Stillwater Regional snapshot: Who are the Florida Gators facing?
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The Florida Gators are back in the NCAA Baseball Tournament with a chance to play their way back to Omaha and the College World Series. Florida was picked as the three-seed in the Stillwater Regional.
Today we take a look at the four teams in the regional and provide a snapshot of what the Gators will face this weekend in Oklahoma.
No. 1 seed Oklahoma State Cowboys
Record: 40-17
Big 12: 19-9 (Big 12 Tournament Champion)
RPI: 11
Team Stats:
Batting averageOn base %Slugging %OPSHome RunsTeam ERABatting Avg against Hits per 9Walks per 9WHIPCowboys .284.401.519.9201114.06.2358.0583.3041.2624
OSU is 40-17 on the season and will be making the 49th NCAA Regional appearance in program history, the fourth most all time. This marks the Cowboys’ 11th consecutive Regional berth under head coach Josh Holliday; they have never missed the NCAA tourney during his tenure. The Cowboys will be seeking to advance to the sixth Super Regional in program history (1999, 2007, 2014, 2016 and 2019).
Oklahoma State has a balanced approach at the plate but can also score quickly with the long ball.
No. 2 Nebraska Cornhuskers
Record: 39-20
Big 10: 16-8 (Big Ten Tournament Champion)
RPI: 28
Team Stats:
Batting averageOn base %Slugging %OPSHome RunsTeam ERABatting Avg againstHits per 9Walks per 9WHIPHuskers.291.395.457.847654.46.2458.4502.9691.2564
Nebraska is a throwback offensive team that leans on its pitching staff, namely Brett Sears and Mason McConnaughey. Sears is 9-0 on the season with a minuscule 2.00 ERA and is scheduled to pitch against Florida on Friday in Stillwater. McConnaughey is 8-3 on the year with an ERA of just 3.09.
Offensively, Nebraska will go station-to-station and look to steal runs. The Huskers have swiped 91 bags on the season, they have 41 sacrifice bunts and 25 sacrifice flies on the season. They understand situational hitting and stay within themselves when called to do a job in situations.
No. 3 Florida Gators
Record: 28-27
SEC: 13-17
RPI: 30
Team Stats:
Batting AverageOn base %Slugging %OPSHome RunsTeam ERABatting Avg againstHits per 9Walks per 9WHIPGators.272.381.514.8961166.27.2679.4334.6131.5607
The Gators are built to win the SEC and that means power pitching and power hitting. Florida has struggled this season to play consistently. It’s a talented roster but on the mound the pitchers have struggled throwing strikes, leading to one of the highest walks-per-nine of Kevin O’Sullivan’s tenure at Florida. Offensively, Jac Caglianone leads the Gators in nearly every offensive category, Florida just needs the pieces around him to hit with more consistency.
The Gators are also playing without outfielders Ty Evans (wrist) and Hayden Yost (knee) who both suffered season-ending injuries within a five day span.
No. 4 Niagara Purple Eagles
Record: 38-15
MAAC: 20-4 (Won MAAC Championship)
RPI: 103
Batting AverageOn base %Slugging %OPSHome RunsTeam ERABatting Avg againstHits per 9Walks per 9WHIPPurple Eagles.306.410.478.889695.40.2629.0266.0901.6796
Niagara has already set multiple program records, along with winning its first MAAC Championship. Niagara has a program-best 38 wins this season while finishing MAAC play with a program-best 20 wins. The Purple Eagles also earned a share of the MAAC Regular Season Championship.
Six Purple Eagles earned All-MAAC honors while Niagara also earned three major awards. Eric Rataczak earned MAAC Player of the Year Honors, Cameron became the first Purple Eagle to win MAAC Relief Pitcher of the Year honors while head coach Rob McCoy was named MAAC Coach of the Year.
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