It’s tournament time! For the 16th straight season, the regular season SEC champion has earned a National Seed, and as conference champs, the road to Omaha for LSU goes through Baton Rouge. The #2-seeded Fighting Tigers will host the UNC Wilmington Seahawks, the Tulane Green Wave, and the Lehigh Mountain Hawks in the regional round of the NCAA tournament. Two of these clubs are familiar faces for an Alex Box Stadium postseason. In 2003, both Tulane and UNC Wilmington were in Baton Rouge for the regional tournament, which LSU went on to win in 3 games and defeated UNCW 9-8 in 11 innings. That was the only meeting between these two programs. LSU and Tulane have met 309 times in their 122 year history with the Tigers leading the series 180-126-3. LSU and Lehigh will have their first ever contest on Friday afternoon.
Several games of the Baton Rouge Regional will be broadcast on the SEC Network or ESPNU, while others will only be streamed online via ESPN3 and watchESPN. Which games are on TV will be determined on a day-to-day basis by ESPN. However, I am lead to believe that all of the games in which LSU plays will be broadcast on the SEC Network.
Site: Baton Rouge, La.
Commentators: Mike Keith, Rusty Ensor
Networks: SEC Network or ESPNU and ESPN3
Regional Overview:
These regional teams feature a variety of attributes: strong pitching, strong hitting, strong defense, to go along with some weak pitching, weak hitting, and weak fielding. One thing that these 4 teams have most in common is speed. Of postseason players, 6 of the top 12 stolen base leaders in the country will be featured in Baton Rouge this weekend, three of whom are Tigers plus one from each of the other programs. Only 19 players in the nation have stolen 30+ bases this year, and 3 of them are in this regional. In addition, Tulane’s Jake Rogers is one of the best catchers in the country at keeping base runners at bay with LSU’s Kade Scivicque having a solid season in that category as well.
LSUsports.net Regional Page
D1 Baseball’s Regional Preview – coming soon
Baseball America’s Regional Preview
College Baseball Daily’s Regional Preview
UNC Wilmington
History: 6th regional app (last 2012)
Record: 39-16
Conference: 18-6, 2nd Colonial Athletic – won conference tournament
Non-Conf: 18-10
Home: 28-6
Away: 8-10
Neutral: 3-0
Team Overview:
Mark Scalf is the head coach of UNC Wilmington in his 24th year. Scalf has posted 17 straight winning seasons with the Seahawks and has made 6 NCAA regional appearances in the last 13 seasons. The 2015 Seahawks are built to outscore their opponents. Their .306 team batting average ranks 11th in the nation and 7.2 runs per game ranks 12th. On the flip side, pitching and defense has not been as strong and rank 143rd and 240th respectively. UNC Wilmington is 24-0 when leading after 6 innings and 34-0 with the lead after 8. The Seahawks are also 12-1 when going up against left-handed starting pitchers.
Starting pitching is nothing to write home about for Wilmington. Their 4 starters have a combined ERA of 5.22 and none individually is below a 4.40 ERA. Ryan Foster is a junior RHP who works around the zone and gets knocked around a good bit. When he is on, his fastball has pretty good sink. Foster has been roughed up in his last several outings and has allowed at least 4 runs in half of his outings. Even Phillips will be making his 14th start of the season for Wilmington and has a career 5.28 ERA. Phillips has been strong in his last 2 outings allowing 1 earned run over his last 13.1 innings of work. Nick Monroe started the season as the “Friday night” starter, but now is statistically the worst of the Seahawk starters in every pitching category, save for strikeouts, which he leads. Monroe has thrown 3 times as many pitches this year has in either of his previous two seasons in twice as many starts. Over his last 3 outings, Monroe has allowed 15 runs in 9.2 innings. He has a pretty decent slider that can get hitters to swing and miss.
Wilmington’s bullpen ERA is 3.78, and there is no doubt that Jordan Ramsey is their go-to guy. Ramsey leads the team in the major pitching statistics including wins, era, and WHIP. After 3 years as a starter, Ramsey found his niche as the Wilmington stopper. He has struck out 60 batters in 45 innings and recorded 7 saves in 27 appearances. The top southpaw arm is William Shepley, who allows just a .130 average against left-handed batters.
Offense is the backbone for this Seahawks team that has carried them to 39 wins on the year. They rank 11th in the nation in team batting average, 12th in scoring, 27th in on base percentage, and 30th in slugging. Eight of the 9 starting hitters have a .290 or higher average, and 6 of the 9 bat from the left side. The spark for this team is leadoff hitter Steven Linkous, who is 16th in the nation in runs scored per game. The lefty leadoff man is having a breakout junior season after hitting just .232 in his first two seasons. Power is balanced throughout the lineup with 5 guys who have hit at least 5 home runs. Terence Connelly ranks 11th in the nation in on-base percentage thanks to the ridiculous 40 walks that he has drawn this year.
On the bases, Steven Linkous is a major threat and ranks 15th in the country with 30 stolen bases. Zach Shields completes the 1-2 punch at the top of the lineup with 17 swiped bags in 19 attempts on the year.
Defense:
Defensively, UNC Wilmington is a disaster. Their middle infielders, McDowell and Thornburn have committed 50 errors. The team fielding % of .959 ranks 240th in the country. They have, however, turned a respectable 45 double plays on the year. On the bases, Seahawk catching has allowed 53 stolen bases in 75 attempts.
UNCW Season Stats
UNCW Roster
Schedule (via Warren Nolan)
Tulane Green Wave
History: 20th regional app (last 2008)
Record: 34-23
Conference: 13-11, 3rd American – at large selection
Non-Conf: 20-10
Home: 19-11
Away: 14-10
Neutral: 1-2
Team Overview:
David Pierce is the first-year head coach of Tulane following Rick Jones’s 20 year tenure in New Orleans. Pierce has lead the Green Wave to the NCAA postseason for the first time since 2008. This team is built around pitching and defense, although pitching depth has been a concern at times this season. Tulane is 3rd in the country with 9 shutouts, and has held their opponents to2 runs or less 21 times this year. About halfway through the season Tulane was 1st nationally in ERA, but has since fallen back a bit to a respectable 27th. The Green wave put up 7 runs in the first meeting with LSU, but was shutout on just 1 hit in the second contest. Tulane is 25-3 when leading after 6 and 4-19 when trailing after 6 innings.
The Tulane pitching staff is led by their 4 starting pitchers. They are without a true “ace”, but allhave been very good this season. Corey Merrill has led the staff on Friday nights all season with an AAC leading 2.04 ERA. He is typically high 80’s-low 90’s with the fastball with good movement and he also features a plus slider. Merrill has a change as well but is really good whenhe has a feel for his slider. Baton Rouge native Alex Massey has spent time in the bullpen, but has been the Saturday starter most of the season. He gets his fastball up in the low 90’s with a sharp slider and a change. Massey has pitched some of the most important games for the Wave this season and leads the team with 2 CG’s. When Massey has struggled it has been with command. He leads the team with 45 walks in 85.1 innings. The Wave has gone with righty Emerson Gibbs in the Sunday spot most of this season. Gibbs is a three pitch pitcher with a mid-80’s fastball, a spike curveball, and a change. Gibbs throws all of his pitches to both sides of the plate and the curveball is his out pitch. Gibbs is 5-3 with a 2.81 ERA on the season, and has walked only 19 in 77 innings. The most versatile pitcher on the staff has been righty Patrick Duester. He has been used as a starter, long reliever, and as a closer on the season. In a tournament format, he will more than likely be used as a starter. He features an upper 80’s-low 90’s fastball with good movement, a plus slider, and a good change that he uses a lot against left hander hitters. He is not afraid to go in with the fastball as he leads Tulane with 11 HBP.
The Tulane bullpen has had some issues when their starters have not gone deep into games. Theyare strong on the back end but have had issues getting there at times with middle relievers. Junior Tim Yandel will be used out of the pen especially in long relief roles. He began the season as a weekend starter and had over 20 scoreless innings to start the season. Since then he has struggled with command. He will get his fastball into the upper 80’s with a plus slider. Side winding righty Eric Steel will see the mound in relief as well. Steel is a true sidearm pitcher with a mid-80’s fastball and a slider. The Wave primarily use 2 leftys out of the pen in Jordan Gross and Sam Bjorngjeld. Dan Rankin is a righty that has pitched well lately despite his 5.00 ERA. He has been used most recently as the bridge to closer Ian Gibaut, when Duester is not available. Rankin has a high leg kick and throws a low-mid 90’s fastball and a breaking ball. Tulane’s best arm out of the pen is righty Ian Gibaut. Coach David Pierce does not use him strictly as a closer, but he will be used in the most important situations. He can go usually anywhere between 1-4 innings. He leads the team with 26 appearances and comes into the regional with a 2.98 ERA. He throws 92-93 consistently, but can get his fastball up to 96. The key for Gibaut is his slider.
The Tulane offense is led by So. SS Stephen Alemais. He will hit in the leadoff spot and leads the team in most offensive categories including BA, OBP, R, H, TB, and SB. Most of the power from the Wave offense comes from 5 guys. Lex Kaplan leads the team with 7 HR, Hunter Hope and Hunter Williams each have 4, and Garrett Deschamp and Tyler Wilson each have 3. Hope leads the team with 12 doubles and Kaplan is first on the team with a .415 SLG%. The Wave does not have much speed on offense, but the speed they do have comes from the top and bottomof the order with Alemais at the top and OF Richard Carthon in the 9 hole.
Defense:
Tulane’s infield has struggled at times, but Stephen Alemais will make an Alex Bregman-type play quite regularly. The Green Wave defense is best in the American Conference and 51st in the country at .973 fielding percentage. Behind the dish is a special player in Tulane’s Jake Rogers, a Johnny Bench Award watchlist member. Rogers has been lethal behind the plate allowing just 24 stolen bases in 55 attempts.
Tulane Season Stats
Tulane Roster
Schedule (via Warren Nolan)
Lehigh Mountain Hawks
History: 2nd regional app (last 2006)
Record: 25-29
Conference: 12-9, 2nd Patriot – won conference tourney auto-bid
Non-Conf: 13-20
Home: 11-8
Away: 11-11
Neutral: 3-10
Team Overview:
Sean Leary is leading his 20th season as the head coach of Lehigh. This is the Mountain Hawk’s 2nd NCAA regional appearance, the first in 2006. After falling in the Patriot League championship series last year, this 2015 team, which is known for its senior leadership, was determined to amend their fate and did so with a 10th inning win over top-seeded Navy in the championship game. There is no aspect of the Lehigh team that stands out as threatening. Their offense, pitching, and defense are all mediocre in what is not a very competitive Patriot League, although the Hawks do rank near the top of all statistical categories among conference teams. Lehigh ranks 196th nationally in batting average, 164th in ERA, and 235th in fielding percentage.
On Friday afternoon in Alex Box Stadium, LSU will face off against Nick Macaione. The senior southpaw has developed into the leader of this club and the go-to guy for coach Sean Leary. Macaione threw a 10-inning complete game in the Patriot League championship to advance the Mountain Hawks to their second ever NCAA regional bid. His opening start of the season on February 28th, Macaione threw 9 no-hit innings, walking just 1 and striking out 4. He has not allowed more than 3 earned runs in any games this year and is known to go deep into games. Macaione’s WHIP of 1.01 is the best of any starting pitcher in this entire regional and ranks 54th in the nation.
Lehigh’s bullpen has been pretty unreliable this year with an ERA a full point higher than that of the starters. Kevin Boswick leads the bullpen with 19 appearances, 45.2 innings pitched, 4 saves, and a 1.01 WHIP. Five different Mountain Hawks have recorded a save this season: Boswick, Kulp, Donovan, Smith, and Young. Brandon Kulp is the top K/9 pitcher.
Justin Pacchioli and Mike Garzillo. Those are the two names you need to know about, and they are the two game changers for Lehigh. Pacchioli is a senior who always finds a way on base. He has 20 multi-hit games and is the 15th best player in the country at getting on base. Mike Garzillo is the hottest bat for the Mountain Hawks. He led the team to the conference championship with 5 home runs in the Patriot League playoffs. Garzillo has powered 13 bombs on the season hits for a .363 average. He ranks 33rd in the country in total bases and 37th in home runs.
On the bases, table-setter Pacchioli is 12th in the country in stolen bases per game. He has stolen 31 bases on the season and 69 in his career, both of which are Leigh school records. Jacen Nalesnik and Mike Garzillo both have good speed on the bases with 11 and 15 stolen bags, respectively.
Defense:
Lehigh’s defense is that which you would expect from a mid-major program – not very strong. The .960 fielding percentage ranks 235th (better than UNCW’s). Middle infielders Elson and Garzillo have committed 54 errors between them, and third baseman Donnelly adds another 20. Catcher Tim McKay throws out nearly 32% of attempting base stealers.
Lehigh Season Stats
Lehigh Roster
Schedule (via Warren Nolan)
LSU Fighting Tigers (44-8, 19-7) vs 
South Carolina (31-22, 12-15) at Carolina Stadium in Columbia, SC.
