1 Houston Cougars
Houston, Texas
Automatic bid from American Athletic Conference
2017 record: 15-9, 40-19 (first in AAC)
Head coach: Todd Whitting (Houston, 1995)
Record at school: 208-150-1 (7years)
Overall record: Same
Assistant coaches: Frank Anderson, Caleb Barker, Trip Couch
Team offense: .290 BA, 373 R, 55 HR, .445 SLG%, .386 OBP%, 80-97 SB
Team pitching: 3.37 ERA, 520.2 IP, 516 H, 134 BB, 420 K
Top hitters: Jake Scheiner (.347/17/57), Corey Julks (.323/7/41), Grayson Padgett (.306/2/37), Joe Davis (.301/7/44), Connor Wong (.297/7/44/25-29 SB)
Top pitchers: Trey Cumbie (10-1, 1.88, 96 IP, 81 H, 13 BB, 80 K), John King (7-1, 2.99, 75.1 IP, 77 H, 10 BB, 35 K), Mitch Ullom (6-3, 3.45, 91.1 IP, 93 H, 28 BB, 48 K), Aaron Fletcher (2-1, 8 SV, 2.19, 37 IP, 34 H, 9 BB, 36 K)
Last NCAA appearance: 2015 (1-2 at Houston Regional)
Notes: Houston is hosting a Regional for the fourth time, most recently in 2015 when it lost two one-run games after winning its opener. And the Cougars have done it despite key injuries and a suspension then dismissal of ace Seth Romero. Catcher Connor Wong was the Cougars’ starting shortstop as a freshman in 2015. Trey Cumbie was a part-time starter on the mound last year, and over the past two years has gone 15-3 and has 122 Ks/22 BBs in 152 IP. The Cougars’ roster includes Jared Pettitte, son of former MLB pitcher Andy Pettitte.
2 Baylor Bears
Waco, Texas
At-large bid from the Big-12
2017 record: 12-12, 34-21 (tied for fourth in Big 12)
Head coach: Steve Rodriguez (Pepperdine, 2001)
Record at school: 58-50 (2 years)
Overall record: 459-350 (13 years)
Assistant coaches: Jon Strauss, Mike Taylor, Ruben Noriega
Team offense: .296 BA, 336 R, 49 HR, .445 SLG%, .382 OBP%, 22-40 SB
Team pitching: 4.55 ERA, 466.2 IP, 460 H, 207 BB, 320 K
Top hitters: Aaron Dodson (.335/10/38), Shea Langeliers (.324/10/38), Matt Menard (.307/2/26), Richard Cunningham (.307/5/29), Davis Wendzel (.290/8/29), Kameron Esthay (.283/9/35)
Top pitchers: Troy Montemayor (3-1, 12 SV, 1.08, 25 IP, 15 H, 7 BB, 28 K), Kyle Hill (3-3, 2.79, 42 IP, 36 H, 30 BB, 54 K), Montana Parsons (5-3, 2.81, 83.1 IP, 83 H, 35 BB, 67 K), Hayden Kettler (3-2, 3.15, 34.1 IP, 35 H, 17 BB, 26 K), Cody Bradford (5-5, 4.91, 73.1 IP, 84 H, 20 BB, 43 K)
Last NCAA appearance: 2012 (4-1 at Waco Regional; 1-2 at Waco Super Regional)
Notes: The Bears are making their first appearance since 2012, when they reached the Super Regionals and fell 1-0 in the deciding game against Arkansas. Coach Steve Rodriguez, who coached at Pepperdine before coming to Baylor, will be coaching in his ninth Regional and first as Bears coach. Troy Montemayor backed up last year’s 14 saves with 12 more this season. Senior catcher Aaron Dodson hit .222, .225 and .258 with a combined 10 homers his first three seasons before breaking out for a .335 average and 38 RBI this season.
3 Texas A&M Aggies
College Station, Texas
At-large bid from SEC
2017 record: 16-14, 36-21 (tied for third in SEC West)
Head coach: Rob Childress (Northwood, 1990)
Record at school: 494-259-2 (12 years)
Overall record: 537-269-2 (13 years)
Assistant coaches: Justin Seely, Will Bolt, Jake Carlson
Team offense: .275 BA, 350 R, 45 HR, .414 SLG%, .363 OBP%, 56-85 SB
Team pitching: 3.44 ERA, 520 IP, 459 H, 195 BB, 501 K
Top hitters: Braden Shewmake (.343/10/65/17 2B/11-16 SB), Nick Choruby (.307/3/26/11-18 SB), Hunter Coleman (.300/4/18), Cole Bedford (.299/2/22), Blake Kopetsky (.296/2/15), Logan Foster (.285/5/23)
Top pitchers: Kaylor Chafin (7-2, 2.54, 63.2 IP, 48 H, 16 BB, 61 K), Landon Miner (1-0, 2.55, 1 SV, 24.2 IP, 16 H, 6 BB, 16 K), Brigham Hill (7-3, 2.96, 85 IP, 75 H, 25 BB, 95 K), Corbin Martin (6-3 3.03, 74.1 IP, 68 H, 34 BB, 78 K), Mitchell Kilkenny (3-3, 3.96, 7 SV, 50 IP, 58 H, 17 BB, 47 K)
Last NCAA appearance: 2016 (3-0 at College Station Regional, 1-2 in College Station Super Regional)
Notes: The Aggies are in the NCAA Tournament for the 33rd time, including 11 straight seasons. Braden Shewmake was the SEC Freshman of the Year. He leads all Division I freshmen with 83 hits and 65 RBI. Texas A&M leads its series with Baylor 181-135-4.
4 Iowa Hawkeyes
Iowa City, Iowa
Automatic bid from the Big Ten
2017 record: 15-9, 38-20 (tied for fourth in Big Ten)
Head coach: Rick Heller (Upper Iowa, 1986)
Record at school: 139-87 (4 years)
Overall record: 829-652-4 (30 years)
Assistant coaches: Scott Brickman, Marty Sutherland, Sean Moore
Team offense: .275 BA, 351 R, 60 HR, .429 SLG%, .375 OBP%, 101-123 SB
Team pitching: 3.86 ERA, 507.2 IP, 499 H, 169 BB, 476 K
Top hitters: Jake Adams (.339/27/70), Mason McCoy (.328/5/34), Chris Whelan (.320/7/23), Robert Neustrom (.313/9/54), Matt Hoeg (.283/5/38), Ben Norman (.277/1/18), Tyler Cropley (.269/9/36)
Top pitchers: Josh Martsching (5-0, 7 SV, 2.36, 42 IP, 30 H, 10 BB, 42 K), Ryan Erickson (3-3, 2.96, 70 IP, 74 H, 28 BB, 47 K), Nick Gallagher (8-1, 3.39, 90.1 IP, 90 H, 23 BB, 83 K), Kyle Shimp (5-1, 3.28, 24.2 IP, 17 H, 19 BB, 25 K), Zach Daniels (7-3, 3.40, 47.2 IP, 54 H, 24 B, 52 K)
Last NCAA appearance: 2015 (2-2 at Springfield Regional)
Notes: Iowa is in the tourney for the second time in three years after falling short in the Big Ten tourney in 2016. This time, the Hawkeyes earned the automatic bid and enter the NCAA Tournament having won 10 of 13. In 2015, they reached the Regional final before falling to top-seeded Missouri State 3-2. Jake Adams tied for the nation’s lead in homers and ranks fourth in slugging (.747) and seventh in RBI – he was the Big Ten’s unanimous player of the year. Nick Gallagher, whose mom played softball and basketball at Missouri Western, has gone 16-4 over the past two years.