Florida State Seminoles
Tallahassee, Florida
Won Tallahassee Regional (4-1), automatic bid- won ACC championship
2017 record: 14-14 ACC, 43-21
Head coach: Mike Martin (Florida State, 1966)
Record at school: 1,941-692-4 (38 years)
Overall record: same
Assistant coaches: Mike Bell, Mike Martin Jr., Clyde Keller
Team offense: .269 BA, 462 R, 68 HR, .426 SLG%, .389 OBP%, 58-73 SB
Team pitching: 3.80 ERA, 575.1 IP, 531 H, 198 BB, 594 K
Top hitters: Rhett Aplin (.322/6/24), Dylan Busby (.317/14/60/20 2B), Jackson Lueck (.313/9/49), Quincy Nieporte (.301/9/73/19 2B), Matt Henderson (.267/0/19), Taylor Walls (.262/6/43/10-12 SB)
Top pitchers: Drew Carlton (4-4, 2.03 ERA, 6 SV, 57.2 IP, 61 H, 13 BB, 53 K), Tyler Holton (10-2, 2.22 ERA, 105.1 IP, 63 H, 25 BB, 132 K), Drew Parrish (5-3, 4.67 ERA, 81 IP, 74 H, 25 BB, 80 K), Cole Sands (6-3, 5.24 ERA, 79 IP, 81 H, 29 BB, 68 K)
Last NCAA appearance: 2016 (3-0 in Tallahassee Regional, 1-2 in Gainesville Super Regional)
Notes: FSU lost its first game of the Tallahassee Regional to Tennessee Tech, then won four straight to win the regional title. The Seminoles are looking to make their 22nd trip to the College World Series and first since 2012. FSU is looking for its first national championship after three runner-up finishes. Coming off of their third straight ACC Tournament finals appearance, and second title in the past three years, Florida State is playing some of their best baseball of the year going 12-2 in May and playing themselves into hosting a regional. The city of Louisville was kind to the Noles as they won four straight to win the ACC tournament title after winning two at U of L, the first time the Cardinals have dropped an ACC series at home. After being ranked as high as #1 in country, the Seminoles fell out of the polls after losing a series at NC State dropping to 21-13 overall. This is FSU’s 38th consecutive NCAA appearance. WarrenNolan.com has FSU’s schedule as the toughest in the country. The depth of starting pitching has not been a strong suit for FSU this year but they do have one of the best in lefty sophomore Tyler Holton who was named ACC Pitcher of the Week five times this year. Holton, an all-ACC first team selection, led the ACC in wins and innings pitched and was second in strikeouts. The bullpen has picked up the slack posting a 3.50 ERA. The 12 runs they scored against Louisville in the opener are the most the Cards have given up all year. A second-team all-ACC selection, Nieporte’s 73 RBI are the most for FSU since 2010. Busby is the ACC’s active leader in home runs.
Sam Houston State Bearkats
Huntsville, Texas
Won Lubbock Regional (4-1), automatic bid – Southland champion
2017 record: 19-11 (Southland), 44-21
Head coach: Matt Deggs (Northwood, 1994)
Record at school: 117-71 (3 years)
Overall record: 304- 171 (8 years)
Assistant coaches: Jay Siranni, Lance Harvell, Gary Miller
Team offense: .305 BA, 437 R, 31 HR, .422 SLG%, .398 OBP%, 102-138 SB
Team pitching: 3.58 ERA, 583 IP, 565 H, 190 BB, 507 K
Top hitters: Bryce Johnson (.350/0/43/33-40 SB), Robie Rojas (.347/7/45), Blake Chisolm (.343/4/35), Hunter Hearn (.329/2/40), Andrew Fregia (.310/7/47/14-17 SB), Taylor Beene (.301/2/39), Clayton Harp (.297/5/50)
Top pitchers: Heath Donica (9-2, 1.91 ERA, 108.1 IP, 80 H, 29 BB, 106 K), Hayden Wesneski (10-2, 3.80 ERA, 83 IP, 85 H, 21 BB, 46 K), Seth Ballew (6-3, 3.96 ERA, 72.2 IP, 75 H, 33 BB, 58 K), Nick Mikolaschak (0-3, 3.14 ERA, 13 SV, 28.2 IP, 28 H, 10 BB, 32 K) , Riley Cooper (4-3, 3.28 ERA, 1 Sv, 46.2 IP, 38 H, 10 BB, 42 K)
Last NCAA appearance: 2016 (1-2 at Lafayette Regional)
Notes: SHSU is playing in a Super Regional for the first time and is looking for its first trip to the College World Series. The preseason pick to win the Southland, the Bearkats finished third in the regular season but won four games at the conference tournament by a 37-10 margin to win their second consecutive title. It is the Bearkats’ eighth NCAA appearance since 2007 and their 40+ wins marks the fourth time that has occurred in the past seven seasons. However, SHSU lost four of their last five Southland series being swept by Central Arkansas and Houston Baptist. Went 8-6 in non-conference games against Texas, Louisiana, Baylor, Rice, Houston, Texas A&M & Dallas Baptist. The team’s 102 stolen bases ranks in the Top 20 nationally led by one of the top base stealers Bryce Johnson (33). SHSU led the Southland in runs and on-base percentage and ranks in the Top 20 nationally in those two statistics. Seniors Robie Rojas and Taylor Beene (.427 OBP) were first-team all-league selections. Southland Pitcher of the Year Heath Donica led the league in ERA and opponents’ batting average and third in strikeouts. Wesnewski was named Freshman of the Year.