College Baseball Super Regionals Recap
Photo Credit: NCAA
16 teams entered the Super Regional, facing a best-of-three series with a College World Series berth on the line. We saw dominating performances, high scoring thrillers, and shocking upsets throughout the weekend. Here’s a recap of each of the eight Super Regional matchups.
Knoxville Super Regional: University of Tennessee def. University of Evansville
It could’ve been a David versus Goliath outcome, but the Volunteers held off the scrappy Purple Aces en route to their third College World Series appearance in four years. The Vols took game one against Evansville 11-6. Tennessee sent four balls out of the park in the victory, and reliever AJ Causey stood out with an eight strikeout, four and two third inning scoreless appearance. The Purple Aces refused to go down quietly, tying the series with a 10-8 win in game two. Right fielder Kip Fougerousse had an excellent game for Evansville, knocking three hits, including a home run, and tallying three RBI and three runs scored. Unfortunately, Evansville’s magic ran out in game three. The Volunteers bullied the Purple Aces 12-1, as Zander Sechrist (6.1 IP, 0 ER, 6 K) stifled Evansville’s offense. Tennessee scored five runs in the first two frames and never looked back. The one-seed will look to continue to reign supreme in Omaha.
Tallahassee Super Regional: Florida State University def. University of Connecticut
It took the Seminoles only two games to defeat the Huskies, but a tumultuous two games they were. In game one, FSU put up a ridiculous 24 runs in a 24-4 victory. The victory set the record for most runs scored and largest winning margin in a Super Regional game. They scored nine through the first four innings, then laid it on by scoring six in the sixth and nine in the seventh. Game two, though also high scoring, was a much different matchup. UConn took Florida State to the twelfth inning before ultimately falling 10-8. Huskies third baseman Luke Broadhurst went 4-5 with a walk and six RBI, and pinch hitter Matt Malcom hit a clutch home run in the bottom of the ninth to tie it. Their effort ultimately fell short, as right fielder James Tibbs III continued to play the hero in the final inning, hitting a two-run homer to cap a 5-6, three homer, six RBI game. The Seminoles will be making their 24th appearance in the College World Series.
Charlottesville Super Regional: University of Virginia def. Kansas State University
Virginia knocked off Kansas State in two straight, securing their plane ticket to Omaha for the second straight year. The twelfth-ranked Cavaliers took game one 7-4. They rallied after going down 3-0, with massive help coming from shortstop Griff O’Ferrall (2-3, 2 RBI, 1 BB) and second baseman Henry Godbout (2-4, 3 RBI, HR). In the subsequent game, the Wildcats kept it close until the last frame. Center fielder Brendan Jones and designated hitter Kyan Lodice both went yard for Kansas State, but it couldn’t hold up against the 13-hit performance provided by the Cavaliers lineup. Virginia starter Jay Woolfolk went six and a third with seven strikeouts as his team won 10-4.
Chapel Hill Super Regional: University of North Carolina def. West Virginia University
UNC made quick work of WVU, sweeping the Mountaineers in the Super Regional. As heavy favorites, the Tar Heels actually had to come from behind to win game one, scoring three in the final innings to win 8-6. West Virginia starter Derek Clark went all the way to the final frame, but fell apart and couldn’t finish the complete game. Designated hitter Kyle West hit two homers for the Mountaineers, but Tar Heels center fielder Vance Honeycutt had the biggest home run of the game, walking the game off with a 425-foot no-doubter to left. Conversely, game two was a true pitchers duel. Honeycutt scored both of UNC’s runs in the 2-1 victory, as their starter Jason Castro went six and a third, allowing a single run on five punch outs. West Virginia starting pitcher Tyler Switalski also pitched six and a third innings, but allowed two to cross. Dalton Pence finished the game for UNC, and the Tar Heels reveled in their first College World Series appearance since 2018.
Lexington Super Regional: University of Kentucky def. Oregon State University
Oregon State couldn’t take down the #2 ranked Kentucky Wildcats, falling 10-0 and 3-2 in consecutive games. In game one, Trey Pooser (7 IP, 1 H, 8 K) and Jackson Nove (2 IP, 6 BF, 4 K) surrendered only a single hit to the Beavers, dismantling an offense that averaged 8.67 runs per game in the regional round. In game two, the Beaver offense struggled once again, scoring their only two runs of the Super Regional in the fourth inning. Center fielder Nolan McCarthy went 2-2 with a pair of RBI, and Johnny Hummel struck out the final batter of the game to send the Wildcats to the College World Series for the first time in school history.
Athens Super Regional: North Carolina State def. University of Georgia
The Wolfpack hunted down the Bulldogs in Athens, winning the Super Regional in three games in order to make their fourth College World Series. Game one was a statement for NC State, who walloped Georgia 18-1. They scored 11 of those in the second inning on 11 hits. But, game two couldn’t have gone differently, as Georgia gave the beating to NC State, 11-2. The Bulldogs hit four home runs and all but one player in the starting lineup had a hit in the win. In the rubber match, a four home run performance from the Wolfpack was the deciding factor, as NC State clubbed their way to an 8-5 triumph.
Clemson Super Regional: University of Florida def. Clemson University
The Gators upset the Clemson Tigers in order to become the last remaining unranked team in the tournament. They took game one 10-7 following a crucial seven-run fifth inning. Jac Caglianone had a homer in that game, and in game two he hit another as the starting pitcher for Florida. In what was easily the best game of the tournament, Florida won against Clemson 11-10 in a 13-inning thriller. Florida went up 7-4 by the sixth, and entered the ninth with a 9-6 lead. However, Clemson center fielder Cam Cannarella answered with a three-run dinger in the top of the frame. In extras, Cannarella had arguably one of the best catches in college baseball history, running back and snagging a ball Willie Mays style to rob Florida right fielder Ashton Wilson of a walk-off in the tenth. After a few more grueling shutout extra innings, Clemson took their first lead since the first inning on an Alden Mathes solo shot. But, the Gators had the final say, winning by way of a bases-loaded Michael Robertson double. Florida outlasted the Tigers, and will continue to fight in Omaha.
Bryan-College Station Super Regional: Texas A&M University def. University of Oregon
No Braden Montgomery? No problem. After losing their star outfielder in the first inning of game one of the Super Regional to an ankle injury, the Aggies rallied to take two straight against the Ducks. Texas A&M won game one 10-6. Catcher Jackson Appel went 3-5 with two runs and two RBIs, and reliever Chris Cortez pitched five and two third innings without allowing a run, with 10 Ks as well. Game two was an electrifying 15-9 Aggie come-from-behind victory. Down 8-4 in the seventh, the Aggies put across nine to regain momentum and the lead. The exclamation point of the frame was a long grand slam by second baseman Kaeden Kent. The Aggies will look to win their first ever College World Series Title next week in Omaha.