2019 NCAA Super Regional Preview: Lubbock

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Texas Tech

Coach: Tim Tadlock

Postseason History: Fourth super regional appearance (second consecutive). Seeking fourth trip to Omaha and second straight.

Postseason Route: No. 1 seed in Lubbock Regional. Went 3-0, defeating Dallas Baptist, 3-0, in regional final.

Scouting Report (anonymous coach breaks down the Red Raiders):

“Seems like every time you look up, Josh Jung’s either on deck or he’s hitting. It’s like, ‘Didn’t he just hit like 20 minutes ago?’ It always seems like that guy’s up. I think what they’ve done a really good job of is 1 through 5 they’re really good. I mean really good. You’re looking at Gabe Holt, Dylan Neuse, Brian Klein, Jung and Cameron Warren and those guys are really good. I think the separator is that bottom of the lineup. If they start getting hot too there’s no leak in it, it’s just a machine. It’s just tough to pitch to them because each guy’s so different. You’ve got the speed at the top; you’ve got the bop in the middle and you’ve got good players at the bottom. When they get rolling 1 through 9, obviously it’s tough to keep those guys at bay for very long.

“You hope (Jung) blinks, or a bug gets in his eye or something. He’s the type of guy that it’s just so hard because you don’t know what pitch to throw. You try to go in and he turns on it. you go off the plate away and he takes his hit in the four-hole. You try to throw a breaking ball and it always seems like he takes it when its down and if you hang it, he’s hitting it. He went where he went in the draft for a reason. That dude is tough to pitch to. He’s just as likely to hit a ball down the first base line as he is to hit a ball 450 feet to left center. I think he studies the game; I think he understands who he is, I think he’s prepared always. You can’t fall into patterns especially with him. Honestly, the times it seems like he gets out, it’s like he just missed a pitch. I’ve never really seen him have a bad at bat. All his at bats are competitive.

“Micah Dallas was starting on Fridays, Caleb Killian on Saturdays and Bryce Bonnin on Sundays. Killian’s kind of that bridge guy. Dallas is on and then (Killian) is kind of that older presence for the second game. If they do lose the first, they feel pretty good about getting to that third game even. I thought Bonnin has gotten better with his command because we all know it’s a big-time arm. When you get to that bullpen, Floyd is as tough a pitcher as you’re going to face in college baseball. From that angle he’s got the slider, he’s got the moving fastball, he’s got moxie. It’s a typical Red Raider team. They’ve got a bunch of power arms and power breaking balls. If those guys can be in the zone for the majority of the time, it’s going to be a long day.

“Depending on which way that wind’s blowing, it could be a little bit of a barn burner this weekend. There’s some physicality in those lineups and when you’ve got guys throwing hard, it can get out of there in a hurry. Those fans are right on top of you and they’ll be screaming and hollering. It’ll be a really good atmosphere. It’s got a chance to be a series that produces some fireworks just because of how physical both those lineups are and how good they are. On a hot summer day in Lubbock, depending on which way that wind’s blowing, it could be fun.”

Position	Name, Year	AVG	OBP	SLG	AB	HR	RBI
C	Braxton Fulford, So.	0.280	0.377	0.387	168	3	31
1B	Cameron Warren, Sr.	0.367	0.458	0.693	218	17	75
2B	Brian Klein, Jr.	0.317	0.413	0.426	230	1	51
3B	Easton Murrell, So.	0.214	0.421	0.286	28	0	1
SS	Josh Jung, Jr.	0.340	0.478	0.608	212	11	53
LF	Kurt Wilson, So.	0.238	0.329	0.397	63	3	13
CF	Dylan Neuse, So.	0.298	0.414	0.516	215	8	48
RF	Gabe Holt, So.	0.324	0.417	0.445	247	3	34
DH	Cody Masters, So.	0.298	0.378	0.452	124	4	26
Position	Name, Year	W	L	ERA	IP	BB	SO	SV
RHP	Micah Dallas, Fr.	6	0	3.36	67	25	73	0
RHP	Caleb Kilian, Jr.	8	3	3.89	83.1	18	72	0
RHP	Bryce Bonnin, So.	6	1	4.28	54.2	38	52	0
RP	Clayton Beeter, R-Fr.	0	2	2.79	19.1	18	38	8
RP	Taylor Ford, Jr.	5	3	2.86	50.1	20	78	3

Oklahoma State

Coach: Josh Holliday

Postseason History: Fifth super regional appearance (first since 2016). Seeking 21st trip to Omaha and first since 2016.

Postseason Route: No. 1 seed in Oklahoma State Regional. Went 3-1, defeating Connecticut, 3-1, in regional final.

Scouting Report (anonymous coach breaks down the Cowboys)

“I’m not sure you’d find a more physical lineup in the country. You’re talking Colin Simpson to Trevor Boone to Carson McCusker. McCusker is 6-foot-8 and he’s probably got their least amount of home runs. They’re physical, they have a really good approach at the plate. They’re the type that they look for pitches and if they get the right one it goes a long way. They’ve got a lot of swing and miss, too. They strike out a ton. But how many guys are double-digit home runs?  I think it’s the physical nature of their lineup. You make one mistake and the ball’s going a hell of a long way. The shortstop, Andrew Navigato, has got some raw power even though he’s not a big guy. Outside of Hueston Morrill, the second baseman, they’ve all got power. It’s really tough. You’ve got to be extra fine with their offense. They’ll steal bags when they need to. It’s dangerous because in one swing of the bat the ball can get out of the ballpark.

“Jensen Elliott changes his plans. So, one week he would do one thing and the next week he’d do something totally different. I think they’ve done a good job of formulating a game plan. His stuff won’t wow you. But he’s a little bit older, a little bit more mature, he’s got some good pitchability. I think they do a really good job of not allowing you to form a good game plan against him. Just when you think this is what he’s going to do he does something totally opposite and you look up and you’re three, four, five innings into it before you can make an adjustment. And then with that offense putting the runs on the board like they are, you give that guy a lead and he gets into a pretty good groove. I think that’s what makes him good, it’s really hard to game plan for him because he mixes up what it is that he does.

“They’ve got maybe one guy you’d say has a big-time arm. Logan Gragg has a big-time arm. Everybody else is almost the same. They’re 88-89 mph up to 93 with power breaking balls. They’re going to stick to what their strengths are. At times that’s what can get them into trouble is when you face a really good offensive club because they are so similar with the guys that they have in the bullpen – it’s pretty righthanded dominant out of the bullpen in terms of the guys they actually use. Pitching coach Rob Walton always does a good job on calling pitches and seems like the type of guy you know how he likes to pitch and it’s still hard to hit off of him. The command is ok, but all those guys have pretty good, hard breaking balls. You’ve got some guys that are older, too. They’ve been around the block. I think they’ve done a good job with what they’ve been doing.

“There’s a cohesiveness to their lineup, to their staff because you’ve got a bunch of guys that have been around there quite a few years. I think they feed off each other. It’s so tough. You think you’ve got them against the ropes and then with two swings of the bat, they’re either back in the ballgame or they’ve extended their lead a little bit. I think they feed off each other, I think they know what their strengths and what their weaknesses are. I think they understand that with their offense and the way it’s constructed, it’s not a real high average, it’s high strikeout, but, like I said, they’re three at bats away from either separating the game or being right back in the game.

“Holiday has as much energy as anybody. He’s throwing BP before the game; he’s talking the whole time. I think you see that a lot with the teams that are in it now. You’re going to see some energy from the head guy. It’s very rare to get this late in the season and not have a head guy with some energy or some charisma, something like that.”

Position	Name, Year	AVG	OBP	SLG	AB	HR	RBI
C	Colin Simpson, Sr.	0.241	0.351	0.505	220	15	52
1B	Alix Garcia, Jr.	0.301	0.392	0.484	153	7	23
2B	Hueston Morrill, Fr.	0.274	0.382	0.365	208	1	17
3B	Christian Funk, Sr.	0.233	0.374	0.455	202	12	40
SS	Andrew Navigatio, Jr.	0.296	0.373	0.529	223	12	42
LF	Carson McCusker, Jr.	0.312	0.389	0.532	186	6	39
CF	Trevor Boone, Jr.	0.292	0.370	0.636	209	20	54
RF	Cade Cabbiness, Jr.	0.237	0.303	0.400	190	7	26
DH	Bryce Carter, Sr.	0.265	0.386	0.395	147	4	29
Position	Name, Year	W	L	ERA	IP	BB	SO	SV
RHP	Jensen Elliot, Jr.	10	3	3.33	94.2	33	60	0
RHP	Brett Standlee, R-Fr.	3	2	4.26	69.2	21	54	1
RHP	Joe Lienhard, Sr.	4	1	4.35	51.2	21	41	0
RP	Peyton Battenfield, Jr.	4	3	2.91	58.2	21	71	5
RP	Ben Leeper, Jr.	3	3	3.77	28.2	20	40	7