From @masonchoate
arkansas.rivals.com
FAYETTEVILLE — The No. 5 national seed Arkansas Razorbacks are set to host three teams that present very different challenges this weekend at Baum-Walker Stadium for the Fayetteville Regional in the NCAA Baseball Tournament.
Hosting their 11th regional in program history, the Diamond Hogs will welcome 2-seed Louisiana Tech, 3-seed Kansas State and 4-seed Southeast Missouri State. Arkansas will begin regional play Friday at 2 p.m. CT against SEMO on ESPN+.
HawgBeat has already published full in-depth previews of each team filled with metrics, comparisons, projected lineups, quotes, intel and much more. To inform fans even more, we've reached out to writers from within the Rivals network to help out.
Kansas State Rivals (EMAWOnline.com) publisher Kevin Fielder and Louisiana Tech Rivals (BleedTechBlue.com) publisher Ben Carlisle took some time to help us preview this weekend's action in Fayetteville:
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Fayetteville Regional Preview: Louisiana Tech
Fayetteville Regional Preview: Kansas State
Fayetteville Regional Preview: Southeast Missouri State
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Who are Louisiana Tech’s table setters offensively?
Dalton Davis, Cole McConnell, Ethan Bates, and Jorge Corona make the offense go for Bulldogs. All four guys have 15+ guys home runs with McConnell & Bates pushing for the single-season program record of 76 RBI that McConnell set in 2022.
McConnell is hitting over .400 with RISP and has had numerous big hits throughout his career. He's definitely the guy that opponents have circled in the Tech lineup.
Who is Louisiana Tech’s sparkplug-type guy that will get the team going when things aren't going well?
That's a good question. I'll say Mike Ballard and Adarius Myers. They have good numbers offensively, but they aren't going to jump out with Davis, McConnell, Bates, and Corona hitting ahead of them. Both Ballard and Myers have gotten a number of clutch hits throughout the year and help provide length to a really solid Bulldog lineup.
Who are the go-to guys on the pitching staff? Who could pitch more than once this weekend?
Sam Brodersen and Ethan Bates are the one of the top duos in the country in a relief role. Brodersen is 8-1 with 95 Ks in 54.2 IP, and Bates leads the nation with 17 saves. If the game is on the line, one of these two guys will certainly be in the game.
Players that could come in to pinch hit in a big opportunity?
To be honest, Tech doesn't use its bench a whole lot. One name I'll throw out is Logan McLeod. McLeod had started 160 straight games before an injury derailed his season on April 10th. He returned in a reserve role on May 12th but didn't make his first start until May 26th against Dallas Baptist. The senior was 2-5 in that game and gives Lane Burroughs an additional option offensively this weekend now that he's fully healthy.
What has led to Louisiana Tech winning in big games this year? What has led to the Bulldogs losing disappointing games?
Tech is 21-4 in games decided by 3 runs or less in 2024. A lot of that is due to the effectiveness of Brodersen and Bates on the mound late in games. Tech is 27-5 when Brodersen makes an appearance on the mound, and 31-4 when Bates makes an appearance.
When a game is tight in the 6th or 7th inning, Tech is going to its late inning duo to close things out. When they have dropped close games it's been one of those rare times when Brodersen or Bates have been ineffective. That's baseball though, they'll take their chances against anyone in the country with those two on the mound.
Official prediction?
I'll say Arkansas wins the regional, but I think the Bulldogs will give the Hogs all they can handle. I've said all year that Tech is the toughest team in the country — they just never go away against any opponent. It'll certainly be a fun weekend in Fayetteville. Looking forward to it.
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Who are Kansas State’s table setters offensively?
It all starts with Kansas State’s duo of Kaelen Culpepper and Brady Day, who have been their most consistent hitters this season. Day was selected in the 12th round of the MLB Draft last season but chose to return for another run with the Wildcats. The decision paid off for Day, who leads the team with a .332 average and 53 RBIs.
Day is always capable of providing a massive hit that can change the tides of the game. In Kansas State’s Big 12 Tournament win over West Virginia, Day had a crucial RBI double to kickstart an inning that helped the Wildcats take a 7-3 lead.
ALSO READ — Fayetteville Regional Preview: Kansas State
Culpepper is projected first-round pick in this year’s MLB Draft, largely because he has all the tools that MLB teams want. There isn’t a moment that’s too big for him, and he always seems due for a massive hit that can give Kansas State momentum. He really seemed to lock in during the Big 12 Tournament and had some of his best plate approaches at Globe Life Park.
The Wildcats feel good whenever Day or Culpepper are up to the plate in big moments. The pair are battle-tested and have proven that no moment is too big for them.
Who is Kansas State’s sparkplug-type guy that will get the team going when things aren't going well?
Brendan Jones is Kansas State’s lead-off hitter and one of their biggest spark plugs. With Jones, it’s less about his power or his big hits. Rather, he can get on base and help the Wildcats manufacture runs.
Anytime Jones finds his way onto the basepaths, he’s a threat to steal bases. He’s stolen a team-high 37 bases this season and has stolen multiple bases in a few games. Players have mentioned that when Jones gets on base, they feel confident they’ll have a situation to score runs, as he normally finds himself in scoring position. He’s certainly aggressive on the bases, but Kansas State wants to use that to its advantage.
David Bishop got going oat the end of the season and is riding a six-game hit streak heading into the NCAA Tournament. With Kansas State’s offensive inconsistency, he could provide a few big moments and keep the Wildcats on track.
Who are the go-to guys on the pitching staff? Who could pitch more than once this weekend?
Pete Hughes mentioned that Owen Boerema and Jackson Wentworth would start the first two games of the regional, with the rest of the rotation to be determined after that.
Boerema posted a complete game against West Virginia, striking out 10 and allowing just four runs. Hughes and players have mentioned that his funky delivery makes it difficult for teams to hit off him, and he has great control of his pitches. He likely won’t pitch nine innings again, but they’re hoping he goes deep against Louisiana Tech to keep their bullpen healthy.
Wentworth has only started six games this season but had a strong showing against BYU in one of his recent starts, pitching eight innings, allowing just five hits, and striking out 11 batters. He only pitched 1.2 innings in his most recent start, so it’s unlikely he’ll go as deep as Boerema would, but those innings will be crucial to saving the arms of other pitchers.
Tyson Neighbors will likely pitch multiple games this weekend out of the bullpen, as he’s been Kansas State’s go-to guy. Neighbors has great velocity on his pitches and has reached the upper 90s on his fastball. With his great stuff, Neighbors produces a lot of swings and misses. There’s a good chance Neighbors pitches in the first two games of the regional.
Players that could come in to pinch hit in a big opportunity?
Kansas State doesn’t have much hitting depth, but infielder Danniel Rivera is their best pinch-hitter, should they need one.
Rivera drew the start in place of Chuck Ingram against TCU and hit a 2-RBI single in the sixth inning to cut into the deficit. While there was an unknown if Ingram would be good to go for the regional, it appears that he’ll draw his starting spot back, placing Rivera on the bench. Rivera has had moments where he’s come up with a big hit or produced at the plate, and he might be called upon in certain situations this weekend.
What has led to Kansas State winning in big games this year? What has led to the Wildcats losing disappointing games?
A lot of Kansas State’s success in big games has started with their pitching. When the Wildcats took the series against Oklahoma State earlier this season, they did it on the back of strong pitching performances from Owen Boerema, Jackson Wentworth, and Tyson Neighbors. The same goes for their win against West Virginia in the Big 12 Tournament.
However, there’s been a lack of consistency from their arms this year. Every time they have one good pitching performance, it feels like a disappointing performance looms over Kansas State. They might allow a few runs in the first game, but it feels like they’ll quickly allow double-digits in an important game.
The same can be said for their bats. Kansas State has ruined a few strong pitching performances with cold bats and vice versa. In general, they’ve left a few wins on the table, which might have helped them their feeling on Memorial Day. If Kansas State can put together some consistency, they have the talent to make this regional interesting. However, it just hasn’t happened yet.
HawgBeat - Behind Enemy Lines: Scouting Arkansas' Fayetteville Regional Opponents
HawgBeat gains insight from opposing writers to learn more about Arkansas' opponents for the Fayetteville Regional.
arkansas.rivals.com
FAYETTEVILLE — The No. 5 national seed Arkansas Razorbacks are set to host three teams that present very different challenges this weekend at Baum-Walker Stadium for the Fayetteville Regional in the NCAA Baseball Tournament.
Hosting their 11th regional in program history, the Diamond Hogs will welcome 2-seed Louisiana Tech, 3-seed Kansas State and 4-seed Southeast Missouri State. Arkansas will begin regional play Friday at 2 p.m. CT against SEMO on ESPN+.
HawgBeat has already published full in-depth previews of each team filled with metrics, comparisons, projected lineups, quotes, intel and much more. To inform fans even more, we've reached out to writers from within the Rivals network to help out.
Kansas State Rivals (EMAWOnline.com) publisher Kevin Fielder and Louisiana Tech Rivals (BleedTechBlue.com) publisher Ben Carlisle took some time to help us preview this weekend's action in Fayetteville:
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Fayetteville Regional Preview: Louisiana Tech
Fayetteville Regional Preview: Kansas State
Fayetteville Regional Preview: Southeast Missouri State
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Louisiana Tech - BleedTechBlue Publisher Ben Carlisle
Who are Louisiana Tech’s table setters offensively?
Dalton Davis, Cole McConnell, Ethan Bates, and Jorge Corona make the offense go for Bulldogs. All four guys have 15+ guys home runs with McConnell & Bates pushing for the single-season program record of 76 RBI that McConnell set in 2022.
McConnell is hitting over .400 with RISP and has had numerous big hits throughout his career. He's definitely the guy that opponents have circled in the Tech lineup.
Who is Louisiana Tech’s sparkplug-type guy that will get the team going when things aren't going well?
That's a good question. I'll say Mike Ballard and Adarius Myers. They have good numbers offensively, but they aren't going to jump out with Davis, McConnell, Bates, and Corona hitting ahead of them. Both Ballard and Myers have gotten a number of clutch hits throughout the year and help provide length to a really solid Bulldog lineup.
Who are the go-to guys on the pitching staff? Who could pitch more than once this weekend?
Sam Brodersen and Ethan Bates are the one of the top duos in the country in a relief role. Brodersen is 8-1 with 95 Ks in 54.2 IP, and Bates leads the nation with 17 saves. If the game is on the line, one of these two guys will certainly be in the game.
Players that could come in to pinch hit in a big opportunity?
To be honest, Tech doesn't use its bench a whole lot. One name I'll throw out is Logan McLeod. McLeod had started 160 straight games before an injury derailed his season on April 10th. He returned in a reserve role on May 12th but didn't make his first start until May 26th against Dallas Baptist. The senior was 2-5 in that game and gives Lane Burroughs an additional option offensively this weekend now that he's fully healthy.
What has led to Louisiana Tech winning in big games this year? What has led to the Bulldogs losing disappointing games?
Tech is 21-4 in games decided by 3 runs or less in 2024. A lot of that is due to the effectiveness of Brodersen and Bates on the mound late in games. Tech is 27-5 when Brodersen makes an appearance on the mound, and 31-4 when Bates makes an appearance.
When a game is tight in the 6th or 7th inning, Tech is going to its late inning duo to close things out. When they have dropped close games it's been one of those rare times when Brodersen or Bates have been ineffective. That's baseball though, they'll take their chances against anyone in the country with those two on the mound.
Official prediction?
I'll say Arkansas wins the regional, but I think the Bulldogs will give the Hogs all they can handle. I've said all year that Tech is the toughest team in the country — they just never go away against any opponent. It'll certainly be a fun weekend in Fayetteville. Looking forward to it.
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Kansas State - EMAWOnline Publisher Kevin Fielder
Who are Kansas State’s table setters offensively?
It all starts with Kansas State’s duo of Kaelen Culpepper and Brady Day, who have been their most consistent hitters this season. Day was selected in the 12th round of the MLB Draft last season but chose to return for another run with the Wildcats. The decision paid off for Day, who leads the team with a .332 average and 53 RBIs.
Day is always capable of providing a massive hit that can change the tides of the game. In Kansas State’s Big 12 Tournament win over West Virginia, Day had a crucial RBI double to kickstart an inning that helped the Wildcats take a 7-3 lead.
ALSO READ — Fayetteville Regional Preview: Kansas State
Culpepper is projected first-round pick in this year’s MLB Draft, largely because he has all the tools that MLB teams want. There isn’t a moment that’s too big for him, and he always seems due for a massive hit that can give Kansas State momentum. He really seemed to lock in during the Big 12 Tournament and had some of his best plate approaches at Globe Life Park.
The Wildcats feel good whenever Day or Culpepper are up to the plate in big moments. The pair are battle-tested and have proven that no moment is too big for them.
Who is Kansas State’s sparkplug-type guy that will get the team going when things aren't going well?
Brendan Jones is Kansas State’s lead-off hitter and one of their biggest spark plugs. With Jones, it’s less about his power or his big hits. Rather, he can get on base and help the Wildcats manufacture runs.
Anytime Jones finds his way onto the basepaths, he’s a threat to steal bases. He’s stolen a team-high 37 bases this season and has stolen multiple bases in a few games. Players have mentioned that when Jones gets on base, they feel confident they’ll have a situation to score runs, as he normally finds himself in scoring position. He’s certainly aggressive on the bases, but Kansas State wants to use that to its advantage.
David Bishop got going oat the end of the season and is riding a six-game hit streak heading into the NCAA Tournament. With Kansas State’s offensive inconsistency, he could provide a few big moments and keep the Wildcats on track.
Who are the go-to guys on the pitching staff? Who could pitch more than once this weekend?
Pete Hughes mentioned that Owen Boerema and Jackson Wentworth would start the first two games of the regional, with the rest of the rotation to be determined after that.
Boerema posted a complete game against West Virginia, striking out 10 and allowing just four runs. Hughes and players have mentioned that his funky delivery makes it difficult for teams to hit off him, and he has great control of his pitches. He likely won’t pitch nine innings again, but they’re hoping he goes deep against Louisiana Tech to keep their bullpen healthy.
Wentworth has only started six games this season but had a strong showing against BYU in one of his recent starts, pitching eight innings, allowing just five hits, and striking out 11 batters. He only pitched 1.2 innings in his most recent start, so it’s unlikely he’ll go as deep as Boerema would, but those innings will be crucial to saving the arms of other pitchers.
Tyson Neighbors will likely pitch multiple games this weekend out of the bullpen, as he’s been Kansas State’s go-to guy. Neighbors has great velocity on his pitches and has reached the upper 90s on his fastball. With his great stuff, Neighbors produces a lot of swings and misses. There’s a good chance Neighbors pitches in the first two games of the regional.
Players that could come in to pinch hit in a big opportunity?
Kansas State doesn’t have much hitting depth, but infielder Danniel Rivera is their best pinch-hitter, should they need one.
Rivera drew the start in place of Chuck Ingram against TCU and hit a 2-RBI single in the sixth inning to cut into the deficit. While there was an unknown if Ingram would be good to go for the regional, it appears that he’ll draw his starting spot back, placing Rivera on the bench. Rivera has had moments where he’s come up with a big hit or produced at the plate, and he might be called upon in certain situations this weekend.
What has led to Kansas State winning in big games this year? What has led to the Wildcats losing disappointing games?
A lot of Kansas State’s success in big games has started with their pitching. When the Wildcats took the series against Oklahoma State earlier this season, they did it on the back of strong pitching performances from Owen Boerema, Jackson Wentworth, and Tyson Neighbors. The same goes for their win against West Virginia in the Big 12 Tournament.
However, there’s been a lack of consistency from their arms this year. Every time they have one good pitching performance, it feels like a disappointing performance looms over Kansas State. They might allow a few runs in the first game, but it feels like they’ll quickly allow double-digits in an important game.
The same can be said for their bats. Kansas State has ruined a few strong pitching performances with cold bats and vice versa. In general, they’ve left a few wins on the table, which might have helped them their feeling on Memorial Day. If Kansas State can put together some consistency, they have the talent to make this regional interesting. However, it just hasn’t happened yet.
