Four 2021 NCAA Baseball Regionals to Watch For Royals Fans
After being stolen by COVID-19 last season, the NCAA Baseball Tournament makes its triumphant return to play.
A showcase of baseball’s future stars with the intensity of a major tournament always delivers excitement for fans of the game. One of the more underrated parts of the tournament as a whole is the regional plays. Like 16 mini-tournaments narrowing the field, each regional provides fans with different players, teams and atmospheres to get excited about.
As we look ahead to the upcoming tournament, here is what I find to be the most “must-watch” thing from a few of the most intriguing regionals.
Fayetteville Regional: The Moore’s vs. Gordo’s program
The Arkansas Razorbacks were awarded the top overall seed in the country after a 46-10 regular season campaign. With five players on the roster from Kansas City and two everyday starters in the lineup, Royals fans may be best acquainted with infielder Robert Moore. Son of Royals general manager Dayton Moore, Robert has had a fantastic sophomore season batting .278 with 13 home runs on the year.
The two seed in the regional and the Big Ten champion, the Nebraska Cornhuskers, hold a special spot in the hearts of Royals fans. Alex Gordon’s alma mater and home state of the Omaha Storm Chasers, Nebraska is a key player in the Kansas City Kingdom. Though their supporters were none too happy with their placement in the field, this sets up a possible regional clash between the champions of the Big Ten and SEC. For us Royals fans, a potential clash between Moore and Gordon.
The other teams in the region are the three-seeded Northeastern Huskies and fourth-seeded New Jersey Institute of Technology Highlanders.
Oxford Regional: The most Electric Atmosphere in the Nation
The Ole Miss Rebels nabbed the No. 12 seed in the tournament, giving them the chance to host in Swayze Field in front of their ultra-passionate fan base. With fans missing from the stands for the better part of a year now, Ole Miss has opened to max capacity and there is no doubt that the place will be completely filled for Rebels baseball. Traditions like the beer shower and right field rush will be on full display, making it arguably the most electric atmosphere in all of college baseball.
As if that wasn’t enough, there are a slew of great players to watch in this tournament. Ole Miss designated hitter Tim Elko, playing with a torn ACL since April 5, has been a spark plug in the Rebels lineup. Elko is batting .331 and electrified the crowd with a two home run performance against Vanderbilt in the SEC Tournament. Florida State, the No. 3 seed, will showcase the power-hitting catcher Matheu Nelson. With 22 home runs on the season, Nelson slugs near .800 on the season. Needless to say, we are to expect fireworks and beer showers a plenty in Oxford.
The other teams in Oxford this weekend are the two-seeded Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles and four seeded Southeast Missouri State Redhawks.
Nashville Regional: Dynamite arms lead the defending champs
The Vanderbilt Commodores, the defending national champions from 2019, are back in a big way in 2021. Two pitchers expected to go top ten in the upcoming MLB Draft make them a huge favorite to advance to Omaha, yet again. right-handed pitcher Jack Leiter boasts an 8-3 record with a 2.28 ERA. While impressive, maybe the most amazing stat on Leiter is his 135 strike outs to 36 walks ratio, all while in just 83 innings pitched.
Not to be outdone, his teammate and right-handed pitcher Kumar Rocker has an 11-3 record with a 2.86 ERA and also has 135 strikeouts on the year. Rocker has also allowed just 31 walks in 91 innings pitched this season. Rocker electrified the 2019 tournament with a no-hitter against Duke in what was a must-win game for Vanderbilt. Both these prospects will be top 10 picks and both are likely on the Royals' radar...if they fall to pick No. 7 that is.
The Commodores will contend with the two-seeded Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and shortstop Luke Waddell. Waddell has a .410 OBP and has a knack for putting the ball in play, striking out only 16 times as opposed to his 29 walks on the year. The three-seeded Indiana State Sycamores and fourth-seeded Presbyterian Blue Hose will try their hand at upending the champions as well.
Lubbock Regional: Collegiate baseball titans clash in Texas
How about collegiate baseball powerhouses meeting up in the opening round of the tournament? The two seeded UCLA Bruins will take on the three seeded North Carolina Tar Heels this Friday evening. Between the two programs, there are 16 trips to Omaha, with North Carolina last going in 2018 and UCLA last going (and winning it all) in 2013.
While not a particularly convincing year from the Tar Heels, who went just 27-25 during the regular season, their ace pitcher Austin Love fixes to be the best No. 1 option in the regional. Meanwhile, the Bruins boast a strong one-two punch between shortstop and projected first-round pick Matt McLain and first baseman J.T. Schwartz, who has a ridiculous .405 batting average and .528 on-base percentage.
That does not even include the regional host, Texas Tech Red Raiders and the Big 12 Player of the Year, Jace Jung. The younger brother of former Raiders star and current MLB top 50 ranked prospect Josh Jung, Jace Jung is batting .342 with 20 home runs on the season entering regional play. The Red Raiders have been to Omaha five of the past seven tournaments and have grown a reputation as one of college baseball’s premier programs. They will take on the fourth-seeded Army Black Knights in their first game of the regional.
