2023 NCAA Baseball Super Regionals: Preview, prediction for every series

The final stage in the road to Omaha begins Friday with the 2023 NCAA Baseball Super Regionals before we get to the College World Series.

The field of 64 in the 2023 NCAA Baseball Tournament gets cut into a fourth, with 16 teams vying for eight slots in the College World Series. It’s time for the always-thrilling Super Regionals.

Here’s a dive into each series and how it could play out.

College Baseball Super Regionals: Predictions for every series

TCU vs. No. 14 Indiana State (Fort Worth Super Regional)

Indiana State had the honor of hosting their first-ever regional series, as the 14th-ranked team in the country. Although their super regional opponent wasn’t a host, the Sycamores will be in an unusual situation, traveling to Fort Worth, TX.

Alongside the many factors, the main issue is the area preparing for the Indiana Special Olympics being hosted in Terre Haute

Indiana State’s 2-9 record against Q1 teams in the RPI didn’t matter when it came to regionals, as the Sycamores swept Top-35 Iowa to advance to the Super Regionals.

The Horned Frogs are fresh off a red-hot offensive regional, putting up 44 runs in three games. TCU’s Tre Richardson tied the all-time runs batted-in record, with 11 in a 20-5 win over Arkansas. They followed that up with another dominant 12-4 win over the Razorbacks to advance.

Due to the offensive flurry from TCU and this being Indiana State’s toughest road series since No.12 Kentucky (where they were swept), the edge goes to the Big 12 representative.

Prediction: TCU takes the series in three

No. 7 Virginia vs. Duke (Charlottesville Super Regional)

Duke will travel to Charlottesville for the second time in just a little over a month with ACC representation solidified into the CWS. The Blue Devils won the regular season bout, claiming a 7-3 win in the rubber match.

The Cavaliers’ pitching staff suffocated their regional opponents, headlined by the starting rotation. Each starter pitched over five innings and did not give up more than two earned runs.

But that’s summed up Virginia all season. Overshadowed by the deep Wake Forest shadow has been the Cavs, who put up seven on the All-conference listing and backed up their lineup with 25 runs in three games.

Virginia has just lost one game since their season series loss to Duke and has stumbled, losing season series to Gardner-Webb, season series to Georgia Tech and Miami (Fl.), alongside going 0-2 in the ACC Tournament.

Cavaliers make up for the season loss, with a route in the super regional and back to their sixth CWS appearance since 2009.

Prediction: Virginia sweep

No. 2 Florida vs. No. 15 South Carolina (Gainesville Super Regional)

Florida is looking for a 13th-clinched ticket to Omaha with the No. 15 Gamecocks being in the way. The matchup is one of just three between two top-seeded teams in the tournament.

The next Gators icons are closing pitcher Brandon Neely and both-ways star Jac Caglianone. Neely was also named to the Dick Howser Trophy, named to the player that promotes baseball excellence and scholastic achievement.

Although South Carolina is among the final top-seeded teams, they hold a No.6 RPI ranking and have been 22-16 against Q1 teams.

South Carolina swept Florida in the regular season, including a 13-3 onslaught. The Gators rank third in the country in home runs at 126 and will use the power to overwhelm the Gamecocks.

Prediction: Florida sweep

Oregon vs. Oral Roberts (Eugene Super Regional)

After a relatively underwhelming regular season, the Ducks hit their stride in Scottsdale, Arizona for the Pac-12 Tournament.

Oregon just grazed over .500 in league play, but Oregon shocked the country with an 8-7 win over No.3 Vanderbilt to eliminate them from the tournament and followed it up with an 11-2 route over Xavier to advance.

The Oral Roberts athletics department has seen plenty of spotlight across the NCAA Basketball Tournaments over the past three seasons. This year, it’s the baseball program with its first super regional appearance since 2006.

It snapped a run of 11-straight regionals, where the Golden Eagles were eliminated in the Regionals. They also became just the eighth No. 4 seed in NCAA history to move past the regionals.

It hasn’t been a fluke either as their 49 wins show receipts of the quality. Their last loss came on April 22. The magical run continues as the Golden Eagles athletics department continues to push boundaries in the collegiate sports world.

Prediction: Oral Roberts takes the series in three

No. 1 Wake Forest vs. No. 16 Alabama (Winston-Salem Super Regional)

These two pitching staffs own among the best-earned run averages in the sport. The Demon Deacons group is on a different level.

Wake Forest has given up just 163 earned runs all year. For reference, Alabama ranks seventh in the nation and stands at 237.

The top-ranked team in the tournament put on a clinic in the Winston-Salem regional, outscoring opponents 48-7 in the three games played.

The batting lineup not only is opportunistic, but patient. They rank second in the nation in walks, third in on-base percentage and sixth in runs.

Although Alabama was the final hosting seed, they had little sweat taking care of Nicholls, Troy and Boston College.

Prediction: Wake Forest sweep

No. 5 LSU vs. No. 12 Kentucky (Baton Rouge Super Regional)

LSU dealt with an onslaught of weather throughout the regionals but persevered into the supers. A dominant outing from star pitcher Paul Skenes got the Tigers past Tulane and 19 runs over two games was enough to get past Oregon State.

This is a rematch from the Tigers and Wildcats regular season series from Apr. 13-15, where LSU took two out of three games. LSU is getting a fresh Paul Skenes and outfielder Dylan Crews is coming off a blistering 9-for-13 from the plate regional.

Kentucky had a bit more difficult time navigating their way, playing five games in four days, including Indiana three times. The Wildcats’ offense was inconsistent, striking out 13 times in the first two games and combining for seven runs.

They woke up toward the back half of the series but will be a concern going up against among the best pitchers in the sport in game one.

Prediction: LSU takes the series in three

Southern Miss vs. Tennessee (Hattiesburg Super Regional)

Plenty of eyes were on Tennessee as they went blow for blow with Clemson for 14 innings before the Volunteers struck and ended the nearly five-hour game.

What has been the Volunteers’ biggest Achilles heel is performing on the road. Tennessee is just 5-12 and won just one regular season series away from Knoxville.

Meanwhile, Southern Mississippi is fresh off a 4-1 showing in Auburn, where the offense tamed upset-hungry Pennsylvania twice, 11-2 and 11-7.

Sun Belt pitcher of the year junior Tanner Hall has been an anchor for the Golden Eagles, but has just one start this year against a Power 5 opponent. All the way back in February, where he gave up five runs in a loss to Illinois.

They rank in the Top 45 in runs, but Tennessee’s pitching staff is the best in the SEC at limiting damage and should fend off USM.

Prediction: Tennessee sweeps

No. 8 Stanford vs. Texas (Stanford Super Regional)

Stanford is no stranger to this stage of the tournament, with 13 Super Regionals appearances and even seven CWS appearances. Yet, there’s been no championship to show.

The Cardinal dominated the Pac-12 with a 23-7 record and lead the conference in runs and RBI.

Early in the season, Texas seemed to be in desperation mode. Being swept in the College Baseball Showdown, a loss to Indiana and LSU, followed by losing a series to Cal-State Fullerton had the Horns behind the 8-ball of expectations.

They were sitting at 4-7. They then won 16 straight, pioneering a 36-13 run leading up to this Super Regionals.

Hardship met Texas again in the Big 12 Tournament after they were swept by Kansas and Kansas State. They followed it up with an emphatic three wins in the Coral Gables regional.

Texas forces a game three in the series, but the Cardinal prevail and make the CWS for the third-straight year.

Prediction: Stanford takes the series in three