It has been a rematch 19 years in the making. The 2002 College World Series Championship Game between South Carolina and Texas lived up to its expectations, as the Longhorns earned the 12-6 win for their fifth national title in program history. Since that game, Texas has won it all in Omaha for the sixth time, while South Carolina has taken a national title back to Columbia twice. The head coaches have changed, the programs have continued to thrive, but even 19 years later, a resemblance to the 2002 NCAA championship game is expected out of the two blue-blood programs as the Gamecocks and Longhorns will meet in Austin this weekend for the first time since 2002. Entering the matchup, South Carolina is the favorite, though the Gamecocks are on the road, as they have posted an impressive 11-0 record that includes two one-run wins over Clemson on February 27 and 28. South Carolina surged from a preseason ranking of 40 in College Baseball Nation’s Preseason Top 50 to No. 17 in the most recent rankings released on Monday. Texas has also added a notable non-conference series win to its NCAA Tournament resume, winning a road series over previously 6-1 Houston, 2-1. The #25 Horns have bounced back after starting the year 0-3, and are a respectable 8-5 heading into the weekend. Texas’ Friday night starter, redshirt sophomore Ty Madden, was a critical part of the series victory, as the junior tossed a complete game, two-hit shutout in game one against the Cougars. He will be South Carolina’s biggest challenge of the series, at least when it comes to pitching, as his velocity hardly dips despite long outings against solid lineups. Facing Houston, he was hitting speeds of 97 and 98 miles per hour in the ninth inning. The Gamecocks’ power-hitting lineup may pose an even tougher challenge for Madden than his opening day start against Mississippi State three weeks ago, as South Carolina has five hitters in the lineup with at least 12 hits on the season. Catcher/first baseman Wes Clarke leads the nation in home runs with eight and has posted an eye-popping .410 batting average. Clarke is the kind of player opposing pitchers hate to see stepping to the plate in the late innings. In fact, in South Carolina’s 3-2 victory over Clemson on February 27, Clarke was intentionally walked in the 11th inning, which led to a walk-off single in the following at bat. Aside from Clarke’s prowess at the plate, the Texas pitching staff will not have an easy time against a South Carolina lineup that also boasts center fielder Braylen Wimmer (.382 average), right fielder Brady Allen (16 hits, .381 average) and left fielder Andrew Eyster (15 RBI, .341 average), who had the walk-off single to beat Clemson on February 27. Against a talented lineup like South Carolina’s, Texas’ pitching will only go so far. The offense, which struggled early in the season but has outscored opponents 26-14 in the last four games, will need to connect at the plate. The Longhorns have less power in the lineup than the Gamecocks, but they win games behind small ball--precise hitting and heads-up baserunning. Center fielder Mike Antico has been Texas’ sparkplug on the basepaths as of late, stealing three bases in Tuesday’s 15-9 victory over Sam Houston State. Additionally, shortstop Trey Faltine has put himself at the center of the recent scoring surge, posting back-to-back two-hit games in last weekend’s series at Houston. The Gamecocks are sure to counter on the mound, with right-hander Thomas Farr tabbed as the Friday night starter. He enters with an impressive 2-0 record and 1.56 ERA in three starts this season, having reached the sixth inning in all three outings. It goes without saying that Friday night’s duel between Madden and Farr will have a tremendous impact on the series. Saturday will pit Texas’ Tristan Stevens against South Carolina’s Brannon Jordan. Stevens has had some growing pains early on in his new role as a starter, allowing a team-high 11 hits, which has contributed to a 4.96 ERA. However, in each of his three starts, he has pitched into the sixth inning, giving the Longhorns bullpen a reprieve. Jordan had some minor. early-season struggles on the mound, giving up three and two earned runs in two four-inning starts, but he most recently pitched five shutout innings against Mercer. Sunday’s 11 a.m. CT showdown will close out, and possibly decide the series, as Texas is set to throw Kolby Kubichek, and South Carolina will likely start left-hander Julian Bosnic. Kubichek has worked his way into the rotation with a 1.93 ERA in 14 innings of work. He is 2-1 on the year, though that loss came at the hands of #5 Ole Miss. Bosnic is 1-0 in two starts, having earned his first win of the season in a 1-0 pitchers duel against Mercer last Sunday. In 10 innings, he has yet to allow a single hit. Riley's Prediction: This is one of those series that will likely either result in high-scoring duels or rubber matches and there is no telling which will happen. South Carolina enters with a lineup that is hard for any pitching staff to beat, though Texas has a solid bullpen and the starters have proven themselves time and time again. With the Longhorn offense clicking, and the home field advantage aiding in the effort, it would not surprise me to see Texas earn its biggest non-conference series victory of the season. At the same time, I like South Carolina’s chances to win a couple of close contests in Austin. The only prediction I will make is that one team will take two of three, but we will not see a series sweep. After that, there is no telling of what might happen in this long-awaited rematch. 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Editor's note: Some stats in this article are provided by 6-4-3 Charts. 6-4-3- Charts is the premier service for NCAA Baseball and Softball programs in reporting and visualizing game level data. Whether it's scouting opponents, self-scouting, or player development driven, the 6-4-3 Charts suite of applications has revolutionized the way coaches view, analyze, and seamlessly report on data. Visit www.643charts.com to learn more and to connect with the 6-4-3 team today! In College Baseball Nation’s Touching the Bases, we’ll take a periodic look at college baseball through a draft-inspired lens. We’ll dissect the recent performances of the nation’s best players in the run up to the July draft and provide information on whose stock is rising or falling. And we’ll also give a rundown on what’s happening with some of the nation’s premier high school players and how they’ll impact the draft. Find previous chapters here. Davis’ Meteoric Rise When College Baseball Nation published its Top 50 Draft-Eligible College Player list in early December, we had Louisville catcher Henry Davis ranked 22nd. In hindsight, this was far too light. While we took into consideration Davis’ success in neutralizing the running game, ability to pilot a staff, and burgeoning offensive prowess, we underestimated the latter. In the abbreviated 2020 season, Davis burst out of the chute to the tune of a .372/.481/.698 slash line with a sterling 8/4 BB/K ratio in 52 plate appearances. Yet, it’s important to note that at the time the 2020 season was shut down due to COVID-19, Louisville had completed only one weekend of ACC play. It also didn’t help Davis’ cause that at the time our rankings went live, he was still in the shadow of Louisville 3B Alex Binelas, who was viewed as a near-lock 1st rounder. Once again, Davis is off to a fantastic start, but this time everyone has taken notice. Through his first 12 games, the native New Yorker has accumulated 55 PAs and slashed .381/.491/.643 with three home runs and an excellent 8/3 BB/K ratio. If we dig deeper into Davis’ offensive exploits using data provided to us by 6-4-3 Charts, we see a hitter with uncanny bat-to-ball skills. To date, Davis has swung at the first pitch 42 percent of the time versus the ACC average of 27 percent. However, his aggressiveness is offset by his ability to make contact—he’s swung and missed just 13 percent of the time compared with the ACC standard, which is exactly double that. As impressive as he’s been at the plate, Davis has been equally as impactful behind it. He’s extinguished four of six runners trying to steal and allowed only two passed balls. The latter development is significant, because if there was a chink in the young backstop’s armor it was his difficulty in blocking errant pitches—in just 14 games last year Davis was charged with six passed balls. Front offices have taken note of Davis’ strong play in the first part of 2021. One big league scout believes that Davis’ play so far this season has catapulted him into first half of the 1st round conversation for a myriad of reasons. “Look, you’ve got a kid back there (behind the plate) who’s taken all parts of his game to a whole new level. He’s hitting for power while making excellent contact and taking walks. And defensively he’s cleaned up his receiving in addition to completely shutting down the running game. It also helps that the other guy (Miami’s Adrian Del Castillo) may not be able to stay back there. Right now, he’s (Davis) the most complete catcher in the draft class, and I just can’t see how he’s not gone within the first dozen picks or so.” Ty Madden: The Great Debate Texas RHP Ty Madden’s draft stock will be one of the most interesting story lines of the spring. Not too long ago, Madden, with his durable 6-03/220 physique, power arsenal, and excellent command, would have been an obvious top-5 pick. After all, in his last two starts the Cypress, Texas native has permitted just three hits over 16 shutout innings in addition to boasting an astonishing 25/3 K/BB ratio. This includes a 14-K, 2-hit effort Friday night against a powerful Houston offense. However, his early dominance notwithstanding, Madden defies what most organizations are currently looking for in a front-of-a-rotation starter. Madden’s calling card is a toxic sinker/slider combination that features a well-commanded, high-90’s turbo sinker that he throws from an abnormally high release point. His slider is an 86-87 MPH snapdragon, which, because of tunneling and separation, forms an excellent combo with the aforementioned low gas. And the newfound fading action on Madden’s changeup has suddenly transformed it into an effective offering, especially against lefties. Without turning this into a physics lecture, Madden’s repertoire is in direct contrast with present day pitching convention. As the launch angle revolution has sparked a sharp rise in power numbers throughout baseball, the pitching community has attempted to negate this trend by moving away from the sinker/slider model. Instead, pitchers are encouraged to throw their heaters from as low a release point as possible and fill the upper tier of the strike zone. Now add pitchers with high spin rates who boast an optimal mix of both horizontal and vertical movement, and you’ve got the ideal antidote to combat the launch angle-driven swings so prevalent in today’s game. Despite his velocity and superb command, Madden’s high release point, pedestrian spin rates, and lack of horizontal movement on his fastball violate the modern pitching paradigm, and it will be interesting to see if Madden’s fortunes on draft night will be impacted by this. Will Madden be penalized by employing a modus operandi that some in baseball view as obsolete or will he be rewarded for stellar performance and having one of the most electric arms in the draft? An Up-Hill Climb in Baton Rouge Double Double Single Hit-by-Pitch Single Walk Pop up Walk This was not how the weekend was supposed to begin for Jaden Hill and friends. The LSU ace got touched up for five hits and eight earned runs without making it out of the first inning against Oral Roberts, a team no one will mistake for a juggernaut. While no is writing off Hill after just one disastrous start, the struggles he endured on Friday did call to attention to a major question mark scouts have cited since last year—the lack of movement on Hill’s fastball. Although Hill can hit 97 MPH with the cheese, the pitch’s static nature necessitates the need for put-away secondary pitches—something Hill didn’t have at his disposal on Friday. Combine Hill’s subpar fastball metrics with mechanical issues and health and durability questions, and Hill’s draft stock might fall between now and July. Good Things Come in Small Packages Not only were we too light on Davis, but we made another blunder in giving 5-09/165 Boston College CF Sal Frelick short shrift when we ranked him as the 38th best draft eligible player. Through the season’s first 11 games, the BC dynamo is off to a blazing start, as evidenced by his otherworldly .478/.537/.826 slash line. More importantly, Frelick’s batted ball metrics have improved significantly and he’s displayed pro-like plate discipline. Though some of the less progressive teams may shy away from Frelick given his underwhelming physicality, we believe he’ll find a home in the mid-teens. Frelick will also be helped by the fact that many of the other top-rated bats in the ’21 draft class, such as Louisville’s Binelas, South Alabama’s Ethan Wilson, and Sam Hoston’s Colton Cowser, are off to lackluster starts. A Strong Breeze is Blowing in Gainesvile Florida CF Jud Fabian continues to serve as a lightning rod for draft pundits. While his supporters cite his otherworldly batted ball data, swing path metrics, as well as his solid defense, his detractors are horrified by the swing-and-miss tendencies he has displayed during the soft underbelly of the Gators’ schedule (thru March 8, Fabian’s K-Rate was 28.8%). His high whiff rates notwithstanding, we believe Fabian is a dynamic talent worthy of a premium pick, and if last weekend was any indication (just two strikeouts in 14 plate appearances), he may be turning a corner. Simply put, we urge caution in jumping to ironclad conclusions just three weeks into the college season. Florida has yet to begin the grind that is the SEC portion of its season, and Fabian will have ample opportunity to atone for his lukewarm start. The Next Great Debate Although we just cautioned against burying a player because it’s still so early, there are plenty of reasons for excitement in the second week of March. One of these is the play of two switch-hitting shortstops who are making a case to be high picks next year. Vanderbilt’s Carter Young and Cal Poly’s Brooks Lee have put on clinics on both sides of the ball that have left the scouting community abuzz. “Whoa! Where did that power come from?” was all one scout had to say when asked about Young’s power surge that saw him belt four dingers thru the Commodores’ first 11 games. “Smooth,” was how another scout described Lee’s play. Young was part of the loaded 2017 18U USA National Team that featured the likes of Jarred Kelenic, Brice Turang, and Nolan Gorman. Young played second fiddle to Turang, the team’s starting SS, but he’s proved his mettle since. Last year, he beat out Austin Martin, the 5th overall selection, for Vandy’s SS job, and this year he’s treated all of us to the aforementioned lunar launch show. His defense has always been first rate. Lee encountered adversity right after he matriculated at Cal Poly, sustaining a leg injury that required surgery. However, he recovered in enough time to make a cameo before COVID ruined the 2020 college season then went on to star in the Northwoods League to the tune of a .345/.393/.473 performance. Not as mobile in the field as Young, Lee is a heady defender with soft hands and an above average arm and is expected to stay at the six after college. Lee’s .417/.425/.750 start this year, including three home runs, is evidence of his well-rounded offensive game. The Young vs Lee debate is one that could captivate college baseball fans for the next 15 months and perhaps last well beyond that. Short hops Miami (OH) RHP Sam Bachman missed his last start due to arm soreness. This came a week after hitting 100 MPH in a start against FIU. If right, Bachman is expected to be selected in the first half of the 1st round. California prep SS Marcelo Mayer has started his season on fire, going 8 for 13 with four home runs. Mayer, a USC commit, has a smooth left-handed stroke that has evoked comparisons to Corey Seager, and he should be able to remain at the position. Mayer is currently running neck-and-neck with Vanderbilt commit Jordan Lawlar for the mantle of best high school SS, and many scouts and club executives believe Mayer will ultimately overtake Lawlar. Thanks for stopping by! Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram to keep up with all of our content!

In College Baseball Nation’s Touching the Bases, we’ll take a periodic look at college baseball through a draft-inspired lens. We’ll dissect the recent performances of the nation’s best players in the run up to the July draft and provide information on whose stock is rising or falling. And we’ll also give a rundown on what’s happening with some of the nation’s premier high school players and how they’ll impact the draft. After an 11-month hiatus, college baseball finally returned this weekend, and fans were not disappointed. What we witnessed was perhaps the deepest collection of draft-eligible arms the college game has ever seen, as well as the makings of a historically talented freshman class. It was also evident that pitchers are far ahead of hitters. While this is usually the case so early in the spring, it’s certainly possible that the tremendous pitching depth across college baseball will stifle offensive production for the remainder of the season. Arms, Arms, and more Arms Kansas State’s Jordan Wicks and Wake Forest’s Ryan Cusick started the weekend off with impressive pitching performances Friday afternoon. The southpaw Wicks, who just missed a spot on CBN’s All-America squads, was dominant for seven shutout innings, striking out 10 and allowing just three hits with two BBs. His fastball flashed 94 MPH and he used his fading changeup to keep the opposing Oregon State batters off balance. Wicks and Michigan’s Steven Hajjar, who was idle this weekend, will likely be neck-and-neck this season in the battle for college baseball’s best lefthander, with both expected to be drafted in the second half of the 1st round. Cusick, a 6-06/225 righty from Wake Forest, used fear and intimidation to get the job done against Northeastern. Though he got touched for three runs in the sixth inning, he was up to 99 MPH with his heater and demonstrated a low-80’s hammer curve. Most importantly, Cusick walked just two batters in six innings (versus nine punchouts)—a positive sign for a guy who has issued 47 free passes in 88 collegiate innings. Cusick’s velocity and top-shelf metrics have catapulted him into the 1st round conversation. At the onset of Texas’ game against Mississippi State on Friday night, Longhorns ace and CBN 1st Team All-American Ty Madden looked like he would join in on the fun. In the 1st inning, the big righty struck out the side, throwing eight heaters at 97 MPH, an 89 MPH cutter, and several mid-80’s sliders. But Mississippi State hitters touched him up later in the game, leading to an earlier-than-expected exit. Still, it’s abundantly clear that Madden’s raw stuff is among the best in the nation. Lefthander Andrew Abbott has been a reliever virtually his entire career at Virginia yet begins 2021 as the Cavaliers’ Friday night starter. As evidenced by a K-rate north of 13.5 in almost 110 IP heading in to this year, Abbott attacks hitters with swing-and-miss stuff, including a sweeping curveball that, according to former Prospects365 writer Mason McRae, reaches 2650 RPM. Abbott continued his mound mastery in prime time with nine Ks and two walks in 5.2 shutout innings against Connecticut. He also yielded just one hit. Because he’s not overly physical at 6-00/180 and his fastball barely scrapes the low 90’s, Abbott likely won’t go off the board until Round 2. Florida’s Tommy Mace would have been selected in the top 10 rounds out of high school and in the top two rounds last year but both times did not sign and opted to bet on himself. Mace may have been onto something as he’s lining himself up to be a mid or late first rounder in July. Facing Miami on Friday night, Mace threw five innings of 1-run ball with eight strikeouts. The 6-06/220 Floridian featured a diversified repertoire—93-96 MPH heater, sharp curveball, and cutter. LSU’s Jaden Hill had it all working on Saturday against Air Force. He repeatedly spotted 95-98 MPH gas on the corners then exhibited a toxic slider and 82-83 MPH fading changeup in tossing four scoreless innings. Hill whiffed five and didn’t walk a batter. The key for the 6-04/240 righthander this spring will be to prove his durability after throwing only 21.2 IP in 2019-20. If Hill remains healthy and continues to deal, he could emerge as a top 10 selection. Richard Fitts’ draft stock had lots of juice this fall, and it’s easy to see why—he regularly throws mid-90’s gas with a 2500 RPM spin rate and a much-improved slider. Fitts showcased this power arsenal on Saturday against Presbyterian with five innings of one-run ball with six strikeouts and just two walks. Lookout Landing’s Joe Doyle let the world know about Miami (OH) righthander Sam Bachman in this informative article. Bachman exhibited all the attributes Doyle discussed in his start Saturday against Jacksonville, including a fastball that sat 94-96 MPH and an effective slider and changeup. Bachman is another righthander with plenty of helium and could hear his name called in the middle of the 1st round. No 2021 draft-eligible pitcher did more to boost his draft stock this weekend than Ole Miss’ Gunnar Hoglund. Hoglund, who was drafted by the Pirates in the 1st round out of high school, always had excellent command; however, the 6-05/220 righthander suddenly added a couple ticks to his heater and was firing 95-96 MPH at the start of Sunday’s game against Texas Tech. His slider, his signature pitch, was also livelier than it had been previously. Although Hoglund eventually settled into the low 90’s in later innings, the elevated velocity on his heater gives him an entirely new dimension and could catapult him into the top half of the 1st round. Vanderbilt’s Kumar Rocker is the best-known collegian in 2021 and showed why in the first game of the Commodores’ Monday double header versus Wright State. Rocker filled the strike zone with an array of mid-90’s cheddar, burgeoning cutters, and sliders that grade out as a 70 on the 20-80 scouting scale. He struck out eight in just four shutout innings; however, inconsistent fastball command, which some believe is the chink in his otherwise impenetrable armor, led to three walks. Jack Leiter’s start in the second game of Vandy’s double dip on Monday captured the attention of half the Western Hemisphere and for good reason. The fireballing righty emasculated the Wright State lineup with 95-98 MPH molten lava and a smorgasbord of venomous sliders, cutters, and curve balls. As good as Rocker looked, Leiter looked even better and kindled some serious 1-01 talk. When asked if Mike Mussina and Roy Oswalt would serve as suitable comps for Leiter, an evaluator merely said, “Those two wish they had an arm like that when they were 21.” Enough said. Struggling ’21 Bats As we pointed out in the introduction, some of the premier 2021 draft eligible hitters had a rocky first weekend. This was especially true for Florida CF Jud Fabian and 3B Alex Binelas, who combined to go 3-24 with 13 Ks against just four BBs and no extra base hits. Fabian’s Achilles Heel is his swing-and-miss tendencies, so it will be interesting to see how difficult it is for him to turn the ship around. Binelas is still trying to shake off the rust from essentially not playing in twenty months after sustaining a broken hamate during last year’s opening weekend. Arkansas’ Christian Franklin also had a tough opening weekend. The speedy CF was 1-12 with five strikeouts. Other ‘21 Tidbits If Hoglund enhanced his draft value the most on the pitching front, then Louisville C Henry Davis was the position player that raised the most eyebrows. The 6-02/210 backstop showed excellence on both sides of the ball this weekend against Bellarmine. Davis went 4-10 with a homerun, two BBs, and didn’t strike out. On defense, he threw out a runner trying to steal, didn’t permit a passed ball and looked stellar in guiding his pitchers. Davis has always been a strong receiver, and if he proves his .372/.481/.698 start to last season was no fluke he may surpass Miami’s Adrian Del Castillo as the class’ top catcher and emerge as a top 10 pick. Speaking of Del Castillo, he’ll be under a lot of pressure to showcase his lethal bat, because his potential inability to stay behind the plate long-term is a cause for concern among scouts. As one evaluator remarked, “If clubs increasingly view Del Castillo as a guy who can’t stick behind the dish, he becomes a 5-10 right-handed 1B who’s never played the position. Then, if his bat is not quite as advertised, he’ll slide.” That said, Del Castillo had a decent weekend, including a ringing double on Sunday against tough Florida southpaw Hunter Barco. Florida’s Nathan Hickey is another catcher whose ability to stay behind the plate is in doubt, but no one is questioning his hitting. The 6-00/210 left-handed hitter, who has been compared to Kyle Schwarber, put on a show against Miami’s flock of high upside arms, going 7-13 with two moonshots. Hickey is currently projected to be a Day Two pick and could move up if this onslaught continues. UCLA’s Matt McLain is a possible top 10 pick, and his draft status will be highly correlated with his ability to stick at SS. He did make two errors over the weekend against San Francisco, though his offense looked as sound as ever as he went 5-11 with his first dinger on Sunday. He also barreled a couple balls on Saturday and demonstrated above average speed and baserunning acumen throughout the weekend. Slugging South Alabama OF Ethan Wilson was idle due to a sprained ankle and is expected to return to action next weekend. ‘22 Class Notes As we’ve mentioned before on our podcasts and in various articles, the 2022 draft class looks like it could be a bonanza with a mix of outstanding offensive talent and some high-octane arms. Any conversation on the 2022 class must begin with Connor Prielipp. Alabama’s precocious southpaw began his college career last year with a 21-inning scoreless stretch and extended that streak by another five frames on Friday. The Wisconsin native revealed a 94-95 MPH fastball with plenty of movement, which he complemented with a mid-80’s biting slider. In a draft class that is loaded with talented lefties, Prielipp currently sits in the pole position. Although Arkansas’ Payton Pallette didn’t have the notoriety of Prielipp heading into this season, he may emerge as Prielipp’s righthanded foil in the draft class. Pallette, whose 6-01/175 frame, pitching style, and live arm have evoked comparisons to Walker Buehler (including from his own coach), showcased mid-90’s cheese, a devastating curveball, and high-80’s changeup in disposing of Texas on Sunday night. Virginia CF Chris Newell, one of the most dynamic players in next year’s draft class, had a rough first series against Connecticut. Batting in the lower third of the order, Newell went 1-11 and struck out six times without drawing any walks. Newell put up a fantastic .407/.545/.729 slash line in 2020; however, he did have a 27% K-rate, so his ability to put the bat on the ball will be something to watch going forward. Another interesting development in Charlottesville has been the omission of Nate Savino from the weekend rotation to start the season. Savino was a prized recruit who matriculated early and performed well last spring. So far, there has been no comment on the move from the Cavaliers’ coaching staff. One more ACC OF with a bright future is Clemson’s Dylan Brewer. While Brewer did not put up the same loud numbers as Newell during last year’s abbreviated season, his 22% BB rate was indicative of his excellent plate discipline. Brewer enjoyed a strong opening weekend against Cincinnati, going 3-8 with his first homer, five walks, and two stolen bases in as many attempts. Keep an eye on Georgia Tech, where Drew Compton, a switch hitter who slashed an impressive .321/.420/.589 last year, played 3B for the first time as a collegiate on Sunday. If Compton proves he can deftly handle the hot corner, it will do wonders for his draft stock. The New Jersey native had been previously playing 1B. Fabulous Freshman The shortening of the 2020 MLB draft from its customary 40 rounds to five has been a boon for college baseball as dozens of players who would have ordinarily gone pro decided to head to campus. The result is one of the most talented freshman classes in decades, if not ever. The summer before his senior year in high school, Dylan Crews was thought to have first-round potential, but shortly before draft night he announced he’d be attending LSU. Crews, whose muscular frame and lightning-quick bat speed make him a younger version of Clint Frazier, hit two mammoth shots en route to a 7-12 weekend with four BBs. It may only be a matter of weeks before Crews establishes himself as the best hitter in the Tigers’ lineup. It looks like Miami’s Yohandy Morales will give Crews a run for his money as the best true freshman in the class. A 6-04/195 SS who will also dabble at 3B, Morales enjoyed two multi-hit performances against the vaunted Florida pitching staff. After just one weekend, Morales had already hit third and cleanup. While Crews and Morales may be better pure hitters, Georgia’s Corey Collins might have the most pure power of anyone in the freshman class. The 6-03/220 power plant went 4-9 with his first dinger and drew five walks against Evansville. Collins is a catcher who has DH’d in all of the Bulldogs’ first four games. FSU’s Carson Montgomery didn’t have his best stuff on Sunday against North Florida but threw four quality innings. He employed a 92-94 MPH heater and his vicious slider was responsible for three of his four Ks. Miami’s Alejandro Rosario and Victor Mederos had their work cut out for them this weekend against preseason #1 Florida and both responded well. Rosario got the start Saturday and settled down after a rocky 1st inning in which five Gators crosses the plate. On Sunday, Mederos gave up just one run in 4.2 IP. Both youngsters showed off the live arms that will make them mainstays in Coach Gino DiMare’s rotation. Jacob Gonzalez won the Rebels’ starting SS job in the fall and hasn’t looked back. His fielding has been described as “as smooth as silk” by scouts and pundits alike and he’s also proved his mettle with the stick in the early going with a 4-11 effort, including a triple and homer. Brock Wilken of Wake Forest is a physical 3B with a cannon arm and prodigious power. He hit two home runs this weekend yet looked a little shaky at times in the field. High School SS/3B Brady House is off to a rousing start this spring. The Tennessee recruit has already hit three home runs, displaying a quick bat and obscene power in the process. House’s hometown of Winder, Georgia is 50 miles from the amateur baseball hotbed of Atlanta, making it doubtful that House will face top-tier pitching this spring. This could adversely impact his draft standing. Thanks for stopping by! 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by Matt Sefcovic (@MattSefcovic) For the first time this season, the Commodores will travel outside of Nashville to take on the Cowboys in Stillwater in a series that has the potential to have a Super Regional-like feel to it. #2 Vanderbilt enters the series with a 10-1 record, their only loss coming from Georgia State, while #16 Oklahoma State is undefeated at 10-0-1, although they have a tie to Grand Canyon due to a travel curfew. This series has the potential to be a low scoring affair with many high profile arms on display, showcasing two teams ranked in the top 10 in the nation in ERA. Vanderbilt comes into the series with a team ERA of 2.00, led by household names Kumar Rocker and Jack Leiter, who were both named College Baseball Nation Preseason All-Americans. Through their first three starts, it is shocking how similar both of their numbers are. They are each 3-0, both have the same ERA (0.60), have both thrown 15 innings, and they have issued 7 walks. Leiter has the slight edge in strikeouts with 26 as opposed to 25 for Rocker. Thomas Schultz, the Commodores third weekend starter, has also put together a nice start to the season, but has been overshadowed due to the company he keeps in the rotation. Schultz is 1-1 with a 1.74 ERA while striking out 14 batters in just 10.1 innings. Luke Murphy, who has made four appearances on the mound, recorded two saves, and has not allowed a run this year, will not be available for the Commodores. Coach Tim Corbin announced on Wednesday that Murphy will not be available due to COVID related issues, which is a huge loss for the bullpen. This is something to keep an eye on as the Cowboys could take advantage of his absence, but look for Hugh Fisher to play a big role from the bullpen this weekend. The Commodores have been no slouch at the plate either, batting .325 as a team, which is good for 14th in the country. They have yet to play a game against a fellow power conference school, but their offensive stats have been impressive to date. Five Vanderbilt batters are above the .300 threshold, led by Dominic Keegan who boasts a .548 average with 4 home runs and 15 RBI. Unfortunately for the Commodores, Keegan will not be making the trip to Stillwater due to COVID related issues, which will be a big loss for the offensive attack. Who will step up in his absence? Coach Corbin has plenty of options, starting with Carter Young, Enrique Bradfield Jr, Jayson Gonzalez, and Parker Noland, but it will not be easy against a stout Cowboys pitching staff. It will take a group effort to replace Keegan, but the Commodores lineup is more than capable of taking on the challenge. The Cowboys come into the series with a team ERA of 1.91 which is slightly better than Vandy at this point in the season. Oklahoma State has recorded four shutouts in their last 6 games, which is tied for best in the country. It does not matter who you are playing, those are strong numbers. The Cowboys weekend rotation currently has a combined 5-0 record, led by Parker Scott, who is 3-0 with a 1.06 ERA. Justin Wrobleski leads the rotation with a 0.69 ERA with a 1-0 record. After striking out 19 batters against Oral Roberts on Tuesday night, the Cowboys staff is averaging 15.5 K’s per 9 innings. Fortunately for Coach Holliday, the pitching staff has been lights out because the offense attack from Oklahoma State has been less than ideal in this early season. They are currently ranked just inside the top 200 in team batting average at .242. The Cowboys have just one batter above .300, Jake Thompson, who is leading the way with a .364 average. Christian Encarnacion-Strand has put together a nice start to his sophomore year with 5 home runs, 13 RBI, while batting .289. Oklahoma State currently ranks 16th in home runs with 16, making up 18% of their hits on the year. Matt's Prediction: The Vanderbilt pitching staff is going to be too much for an offense that has been struggling against lower competition. The Cowboys staff may keep them in the series, but I do not see their offense putting up enough runs to win it. It will be a test for the Commodores who will be playing their first games away from home, but give me Vandy all day in this one. Thanks for stopping by! Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram to keep up with all of our content!

John and Kyle cover the ACC's rise up the polls, dominance at the top of the SEC, and the Pac-12 having a really good weekend. The guys also look ahead to Week 4's best games. Get The College Baseball Nation Podcast on Apple Podcasts Get The College Baseball Nation Podcast on Spotify. Get The College Baseball Nation Podcast on Google Podcasts Have a question for Kyle and John? Send a DM to us on Twitter (@CollegeBallNat) or an email to podcast@collegebaseball.info and we might answer it on the podcast. Thanks for stopping by! Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram to keep up with all of our content!

Editor's Note: The College Baseball Nation Top 50 is brought to you by Press Sports. Over 1,000 college coaches from all levels are finding and connecting with prospects on Press Sports for FREE during COVID and it’s not too late to hop on the first wave! Every athlete should be posting all their top achievements together in one place and Press Sports is the #1 platform that is empowering athletes, engaging fans, and helping scouts discover talent. We’re getting ready to roll out a rankings filter for every level of college baseball as well as the option for college players to enter the transfer portal so coaches can easily find and watch all their highlights while they are trying to find a new program to play in. Join Press Sports today and follow us on Twitter! For the first time this season, the number one team in the country is the same in back-to-back weeks. Arkansas stays atop the rankings after a three-game sweep of Murray State. Vanderbilt remains behind the Razorbacks at number two after a perfect 3-0 week, and Mississippi State moves up one spot to number three. The Bulldogs threw a combined no-hitter over the weekend in their series victory over Kent State. #4 Georgia Tech scored one of the weekend's most impressive series wins as they blasted Louisville. The Yellow Jackets jump up three spots. Ole Miss rounds out the top top five after going 5-0 on the week. #6 Miami scored a bounce back series victory at NC State and stays one spot ahead of rival #7 Florida. The Gators were 3-1 on the week, losing only a midweek game to Florida Atlantic before sweeping Florida A&M. Louisville drops to number eight after losing the series at Georgia Tech. The Cardinals were missing their ace, Glenn Albanese, for the series. #9 TCU, #10 East Carolina, #11 UCLA, and #12 Texas Tech all slide up one spot. #13 Arizona is up three spots after a 4-0 weekend at the Frisco College Classic. The Wildcats twice defeated Oklahoma and won games against Missouri and Dallas Baptist as well. #14 Boston College notched a road series win at Auburn to move up five spots in the rankings. The Eagles scored eight runs in the ninth and two in the tenth to shock Auburn in the rubber match. #15 LSU drops ten spots after losing a home series to Oral Roberts. #16 Oklahoma State had a successful 2-0-1 weekend as the Cowboys revenged last season's series loss to Grand Canyon. #17 South Carolina, #18 Virginia Tech, #19 Virginia, and #20 Oregon State finish off the top 20. Fellow Pac-12 team, Arizona State comes next at #21 followed by #22 Duke. The Blue Devils bounced back from a 1-2 start to ACC play by knocking off Pitt over the weekend. #23 San Diego State is the highest ranked mid-major team. The Aztecs started Mountain West Conference play with a series win over Fresno State. #24 Georgia and #25 Texas follow. The Longhorns took two out of three games at Houston over the weekend. #29 Oregon enters the rankings after a four-game sweep at UCSB. The Ducks used late-inning rallies in games one and two to knock off the Gauchos and enter College Baseball Nation's rankings for the first time. #41 Stanford also enters the top 50 after a four-game sweep of San Francisco. #48 Southern Illinois enters the rankings for the first time in poll history as the Salukis are 11-0 on the season. Southern Illinois leads the nation with 24 home runs. #49 Michigan and #50 Ball State re-enter the rankings after a one-week hiatus. Ball State won two out of three games at Kentucky this weekend. The full top 50 can be found below. Thanks for stopping by! Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram to keep up with all of our content!

by Matt Sefcovic (@MattSefcovic) Georgia Tech and Louisville provided plenty of fireworks in a matchup of two top 10 ACC foes in Atlanta over the weekend in a series that saw 66 runs. In the end, the Louisville pitching staff couldn’t stop the red hot Yellow Jackets offense that has made their appearance known in the ACC after sweeping NC State on the road last weekend. With the series win against the Cardinals, Georgia Tech has now won 12 consecutive ACC series. On Friday afternoon, the Louisville pitching staff was able to hold the Yellow Jackets to just 6 runs on the way to a 13-6 victory, but Georgia Tech’s bats came alive in games two and three. Michael Kirian (2-0) led the way for the Cardinals on Friday in just his second start after transitioning from the closer role last season. Kiran allowed only one run, a solo home run to Drew Compton, who led the day at the plate for the Jackets. The Cardinals tallied 11 hits and added 10 walks, led by Henry Davis and Trey Leonard, who both homered in the game. Georgia Tech put on a little pressure late in the game, scoring two runs in the 7th and three in the 8th, but Leonard’s 2 run home run in the 9th sealed it for the Cards. On Saturday, the Georgia Tech offense left no doubt on the way to a 19-6 victory over the Cardinals. The 19 runs were the most surrendered by Louisville since Dan McDonnell took over in 2007 and the most lopsided conference loss since joining the ACC. Five different Yellow Jackets recorded a multi-hit game, including home runs by Compton, for the second consecutive day, and Justyn-Henry Malloy, who added 3 RBI. Freshman phenom Kevin Parada followed up his ACC Player of the Week honors with a 4-4 day at the plate. Andy Archer (1-1) picked up his first win of the season, with 6 strong innings, allowing just 2 runs (one earned) with 5 strikeouts and no walks. The Cardinals made too many mistakes on the day with 4 errors which led to 7 unearned runs, not to mention the mental errors and baserunning mistakes that cost them a few runs. The Cardinals did have a few bright spots at the plate with 13 hits, led by Lucas Dunn and Alex Binelas, who seems like he may be turning things around after his slow start to the season. Going into the series, Binelas was batting .065, which has doubled to .130 after three games in Atlanta. After two high scoring affairs on Friday and Saturday, the rubber match was bound to provide plenty of sparks in the finale, and it delivered. Every time one team threw a punch, the other team countered, but Georgia Tech was just too much for Louisville, winning the game 13-9. The Cardinals actually outhit the Jackets, but timely hitting and the 3 unearned runs in the bottom of the 8th was the final straw for the Cards. Georgia Tech was once again led by Compton, who homered in each game of the series, and added 3 RBI. Six different Yellow Jackets recorded multi-hits in the game on their way to a 13 hit day and added 7 walks. Louisville was led by Dunn, once again, and Cooper Bowman, who each had four hits apiece. Bowman ledoff the game with a homerun to right-center field. Luke Smith (2-1) struggled finding the zone on Sunday after just 2.1 innings of work, allowing 4 runs on 5 hits, while walking 4 batters. It is going to be a long ACC season with 36 games this year, but Georgia Tech is the early favorite after sweeping a top 25 NC State team on the road and taking the series against Louisville. I would not want to be a pitching staff and looking across the field to see Danny Hall’s group in the dugout right now. On the flip side, Louisville has a lot of questions to be answered. Who is going to step up in the bullpen? Who will the starters be going forward? The staff was without Glenn Albanese, their Friday night starter, but they will need a few more arms in order to compete against this gauntlet of an ACC schedule. Thanks for stopping by! Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram to keep up with all of our content!

Editor’s note: College Baseball Nation is joined by guest writer, Owen Surett. Owen Surett is a college student who resides in North Carolina. Owen covers College Baseball for his media outlet, College Baseball USA (@ColBaseUSA on Twitter), which was founded in Fall of 2019. He is passionate about various aspects of the game, including analytics, player development, and player evaluation. Below are scouting reports for two 2021 MLB Draft prospects, both of whom are college pitchers. Evaluations are both from in-person looks on March 5th, 2021. UConn RHP Ben Casparius was seen facing Miami (OH) and Cincinnati LHP Evan Shawver faced UNC Wilmington. RHP Ben Casparius, Connecticut, 6’0” 208 lbs HS: Staples (CT) Background: Casparius spent his freshman year as a two-way player at UNC, having success on both sides of the ball. He transferred to UConn the next year, having to sit out the 2020 season due to eligibility rules. UConn seems to have turned him into exclusively a starting pitcher. Scouting: Casparius has advanced pitchability, especially for a player that just recently started focusing exclusively on pitching. He has great feel for his sharp-breaking slider that misses plenty of bats. He also has a serviceable changeup that he will look to continue improving. Casparius may have success in college with his fastball, generating swings and misses at 90-92 mph and 2300 RPM (approximately ML average), but maintaining these results with his heater as he heads up the ladder will be a more difficult task. FB 45/45 CH 40/50 SL 50/55 CMD 45/55 Summary: Casparius has a starter profile and that is what is going to carry his draft stock for the most part. He has athleticism and command, along with a go-to out pitch. That usually works. Can his fastball avoid enough barrels? That remains to be seen. If it can, he has a chance to be a back-end of the rotation major league starter. If it can’t he won’t be a major league starter. It is also worth noting that Casparius will be almost 22.5 years old when the draft comes around, so teams may favor younger pitchers if viewed as comparable talent-wise. Projection: 4th-5th round, Up-And-Down guy with a chance for #5 SP LHP Evan Shawver, Cincinnati, 6’0” 175 lbs HS: Amherst Steele (OH) Background: A two-sport athlete in high school, Shawver played football as well for Amherst Steele. He struggled statistically in his freshman year on the mound, before dramatically turning it around in the shortened 2020 campaign, carrying his 1.59 ERA and 35 strikeouts in 22.2 innings into his draft year. Scouting: Shawver is a great athlete with two potential above average pitches in his fastball, which sits 91-93 touching 94, and a breaking ball at 82-84, that he calls a curveball, but certainly has some slider traits in its spin profile. Shawver has a gifted arm and can also locate his arsenal with regularity. What he doesn’t have is an established third pitch. It will be interesting to watch the future development of his changeup. FB 50/55 CB 45/55 CH 35/45 CMD 40/50 Summary: One of the most talented college left-handers in this class, Shawver seems to have plenty of money coming his way. His range looks to be rounds 2-6. Where in that range will depend on if teams think he can start. He has a nasty FB/CB combo but he is going to need to develop that changeup to use against right-handed hitters if he wants to start, and he looks to have the athleticism to potentially do that. Projection: 3rd round, #4-5 SP Thanks for stopping by! Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram to keep up with all of our content!

Editor’s note: College Baseball Nation is joined by guest writer, Owen Surett. Owen Surett is a college student who resides in North Carolina. Owen covers College Baseball for his media outlet, College Baseball USA (@ColBaseUSA on Twitter), which was founded in Fall of 2019. He is passionate about various aspects of the game, including analytics, player development, and player evaluation. Mike Gambino’s Boston College squad is loaded with draft prospects in 2021. It remains to be seen whether or not Boston College can translate this into success in the ACC, always one of college baseball’s strongest conferences, but the Eagles started the year off strong. This past weekend Boston College headed down to Mount Pleasant, South Carolina for a series at Charleston Southern where they handily swept the Buccaneers with scores 12-4, 12-1, and 10-2. Below is a brief rundown on the three high-profile 2021 MLB Draft prospects on Boston College’s roster. Boston College 3B Cody Morissette L/R HS: Exeter, NH Listed at 6’0” 175, Morissette has a lean, but muscular upper body with wiry legs. He has gifted hands and hips that aid in generating torque from the left side. Morissette’s calling card is his bat. He’s a hitter, plain and simple, and that was apparent after the first two swings he took in BP. He generates thunderous bat speed from a swing path that can achieve power, which should also be a prominent part of his game. You can see Cody’s offensive skills stand out in a single video below. With a plus hit tool and average to above average power, being a fringe average defender at third base, or even second base, shouldn’t make any teams complain. Boston College RHP Mason Pelio 6’3” 230 lbs HS: Rancho Bernardo, CA Pelio is an above average athlete with a plus fastball that regularly gets hitters swinging under it. He sat 94-96 early on and ticked down to 92-94 later on in his start, and the pitch plays up due to late life. The secondary pitch he relied most heavily on was his changeup, which he has good feel for and consistently generates horizontal fade. What stood out was his ability to mimic his fastball’s arm speed in order to sell the pitch. He flashed a vertical breaking curveball that he knows how to spin, but didn’t need to throw it too much in this game. Pelio is more of a strike-thrower than a command guy, and this is where he has room for improvement. If he can improve his consistency in hitting targets, and limit the amount of times he leaves balls over the middle of the plate, Pelio can reach his potential as a number three starter. Grades (Present/Future) FB 55/60 CH 45/55 CB 45/50 CMD 40/50 Boston College CF Sal Frelick L/R HS: Lexington, MA Frelick has an advanced feel for the bat head, with his plus bat speed giving him the potential to achieve average power to go along with an above average hit tool. He possesses the under-appreciated skill of being able to foul off any pitch, at any location, in any count. It is also what stands out when you watch Rays SS Wander Franco. Frelick doesn’t have the most refined plate discipline, but this hand-eye coordination can lessen the harm that a so-so approach has on a hitter’s success. These bat-to-ball skills also make him a better candidate for a swing change because players like Frelick can more easily adjust to a steeper approach angle, if that is what his future pro organization decides to do with him. His best tool is his 70 grade speed. Frelick is an elite athlete, posting home to first times around the 4-second mark from the left side. He didn’t get much action out in centerfield in this doubleheader but he certainly has the straight-line speed to handle centerfield. It will come down to the refinement of his jumps, reads, and paths to the ball that will ultimately decide his positional fate. With an above average hit tool, average power, and elite speed, Frelick looks to be a future solid regular at the big league level. Morrissette, Pelio, and Frelick all look like mid-first round profiles. It will be fascinating to see how this season plays out for the Eagles. They will face Duke this weekend in Durham, to open up ACC play. Thanks for stopping by! Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram to keep up with all of our content!

On Friday afternoon, Oral Roberts (3-6) defeated #5 LSU (8-2) by a score of 22-7 to open the two teams' three-game series. LSU's starting pitcher Jaden Hill (2-1), a Preseason All-American, was driven out after recording just one out and giving up five runs. Three more runs would be added to Hill's final line for an eight-run first inning for Oral Roberts. LSU would respond with seven unanswered runs to bring the game back within a single run, but an impressive seven-inning relief appearance by Evan Kowalski of Oral Roberts settled the game back down. Kowalski (1-0) allowed just three base runners and struck out five en route to a win. The Golden Eagles scored 14 unanswered runs of their own, including 11 runs in the fourth inning. Eight Golden Eagles hitters notched at least one RBI and seven hitters had a multi-hit game. The offense was led by RF Caleb Denny who had three hits and six runs batted in. 3B Ryan Cash reached base five times with three hits and two walks to go with his four RBI. With the win, Oral Roberts ended LSU's seven-game winning streak. This also marked the first time Oral Roberts has ever defeated LSU (1-3 all time). The Tigers and Golden Eagles next play on Saturday at 3PM CT. Thanks for stopping by! Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram to keep up with all of our content!

The importance of the upcoming three-game weekend series between Houston and Texas goes without saying. Both teams enter with high expectations for this matchup set for March 5-7, fully aware of what a series victory would mean. Besides the fact that beating an in-state opponent always excites fans, winning a series such as this one would improve either team’s NCAA Tournament resume. Houston could especially benefit as their strength of schedule is currently ranked 159 in the country. Texas enters the matchup coming off a momentum-boosting four-game series at home against BYU, which saw the Horns go 3-1. Following the State Farm College Baseball Showdown, many were beginning to wonder when Texas’ bats would come alive after striking out 46 times over the first three games of the season. The Longhorns answered those queries, outscoring the Cougars 30-12 over four games. The bats stayed hot in a 12-1 midweek win over Texas A&M Corpus Christi as well as in a 10-3 rout of Texas State the following day. Houston has looked just as strong, if not stronger at the plate facing mid-major pitching, scoring 10-plus runs in a single game four times already. The Cougars opened the 2021 campaign with a three-game sweep over Texas Southern before battling the Islanders of Texas A&M CC for the next four contests, coming up victorious in three of those. Houston also fell to Lamar 2-0 in a midweek contest, and enters the weekend on a two-game losing skid. A midweek duel with Texas A&M and series at Texas State and Oklahoma follow, but this three-game set at home against Texas, ranked No. 27 in College Baseball Nation’s Week 2 rankings, is a prime opportunity to truly test Houston’s talent. That talent is evident both on the mound and at the plate, as the Cougars boast a hard-hitting lineup from top to bottom. First baseman Ryan Hernandez, who has been hitting in the cleanup spot, went 6-for-8 in the opening doubleheader against Texas Southern, and just in front of him, right fielder Steven Rivas has been a nightmare for opposing pitching staffs, having swatted six home runs in addition to a batting average of .452. Even Houston’s No. 8 hitter, freshman third baseman Will Pendergrass, has shown signs of power, hitting two home runs and tallying three RBI in a 14-1 win over Texas A&M CC on February 27. The Longhorns have a solid offense, though they do not possess Houston’s power-hitting ability. Instead, Texas has found ways to draw walks, and make contact, allowing runners to score on long fly balls, fielder’s choices and hard-hit ground balls. Right fielder Douglas Hodo III leads the team with an average of .421 and an on-base percentage of .536. Third baseman Cam Williams has been Texas’ power hitter, with a team-high nine RBI and three homers through eight games, though center fielder Mike Antico has made a case for himself, as he enters the matchup with at least one hit in six of the last seven games. Antico, who transferred from St. John’s, does not swing for the fences often, but is a consistent leadoff hitter who finds a way to reach base. Neither team will be able to pitch around these lineups, considering their strength from top to bottom. Texas’ Ty Madden, a preseason all-American, will get the ball Friday night after carrying a no-hitter through seven innings against BYU. On the other side, power left-hander Robert Gasser will start for Houston. Gasser mixes his speeds well, with a high fastball and some excellent off-speed pitches, notably a solid changeup, as well. Saturday’s matchup should pit Houston’s Ben Sears, who is 1-0 on the season with an ERA of 3.00, against Texas’ Pete Hansen. Hansen did not start on the opening weekend, but did start in game one of the BYU series and against Texas State, as he was still trying to get settled after missing a couple of weeks of preseason practice. (UPDATE: Texas Head Coach David Price told the media on Thursday that Hansen will not be available this weekend.) Texas head coach David Pierce confirmed that Kolby Kubichek will start on Sunday, though there are still question marks as to who Houston will send to the mound. In a 4-3 win last Sunday, sophomore right-handed Blake Schultz tossed four scoreless innings, and is in-line to start the series finale, though it is not uncommon for coaching staffs to mix things up early in the season. Riley’s Prediction: The one thing I feel certain about heading into this series is the fact that neither team will notch a series sweep. As evenly matched as these two squads are, I have a feeling we will see close contests that do end up on the higher end of things scoring-wise. After that, it is hard to predict one team over the other, considering the fact that other than Texas’ three games to start the season, both have played schedules composed of mid-majors and have not faced high-caliber pitching. But if I was forced to make a prediction, I would have to go with Houston pulling out a win in the late innings of game three, thanks to the home field advantage and multiple home runs. Thanks for stopping by! Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram to keep up with all of our content!

by Matt Sefcovic (@MattSefcovic) After a sweep at NC State, who was previously ranked #20, Georgia Tech (6-1, 3-0 ACC) returns home to Atlanta to host Louisville (6-2) for an ACC showdown. In just a few short weeks, the Yellow Jackets have jumped all the way to #7 in the polls and certainly looked the part against the Wolfpack in Raleigh over the weekend. This will be their second consecutive top 20 matchup, as Louisville comes into the series ranked #3 but has yet to play an ACC game. Glenn Albanese, who was announced as the Friday night starter for the Cards, missed his last start and his status is still uncertain for this weekend against Georgia Tech. Adam Elliott, a second-year senior, made his first career start on opening weekend after 67 career appearances from the bullpen. Fast forward to the second weekend and Elliott made an appearance out of the bullpen, rather than being used in a starter role. Michael Kirian, the Cardinals closer for the past few seasons, started a game this weekend, but was used in relief situations in the first few games. All this to be said, the Cardinals weekend rotation is still very much in the air after two weeks of play. Even though the rotation has not been set, the Cardinals pitching staff has been dominant in its first eight games, although it has not been up to the level of competition they will be facing this weekend. The Louisville staff currently has an ERA of 2.38 and has 95 strikeouts over a 72-inning span, led by Elliott and Kirian who have combined for 13 innings without surrendering a run. Luke Smith, the Cardinals lone weekend returning starter, currently sits at 2-0 after tossing 9 innings in his first two starts with a 2.00 ERA. At the plate, the Cardinals are led by Cameron Masterman and Henry Davis, a preseason All-American. Masterman has been on a tear, batting .478 with 3 home runs and 7 RBI. Davis has added 2 home runs with 10 RBI with a .407 average through 8 games. The biggest surprise has been preseason All-American Alex Binelas, who has struggled settling in this year after a breakout 2019 season. Binelas currently has a .065 average with just 2 hits on the season. Louisville is going to need his numbers to improve in order to make another run towards an ACC championship. The Yellow Jackets have been led by Brant Hunter and Sam Crawford, two of their weekend starters that both have a sub-one ERA after two starts. The pitching staff has looked impressive this year, allowing just 24 earned runs in 63 innings of work with a .201 opponents batting average. One area the Yellow Jackets need to clean up is their defense. They currently rank 193rd in the country in fielding percentage, already with 12 errors on the season. Coach Danny Hall, entering his 28th season at Georgia Tech, knows this is something that will need to be corrected if the Yellow Jackets are going to make a run this season. During the offseason, Zeke Pinkham joined Coach Hall’s staff as a volunteer assistant after a successful career behind the plate for Louisville, which could come into play this weekend as Pinkham had the opportunity to catch many of the Cardinals pitchers during his career and is very familiar with the Louisville program. College Baseball Nation Freshman All-American Kevin Parada, who was just named ACC Player of the Week for his performance against NC State, is leading the way for the Yellow Jackets, batting .524 during his first 7 collegiate games. Parada, Drew Compton, and Luke Waddell are each above the .300 line and have two home runs apiece, on a team that has a .302 average. Opponents have only attempted seven stolen bases against Georgia Tech this season, which is sure to change as Louisville is 25 for 29 in stolen bases in just seven games. Parada will be tested this weekend behind the plate against an ultra-aggressive Dan McDonnell team that will put a lot of pressure on him. Matt's Prediction: Louisville lost a midweek game to Morehead State on Tuesday, who was 1-5 entering the game, by a score of 5-2 after stranding 19 runners. Not the tuneup game Coach McDonnell wanted to see heading into a hot Georgia Tech team. I think Louisville will have the better team at the end of the season, but they have not been tested to date, whereas Georgia Tech already has a sweep against a Top 25 team. The Cardinals rotation still has a little bit of uncertainty, so I give the edge to the Yellow Jackets this weekend in Atlanta. Thanks for stopping by! Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram to keep up with all of our content!