1 Louisville
2 Indiana
3 Illinois State
4 UIC
There are a lot of “I’s” in this Regional – 11 if you spell out Illinois-Chicago. Louisville, as a town, is known for bats. Louisville, as a team, is known for its arms. Reid Detmers (11-3, 2.82, 145 K in 93.1 IP) is the big name, but the Cardinals’ staff has a 3.70 ERA and 606 Ks in 525 IP. Indiana also has plenty of arms, and Andrew Saalfrank (8-1, 2.58, 96 K in 69.2 IP), the Big Ten Pitcher of the Year, is just one of them. The Hoosiers have a 3.58 team ERA. Illinois State, in the tourney in coach Steve Holm’s first year, has some pop and speed: Joe Aeilts (how many names have you seen that start with the first three vowels?) leads the way with a .350 average, 10 bombs and 46 RBI, and John Rave leads the Redbirds in the Regional with 12 homers and 48 RBI. Scott Ota (.358/19/62) has had an incredible season for UIC, and Ryan Hampe (.369/5/47), just a freshman, hit two homers, including the go-ahead shot, in the Horizon title game to light the Flames’ torch for the NCAA field.
Sean – Louisville and Indiana have the pitching to absorb a loss and still win the Regional. Expecting it to be those two battling to move on. Louisville gets the nod.
Phil: Tough battles from Indiana and Illinois State, but Alex Binelas and host UL advance.