Sweet 16: Super regional Picks & best bets

The Beavers fell in game one to No. 4 seed Saint Mary’s, and all of the critics about their legitimacy felt louder and louder. But Oregon State responded by rattling off four straight wins from the losers bracket to advance. They outscored USC 23 to 1 in the two regional final contests. On the other hand, the Seminoles rolled in Tallahassee, going 3 and 0 with little resistance.

This is an intriguing matchup, where both squads present a balanced approach with success on the mound and at the plate. Both teams love extra base hits and towering home runs, but the pitching edge may go to the Seminoles, simply because they have Jamie Arnold. As the seeding suggests, this feels like a true toss-up.

Both squads sat mostly in cruise control during regional weekend, sweeping through without having to face the toughest matchups. The trendy Florida Gators, who many picked to upset Coastal, did not even advance to face the Chanticleers. Auburn, meanwhile, avoided an early exit from NC State, who battled back to the final but ran out of gas.

Auburn is deep, experienced, and thrives with complementary baseball. They lack the name recognition of some SEC powerhouses but are just as dangerous. Coastal Carolina’s identity is its pitching staff, ranked second nationally in team ERA. The big question is whether that success will travel to one of the toughest environments in the country.

Two unseeded ACC squads find themselves here. Louisville sent top seed Vanderbilt packing and never looked back. Miami got the job done in a tense if necessary game against Southern Miss after catching a break early when Alabama upset the host.

The Hurricanes and Cardinals did not meet in the regular season. Louisville has been steadier, while Miami’s path has been a bit more turbulent. Louisville leans on ace Patrick Forbes, but the rest of the staff has some question marks. Miami’s offense can go quiet, but the ceiling is high. This one could get wild.

Murray State is the Cinderella of this tournament, entering as a No. 4 seed and knocking off Ole Miss twice to advance. Duke looked sharp in Athens, beating Georgia early and never seeing them again.

The Blue Devils looked like a team ready for Omaha and have the talent to back it up. They are rolling at the right time, and while Murray State has been a great story, this might be where the run ends.

LSU survived a scare from Little Rock in the regional final but did enough to move on. West Virginia swept through Clemson’s regional, taking down both the host and Kentucky.

LSU has the arms and bats to win it all, but West Virginia brings gritty, travel-ready pitching that could make for a competitive set. Expect some tight contests, but LSU’s talent edge should show through.

UTSA looked like the better team in Austin, beating Texas twice. UCLA scored 38 runs over three games at home, dominating their regional from start to finish.

UCLA is a consistent, balanced squad with few weaknesses. UTSA’s offense is powerful, and their pitching looked great against Texas, but can they repeat it on the road against a deeper UCLA staff?

Arkansas was dominant last weekend, looking like a team built for a title run. Tennessee had to work a little harder, getting pushed by Wake Forest but advancing in the end.

These are two heavyweights. Arkansas won the season series and has not lost a home series to Tennessee since 2001. Both teams have stars, including SEC Player of the Year Wehiwa Aloy and standout pitcher Liam Doyle. This one should be a battle.

UNC was forced to a Monday game but answered with strong late-inning hitting to advance. Arizona hit 15 home runs in Eugene and looked unstoppable.

This is the steadiest team in the ACC against one of the hottest teams in the country. North Carolina’s pitching will be tested, and Arizona’s offense could keep this closer than expected.