, 25th). This is their 12th CWS appearance and they won the title last year.

The Texas Tech Red Raiders are led by Head Coach Tim Tadlock. They had a 15-9 conference record in the Big 12 and their campus is in Lubbock, TX. Their top eight hitters are Josh Jung (.390), Grant Little (.372), Gabe Holt (.352), Zach Rheams (.348), Cameron Warren (.327), Brian Klein (.323), Cody Farhat (.294) and Michael Davis (.288) with Rheams leading the team with 17 home runs followed by Davis, Jung and Little with 12 each. The team batting average is .311 and they average 8.3 runs a game. Their top three starting pitchers are Caleb Kilian (9-2, 3.04), Davis Martin (7-5, 4.50) and John McMillon (5-3, 4.01) while having a committee closer approach as Ty Harpenau has four saves while Caleb Freeman, Dane Haveman and Ryan Shetter have three each . Their team ERA is 4.40 and they have given up 5.0 runs per game.  In the 2018 MLB draft they had 11 players taken: Little (Padres, 2nd round), Steven Gingery (Cardinals, 4th), Shetter (Braves, 9th), Jose Quezada (Padres, 10th), Martin (White Sox, 14th), Harpenau (Braves, 16th), Kilian (Orioles, 20th), Farhat (Indians, 23rd), Davis (Twins, 24th), Dylan Dusek (Giants, 27th), and Rheams (Mets, 27th). This is their third CWS appearance and have yet to win the title.

While not as dominating as they were in 2017 Oregon State has a good chance of advancing out of bracket one to the championship round. Bracket two is a deeper talent pool but Arkansas may have what it takes to advance over defending champ Florida and the two Big 12 schools. Can't wait to see how the games unfold.