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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
LEXINGTON, KY – JUNE 05: The North Carolina State dugout getting ready to start the College World Series Lexington Regional baseball game between the Kentucky Wildcats and the North Carolina St. Wolfpack on June 5, 2017, at Cliff Hagan Stadium in Lexington, KY. (Photo by Mat Gdowski/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Raleigh Regional

  1. NC State (40-16) RPI: 19 –At-large bid ACC (Last bid 2017)
  2. Auburn(39-21) RPI: 14 — At-large bid SEC (Last bid 2017)
  3. Northeastern (36-19) RPI: 35 — Regular Season CAA champs (Last bid 2003)
  4. Army (36-22) RPI: 83 — Tournament & Reg season champs Patriot League (Last bid 2013)

It’s a good thing for the NC State Wolfpack they are hosting because their offensive splits between home and away are as drastic as Jekyll and Hyde.

Home: .310 Batting average. 7.4 runs scored per game

Away from home: .237 Batting average. 5.1 runs scored per game.

The two seeded Auburn Tigers are lead by star pitcher Casey Mize, who is likely the No.1 pick in Monday’s MLB draft.

He’s been stellar at Auburn throughout his career, with 2018 no different (9-5/3.07 ERA). But, his strikeout to walk ratio is out of this world (140 K/10 BB), picking up right where he left off last year (109 K/ 9 BB).

Not too shabby for an undrafted high school player, huh?

The Northeastern Huskies were one of the final teams in the NCAA Baseball Tournament, and they are more than worthy of joining the field of 64. Shortstop Max Burt is a player to watch for the Huskies, who is the only player in program history to play in over 200 games and collect 200-plus-hits.

Army West Point joins the NCAA party for the first time in five seasons, who walked off in extra innings earning their way into the Big Dance — with an 87 thriller over Columbia.

Army boasts wins over Stetson and Michigan, so NC State will need to get those bats going to avoid the upset and find a way to cool down West Point’s leadoff hitter Jacob Hurtubise.

CTTP Predicted winner: Auburn

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