SPEAKER_00 0:38

Let's go, let's go, let's go. Welcome to the Five R and a Lucky Finn podcast. This is the Lucky Finn inning Show. We're gonna talk all college baseball. My name is Kenneth Hilliard, along with the Lucky Finn. Let's point this way. There we go. Jason, I Jason, super regionals are done. Not as chaotic as I think you and I thought it would be, did not reflect what how the regionals were. But now we are finally getting to Omaha. Omaha starts Friday. Um a little bit of some rainouts. I thought there was a couple games that we honestly. I think both of us had a couple games, a couple series going to three. That did not happen. Um and two games into today, we are recording on Monday. So, Jason, quick thoughts. How are we feeling? Uh your brackets looking pretty good. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:30

Yeah, yeah. Got seven of the eight region uh supers right. So we'll take it. Oh, not all the series, right? Because we were just talking about it. I think that's what stood out to me the most. Seven of the eight teams winning in two games and not pushing it to three. But the one who remember we talked about it, Mississippi State, Georgia did feel like three games.

SPEAKER_00 1:48

So yeah, that was uh I think out of all of them, I think that was the most interesting series because if if we could pick whoever and there wasn't, you know, their participation trophy, I would 100% give it to Mississippi State. Mississippi State honestly belongs in the College Wheel series. It's just unfortunate that they played uh Georgia. And can we get on this really quick? You and I talked about it all year, the difference between like West Coast style kind of going with the pitch and power baseball. I think power baseball won the whole week. I it yeah, I was honestly blown away. I mean, I think I've been the one guy to say that not big on the power of baseball, but it's it shows up at the end of the year.

SPEAKER_02 2:35

Yeah, and you think about it, even for North Carolina, that's what had to come through, right? They weren't hitting well with runners in scoring position. Uh, they end up getting a couple RBIs on some sack flies in the second game, which kind of helped or in the third game, which helped them out a little bit. Uh, but really what drove them towards the end was those big hits at the end. So even for North Carolina, a team that we've talked about during the year, and not just focused on home runs, they do score a lot in different ways, kind of like West Virginia, but it did come through. And even for West Virginia, there's another one. I mean, we saw them hit some home runs this uh in this series that crap, I don't think we had seen most of the season.

SPEAKER_00 3:12

So yeah, a lot of teams are so their versatile versatility this week. It was just just uh and uh let's kind of review our second chance brackets if we can, because and mine that was my thought the entire week was you know, who was going to capitalize on what they did last week, and that's just honestly not what happened. I had I had the Cal Poly, West Virginia, Auburn, Mississippi, uh, Old Miss, I had Troy and Little Rock, I had Texas and Oregon and Alabama and St. John's going to three games. Neither one of those did. So like I was joking with you, Joel. I even know ball, but give me an asterisk because can anybody know ball this entire week? But it I was listening over uh and I was saying my picks who I had in the College World series, and I go, oh, I'm reading that out, I regret it.

SPEAKER_02 4:13

But no, I mean, but but your reasoning behind them is all good, right? And that's that's what matters. Um my my big miss for my big my big miss for you was the Texas series.

SPEAKER_00 4:25

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 4:25

I was kind of surprised you went with Oregon on that, especially the way Big Ten played the previous weekend in regionals. Um honestly, even North Carolina pushed to the brink. Um, I feel pretty proud on the North Carolina one. I had USC winning game one and North Carolina winning two and three, and worked out uh for all the ones that went uh for the only one that went three games to get that one right is pretty cool. But yeah, definitely shocked. Uh I had five games, five series going three games. Uh the North Carolina, Auburn, uh Oklahoma, Georgia, and Alabama, and crap. Only I mean, the only one was the North Carolina series.

SPEAKER_00 5:03

So do we want to talk? What who was your biggest surprise? Who was your biggest surprise over the weekend? It could be team, anything.

SPEAKER_02 5:13

Um, I would say the way West Virginia played. So West Virginia, when they came into the regionals and were playing a little sluggish against Kentucky, uh, they had to make that come big comeback, scored those runs late in the late in game the game to push it to game seven, ended up doing that and winning game seven. But cal Poly is not a bad team. And and I think people, I don't know if some people know that or some people maybe not paying attention as much, but Cal Poly has been a team we've we've stuck with all year. Uh really good team. Ness is a great pitcher. The whole pitching staff is a solid pitching staff. Offense just couldn't get on them this game in the series. And on top of that, the pitching could not find the strike zone at times. And when when they were missing West Virginia on 2-0 counts, 2-1 counts, and hitters counts, they were delivering and executing and getting home runs in the most random ways. I we don't see this West Virginia team hit a lot of home runs. We've talked about it all year. Um, at one point in the year, I mean everybody else was miles ahead of them in home run list. I don't know what it is right now, but I know they hit hit hit multiple big ones in this series.

SPEAKER_00 6:22

So what about you? 2-12. I'm gonna go over the score because the the run differential is asinine. So first game was 2-12 West Virginia, West Virginia with 14 hits, Cal Poly with nine. The second game, it wasn't even it wasn't even close. 17-1. West Virginia had 19 hits, Cal Poly had seven. Um sorry.

SPEAKER_02 6:50

I was gonna say, is there any way we I'm I'm gonna add up the home runs while you're talking.

SPEAKER_00 6:54

Yeah. So yeah, I mean, there was a lot of teams that kind of just I think Cal Poly was a disappointment for me. I know we're we're when we're talking about the the uh surprises, but Cal Poly was a disappointment. Uh I didn't expect anything out of of uh uh St. John's, but I'll go into my biggest surprise really quick, and I can't believe I'm saying this. This is Oklahoma. Um I mentioned throughout the year that I never thought Oklahoma was that good. Um there were times and I've said that I don't think they should have been ranked where they ranked, and this was all how they face off how they played. LSU Holy cow, have they skyrocketed? I mean, uh Dayton Take. I mean, he hit that walk-off monster. Was that a grand slam against Georgia Tech? Dude's clutch, he's really clutch. Um they're picking up the batten in the bottom of the lineup, too, isn't he? Uh, just crazy. Hey, put your put your best guy at the bottom of the lineup. Yep. Um, they they hit so well. They I think they hit seven home runs. Poor Kansas sitting in Kansas didn't have a chance like at all. Kansas didn't really even show up, to be honest. Um, but Oklahoma seven home runs over the weekend. This whole tournament they've had 18. So we're talking about the home runs, and and we'll go, we'll kind of hit on state later, but you know what's crazy about that?

SPEAKER_02 8:20

Talk about seven home runs. Guess who else hit seven home runs? West Virginia. West Virginia had seven home runs over the weekend, including one by Armani Guzman. Guzman doesn't hit a lot of home runs. Yeah. So also, you know, we've talked about it all year, about um how West Virginia scores runs in the most crazy ways. And one of the ways they're dangerous is when they're on the bases. Um I must have been watching one of the other games going on at this point, but you know, they stole they had a run, they they got they got a steal of home, according to the Diamond app uh in their first run game on a steal of home. It says stole second gravel line stole home. So I don't know if it was a pass ball or not, but uh that's what it says on here. But they would have done it. Yeah, just for a team that has scored in every way possible for them to for them to do that, and moving on, so we're not sitting on West Virginia, but Oklahoma, I I love Jackson Wiltz. Uh the Willetts, the guy at shortstop. Defense played phenomenal this weekend. Uh only give it only had two errors, um, which, you know, in college ball isn't a big deal. You'll live with one per game. Uh, but Kansas, man, you were talking about disappointment. Six errors on the weekend.

SPEAKER_00 9:37

It was bad errors, too. I mean, it was like a simple, simple ground ball drop. And it looked like the they just weren't playing the field right either. And I was I was gonna mention that about Oklahoma. Oklahoma, they were they kind of played the what'd I say, all-around baseball. It was beautiful. Bunts, sack bunts, go with the ball pitch hitting. But yeah, Kansas, those errors really ate them up.

SPEAKER_02 10:03

Yeah, Kenny, if this is if this, if I'm reading this right, in the box scores.

SPEAKER_00 10:08

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 10:09

Kansas only had seven hits on the weekend across two games.

SPEAKER_00 10:13

Yeah, it was uh they only got three runs. The entire weekend they had three runs.

SPEAKER_02 10:18

And we were talking about it going into it. Kansas' offense was gonna have to meet what Oklahoma did last week. And actually, the reason I picked Oklahoma was because I thought the way Oklahoma had finished out with Georgia Tech, they were high on offense. They were gonna be able to hang with Kansas' offense. So disappointing in Kansas' offense, but uh props to Oklahoma's pitching staff. Um those guys came to play.

SPEAKER_00 10:39

Yeah, uh outscored Kansas 21 to 3. So I think that's uh it for our biggest surprises. Uh I said, let's talk about Troy and Little Rock. Troy is that one mid-major, and it's I loved how someone else said it. I if I find the tweet, I will. Troy is not a mid-major in baseball. I'm not a mid-major in baseball. That Sun Belt conference is incredible. I think it's a great conference. But I I told you that Troy was playing Florida's game, and I think Troy, the way they played against Florida, the way they played against Little Rock. Jason, I I might be a real big high on Troy, and that's not because of them being a small team. All these power hitter guys are hitting home runs in these teams. Troy's doing the exact same thing.

SPEAKER_02 11:30

Yeah, Troy's outstanding. Outstanding. I mean, Janicky, the Sunbelt Player of the Year, outstanding. Um, Troy, I don't even, there's not even much to say. That atmosphere, Kenny, awesome. So incredible. It's exactly what we thought it would be. Out there in left field, the crowd going nuts. Everybody after the game goes and jumps, tries to jump the fence. Even coach goes out there and jumps the like a jump on the fence. It was awesome. And and I love his quote where he was saying, Hey, you know, we're gonna enjoy this one tonight. I'm not looking at anything until like 5 p.m. tomorrow. Like, leave me alone. Like, and that's the way you need to approach it. Enjoy the moment because that team, you're right, they are not a mid-major. A mid-major conference does not get five teams in the tournament. No, on top of that, a team that was only a few games over 500 in Troy, who had probably one of the strongest schedules in the com country, which we talked about numerous times, and them getting in as the last four team in the tournament, and they've came to play, they continued that offense after last weekend against Florida and really just continued it this weekend. I'm not shocked by the sweeve. That's what I had, but uh disappointing for Little Rock, a team that has had their two best seasons in their in their um in their team's history, right? And in this season, I mean they had to make the comeback, they weren't even the team to beat out of the OVC this year. Uh SEMO was up there, uh at Edwardsville was up there, and Eastern Illinois. I mean, they had to come back and beat Eastern Illinois. I mean, so shout out Little Rock. They they made a good run.

SPEAKER_00 13:09

So, yep. Jason, let's get into the nitty-gritty. We have our eight teams. Um, I'm gonna throw the graphic up there. West Virginia and Troy, I believe, are gonna lead us off on Friday. This coming Friday. Yeah, Troy and West Virginia are gonna lead us off on Friday. Beautiful one o'clock game, and then Ole Miss and uh North Carolina. I I know we really didn't hit on it, but I mean that's kind of disappointing from Auburn's standpoint. Um I believe I I've I've said kind of throughout the year, hintingly, Auburn, it's really hard to trust Auburn, and Auburn kind of just showed it this weekend. I mean, they're they got a great pitcher stat, but the hitting, well, their the hitting wasn't gonna do well for them.

SPEAKER_02 14:00

Yeah, that's actually why I had Auburn in the final, right? We talk about rotations and pitching staffs in general, and uh from that side of the bracket, I had West Virginia and Auburn in the in their in the final from that regional. Uh, but on the other side, I got Texas and Georgia, and then I got Texas, and I had Texas and Auburn advancing just because I thought with the the mix of Auburn's offense and their pitching staff, they were gonna be pretty solid. But Sanders let them lets them down um in that in the and it's not just on Sanders, but uh Sanders ends up giving up the runs that uh Furnace gets up gets that home run to win. But offense did not come through this weekend, and that was disappointing for a team that had just came off a real big high against Milwaukee in those last couple games. I mean, coming from the losers bracket, their offense was high. Uh, the crowd was uh what the atmosphere there was incredible too in Auburn. Uh that stadium's beautiful and uh disappointing for the Auburn offense not to give back up their pitching anymore.

SPEAKER_00 14:57

So yeah, look that that Ole Miss roster, if you're reading those names out to me, I would be like, Yeah, there's no way this team isn't winning a college, potentially winning a College World Series. That's a nasty lineup.

SPEAKER_02 15:11

Um yeah, I believe Petrovich hadn't didn't even allow like he he was minimum through the first like four innings. I mean, he was dominating. And I mean, if you think about it, Auburn only got their two runs. Uh well, they got that run when um they get a base hit, and then guy gets caught in the pickle, right? And then gets back to first, and then they end up getting a run out of it, and that's how they got their second run. But I mean, just overall, like you would have expected some more home runs from a team that really took it to Oklahoma. I mean, remember, Kenny, this is a team that took it to Oklahoma late in the year uh to win that series 2-1. Remember in that game three, they they blew Oklahoma out, and so man, definitely a big disappointment right there with Kansas.

SPEAKER_00 15:57

Yeah. On the on this, there so they got Tristan Pacetta, Hugh Hugermark, Will Farnes, uh, Austin Foley, Dom Decker, Colin Reuter, Hayden, and former Murray State Racer. Just that this is a this is an incredible lineup. Um but to wrap everything else off, um, we got Alabama, Oklahoma, and Georgia, and Texas. That's a beautiful game to lead off.

SPEAKER_02 16:27

Dude, I just realized we got four SECs on the same side. I just realized that.

SPEAKER_00 16:32

So I was I was gonna ask you that.

unknown 16:34

Wow.

SPEAKER_00 16:35

So you and I at the beginning of the year, we talked about because the SEC wasn't looking too strong, and that's probably because they're all playing each other, so it's kind of hard to it's like the talent so I guess diluted. I don't know how to explain it, but dang it. Like, how does it look now? How how does this look for the SEC? Is it uh you got lucky or I do it?

SPEAKER_02 16:58

I think when you win six championships in a row, and every year it seems like you have half or more of the field of the college world series. I don't think it's luck anymore. I think it's just skill, and it just shows the talent that the SEC has. Um, I know people are always saying there's bias there, and we always have 10 or 12 teams in the top 25, and I know it feels like that, and even sometimes we're against it because we see them beat each other up so many times, but every time we get to regionals and they play against other opponents, other than Tennessee, all 11 of the 12 teams made it to regional finals. Yeah, and Kentucky was three outs away from taking down West Virginia before they even got to a game seven and couldn't handle business. For this to happen, Kenny, these are the these are the rankings, the SEC standings of the teams that are left for the SEC. One, two, four, and then I gotta look down my list. Yep. Nine and eleven.

SPEAKER_00 17:55

Yep.

SPEAKER_02 17:56

Who was do you know you know who nine and eleven were?

SPEAKER_00 17:59

I know Oklahoma's 11.

SPEAKER_02 18:01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 18:02

Nine's gotta be Alabama.

SPEAKER_02 18:05

No, no, no miss.

SPEAKER_00 18:06

It was Ole Miss.

SPEAKER_02 18:07

It was Ole Miss. Ole Miss went 16 and 15. This is how crazy this is. Oklahoma just swept Kansas. Oklahoma went 14 and 16 in conference play.

SPEAKER_03 18:18

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 18:19

I mean, their yeah, their conference play was not great. And that's why that wasn't my whole thing. I was like, there's no way. There's no way they did it to get here. And they just they shut me up. Kentucky shut me up. Like, yeah, incredible. Incredible.

SPEAKER_02 18:38

Now I will say this. You think about the pitching that they're gonna throw on the right side of the bracket. Um and nothing to discount the left, because the left side has great pitching staffs too. But when you think about those SEC teams beating each other up, uh does that give them an advantage, you think, uh playing each other and beating each other out for the team that ends up making it to the final, or do you think it could hurt them?

SPEAKER_00 19:03

I think it's it's probably the biggest advantage that anyone's gonna have because of the way like your first game is Georgia and Texas. Like that's that's that isn't that's to us, to a viewer, to a guy who just wants to see that's unfair because one of those teams is gonna be gone. Texas is gonna be gone. I don't see Georgia's gonna get there.

SPEAKER_01 19:30

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. Don't come at me in game one. You think they're gonna lose no no no no no.

SPEAKER_00 19:36

But hey, hey, look, uh this this right side of the bracket's pretty tough. I think this left side's gonna be a little scrappy. West Virginia I like the scrappy, I like that word. Oh, we love scrappy.

SPEAKER_02 19:50

It's a great phrase.

SPEAKER_00 19:51

Scrappy scrappy baseball is beautiful baseball because you've got Detroit, West Virginia, they West Virginia and Oklahoma. I've seen they kind of play the same game this week where they're hitting home runs, but they're also playing really smart small ball. And I love small ball, so I think those teams kind of might be like an underdog in the in a sense.

SPEAKER_02 20:18

You talked about how good North Carolina has been at scoring runs and playing small ball as well. Three-hole hitter drops down a bunt the other day. Ends up making the great best play of the whole of the whole weekend. Yeah. You don't see that, you don't see that from teams.

SPEAKER_00 20:40

And so that just actually surprised the coach because I didn't he he dropped a bunt and he popped it up. And the uh the their first base, their head coach, whatever his he's so fun of.

SPEAKER_02 20:52

Forbes, Scott Forbes?

SPEAKER_00 20:53

He looks like he's a great guy. He goes, he he starts laughing, he's like, I can't believe you just did that.

SPEAKER_02 20:59

But I mean, hey, it may have been. I was actually when when that happened, I I was actually out and listening to it in my headphones. I was when I was at the gym, I was listening to it on the uh, so I didn't actually, I just saw it, I heard it. Um but you know what else is crazy about them? Uh did you see Carter French whenever him and coach had a moment when he was at bat late in the game?

SPEAKER_00 21:25

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 21:26

When they needed that run, goes over, puts his armor on coach.

SPEAKER_00 21:29

He goes, he goes, I got this, I got that.

SPEAKER_02 21:32

That's that's what you love. That's so confident, and it and then he comes through, guy throws the same pitch three times in a row in the same spot. What do you think you're gonna do?

SPEAKER_00 21:42

We talked about that A B. We talked about that. That was yeah, that was awesome. If you uh we talked about our greatest moments, was that gonna be yours? No, no, okay. Let's jump there because that that right there was my greatest moment because I was like. What a battle. I mean, this dude is just, and he I don't know how many pitches it was a full count. It was a full count, no?

SPEAKER_02 22:09

Uh it was, yeah, because it was 3-0, and then the guy it was 3-0. They took out the pitcher and brought the new guy in. Middle of the app head. Yep. And then it was, I think they they during that break, it seemed like they were like, hey, just take a pitch. And then when it when it went to 3-1, was it 3-1 that he called him over there and they were talking? They put him on around?

SPEAKER_00 22:33

Yeah, I believe so. I'm gonna go look at it.

SPEAKER_02 22:35

He was probably wondering, like, hey, like, do you do you do you want to take another do you want to take another one? You know, he's like, Go take out to you. Like, don't worry about it.

SPEAKER_00 22:45

Man, I mean, it was incredible. And that that was the the A B that got him got him up there. And just just brilliant.

SPEAKER_02 22:56

Um, you know, the other thing about North Carolina that stood out, Owen Hall, three for four on the day in the last in a in a deciding game three, really impressive. And this guy, Owen Hall, has power to every part of the ballpark, Kenny. I mean, Oppo left to left. I I getting some real power all the way to the wall. Um, man, that guy's impressive too. And don't forget Galvin Gallagher. He's been consistent all year. He's a good captain for them. Um, he's a guy everybody looks up to. Nicholson always is you know hitting a lot of home runs. So it's like the these are the lineup for North Carolina and their pitching staff, outstanding on the weekend. Um, what's his name? Went complete game. Uh Decaro. Decaro went full full game. Complete game in his last start at the Bosch. That's awesome.

SPEAKER_00 23:50

That that's the which which that's North Carolina?

SPEAKER_02 23:53

Yeah, North Carolina's starter. Yeah, they're fighting that guy. Two two hits, one walk, eight strikeouts. I mean, I thought he could could go further. It seemed like they were talking about Glopper coming in in the seventh, uh, because he was kind of out there in the bullpen a little bit. Uh, but when you looked at Decaro's pitch count, he was only at, I don't know, 78 through through, through in the middle of the seventh inning. He was just mowing them down. And I think there were two innings where um he gets two outs with two four in four pitches, and you could literally see the the next pitch, and the announcer was talking about it like if I'm him, I'm throwing this right down the middle. They're they're gonna take one. They they don't want to, they don't want to rush out of the and that's exactly what he did. His best fastball of the day was a 95 mile an hour down the middle when in that situation, and that was just uh it's just that is the mental side of the game that baseball is so and so great for.

SPEAKER_00 24:49

Yeah, it's part of it's missing because you we talked about uh who are you referring to? We're talking about Greg Maddox. Like I think the of the L shoe transfer that's coming in and just kind of a oh the guy from Gonzaga. Gonzaga, yeah. I just love that. And so I'm glad we're talking about pitching because I think that's a big thing for you and I. So I want to go over the for the I only got five teams in here, but I think these are the top ERAs in the last two weeks. So Alabama's up there at 2.3, uh Oklahoma's at 6.3, and then uh Texas has got a uh 2.8, North Carolina's 2.83, and then Omus is a top 3.35. Oklahoma is second right now in strikeouts. They're at 69 strikeouts, and this is the last two weeks. So out of the teams right now, Jason, in this College World Series, who's gonna have you can pick two because it's kind of hard to do this. Who do you think is gonna have the best pitching performance that will probably help lead them?

SPEAKER_02 26:03

Give me West Virginia with Queen Max Yale and Chanson Cole. Those guys played outstanding over the weekend and really shut down Cal Poly. Um, I can see them doing that in the World Series as well. That first game against Troy. This is gonna be a big opportunity for most likely Jansen Cole to really show out and show his skill and uh against a really good Troy team. And he's gonna have to bring it. And uh I'm assuming that he'll be the starter. It could be Yale. I doubt it'll be Yale because Yale pitched the second game last time, and I assume Yale would throw in game two. Uh, we always talk about it. College baseball, you need a one-two punch if you're gonna make it far, especially when you get to postseason play. And those guys have it. Um, we'll see how the rest of the bullpen plays out. But if they can score runs like they have and play that scrappy ball that they have, their pitching staff, those two guys can really make the difference.

SPEAKER_00 26:52

Yeah, uh Cole Scott has had 23 strikeouts in his last three games. And I believe one of those games was uh a regional game. So yeah. The I have give me Texas, I think, because look at this freaking three. They got a they got a three-armed system. They got a three-armed system and they got dudes who can come in. And Texas is cocky, man. Rio Haas looks so comfortable up there. I mean, their whole staff is just ready to go.

SPEAKER_02 27:24

Um Wolpin's incredible too.

SPEAKER_00 27:28

So good. And I think these are two, these are two great both of these teams, uh, West Virginia and Oklahoma, and excuse me, and Texas. These are great first games because these are teams that are going to hit home runs, and how are you going to respond to it?

SPEAKER_02 27:43

So yeah, they're getting the two best hottest, like power hitting teams in the that are remaining in between Troy and Georgia. So, you know what? I was just looking, you were talking about the the ERAs leading up to. I just wanted to see where these teams were in the in the regular season, right? Uh, West Virginia was seventh in the country at uh 382. North Carolina was number eight at 383. Those are the top two remaining, and the only other one on this uh, and then at 14 and 15, you got Texas and Alabama that were 4'10 and 4'11. Everybody else is down below. But impressive that those teams have carried it's not like that, like Oklahoma. They if I'm sure I could find them somewhere down there, they're probably not that high, but they've turned it on at the right time. And I mean, even then, they're what'd you say? It was like six point something, so it's not incredible. Their offense is really what's carried them. But those top four teams, those could be the four teams that um man, it could we'll see. I mean, I'm really interested to see how Georgia's pitching staff is gonna play against the rest of those teams. I mean, we've seen them all year, they've played well, but uh the way Oklahoma's playing now is not the way they've played all year. Um, the way Alabama's playing haven't seen really tough competition this postseason, so it's harder to say, but they have they've done what they needed to, and they've they they they did what they needed to uh to score runs. But the way that Texas is playing, I mean, Oregon was one of the Oregon was one of the hottest hitting teams coming in. I mean, they had they they should have taken the uh UCLA to the brink of their their series in the regular season, and then on top of that in the Big Ten championship game, but Texas played really well yesterday and the day before. And um I I would not want to be one of those teams on that right side of the practice.

SPEAKER_00 29:31

Oh, absolutely not. That's a um I mean if you're looking from a from a football perspective, you even still don't. I mean, just God, I'm telling you, I I'm just go back on it real quick because ADHD's kicking in. Talking about the SEC bias. I believe in the SEC bias, but when it comes to baseball, that's not a thing. I mean, it's just it's it's pure SEC's good at it. But get back on track here. Uh Jason, do we want to break into our picks for this week? Or um got anything else you want to hit on?

SPEAKER_02 30:09

Yeah, the last thing I'll touch on this uh before we get into our picks is um the way Ole Miss is playing. I know we talked about them a little bit, but yeah, and they're scary. Uh they're gotten hot at the right time. Um they played so well in their regional going through, you know, uh saving a lot of arms other than that 14-inning game. But I mean, they they came out of probably one of the toughest regionals that was there with Arizona State and Nebraska. And then man, the way they handled Auburn and the way they shut down Auburn, uh, Hunter Elliott and those guys, they got they they're gonna have their hands full with North Carolina. I really I think when I look at all of the uh first round games, they're all gonna be so fun. But but yeah, we can go ahead and get into our picks if you want.

SPEAKER_00 31:01

Okay. Um we'll start at West Virginia and Troy. Uh let's see, let's see how I get here. Um give me five seconds. Awkward silence, awkward silence.

SPEAKER_02 31:19

Okay. Oh, I forgot to say my my surprise of the week. I knew I knew we were forgetting something.

SPEAKER_00 31:25

I was like, okay.

SPEAKER_02 31:26

Yeah, yeah, I figured we were at our I I had forgotten and then I remembered, but I was like, nah, it's too late. But since we have the silence, Daniel Jackson has two-run bomb in the 10th inning to win the series. And not only that, but what led up to it in the ninth inning, right? You get the leadoff guy on with a walk. In the first four innings of the game, they got their leadoff guy on and they came around the score. Kind of went a little cold in the middle of the innings in the later part of the game, but come through in the ninth, you have a good get a good guy on, get a walk, and then you get it, get him over to second, and then you get him in with a base hit up the infield. Just clutch hitting. Clutch hitting is what you need. And that tied the game, sent it to extras, and allowed Daniel Jackson to do what Daniel Jackson does. And I'm assuming uh the Golden Spikes Award is wrapped up at this point.

SPEAKER_00 32:11

Oh, yeah. I've I've he's definitely he's tied that up golden shoe-wise. So can we can we that last play for USC? The guy in the outfield. I want to give him slack. Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_02 32:34

Is it a little is it is it a little mental, it's not your ballpark, you're not that familiar with it. Does that matter?

SPEAKER_00 32:43

I think he was I think he was second guessing multiple. You gotta put it in the middle.

SPEAKER_02 32:48

It didn't look like he hesitated in the middle of his route. It did look like he kind of paused.

SPEAKER_00 32:53

It was do I dive or do I slide and use the turf as as the way to get over there? Because he wasn't he wasn't.

SPEAKER_02 33:01

He couldn't, he couldn't head, he couldn't head first slide. Or had he couldn't dive. He he just couldn't. It was too it would have been too dangerous, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 33:09

Yeah. So yeah, that was I saw a lot of comments saying that.

SPEAKER_02 33:13

And and put yourself in his shoes. He's not even looking, he's looking the other way. He doesn't know the ballpark that well. He's running backwards. What do you want him to do?

SPEAKER_00 33:24

I understand you want to put it. It wasn't like it was a I mean, wasn't much of a pop-up line. No, but it wasn't.

SPEAKER_02 33:31

No, it was a it was a it was a it was smoked.

SPEAKER_00 33:34

Yeah. So I mean, but man, USC, that's just it's just anyway.

SPEAKER_02 33:41

I don't want to go off topic, but yeah, we can we can talk about it forever.

SPEAKER_00 33:45

All right, let's jump into it. Troy versus West Virginia. West Virginia 14-15 in the Big 12, Troy 38-30. Uh, that record doesn't show justice to Troy. Um, Jason, lead us off here. Are you a hometowner for this one or are you going with Sunbelt?

SPEAKER_02 34:04

I got West Virginia. Love the way they've been playing. Uh, I love the way both of these teams have been playing. I love the way all of these teams have been playing. And that's what makes them so fun to watch this weekend. Um, but yeah, I got West Virginia. Um, I think that this is an opportunity for West Virginia's pitching to kind of kind of slow Troy down a little bit. Um, if anybody can do it, I think they can in this field. Um and I never want to discount the size of that ballpark, the space out there in the power alleys is not like many ballparks. And so I think that could hurt Troy. West Virginia's defense can cover the ground uh out there in center field. So I think West Virginia can get it, and they can score runs with a lot of that small ball. Troy more relying on the home run, and I think that kind of can help West Virginia.

SPEAKER_00 34:55

Uh I agree on your point. Um, I think I got I got West Virginia. I was thinking about taking Troy, but you mentioning how big that ballpark is. West Virginia's fast on the basis, but they're really quick, so I think they'll use the size of that park to their advantage. Uh next game, Ole Miss and North Carolina. Uh Ole Miss is 41 and 21 in the SEC. South Carolina, North Carolina is 50 and 12. North Carolina just almost had a scare against USC. Ole Miss is looking hot. Uh Jason, give me, I'll take Ole Miss. I'll take Ole Miss on this one just because I think their lineup is that good. And I I think Ole Miss can jump on you quick. Ole Miss has all the power. They've got uh an incredible defense, and I think Westford, uh North Carolina's just had a couple slip-ups, and I don't think they can afford that. So I'm gonna take the underdog. I'm believing this is the underdog. I'll take Ole Miss.

SPEAKER_02 35:56

I think the scary part for North Carolina here is they haven't hit well with Brunderson's scoring position this past weekend, and they're not gonna be able to afford that against Ole Miss. Let me take North Carolina on the assumption that De Caro starts. Okay. Because I can't imagine you say DeKaro, but they could throw Lynch. And if they throw Lynch against Hunter Elliott, I think I give the edge to Ole Miss. So uh I'm gonna base it on who's pitching for North Carolina.

SPEAKER_00 36:25

Is this the the toss-up of the week? The toss-up game of the tournament.

SPEAKER_02 36:30

I don't know. It could be. Um but but I like North Carolina if the Caribbean's on the mound. I don't if if if Lynch is nothing against Lynch, but the way Hunter Elliott has played, I think the Caribbean's the only one on that in that starting rotation that could really live up to them.

SPEAKER_00 36:47

All right. Uh pretty good take there. Uh to the game that finished today, Oklahoma and Alabama. Uh, two teams that I don't think, besides Alabama, um, a little bit of Alabama were thought to be in this Omaha. Uh Jason, you want to lead us off here for this one?

SPEAKER_02 37:08

Yeah, this one's weird. Um, I think this is actually the most toss-up in this, and it's just because we haven't seen Alabama against a lot of top competition. Oklahoma's playing so well right now, and they're hard to beat. Um, give me Oklahoma.

SPEAKER_03 37:24

Go ahead.

SPEAKER_02 37:25

I think the way that team has been playing, I I like Brady Neal. I love the Al I love the way Alabama's played, but uh man, Oklahoma's just so hot, and I think Oklahoma against Kansas looks a lot better than what Alabama did against St. John's.

SPEAKER_00 37:39

So oh, 100%. Um God, I can't believe it. I'm I'm taking Oklahoma too. I'm gonna ride on the and you know what, Jason, they could jinx it. I could be jinxing this right now. Oklahoma doesn't show up because now I finally pick. But we're talking about that big ballpark and the way Oklahoma played this weekend, the small ball combined with their long ball, combined, I mean their hitting was brilliant. They were hitting the ball, going with the pitch on the ground, kind of taking if they play that. I think Oklahoma takes this handily. Um, look, I guess this is coming not being too familiar with Alabama, besides uh our boy Brady Neal. So what are you talking about?

SPEAKER_02 38:19

Justin LeBron gets mentioned like 50 times a game.

SPEAKER_00 38:22

Oh, I love that that's not LeBron James's brother or whatever. Anyway. And finally, last but not least, uh be smart will play against oh excuse me. Um Georgia will try not to get speeding tickets. Oh, sorry. Georgia Texas, Texas is 45 and 13 in the SEC, Georgia 51 and 12. This could be the College World Series, could it be final game? Uh Jason, I'm gonna leave this off. Jesus, man. Uh give me Texas. Uh give me Texas on the pure scale of Dylan Valantis comes out, and I think he puts a good one on Georgia. I think Georgia, I think they're gonna rely too much on this long ball, and they're they might fall short.

SPEAKER_02 39:21

I'm gonna take Texas too, but I'm gonna go with a different way. Um I can never pronounce this guy's name. Volcheco, Volchec, Volt, Volchek, Volcho. The starter for Georgia. I can't remember his name. Aoki's gonna throw the second game, so I know his name. Um, I can't say the guy's name right. Volchek, I think is maybe what it is. Uh he's awesome for Georgia, and he's pitched well all year. And so I think we're gonna see a big pitcher stool in that game one, but I think it's gonna be the power of solo homers. It just feels like it's one of those games where you're not gonna get a lot of guys on, and you're gonna have to rely on the solo homer and Carson Tinney and those guys, and and um and uh Anthony Pack. These guys are gonna bring it.

SPEAKER_00 40:08

We'll check up. We'll check up.

SPEAKER_02 40:11

See, look, it's not just me. Look, it's not just me. Um and I think for for Georgia, you got you got Trey Phelps and Daniel Jackson there at the top of the lineup. I'm I think this is the battle of solo homers in this game, but I'm gonna go Texas uh as well. I'm biased because I have them for the whole thing, so can't go against them now. Um and I think that they their bullpen can outlast Georgia's bullpen. I mean, the way that Georgia's Georgia's pitching staff was this weekend, I don't want to discount like how many runs they gave up. Uh, but that series was just back and forth in their home ballpark and the bigger ballpark and a little more space. Now they still crush some ballpark. Oh, yeah, no, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 40:56

I yeah, I don't think anybody needs to take that to the fact that they have a small ballpark. Those balls were gone any everywhere. Yeah, and and when they were gone.

SPEAKER_02 41:06

And we had looked at the we had uh was it that was the park that I was comparing the fence lines to, right? Um it's not that much smaller in terms of um down the lines. Down the lines, it's um actually I think it might be further by about 10 feet.

SPEAKER_00 41:22

I know are we talking about Georgia? Yeah, yeah, Georgia's 335. Yeah, left field's deep, and then the right field is short. Okay, it's like a it's almost football field shape. It's weird anyway.

SPEAKER_02 41:35

Okay, but yeah, I think between Sarkeesian and Kirby Smart, we're gonna see a great matchup here. Uh, we're gonna see a big defensive battle here, but I think Schloss Nagel and the guys are gonna have them ready. Uh, I think Texas gets it done.

SPEAKER_00 41:48

Uh yeah, the thing, and I'm glad you hit on Georgia's pitching staff. Their issue this weekend is they were throwing meatballs. I mean, it's not that Mississippi State was just overpowering. They were, I mean, didn't state hit three back to back? Was that state that hit three back to back?

SPEAKER_02 42:06

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 42:07

That, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 42:08

Yes, and they and they were just the last one, Kitty in power alley was still like almost over the trees.

SPEAKER_00 42:16

That dude was smiling after he would hit it.

SPEAKER_02 42:18

He was like, Parker hit Parker hit two. Man, yeah. That guy's gonna be good.

SPEAKER_00 42:26

So you have Texas in your final, you've already announced it.

SPEAKER_02 42:30

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 42:31

Oh, sorry. Yeah, not ahead of the game. No, no, that is fine.

SPEAKER_01 42:36

Go horns.

SPEAKER_00 42:41

Dude, I have no idea. Uh I I do not like Texas, so I don't want to say Texas. I don't even care if this is for Give me Georgia.

SPEAKER_02 42:53

Put the long horns on. Oh, he's got him. He's got 'em. Wait, so you think you got Georgia coming out of the losers bracket?

SPEAKER_00 43:01

Yes. Oh, yeah. I know I'm taking Texas.

SPEAKER_02 43:05

I think it could happen. That's I have I have them coming back and playing Texas in the final, so of that, of that side. I like it.

SPEAKER_00 43:14

I I think this this I think this was serious and might surprise a lot of people. I think I think this would be a good one. Um it it's it's we are not having remember, none of the teams from last year have made this final. Um it's gonna be interesting.

SPEAKER_02 43:31

No return. Who who do you have from the other side?

SPEAKER_00 43:37

Olmus. I think I think Olmus is I think they're they're like it's gonna be like that same situation when they were the last one in. I think they just get hot and they've got a a great coach. Unbelievable players on that staff that that's gonna be coming through. So I'm

SPEAKER_02 44:00

I'm gonna go West Virginia. Okay. And and here's my hot take for this side. Maybe it's not hot take. Here's my surprise. I don't think Troy goes 0 2. I think North Carolina or Ole Miss is going to be disappointed and go O2 because I think they're going to throw their aces at each other, assuming they do. Now, if Decaro is saved for game two and Lynch throws game one and they lose, Troy's in trouble. If Decaro throws game one and they and I I I think North Carolina can win that game. But um if they throw Elliott versus De Caro, whoever is throwing against Troy, good luck. And that's assuming Troy doesn't, and maybe I'm giving too much credit to West Virginia, right? Troy's not gonna load lay down for them either. But assuming Troy does lose game one, I'd be worried if I was North Carolina or miss.

SPEAKER_00 44:54

So yeah. Troy had look again, this is Little Rock. I mean, they had a ton against Florida. They had four home runs. Um, and Jake uh Oroff, I don't think we did we we haven't talked about him yet. He had a great bottom of the lineup too, right? Yeah, oh yeah, yeah, we did.

SPEAKER_02 45:09

So no, no, we talked about so you talked about uh you talked about Oklahoma at the bottom of the lineup. Yeah, yeah. So we did not talk about Borhoff.

SPEAKER_00 45:18

Yeah, that dude was he can crush the ball. That whole team can crush it. So again, they're they're scrapping on the base pass. Look, uh, I know we kind of always somebody's like, who's that lowest team? I think Troy's not that I'm not gonna say low. Like I wouldn't, yeah, they made it here.

SPEAKER_02 45:38

Yeah, so who would who would be your biggest surprise to make it to the final?

SPEAKER_00 45:44

Alabama. I think it would be Alabama. I think just because of who they have to go through, that's a tough, that's a tough road to go through. So it would be Alabama.

SPEAKER_02 45:54

I was gonna say obviously Troy, anybody would say Troy, right? Yeah, but I'm actually gonna go Oklahoma. I think Oklahoma would be really, really surprising. I I given this exact same reason. Who whoever I mean you happen to go through Georgia and Texas from the other from the other game. Good luck to both of those teams.

SPEAKER_00 46:13

The World Cups this summer and that right side, it's a group of death.

SPEAKER_02 46:16

Starts in a few days.

SPEAKER_00 46:17

Yeah, does it really? Yeah. No, no, no.

SPEAKER_02 46:21

It starts on Thursday, I think.

SPEAKER_00 46:22

Are you kidding?

SPEAKER_02 46:24

No, yeah. Dude, I know it's not, it's I haven't really the only reason I even knew exactly when it was starting is because I saw um finally saw something pop up on my uh notification for it. Uh because they were talking about the US goal that they had the other day.

SPEAKER_00 46:38

Anyways, uh, but that was pretty sick. That was pretty sick. It was so sick.

SPEAKER_02 46:42

Desk goal?

SPEAKER_00 46:43

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Was that desk? Oh, it was a desk. It was desk.

SPEAKER_02 46:46

It was desk, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 46:47

Was it it was, wasn't it? Who knows? I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 46:54

Okay. Um Jason, final thoughts before we wrap this up.

SPEAKER_02 46:58

Um, yeah, are we gonna be back before the final?

SPEAKER_00 47:04

Yeah, I think so. I think yes. We'll we'll we'll definitely be back before the final. Um, and who will that be? We'll never know. Um, please like, share, subscribe, comment, share this. If you see a clip, clip it, send us anything. Uh, let us know your thoughts, and we'll see you before the last regional final.