Preview: Meet Kansas State Baseball’s Regional Opponents

Despite an early exit from the Big 12 Tournament, Kansas State baseball will still have an opportunity to make the College World Series.

On Monday, the Wildcats were announced as an at-large team in the NCAA Tournament, earning the No. 3 seed in the Fayetteville Regional, hosted by Arkansas. The Wildcats will play Louisiana Tech in the opening round. Southeast Missouri State is the final team in the regional and will draw top-seeded Arkansas in the first round.

The regional round of the NCAA Tournament is a double-elimination tournament, meaning K-State will not get eliminated until they drop two games.

Here is a look at each team in K-State’s regional and their path to making the NCAA Tournament.

NO. 1 SEED ARKANSAS

Record: 43-14

Conference: SEC

Conference Tournament record: 0-2

Arkansas had a disappointing SEC Tournament, dropping their first two games to South Carolina and Kentucky. However, the disappointing result did little to change the final result, as the Wildcats were one of the schools selected to host a regional.

The decision should be no surprise, as Arkansas was one of the best teams in the country, especially against ranked opponents. The Razorbacks picked up series wins against No. 8 LSU, No. 14 Mississippi State, No. 20 South Carolina, and No. 23 Auburn. They also beat No. 7 Oregon State in the College Baseball Series.

Arkansas is a complete team, boasting a combined 77 home runs in 57 games, and a .268 average across the season. On the mound, the Razorbacks had a team ERA of 3.66 and struck out 670 batters.

PLAYER TO WATCH: LHP Hagen Smith

Hagen Smith is considered the best pitcher in the 2024 MLB Draft and is projected to be a top-10 selection in July. Smith posted a 9-1 record with a 1.48 ERA and struck out 154 batters for the Razorbacks this season, showcasing his dominance.

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NO. 2: LOUISIANA TECH

Record: 45-17

Conference:…

Source link : https://kansasstate.rivals.com/news/preview-meet-kansas-state-baseball-s-regional-opponents?yptr=yahoo

Author : EMAW Online

Publish date : 2024-05-27 19:25:36

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