1 TCU Horned Frogs
Fort Worth, Texas
At-large bid from the Big 12
2017 record: 16-8, 42-16 (second in Big 12)
Head coach: Jim Schlossnagle (Elon, 1992)
Record at school: 607-270 (14 years)
Overall record: 684-317 (16 years)
Assistant coaches: Bill Mosiello, Kirk Sarloos, Zach Etheredge
Team offense: .272 BA, 394 R, 51 HR, .406 SLG%, .376 OBP%, 95-112 SB
Team pitching: 4.20 ERA, 521.1 IP, 475 H, 183 BB, 540 K
Top hitters: Austen Wade (.361/5/37), Luken Baker (.317/8/41), Nolan Brown (.283/3/30/26-27 SB), Cam Warner (.281/5/48), Evan Skoug (.272/16/55), Ryan Merrill (.250/5/38), Elliott Barzilli (.242/5/23)
Top pitchers: Jared Janczak (8-0, 1.99, 68 IP, 36 H, 17 BB, 75 K), Sean Wymer (4-4, 2.47, 43.2 IP, 31 H, 9 BB, 51 K), Durbin Feltman (2-2, 15 SV, 4.26, 25.1 IP, 22 H, 13 BB, 28 K), Nick Lodolo (5-1, 4.28, 73.2 IP, 70 H, 27 BB, 69 K), Brian Howard (9-3, 4.29, 84 IP, 73 H, 30 BB, 87 K)
Last NCAA appearance: 2015 (1-2 at Houston Regional)
Notes: After a run to Omaha in 2016, TCU claimed a national seed and is hosting for the seventh time. The Frogs are in the field for the 13th time in 14 years. A bevy of injuries has slowed TCU only a bit, and pitchers Jared Janczak and Mitchell Traver, who threw a gem against Texas in the Big 12 tourney, appear to be ready to roll for the postseason. First baseman Luken Baker will miss the postseason after having surgery on his injured left arm. Evan Skoug hit 16 homers his first two seasons and has 16 this season entering the tourney – he has 152 RBI in his career.
2 Virginia Cavaliers
Charlottesville, Virginia
At-large bid from ACC
2017 record: 18-12, 42-14
Head coach: Brian O’Connor (Creighton 1993)
Record at school: 638-237-2 (14 years)
Overall record: 638-237-2 (14 years)
Assistant coaches: Kevin McMullan, Karl Kuhn, Matt Kirby
Team offense: .324 BA, 444 R, 60 HR, .484 SLG%, .408 OBP%, 75-89 SB
Team pitching: 4.04 ERA, 497 IP, 260 H, 222 BB, 464 K
Top hitters: Adam Haseley (.399/14/54), Cameron Simmons (.368/9/57), Robbie Coman (.348/5/38), Pavin Smith (.346/12/72), Jake McCarthy (.339/5/35)
Top pitchers: Adam Haseley (7-1, 3.58 ERA, 65.1 IP, 58 H, 18 BB, 53 K), Derek Casey (4-2, 3.78 ERA, 64.1 IP, 62H, 21 BB, 55 K), Daniel Lynch (7-4, 4.94 ERA, 74.2 IP, 81 H, 29 BB, 43 K), Alec Bettinger (8-0, 2.54 ERA, 56.2 IP, 36 H, 28 BB, 66 K), Tommy Doyle (3-1, 13 SV, 1.93 ERA, 32.2 IP, 28 H, 9 BB, 36 K)
Last NCAA appearance: 2016 (1-2 in Charlottesville Regional)
Notes: This UVA team may feature the best lineup in O’Connor’s 14 years at the school ranking 5th nationally in batting average (.324), 9th in runs (444) and 11th in OBP (.408). The Cavaliers split two games in the ACC Tournament losing to Duke 4-3 before rebounding to beat Clemson 10-2. They were shorthanded on the mound in the tournament with Haseley and all-ACC freshman team selection Noah Murdock unavailable to pitch though Haseley was still able to play centerfield. UVA topped 40 wins for the 11th time in 14 years but first since 2014. After dropping 3 of their first 4 ACC series, the Hoos won their last six series to go 22-7 since the start of April.
A first-team all-ACC performer and Dick Howser Award semifinalist, Haseley was the ACC’s leader batting (.399), runs (64) and OBP (.496), ranks second in slugging (.676), third in hits (85), fourth in walks (41) and seventh in home runs (14) and RBI (54). UVA is the only ACC team to walk (239) more times than it struck out (203) and its strikeout totals are the fewest amongst power-5 teams. Fellow first-team All-ACC selection Pavin Smith set a school record with his 72 RBIs and has more home runs (12) than strikeouts (9). Second team all-ACC OF Cameron Simmons ranked 3rd in the league batting .374 in ACC games and ranks top 10 in the conference in RBIs (57) and OBP (.448).
Versatile senior righthander Bettinger ranks 2nd in the ACC in wins (8) despite not making a start and has limited opponents to a .176 average and routinely goes 2-plus innings in relief (including 6 inning stints in wins vs. Lousiville and Miami). Big innings have plagued UVA’s staff this year with 20 innings of giving up 4 runs or more including 14 in ACC play.
McCarthy’s 27 steals in 29 attempts ranks 9th nationally.
3 Dallas Baptist Patriots
Dallas, Texas
Automatic bid from MVC
2017 record: 15-6, 40-19 (second in MVC)
Head coach: Dan Heefner (Olivet Nazarene, 2000)
Record at school: 386-206 (10 years)
Overall record: Same
Assistant coaches: Dan Fitzgerald, Rick McCarty, Jordan Hill
Team offense: .304 BA, 441 R, 84 HR, .513 SLG%, .395 OBP%, 42-55 SB
Team pitching: 4.51 ERA, 509 IP, 517 H, 228 BB, 461 K
Top hitters: Matt Duce (.338/7/51), Jameson Hannah (.335/8/37), Austin Listi (.332/20/50), Tim Millard (.320/11/59), Garrett Wolforth (.292/6/25), Camden Duzenack (.272/13/44)
Top pitchers: Dalton Higgins (7-1, 5 SV, 2.45, 36.2 IP, 33 H, 13 BB, 38 K), Seth Elledge (2-1, 12 SV, 2.51, 28.2 IP, 23 H, 12 BB, 38 K), Jimmy Fouse (5-0, 2.93, 40 IP, 27 H, 21 BB, 38 K), Travis Stone (2-3, 3.20, 50.2 IP, 50 H, 18 BB, 33 K), MD Johnson (5-2, 4.31, 62.2 IP, 70 H, 27 BB, 50 K), Jordan Martinson (9-3, 4.48, 76.1 IP, 71 H, 32 BB, 73 K)
Last NCAA appearance: 2016 (3-2 at Lubbock Regional)
Notes: DBU is back in the field for the fourth straight year and sixth in seven years under Dan Heefner, who has guided the program to 40-wins in four straight years (joining only Florida, Louisville, LSU and TCU in that category). The Patriots like to hit…and hit and hit. They rank fourth in the nation in doubles, fourth in slugging and fifth in homers. Their 7.5 runs a game are good for 18th in the land. Austin Listi leads the way – the senior has 20 homers this year (seventh in the country) and 49 for his career.
4 CCSU Blue Devils
New Britain, Connecticut
Automatic Bid from NEC
2017 record: 21-7, 36-20 (second in NEC)
Head coach: Charlie Hickey (Connecticut, 1987)
Record at school: 500-432-5 (18 years)
Overall record: 606-493-6 (21 years)
Assistant coaches: Pat Hall, Jim Ziogas, Rob Bono
Team offense: .281 BA, 330 R, 23 HR, .394 SLG%, .374 OBP%, 50-72 SB
Team pitching: 4.23 ERA, 478.2 IP, 501 H, 193 BB, 309 K
Top hitters: Dean Lockery (.336/2/28), Mitch Guilmette (.333/2/33), Franklin Jennings (.333/0/21), Chris Kanios (.313/1/19), Tyler Coleman (.304/1/30), Buddy Dewaine (.290/1/25), Ryan Costello (.287/9/51)
Top pitchers: Jared Gallagher (3-1, 8 SV, 1.45, 37.1 IP, 28 H, 16 BB, 25 K), Michael Delease (5-0, 2.63, 37.2 IP, 32 H, 11 BB, 16 K), Brendan Smith (5-7, 4.03, 82.2 IP, 105 H, 16 BB, 57 K), Mike Appel (4-3, 4.21, 72.2 IP, 73 H, 36 BB, 47 K), Ron Grant (4-2, 5.69, 61.2, 75 H, 32 BB, 44 K)
Last NCAA appearance: 2010 (0-2 at Tallahassee Regional)
Notes: The Blue Devils are making their fifth Regional appearance (2002, 2003, 2004, 2010) and seeking their first win (0-8). The NEC title win was coach Charlie Hickey’s 500th win at the school. Hickey previously was the head coach at Providence during the final three years of the program’s existence, ending with a 1999 NCAA appearance. Dean Lockery leads the team in hitting and has walked 52 times, compared to 15 Ks. Ryan Costello is the big bat, with nine of the team’s 23 homers and 43 walks. TT Bowens was the NEC tourney MVP, going 7 for 11 with two homers, five runs and three RBI.