The opening day of Super Regional weekend was relatively quiet, but Saturday and Sunday delivered plenty of drama. Here’s a recap of everything from Sunday.
Dawgs on Top, up in the tree tops
Georgia and Mississippi State delivered one of the most entertaining super regionals in years. Early leads were erased by the long ball and late inning back and forth that looked like a home run derby at times. In the end, Georgia emerged victorious over Mississippi State, improving to 6-0 against the Bulldogs this season.
Sunday’s version of this super regional played out pretty similarly to Saturday. This time it was Georgia who built an early lead and then saw it disappear after Mississippi State hit back-to-back-to-back home runs.
Ace Reese and Jacob Parker hit moon shots that may not have landed yet in the eighth to make it 9-8. Georgia went on to tie it and the two teams went to extras. From there, Georgia’s Dan Jackson did what Dan Jackson has done all season – crushed the baseball.
Jackson’s tenth inning homer made it 11-9 and effectively punched the Dawgs’ ticket to Omaha. It was his 31st of the year to go along with 86 RBIs.
The series as a whole was everything you could ask for as a viewer. It was nail biting entertainment and two of the best teams in the country on display. Foley Field has been a bit of a band box all season long.
The two teams combined for 21 home runs in two games, which is the most since the BBCOR era began in 2011. Georgia finished the year winning the SEC regular season title, the SEC tournament title and defeated Mississippi State all six times they faced them. The only question they have to answer now is whether or not there’s a Buc-ee’s on the way to Omaha.
Prayers answered at the Chapel
Speaking of a series that delivered. UNC and Southern Cal faced off in a win or go home game three on Sunday in Chapel Hill, and it was basically the antithesis of Georgia-Mississippi State – meaning there was actually pitching involved.
Southern Cal, who hadn’t been in a super regional in 20 years, built a 3-1 lead in the fifth inning and carried it into the eighth. Then, the meltdown happened.
After getting one out on one pitch, Southern Cal walked and the next batter gave up a single to give the Tar Heels runners on first and third. Then, shades of the 2018 CWS between Arkansas and Oregon State reared its ugly head and USC dropped a pop up in foul territory that came back to haunt them. After a sac fly tied it and another walk put two runners on, Owen Hull stepped to the plate. He had been the Tar Heels hottest hitter and he stayed that way. His fourth hit of the day got over everyone’s head in deep left center field and UNC dogpiled after a 4-3 win.
The win was as big for the conference as it was for UNC. The win not only punched their ticket for the second time in the last six years, but it also helped the ACC avoid their first CWS without a team present in the last 26 years.
Freshman pitcher Caden Clauber continued one of the most incredible seasons we’ve seen in recent memory. With UNC’s win over Southern Cal, the Tar Heels improved to 25-0 in games that Clauber pitched.
LSU Jell-O shot record in danger
Not every series ended on time Sunday thanks to weather delays in all three of the late games. That didn’t stop anyone from looking ahead to Omaha and the teams on their way there. Most of the talk so far hasn’t been about pitching matchups or who can make a run. Rather, it’s centered around everyone’s favorite annual competition in the Midwest, not inside Charles Schwab Field in Omaha.
The numbers LSU fans put up in 2023 have not come close to being touched over the last two years. Their record of 68,888 felt like a Cal Ripken streak or Joe Dimaggio 56 game hitting streak type of record. Don’t tell that to West Virginia, though.
West Virginia fans are known for two things, John Denver sing-alongs and beating their livers to death. They’re very similar to LSU fans, just with much less baseball tradition and much more burned furniture.
They are the clear frontrunner to win this year’s challenge, especially if Pat McAfee pulls a Todd Graves and calls in a big order for the fans.
Who’s headed to Omaha?
So far, six teams have clinched a spot in Omaha for the College World Series. The winner of Kansas-Oklahama and Alabama-St. John’s still hangs in the balance thanks to weather delays.
Tickets punched
No. 3 Georgia
No. 5 UNC
No. 16 West Virginia
Troy
Ole Miss
