4 LSU Tigers
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Won Baton Rouge Regional (3-0), automatic bid – won SEC Tournament
2017 record: 21-9, 46-17 (first in SEC West)
Head coach: Paul Mainieri (FIU, 1980)
Record at school: 506-199-3 (11 years)
Overall record: 1,370-691-8 (35 years)
Assistant coaches: Alan Dunn, Nolan Cain, Micah Gibbs
Team offense: .295 BA, 438 R, 61 HR, .442 SLG%, .390 OBP%, 68-94 SB
Team pitching: 3.54 ERA, 559.2 IP, 483 H, 227 BB, 549 K
Top hitters: Cole Freeman (.333/2/39/18-24 SB), Greg Deichmann (.322/19/69), Antoine Duplantis (.319/1/54/18-22 SB), Kramer Robertson (.317/8/41), Zach Watson (.316/8/34), Josh Smith (.290/4/43)
Top pitchers: Hunter Newman (1-1, 1.11, 10 SV, 24.1 IP, 16 H, 14 BB, 25 K), Alex Lange (9-5, 2.87, 103.1 IP, 94 H, 34 BB, 124 K), Jared Poche’ (10-3, 3.13, 95 IP, 61 H, 32 BB, 63 K), Eric Walker (8-1, 3.46, 93.2 IP, 81 H, 23 BB, 78 K)
Last NCAA appearance: 2016 (3-1 at Baton Rouge Regional, 0-2 at Baton Rouge Super Regional)
Notes: LSU is looking to make its 18th appearance in the College World Series. The Tigers have won 14 straight games and 19 of their past 21. LSU swept a three-game series at Mississippi State the final weekend of the regular season. LSU went 3-0 in the Baton Rouge Regional and outscored its opponents 31-13. Josh Smith went 5 for 9 with three doubles, one homer and four RBI. Greg Deichmann was named a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award. He was All-SEC First team. He is third in the SEC with 19 home runs and second with 69 RBI. Alex Lange, Saturday’s expected starter, is 4-0 in his past four starts with an ERA of 1.86. He has 380 career strikeouts, second to the 409 by Scott Schultz (1992-95). Jared Poche’ has a career record of 37-12. He is one win away from the program record of 38 career victories by Scott Schultz (1992-95).
Mississippi State Bulldogs
Starkville, Mississippi
Won Hattiesburg Regional (4-1), at-large bid from SEC
2017 record: 17-13, 40-25 (third in SEC West)
Head coach: Andy Cannizaro (Tulane, 2001)
Record at school: 40-25 (1 year)
Overall record: Same
Assistant coaches: Gary Henderson, Will Coggin, Mike Brown
Team offense: .288 BA, 366 R, 58 HR, .431 SLG%, .365 OBP%, 74-111 SB
Team pitching: 4.82 ERA, 582.1 IP, 622 H, 344 BB, 548 K
Top hitters: Brent Rooker (.395/23/82/18-23 SB), Ryan Gridley (.331/6/39), Jake Mangum (.327/0/24/14-21 SB), Cody Brown (.321/9/40), Hunter Vansau (.315/0/14), Hunter Stovall (.300/2/18)
Top pitchers: Spencer Price (4-1, 2.41, 14 SV, 33.2 IP, 23 H, 19 BB, 40 K), Konnor Pilkington (8-5, 3.26, 102 IP, 72 H, 43 BB, 107 K), Riley Self (5-1, 3.59, 8 SV, 47.2 IP, 42 H, 19 BB, 60 K) , Peyton Plumlee (6-1, 3.61, 72.1 IP, 69 H, 30 BB, 54 K)
Last NCAA appearance: 2016 (3-0 at Starkville Regional, 0-2 at Starkville Super Regional)
Notes: MSU had to win four games in two days to capture the Hattiesburg Regional. The Bulldogs are looking for their 10th trip to the College World Series and first since 2013. 25 of MSU’s 40 victories have been come-from-behind wins. The Bulldogs have won their past 10 one-run games and are 13-5 in one-run contests this season. MSU has not committed an error in its past nine games. Brent Rooker was named SEC Player of the Year, a first for the MSU program, and was selected as National Player of the Year by Collegiate Baseball. Head coach Andy Cannizaro helped Tulane reach the College World Series in 2001, the first Omaha appearance in program history. During his senior season, Cannizaro batted .395 with 118 hits, 34 doubles, 70 RBI and 52 steals. MSU leads the all-time series with LSU 211-177-1. In Baton Rouge, the Tigers hold a 94-86 edge over the Bulldogs.