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2018 NCAA Baseball Tournament Preview: Road to Omaha

By Neil 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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OMAHA, NE – JUNE 27: Louisiana State University takes on the University of Florida during game two of the Division I Men’s Baseball Championship held at TD Ameritrade Park on June 27, 2017, in Omaha, Nebraska. The University of Florida defeated Louisiana State University 6-1 in game two of the best of three series. (Photo by Justin Tafoya/NCAA Photos via Getty Images) /

Here’s how each round works for the NCAA Baseball tournament.

Since 1999, NCAA Baseball has used this format. 2018 is the first season that the NCAA has ranked all 16 one-seeds in order (used to be the top-eight).

NCAA Baseball Regional Round (64 teams)

  • 64 teams –16 Regional sites
  • Seeded 1-4 (16 one seeds, 16 two seeds, etc.)
  • Regional Round: Double elimination
  • Hosted by the one seed.

NCAA Super Regional Round (16 teams)

  • Winners of the Regionals are paired up in a best of three series. The highest seed of the two host. If two one-seeds advance, the team with the National seed designations hosts.

College World Series (Eight Teams) Location: Omaha, Nebraska — TD Ameritrade Park.  (neutral site)

From 1950-2010, College World Series games were played at the historic Rosenblatt Stadium.

  • The eight winners of each Super Regional are paired up based upon the initial bracket
  • There are two different sides of the bracket.
  • It’s similar to the format of the Regionals with four teams in each side of the bracket.
  • Double elimination.
  • The winner of each bracket advances to the finals.
  • The final is a best two out of three series.

2018 NCAA Baseball Tournament National Seeds

  1. Florida
  2. Stanford
  3. Oregon State
  4. Ole Miss
  5. Arkansas
  6. North Carolina
  7. Florida State
  8. Georgia
  9. Texas Tech
  10. Clemson
  11. Stetson
  12. East Carolina
  13. Texas
  14. Minnesota
  15. Coastal Carolina
  16. NC State

Last four teams in:

  1. Dallas Baptist
  2. Northeastern
  3. Oklahoma State
  4. Troy

First four teams out:

  1. Arizona
  2. Illinois
  3. Kentucky
  4. Central Florida

Altogether, I feel the NCAA Baseball Tournament committee did a solid job with this year’s field of 64. They rewarded teams with 40 wins, ones who finished high in their conference; while dinging teams with losing records in their respective conferences.

Of this year’s snubs, I feel Kentucky is slighted the most. Even though their conference record was lacking, their quality wins should have boosted them as one of the final teams in the tournament.

I am ecstatic with love for the Mid Major schools, especially with at-large bids, with three of the final four teams hailing from non-Power five conferences.

They overseeded Vanderbilt (2), Indiana (2); and under-seeded Missouri State (3), while Stetson deserved a Top-8 National Seed over North Carolina.

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