Omaha Eight: ACC leaders and Kansas emerge, UCLA eyes record streak and Terriers barking
The 76th edition of the College World Series in Omaha begins in June. Until then, all eight spots are open.
Each week during the college baseball season, World-Herald writer Evan Bland will offer up schools showing signs of qualifying for The Greatest Show on Dirt. Seven leading contenders, plus a sleeper pick - think 2025 Murray State or 2023 Oral Roberts.
Here's how the Omaha Eight shape up midway through April.
UCLA (33-2 through Monday)
The Bruins streak on, this time winning twice in extra innings at Cal State Fullerton (10) and at Rutgers (14). The latter victory saw ace Logan Reddemann collect 18 strikeouts - the staff fanned 30 overall, one shy of the NCAA all-time single-game record. UCLA has triumphed in 27 straight contests and could set a new Division I mark with a perfect homestand against UC Santa Barbara, Minnesota (three games), Hawaii and Sacramento State (three).
Texas (27-7)
Maybe the best development for the Longhorns last weekend was weather wiping out the series finale at Texas A&M, where the motivated Aggies - whose former coach, Jim Schlossnagle, abruptly left for Texas after the 2024 College World Series - took the first two contests. A rare hiccup for the burnt orange, which remains on the short list of CWS favorites led by a stellar weekend rotation and deep lineup. The schedule remains tough for the next month with Alabama on deck.
Oregon State (28-7)
The Beavers may well stay out of sight, out of mind until the NCAA tournament with mostly mid-tier West Coast opponents on the rest of their independent regular-season schedule. Yet OSU is one of the best pitching-and-defense clubs around with sophomore ace Dax Whitney (90 strikeouts in 49 1/3 innings, 1.64 ERA) a surefire future pro. The Beavers are looking for their eighth Omaha trip since bursting onto the national stage for a championship in 2005.
North Carolina (30-6-1)
The Tar Heels became the third member of the 30-win club with a gutty series win at Clemson, though win No. 29 proved the pivot point as UNC prevailed in 14 innings. That's five winning ACC weekends in a row for a program that is also 9-1 on the road this season. This group - without one central superstar or obvious area of strength - continues to prove it's a deep and tough squad that rises to the moment. A home date with conference frontrunner Georgia Tech will be the national series of the week.
Georgia (29-8)
A home series loss to up-and-down Florida doesn't wipe out four consecutive SEC series wins before that for the conference leader. The Bulldogs own 98 home runs - 20 more than the next closest Division I team! - with Daniel Jackson (16), Tre Phelps (14) and Kolby Branch (13) all earning top-25 dinger totals individually. Seven straight tries on the road against Arkansas, Georgia Tech (midweek) and Ole Miss may make or break UGA's ability to be a potential super-regional host.
Georgia Tech (30-5)
The Jackets validated their gaudy numbers with a sweep of top-five Florida State that extends their string of victories to a dozen. No lineup is scoring more often (11.2 runs per game) and it continues to pair with a top-30 pitching staff and top-50 defense. Jarren Advincula (.422 average), Carson Kerce (.402, 20 doubles) and Vahn Lackey (.398, 2 homers) are among the star sticks. The ACC leaders head to second-place North Carolina next weekend in what could decide the league title.
Kansas (26-10)
A major prove-it week for the Jayhawks consisted of a win at top-25 Nebraska before a home sweep of Big 12 leader UCF. Now Kansas is the new league No. 1 and on a 10-game win streak. Perhaps most encouraging for the personable, slugging club is the evolution of the weekend rotation - Dominic Voegele (seven innings, three runs, 10 strikeouts) and Jason Cook (six, one, six) helped KU win a low-scoring Saturday doubleheader. Coach Dan Fitzgerald has the program on track for consecutive regional bids for the first time since the mid-1990s.
Sleeper: Wofford (25-11)
The Southern Conference favorite has won 11 of its last 13 games following a sweep of The Citadel and exhibits all the traits of a pesky postseason out. A top-35 strikeout-to-walk ratio from the pitching staff led by ace Alec Bouchard (1.64 ERA in 49 1/3 innings) and a versatile, speedy offense starred by .400 hitter Logan Tribble represent a changeup challenge for brand-name opponents. The Terriers will need to win the SoCon tourney to advance to the NCAA tourney field, where they would be a 2023 Oral Roberts-style four seed.
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