Nebraska hosts one of 16 regional tournaments for the NCAA Div. I baseball championships, with Eastern Illinois, UC Irvine and Oral Roberts making the trip to Haymarket Park for this weekend's double-elimination tournament.
Here's a summary of the four teams playing in this weekend's regional in Lincoln:
Nebraska Cornhuskers
Who are they? -- The Huskers are the top seed in the region and carry a 40-14-1 record into this weekend's tournament.
Looking back -- Nebraska was looking like a Big 12 Conference champion and top-eight national seed toward the end of the year, but a late-season slump took care of both opportunities.
On the mound -- Coming into the season, the Huskers were looking at a probable rebuilding year on the mound with a young pitching staff, led by senior Johnny Dorn (6-1, 2.38). But the Nebraska arms have pitched far beyond their youth, with Thad Weber (8-4, 5.67), Dan Jennings (6-3, 2.95) and Aaron Pribanic (3-4, 4.42) developing into solid starters. Zach Herr and Mike Nesseth have also come on and pitched well in relief.
At the plate -- Offensively, the Huskers aren't loaded, but just get the job done. They are led by senior infield Jake Opitz, who batted .335 with eight homers and 45 RBI's this season. Catcher Mitch Abeita has been equally solid behind, and at, the plate, leading the offense with 10 homers and 46 RBI's. The Huskers have been consistent up and down the lineup, with Bryce Nimmo, Nick Sullivan and D.J. Belfonte playing crucial roles. First baseman Craig Corriston has also performed well despite missing almost a month with a knee injury.
Did you know? -- Nebraska has been almost unstoppable at home this season, winning 27 of 30 games at Haymarket Park. Their home record is third best among the 16 regional hosts.
Chances to advance -- Because of their success at home, we like the Huskers' chances of moving on to super regionals, but UC Irvine could stand in their way.
UC Irvine Anteaters
Who are they? -- The Anteaters tied for third in a very tough Big West Conference this year, going 38-16 on the season to earn the No. 2 seed here.
Looking back -- UC Irvine was the darling of last year's College World Series, coming up one game shy of the finals. They came back this year with a vengeance, starting the year 16-1 under veteran coach Mike Gillespie.
On the mound -- The 'Eaters have a very solid pitching staff, led by junior righthander Scott Gorgen (10-3, 1.90). They also have some solid arms in Daniel Bibona (8-3, 3.10) and Bryce Stowell (7-2, 3.04), and Eric Pettis has put out plenty of fires with a team-best 15 saves.
At the plate -- UC Irvine isn't known for their power, but they get the job done at the plate. Junior infielder Ben Orloff leads the team with a .356 batting average and Ollie Linton leads the team with 37 stolen bases. Nobody on the UC Irvine roster has hit more than 10 home runs, with catcher Francis Larson leading the team with seven homers and 39 RBI's.
Did you know? -- Gillespie recently won his 800th game as a Div. I head coach, a career that has spanned 21 seasons. He is 801-487-2 in his career.
Chances to advance -- These boys know what it takes to get to Omaha, and they will definitely give Nebraska a run for their money. If Nebraska doesn't make it out of this regional, it will be thanks to the Anteaters.
Oral Roberts Golden Eagles
Who are they? -- Third-seeded Oral Roberts has been a traditional mid-major tourney team over the years, and continued their postseason success with a 46-12 record and the Summit League regular-season and tournament championships.
Looking back -- The Golden Eagles have been one of those quality teams that fly under the radar every year, but they have been a very consistent team that has beaten the likes of fellow tourney teams Arkanasas and Dallas Baptist. They come into the regional riding a 12-game winning streak.
On the mound -- Carlos Luna has been almost untouchable for the Golden Eagles this year. He leads the staff with a 12-0 record and 3.15 earned-run average. Jerry Sullivan is a strikeout machine with 104 K's in 17 appearances, and Michael Jarman has been a quality starter with an 11-2 mark this year.
At the plate -- Brian Van Kirk leads the team with a .421 average and, the Summit League tournament MVP is their big bat with 17 homers and 72 RBI's this year. Ryan Groth (.357) and Ben Petralli (.351) have both been solid at the plate as well, and Brendan Duffy has 15 stolen bases this season.
Did you know? -- Oral Roberts has won 11 consecutive league tournament championships, the third longest conference tournament championship streak in NCAA Div. I history.
Chances to advance -- It comes down to pitching depth, and Oral Roberts has enough that they could make things difficult for the higher two seeds. It's not often that a No. 3 seed survives a regional, but the Golden Eagles certainly have the talent to do it.
Eastern Illinois Panthers
Who are they? -- The Panthers are one of those teams that can make things interesting for opposing teams, and as the No. 4 seed they'll be looking to play the upset card every time out this weekend after a 27-28 campaign.
Looking back -- Eastern Illinois stumbled out of the gate, losing their first seven games of the season. They caught fire at the right time, however, and swept through the Ohio Valley Conference tournament with wins over top-Seeded Jacksonville State and second-seeded Samford to earn the automatic bid.
On the mound -- Josh Mueller (6-7, 4.26) and Tyler Kehrer (1-5, 4.55) are the top two starters for the Panthers, while Mike Recchia (2-1, 5.66) has developed into a solid contributor on the mound. Scott Foley (3-2, 3.71) has a team-leading six saves.
At the plate -- Jordan Tokarz (.293, 4 HR, 42 RBI) was the conference tournament MVP after going 9-for-19 with six extra-base hits in four games. Brett Nommensen (.397, 4 HR, 30 RBI) is the team's leading hitter and has 18 stolen bases on the year.
Did you know? -- The last time Eastern Illinois played in the NCAA tournament was 1999, and they upset highly-ranked Arizona in regionals before being eliminated.
Chances to advance -- To be honest, Eastern Illinois is just happy to be here. Considering the quality of the three higher seeds, anything beyond a two-and-'cue would be considered a success for this team.
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