College baseball games of the week: LSU, Stanford face Top 25 tests

LSU traveling to Texas headlines the best games of the week in college baseball, but Stanford also faces a Top 25 test in what should be a great week.

The college baseball season is still very young, but records are starting to shape up and expectations are already being met, or not. Some exciting teams remain untested, but that all changes this week. With three top 15 matchups this coming week, you’ll want to be glued to your TV or grab some tickets to not miss out on a second of the action.

No. 2 LSU at No. 23 Texas – Mar. 1-3

This might be the premier matchup of the young season, as powerhouse LSU visits Austin for a three game series. The Tigers have jumped out to a flawless 7-0, including a comeback win against Louisiana-Monroe, a 17-5 thrashing of Air Force, and a sweep of Bryant. Before this pivotal series, LSU has to go through South Alabama, which is anything but a guaranteed win. So far, LSU is putting up 10.3 runs per game (16th) and has already hit six home runs (t-8th).

Texas was able to pull a 2-1 series win against Louisiana-Lafayette and a 3-1 series win versus Purdue this past weekend. In order to beat LSU, Texas needs to continue their tight pitching and defense, which is allowing just 3.75 runs per game so far. The Longhorns face a tough battle with Sam Houston State and warm up against UTSA before hosting the Tigers.

Both of these teams are vying for a spot in the College World Series this June. Despite that being four months away, this series could leave a lasting impact on the rest of both of their seasons. If one team is outclassed, that could spell doom for their future series.

No. 14 Mississippi State vs. No. 3 Texas Tech – Mar. 2

Mississippi State had no trouble with their opening series against Youngstown State, averaging 12 runs per game, and followed that win with a series victory over Southern Miss. To say they are off to a good start is an understatement. Their defense has also been a highlight, allowing just 1.75 runs per game (t-18th). However, this game is their first real test on their road back to Omaha.

Texas Tech was given a run for their money against Oregon, who seemed to have all of the answers for the Red Raiders’ pitching. The Ducks averaged eight runs per game against Tech, and it took an eight-run comeback on Saturday for the Red Raiders to take the series. Tech was able to handle Kentucky with a series sweep and a 19-4 drubbing in the finale.

Forget a potential Omaha showdown preview, this could be a preview of the World Series final. Both teams made a run in the tournament last season, with each being upended by a team who would make the finals (State was beaten by Oregon State, 5-2; and Tech was beaten by Arkansas, 7-4). These teams only play once during the regular season, and luck will decide if they face each other in Omaha.

No. 11 East Carolina vs. Air Force – Feb. 25

Riding their recent successes, East Carolina has proven to be annual contenders. Their pitching was the strong suit yet again, as they posted a team ERA of just 3.41 (17th). The Pirates rode their defense all the way to the Greenville regionals where they were bested by No. 19 South Carolina and UNC Wilmington. However, ECU was able to secure its second American conference championship since 2015 and finished with an impressive 44-18 record.

Air Force began 2018 with only three runs scored in four games and began the season 1-8. Things began to click for the Falcons after the first month and ended up averaging 7-4 runs per game and posted a 0.477 slugging percentage (12th). Their offense was not enough, though, as Air Force finished just 24-30. Opening day did not go as expected, as they were beaten thoroughly by Army 17-2.

If Air Force can shake the early season cobwebs, this could be an entertaining series with the explosive Falcon offense pit against East Carolina’s stud pitching rotation. ECU follows up a convincing sweep of Radford with another series win against Monmouth before playing Air Force at neutral Greenville, North Carolina.

No. 18 TCU at Sam Houston State – Feb. 27

TCU dropped their season opener against No. 25 Cal State Fullerton and had a dismal outing in their series opener against Grand Canyon, losing 4-1. However, TCU has jumped out to a 4-2 record which includes a 10-2 win over No. 1 Vanderbilt in Scottsdale, AZ. The difference is the Horned Frogs’ offense, which averages 0.5 runs per game in their two losses and 12 runs in their wins. Unsurprisingly, when TCU hits well, they win games.

Sam Houston State is off to a good start, 5-1, including a three game sweep against Louisiana-Lafayette and a win at Stetson. They’ve managed to pull off close wins, with every game but one being decided within two runs. Last season, the Bearkats flirted with the Top 25, even making some breaks, but ultimately failed to finish in the final rankings.

TCU finished with a losing road record in 2018, and Sam Houston State defended their home field well, finishing with a 0.645 winning percentage. Some consider weekday games “warm ups” and easy wins for bigger programs like TCU, but this game will be far from. If the Bearkats can cool TCU’s bats and keep the game close, they have a solid chance to win and establish that they belong in the discussion for the Top 25.

No. 12 Stanford at No. 25 Cal State Fullerton – Mar. 1-3

The second of two series that includes two ranked teams might be one of the most interesting series of the weekend. Stanford’s schedule has started out fairly easy, with wins over Ball State, Pepperdine, and a series win versus UNLV. Their first true test of the year comes this weekend against the Titans. Stanford’s pitching has been exceptional, with a team ERA of 2.00 (t-26th). Even in their only loss of the year, the defense only surrendered two runs to UNLV.

Contrast Cal State Fullerton’s 4-2 start on the season, which has included two very tough tournaments. Despite a loss to No. 1 Vanderbilt, the Titans have taken games from No. 18 TCU and Virginia. Spotty pitching has been the story of the very early season, as the Titans surrendered 14 runs to Vanderbilt, but have kept all other opponents to just 1.67 runs per game in victories.

Last season, Stanford held their home turf and swept CSU Fullerton, helping them off to a 0-4 start. However, Cal State had the final laugh when they eliminated the top-seeded Stanford in the Fullerton Regional Final.