Weekend Preview: Frisco Attracts Omaha-Level Competition

In designing the brand-new Frisco College Baseball Classic at Dr. Pepper Ballpark in Frisco, Texas, tournament organizers honed in on the concept of “best outside of Omaha.” They wanted to create an event that featured Omaha-caliber schools and Omaha-caliber hospitality and atmosphere for fans.

When they announced the inaugural field of four teams a year ago, they couldn’t have known just how close to Omaha they’d get. Two of the four teams—Arizona and Oklahoma State—advanced to the College World Series, with the Wildcats a win away from winning the national title.

TOP 25 SERIES

Oakland at (2) Florida State

Columbia at (3) Florida

(5) South Carolina at/vs. (15) Clemson

Eastern Michigan at (6) Louisville

(7) Cal State Fullerton at Houston

UC Davis at (8) Oregon State

Sacramento State at (11) Washington

Long Beach State at (13) North Carolina

Cal State Northridge at (14) Vanderbilt

Southern Mississippi at (16) Louisiana-Lafayette

Belmont at (17) Georgia Tech

Texas at (22) Stanford

(23) UC Santa Barbara at Kentucky

TOP 25 TOURNAMENTS

Shriners Hospitals for Children College Classic, Houston

(1) Texas Christian, (4) Louisiana State, (20) Mississippi, (21) Texas Tech, (25) Texas A&M, Baylor

Keith LeClair Classic, Greenville, N.C.

(9) East Carolina, Appalachian State, St. John’s, Western Carolina

USA Baseball-Irish Classic,
Cary, N.C., and Raleigh, N.C.

(10) North Carolina State, Dayton, Maryland, Massachusetts-Lowell, Monmouth, Notre Dame, Rhode Island, William & Mary

Virginia Tournament, Charlottesville, Va.

(12) Virginia, La Salle, Niagara

Tidelands Health Classic, Conway, S.C.

(18) Coastal Carolina, Albany, San Francisco, Winthrop

Frisco (Texas) College Baseball Classic

(19) Arizona, (24) Oklahoma State, Arkansas, Nebraska

Those teams will have a rematch this weekend, joined by Arkansas—an Omaha team in 2015—and Nebraska.

“I’ve talked to all of these coaches, and every single one of them is excited because this is going to be their first test, their first true test,” said Ryan Holloway, president of the Frisco Classic. “This is playing some World Series-caliber teams.”

The tournament, which is divided into three doubleheaders at the home of the Frisco RoughRiders, will kick off Friday with a battle between the Razorbacks and Wildcats, followed by the Cowboys and Cornhuskers.

Both No. 19 Arizona and Arkansas come in searing hot, with the Wildcats off to an 8-0 start and the Razorbacks 7-1. But neither team has faced quite this level of competition yet.

“Our guys are excited,” Arizona head coach Jay Johnson said. “For us, it’s the first time we’re on the road. And growing up, they’d watch on TV across all sports, programs like Arkansas and Oklahoma State, Nebraska and you can certainly through Arizona into that name-brand type school. So I think they’re excited to get out and compete and we know we have a stiff challenge this weekend.”

Though the Wildcats lost several key veterans from last year’s team, they’ve been paced offensively by precocious freshman third baseman Nick Quintana, who is hitting .500/.590/.700 through eight games. Juniors Jared Oliva and J.J. Matijevic, both of whom have significant tools but haven’t consistently played up to them, are off to sizzling starts, as well. Coming off of 16 scoreless innings in the College World Series last June, ace lefthander J.C. Cloney has yet to allow an earned run through 14.1 innings this season.

Arkansas, meanwhile, is led at the plate by Grant Koch (.389/.405/.806, three home runs) and on the mound by ace righthander Blaine Knight (1-0, 3.00). The Razorbacks are looking to return to NCAA tournament play after missing the cut a year ago.

The remaining teams in the tournament, No. 24 Oklahoma State and Nebraska, have battled some early inconsistency. The Cornhuskers are 2-4, but they’ve had a stiff early season slate, playing No. 8 Oregon State and reigning Pac-12 champion Utah in the tournament in Surprise, Ariz., last weekend.

The Cowboys (4-4) are coming off a midweek loss to Saint Louis and are still trying to piece together a young position-player group. However, returner Garrett Benge (.424/.487/.636, one homer) and junior college transfer Travis Wacker (.381/.519/.619, one homer) have been consistent offensive forces in the early going. On the mound, which is where Oklahoma State is strongest, both ace Tyler Buffett (1-1, 10.00) and Jensen Elliott (1-0, 6.10) have had some early season hiccups but possess top-of-the-rotation stuff. Senior closer Trey Cobb hasn’t pitched due to elbow soreness, and his status likely won’t be known for a month, so the Cowboys have had to use their bullpen creatively.

“We’re starting to find our way as a team,” Oklahoma State head coach Josh Holliday said. “(We’re) working out the early season kinks that sometimes take some time to get through, whether it’s comfort in the box, comfort on the mound, the right mix in the lineup or the right roles on the field.

“And we’re in that discovery process. I think some teams come into certain seasons and the discovery process is a lesser one due to experience or number of returners in key spots. I feel like we’re still learning about our kids. With so many first-year guys jumping in the fold, I think it’s a good thing.”

The competition at the Frisco Classic could be one way to expedite that discovery process—for all four teams. The event, which will raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, should provide similar competition yearly, maintaining the mix of Big 12, Pac-12, Big Ten and Southeastern Conference teams. Texas A&M, Baylor and California are already confirmed for next year’s tournament.

“Some great conferences, great coaches, great players,” Holliday said. “The recent success of Arizona’s team getting to Omaha and Arkansas’ team the year before that in Omaha, and our team, and a deep postseason advancement of Nebraska into the NCAAs two of the last three years.

“You’ve got a lot of good baseball players. You’ve got some proud universities. You’ve got the chance to see Pac-12, Big 12, SEC and Big 10 baseball in the same setting. It’s a unique cross section of high-end college baseball.”

Palmetto State Rivalry

One of college baseball’s premier rivalries returns this weekend as No. 5 South Carolina takes on No. 15 Clemson. This year the series begins in Clemson before moving to Fluor Field in Greenville, S.C., on Saturday and finishing in Columbia. Clemson has won the series the last two years.

South Carolina (6-3) is led by its pitching staff, which enters the weekend with a 2.56 team ERA. The Gamecocks formidable rotation of righthanders Clarke Schmidt, Wil Crowe and Adam Hill are a combined 3-2, 0.99 with 43 strikeouts and nine walks in 36.1 innings. Clemson (6-2) brings its powerful offense, led by Preseason All-American first baseman Seth Beer (.269/.513/.538). While Beer is the Tigers’ most famous threat, outfielders Chase Pinder (.400/.471/.467) and Reed Rohlman (.375/.516/.458) are off to strong starts.

— Teddy Cahill

Maryland, Notre Dame Look To Get On Track

Maryland (1-5) and Notre Dame (1-6) have stumbled out of the gate this season but will have a chance to turn it around this weekend at the USA-Baseball Irish Classic at USA Baseball’s National Training Complex in Cary, N.C. The tournament also includes No. 10 North Carolina State, Dayton, Massachusetts-Lowell, Monmouth, Rhode Island and William & Mary.

Maryland and Notre Dame will open the tournament facing each other Friday. The Fighting Irish went 1-3 at the Alamo Irish Classic in San Antonio, Texas, on opening weekend, and are coming off a 0-3 showing at the Tony Gwynn Classic in San Diego. The Terrapins entered the season ranked No. 24, but went 1-2 in the Clearwater (Fla.) Tournament opening weekend and were swept at No. 4 Louisiana State last weekend.

It is still very early in the season, but for Notre Dame, this is the last weekend before it begins Atlantic Coast Conference play next week at No. 15 Clemson. Maryland, meanwhile, still has a few weeks before it opens Big Ten Conference play. This weekend’s tournament gives both teams a chance to build some needed momentum.

— Teddy Cahill

The Big West Comes East

Seven of the nine teams in the Big West Conference will be on the road this weekend, including five teams traveling two or three time zones to the east. Those teams will face strong competition. No. 7 Cal State Fullerton travels to Houston, No. 24 UC Santa Barbara heads to Kentucky, Cal State Northridge faces No. 14 Vanderbilt, Long Beach State takes on No. 13 North Carolina and Hawaii will go to Minnesota for the Dairy Queen Classic.

With so many teams taking on quality competition from outside the region, the Big West has a chance to build its reputation in the early going. The conference has sent a team to the College World Series in three straight seasons and has teams with the ability to extend that streak this summer. Series like the ones they are playing this weekend will help prepare the Big West teams for the NCAA tournament.

— Teddy Cahill

Off the Wall

Michigan is off to a 7-2 start this season and has a five-game winning streak on its California trip. The Wolverines will look to extend that streak this weekend at the Dodgertown Classic in Los Angeles. Michigan will visit UCLA and Southern California the first two days of the tournament. The event finishes with a doubleheader at Dodger Stadium, with Michigan taking on San Diego before UCLA and USC face in their crosstown rivalry.

Baseball America caught up with senior righthander Keith Lehmann, who threw a scoreless inning of relief Wednesday at Loyola Marymount, to talk about the Wolverines’ start to the season.

What have you learned about the team this season?

Keith Lehmann: I would say that the biggest thing that we’ve learned so far is that we have a team that’s resilient. And no matter what the score is in the game we know that we have a chance. The confidence that everyone has in the dugout, you can feel it. It’s different than it has been in years past. I think this team-confidence we have, even if we are down in late innings we know that we’re going to be able to come back and win the game. I think that there’s no sense of uneasiness in the dugout like there has been in the past. Everyone plays loose and when we have that loose atmosphere among the entire team as a whole that’s when we’re best. As long as we keep that up, I think we’re going to be in a great spot.

You get to play in an iconic park this weekend in Dodger Stadium. What’s been the best place you’ve gotten to play?

That’s a tough question because there’s been a lot. We’ve been in some good spots. I think I’d be lying if I told you it wasn’t Hawaii. It has to be Hawaii. That’s not a usual one. You don’t get to do that often, so I have to say that.
You guys spend a lot of time on the road. What has been your favorite place to travel to with Michigan?
Once again, it has to be Hawaii. Solely because we got to rent the body surfing boards, get out on the waves with the locals and that was just a great time. And you can’t beat the weather out there. It wasn’t like anything else. I think the team would agree with that too. I think a lot of people would say Hawaii was the best trip, at least the guys that have been here three or four years now, for sure.

What is your intro music and why did you pick it?

It’s the same song I’ve had since freshman year, ‘Let it whip’ by Dazz Band. It’s just a groovy tune and it gets the crowd going and that’s the purpose of the walkup song in my eyes. In my mind, you’ve got to get the crowd moving and a classic like that, the people are going to be into it.

What is your go-to Chipotle order?

It’s a burrito bowl for sure because you get more than trying to get the burrito. We’ll go brown rice in that, black beans, chicken and barbacoa—not just one meat, two. A lot of mild salsa, a lot of it—as much as they’re willing to put on it. Hot salsa, corn and guacamole on some days, depending on how I feel. And that usually completes it.

Who is the toughest hitter you’ve faced in your career?

I have to say Kyle Schwarber. I have to say that because not only am I a Cubs fan, that guy’s pretty good. He’s actually really good, so I have to say that. I was a freshman at this point, it was at their home field, at Indiana. I came into the game and I had to face was him. And it did not go well. I came out after that. That’s all I’ve got to say about that. I came right out of the game. (Note: Lehmann walked Schwarber.)

What are your goals for this season?

Coach (Erik) Bakich doesn’t like us talking about results, so I’ll just talk about results. Our goals are win a Big Ten championship, win the Big Ten tournament and then win a national championship. That’s it in a nutshell. I think I’d be lying if I didn’t say that. I think for everyone in college baseball that’s the ultimate goal.

— Teddy Cahill