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2018 NCAA Baseball Tournament Preview: Road to Omaha

ByNeil Harrington|
OMAHA, NE - JUNE 27: The University of Florida players run onto the field in celebration after defeating Louisiana State University 6-1 in game two of the Division I Men's Baseball Championship held at TD Ameritrade Park on June 27, 2017 in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Justin Tafoya/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
OMAHA, NE - JUNE 27: The University of Florida players run onto the field in celebration after defeating Louisiana State University 6-1 in game two of the Division I Men's Baseball Championship held at TD Ameritrade Park on June 27, 2017 in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Justin Tafoya/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
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NCAA Baseball
GAINESVILLE, FL – MAY 05: Cooper Johnson (13) of Ole Miss at bat during the college baseball game between the Ole Miss Rebels and the Florida Gators on May 05, 2017 at Alfred A. McKethan Stadium in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Oxford Regional

  1. Ole Miss 4 (46-15) RPI: 5 –SEC  West co-champ and tournament champ (Last bid 2016)
  2. Tennesee Tech (48-9) RPI: 23 — At-large OVC  (Last bid 2017)
  3. Missouri State (39-15) RPI: 25 — MVC reg season & tournament champ (Last bid 2017)
  4. Saint Louis (38-18) RPI: 94 — A-10 reg season & tournament champ (Last bid 2013)

Oxford is the only NCAA Baseball tournament Regional with three top 25 RPI squads — and Saint Louis U is in double digits — so the NCAA committee did Ole Miss no favors at all. Oxford is the deepest regional of the 16 and whoever makes it out of it alive will have genuinely earned it.

The Ole Miss Rebels readily could have received the top overall seed — they are that good. After experiencing the gauntlet of the SEC as a young team in 2017, missing the NCAA Baseball tournament in the process, they are ready to make a deep run in Omaha in 2018.

Honestly, Ole Miss does everything tremendously well, include hit the tar out of the baseball (14th best offense in NCAA Baseball), led by Ryan Olenek and his .359 BA.

Ole Miss has a true No.1 starter and an ace in Ryan Rolison (9-4, 3.79),  but he’s had spells of inconsistency in 2018, which is a slight cause for concern. Being a draft eligible Sophomore, this is likely is only go around in the NCAA Baseball tournament and expect him to shine under the bright lights in Oxford and beyond.

The Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles are one-seed material, and if it weren’t for two hiccups in their conference tournament, would be hosting a Regional instead.

Their primary strength is hitting (.342 team BA) especially the long ball (chicks dig the longball) with a nation-leading 128 home runs — lead by, well, the whole team. They’ve scored 576 runs in 57 games, which is a lot. Juco transfer Brennon Kaleiwahea is the biggest surprise of them all, leading the team behind the plate while hitting .376 with a “low” total of even long bombs.

The Missouri State Bears are no stranger to the NCAA Baseball postseason, making the NCAA tournament for the third time in four seasons, with two Super Regional appearances (2015, 2017) — looking to return to the College World Series for the first time since 2003.

Head Coach Keith Guttin has quietly put together a legendary career, where he just entered the ranks of the 20th winningest coach in NCAA Baseball Division 1 history.

He’d be the first to tell you that those accolades are a team effort and now in the past, with his focus now on the task at hand. This Bears team of 2018 has the feel of the 2006 St. Louis Cardinals.

Both the 2006 Cardinals and 2018 MSU Bears were supposed to be former shells of themselves, yet, didn’t receive the memo. The 2015 MSU team had enough talent and depth to win the College World Series, and last year’s squad was good enough to reach Omaha — yet both failed to do so for one reason or another.

With the 2018 team overlooked by most on paper, they could be the one that finally break-through to Omaha.

Jeremy Eierman Walk Off

WALK OFF WINNER!!!Jeremy Eierman is a HERO!! 2-run BOMB gives Missouri State Bears Baseball the victory!! #RoadToOmaha

Posted by NCAA Baseball on Friday, June 2, 2017

The Bears do have a few standouts, with Jeremy Eierman doing Jeremy Eierman things, even though his home run total is cut nearly in half this year — without the protection of MLB draftees Jake Burger and Justin Paulsen.

Switch-hitting catcher Drew Millas is their best overall hitter, coming out of nowhere to hit .333  and drive 59 runs, while Ben Whetsone has replaced Justin Paulsen at first base admirably. Starting centerfielder Hunter Steinmetz appears to be back to full health and is a walking Sportscenter top-10 highlight-reel and provides a rare .300 hitter in the Bears lineup.

Dylan Coleman is their ace and man can he pitch. He had a rough stretch that started with shelling by the hot bats of the Oregon State, but his overall stats were outstanding. (10-2, 3.63, BA below .200 and 122 strikeouts in just under 100 innings pitched.

If he’s able to cut down on his walks, he may get enough swing and misses against Tech to shut them down. Don’t sleep on 2017 MVC pitcher of the year Jake Fromson, who’s battled injuries in 2018, but has enough in the tank to help the Bears protect leads late in the game, alongside Freshmen closer Conner Sechler.

Another Missouri team joins the group, with the Saint Louis U Billikens a formidable four-seed. After a 1-7 start to the season, the Billikens have not looked back and are primed to pull off the shocker in Oxford.

SLU’s strength is in their pitching (3.32 ERA ), led by Drew Reveno (10-2, 1.84 ERA). Their most impactful offensive player is  Parker Sniatynski  .313/.416/.570, nine home runs and 20 stolen bases.  Jake Garella also hits .362, which isn’t too shabby, either.

CTTP Predicted winner: Missouri State 

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