Louisville
The Cardinals (48-15) swept right through their regional, winning by scores of 5-0, 6-3 and 4-1 over Kent State, Kansas and Kentucky respectively. The bats were held pretty much in check, as the Cardinals scored just 15 runs in three games, well below their season average of 6.4 runs per game coming in, while leading hitter Jeff Gardner was held to just one hit in 12 at bats over the weekend. But you don’t necessarily need that many runs when you pitch the way the Cardinals do with their 2.78 team ERA, tied for the 15th-best mark in the country. They got outstanding outings over the weekend from sophomore Kyle Funkhouser (8 shutout innings vs. Kent State) and sophomore Anthony Kidston (2 ER over 7 innings vs. Kansas) as well as freshman Josh Rodgers, who gave up just two runs over six innings of work against Kentucky in the regional clincher. Kyle McGrath was his usual dominant self as well, throwing three scoreless innings over the course of the weekend. If the Cardinals are going to make it to Omaha, it’s going to be on the backs of their hurlers.
Kennesaw State
I don’t think anyone outside of Kennesaw, Georgia expected the Owls to be able to win a game in Tallahassee, let alone make it through to Super Regional play in their first-ever NCAA appearance. But postseason success in general is no strange concept to the Owls, as they have both an NAIA national championship (1994) and a Division II national championship (1996) to their name, both under current head coach Mike Sansing. The Owls became the first team since Kansas in 1993 to make a Super Regional in its first NCAA tournament appearance. Everyone knows this team can score some runs, as they showed in 13-5 win over Georgia Southern. But their pitching staff was the real pleasant surprise of the weekend, as they gave up just 11 runs over four games. They got an incredible performance Friday night from Travis Bergen, who blanked Alabama over 8 2/3 innings, while closer Justin McCalvin was magnificent as usual on the back end, throwing four shutout innings over the weekend, picking up a win and two saves. And you know the offense centers around junior Max Pentecost, who currently sits at a .423 average with an NCAA-leading 110 hits to go along with nine homers and 58 RB. And if for some reason he’s not producing, Alex Liquori (.366, 42 RBI), Bo Way (.358/2 HR/31 RBI), Chris McGowan (.271/4/44) and Brennan Morgan (.291/4/40) are there to pick up the slack for a team averaging almost 6.1 runs per game. But if the Owls are to have any chance of pulling off yet another shocker and making it to Omaha, the pitching staff is going to have to step up again against a powerful Louisville offensive attack.
Pick: Louisville
I love a good underdog story as much as the next person. I loved when Fresno State made their title run back in 2008 and when Stony Brook captured the nation’s attention by making it to Omaha in 2012. But I simply don’t see Kennesaw State being able to hold up against the Cardinals, though I certainly think they’ll give them all they can handle. And if the pitching staff steps up its game as they did in Tallahassee, then you might well be looking at another Cinderella making it to Omaha.
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