[EaglesPhan36]

Not a sport everyone follows, but the format of their postseason is brilliant and I love it. Will be posting picks throughout the postseason. Fade, follow, whatever you need to do.

REGIONALS FUTURES

UCLA REGIONAL: FIELD TO WIN +140
CLEMSON REGIONAL: FIELD TO WIN +300

These two wagers are for the host teams [UCLA/Clemson] to not win their Regions. That means if any of the other three teams prevail, you cash. UCLA's region is dicey for the Bruins. It's loaded up with an offensive beast in Fresno State and the postseason tested UC-Irvine squad. Fresno has almost 20 more homers than any other team in the region + good pitching to boot. UCLA again is predicated on it's great pitching, but they are again at-times run challenged offensively. That will leave this region open for a team like Fresno if they can match UCLA's pitching. Irvine looks for revenge after UCLA knocked them from the Regionals in 2010.

Clemson heads to the Regionals hot, having won 27 of their last 33. As with most Clemson teams, offense keys this squad. They boast the best run scoring offense among the teams in their region, but UConn & Coastal Carolina can keep pace. Clemson sports a 3.12 ERA, their best in a while, but still weaker than most. Both UConn & Coastal are sub 3 in ERA and have postseason experience. Coastal will have plenty of confidence as they have won regionals in the past few years and stuck with National Champs South Carolina last year in the Supers. Clemson could roll here if their pitching holds up, but the price is high with the talented squads included in this region.

REGIONALS: 6.3.11

DALLAS BAPTIST +175
Don't be fooled because Dallas Baptist an independent. This team has talent to spare and has already beaten some big name teams in 2011. That includes two of the teams in their Region in TCU & Friday's opener, Oklahoma. They also beat Rice & Texas A&M who are hosting Regionals. This is a solid price for a team capable of winning their opener.

JACKSONVILLE-MIAMI OVER 11.5 [-120]
Jacksonville is a high scoring club and they have plenty of experience against big name programs in 2011. Most of those have found Jacksonville giving up quite a few runs. Although Miami isn't an offensive juggernaut, they should find runs against a team with a 4.90 team ERA.

[Otters27]

Any thoughts On Belmont Vandy. I used to play for Belmont. I hope they can pull it out.

[EaglesPhan36]

Man Vanderbilt is f-ing solid. I think Belmont has a good offense by the numbers, but their pitching is lacking. I think their only chance is to win a slugfest and that's tough against a great pitching staff.

[EaglesPhan36]

You can get some really nice odds now on a team to win their region as well. The ones where I liked the host not to win:

L.A. Regional: Fresno +335 or UC-Irvine +440
Clemson Regional: Coastal Carolina +575 or UConn +785

Tasty if you can get the right picks. Might check around those other regions too. Rice Regional offers some decent options other than Rice, Cal @ +200 and Baylor @ +520. Rice is -165. Should be a fun day today. Tons of games on the slate. Good luck if you're playing.

[Otters27]

Going to watch Jacksonville vs Miami here soon. ESPU. I will try the over. GL

[hornsrgrt]

Not a sport everyone follows, but the format of their postseason is brilliant and I love it. Will be posting picks throughout the postseason. Fade, follow, whatever you need to do.

REGIONALS FUTURES

UCLA REGIONAL: FIELD TO WIN +140
CLEMSON REGIONAL: FIELD TO WIN +300

These two wagers are for the host teams [UCLA/Clemson] to not win their Regions. That means if any of the other three teams prevail, you cash. UCLA's region is dicey for the Bruins. It's loaded up with an offensive beast in Fresno State and the postseason tested UC-Irvine squad. Fresno has almost 20 more homers than any other team in the region + good pitching to boot. UCLA again is predicated on it's great pitching, but they are again at-times run challenged offensively. That will leave this region open for a team like Fresno if they can match UCLA's pitching. Irvine looks for revenge after UCLA knocked them from the Regionals in 2010.

Clemson heads to the Regionals hot, having won 27 of their last 33. As with most Clemson teams, offense keys this squad. They boast the best run scoring offense among the teams in their region, but UConn & Coastal Carolina can keep pace. Clemson sports a 3.12 ERA, their best in a while, but still weaker than most. Both UConn & Coastal are sub 3 in ERA and have postseason experience. Coastal will have plenty of confidence as they have won regionals in the past few years and stuck with National Champs South Carolina last year in the Supers. Clemson could roll here if their pitching holds up, but the price is high with the talented squads included in this region.

REGIONALS: 6.3.11

DALLAS BAPTIST +175
Don't be fooled because Dallas Baptist an independent. This team has talent to spare and has already beaten some big name teams in 2011. That includes two of the teams in their Region in TCU & Friday's opener, Oklahoma. They also beat Rice & Texas A&M who are hosting Regionals. This is a solid price for a team capable of winning their opener.

JACKSONVILLE-MIAMI OVER 11.5 [-120]
Jacksonville is a high scoring club and they have plenty of experience against big name programs in 2011. Most of those have found Jacksonville giving up quite a few runs. Although Miami isn't an offensive juggernaut, they should find runs against a team with a 4.90 team ERA.

where are you getting these odds? I have only seen single games (not all) on bookmaker.
thanks.

[EaglesPhan36]

5Dimes. Best book for US players for NCAA baseball by far. They have totals I think now for all the games. Spreads/MLs for all plus futures odds.

[kickenchicken]

no bets for defending champs huh?? pitching has been solid all year... staff is deep and coaching set up for post season... but keep talkin about your dream teams

[stats13]

GT -240 to win Atlanta is a solid bet

Miss St is average, so is Southern Miss, and Austin Peay is terrible

It would be amazing if Tech didn't win this region at home with solid pitching going.

[stats13]

Especially considering Tech has choked in past years and this team is not gonna let that happen again

[EaglesPhan36]

no bets for defending champs huh?? pitching has been solid all year... staff is deep and coaching set up for post season... but keep talkin about your dream teams

I think South Carolina will win their region in the end, but there's nothing for me to want at around -310 on that bet. Don't really like the line for their game today at +/- 3.5 against Georgia Southern and 10.5 on the total. Georgia Southern will either get blown out or keep it close. They beat Ga.Tech once this season, so they have some talent.

Agree on Ga.Tech, just against my principles to take single plays with that much chalk mostly. Their region is easily winnable, especially with big questions for Southern Miss with injuries/suspensions. If books allow parlays on Regional Winners, I'd certainly think they are usable.

Also as with the NCAA basketball tournament, trying not to overdo bets on Day 1. May add another one or two as the lines weren't all out last night. Looking over some of the late afternoon-evening games. Good Luck fellas.

[EaglesPhan36]

Looking like a slow start for the picks. Total doesn't look like it's going to hit without a large inning somewhere soon. Surprised Miami has not been a bit better at getting to Jacksonville.

[stats13]

i actually really like gt -540 ml tonight. we might crush austin peay by like 10 runs today

[EaglesPhan36]

Well Miami finally got their bats going, but too late. They win 7-2, but the over loses out. Dallas Baptist-OU about to start. Think I have found a couple more plays to try out. A few of the #3s in these Regionals have leads right now over the #2s.

[EaglesPhan36]

Plenty of dogs barking today as I think these first couple games are your best chances to get them at a disadvantage while they try to adjust lines closer to what they should be. Next pick for me starts at 5pm ET.

CHARLOTTE +190
The 49ers draw SEC power Arkansas and this line doesn't accurately reflect the nature of these two teams IMO. Charlotte is a much better pitching squad. They have 11 shutouts on the season. Their top two starters sport ERAs under 2.00 and the Team ERA is just 2.43. Arkansas' pitching is pretty solid for playing in a power conference. They own a 3.00 ERA. Offensively, Charlotte's numbers are better as they hit .300 as a team compared to .270 for Arkansas and scored 78 more runs. Charlotte strikes out less and walks more. If you look at the Razorbacks over the last month, good pitching beat them. If Charlotte's Ace [Andrew Smith] comes out today with a solid performance that allows the Niners offense an opportunity to get a lead. Arkansas decided on using a redshirt frosh to open the Regionals as a bit of a gamble that they can win today and then have their ace on Saturday. Charlotte needs to jump on the young lefty early. Don't be surprised if Charlotte is in this game with a legit shot to win. This is a team that beat North Carolina once and lost to them by just two in another game.

[EaglesPhan36]

Dallas Baptist wins 3-2. Going to have at least one more selection this evening.

[bballs84]

Fresno getting pounded by Irvine... Greg didnt get any help from his D today

[EaglesPhan36]

Yeah I am surprised by that score.

[EaglesPhan36]

CLEMSON-SACRED HEART OVER 10.5 [+100]
I expect Clemson to come out strong at home against the region's lowest seed. Knowing they have two tough teams stuck in this region in Coastal Carolina & UConn, Clemson will definitely want a no-doubt type of win tonight. The Tigers scored 52 runs in their final four home games of the season & regularly scored a bunch of runs at home. Sacred Heart is an untested unit with just one test of their skills this season. That was against a LSU team that did not live up to expectations. Sacred Heart lost that game, 6-1 early in the season. Clemson's ERA was still a shade above 3.00 this year as they still do give up some runs. Sacred Heart was at 4.35 in a weaker conference. I expect them to get shelled here, but their offense may have some chances as they hit over .300 as a team. The spread is 5.5 and while Clemson likely will cover that, I'll pass in favor of seeing an explosion of runs tonight in South Carolina. Magic number for me is eight runs by Clemson. They hit that and Sacred Heart garbages up the rest. Starting in ten minutes @ 7:00pm ET.

[EaglesPhan36]

For anyone who cares, try going here for a good scoreboard. The CBS Gametracker software is f-ing crap and I've seen several games stall out today and/or be innings behind in updating. This one from the NCAA gives you a play-by-play of each batter after they are done. Just click on Game Details for the game you want and then find PxP link.

http://www.ncaa.com/scoreboards/baseball/d1/2011/06/03

[firedawg]

ecu fukkin me

[EaglesPhan36]

Still got time.

[EaglesPhan36]

Cash that Charlotte ticket. 3-1 winners over Arkansas @ +190. Love these first games when the books are scrambling to find the correct price!

Regionals Record: 2-1 [+2.45]

[EaglesPhan36]

Clemson scores 11 in the 1st three innings. Done and done!


Regionals Record: 3-1 [+3.45]

[firedawg]

good job

[EaglesPhan36]

Day One NCAA Regional Wrap-Up: June 3rd



Atlanta Regional
The Yellow Jackets of Georgia Tech were one of the big upset victim of the day, falling 2-1 to the 4th seed, Austin Peay. It was a big shock considering the Governors sported a horrid 5.27 Team ERA coming into the Regionals. Peay scratched out the winning run on a 7th inning home run. Georgia Tech was throw off by an early injury to ace Mark Pope who lasted just 1.1 IP before leaving the game. The Loser's Bracket with Southern Miss and Georgia Tech should be interesting. Southern Miss got their best hitter, Tyler Koelling, back in the lineup from a hamstring injury on Friday. He went 0 for 3 with a walk in their shutout loss. He may need to stick this team on his back and Tech is trying to avoid the choke label that has been saddled with their postseason hopes

Jack Snodgrass pitches for Austin Peay on Saturday. He won OVC Tournament “MVP” honors after striking out a career high 11 batters in the Govs second game. He brings a 3-6 record and a 3.72 ERA that ranked fifth among league pitchers. The Govs face Mississippi State in an unpexpected match-up in the Winner's Bracket. The Bulldogs got a dominant pitching performance from the combo of starter Luis Pollorena & reliever Caleb Reed. Reed tossed three shutout innings to follow six scoreless from Pollorena as Mississippi State blanked Southern Miss, 3-0. Watch the price on Peay for this one as at this point, they have as good a shot as any team here to make it out of the region.

Austin Regional
Kent State struck for two runs in the 11th inning behind a pair of unearned runs to knock off Texas State 4-2 in their opener. Kent State's lefty trio of starting pitchers got a good start in the Regionals behind Kyle Hallock who went 6.1 IP and gave up just one earned run. Andrew Chafin likely goes for Kent State on Saturday. The southpaw had a sub-2.00 ERA in the regular season and will be counted on heavily. The Horns held off a pesky Princeton club 5-3 in their opener. They got a solid effort from Sam Stafford who went 7 IP and allowed just one earned run. The offense used seven walks to help pace an attack that pieced together three runs on small ball and got a two run jack from Taylor Shepherd in the 5th that wound up being the game winner.

Saturday's Winner's Bracket game promises to be a pitcher's duel with Texas' stud, Taylor Jungmann who had a sick 0.95 ERA and 13-0 record, so consider the under possibly in that one. Don't discount Kent State on the spread either depending on the number. In the Loser's Bracket, it should be Texas State's to lose. They have a much more potent offense as they outscored Princeton 423-231 and have an ERA a full run better than Princeton's 4.87. If State gets an early lead, it may be insurmountable with the Tigers lack of punch.

Chapel Hill Regional
The Tar Heels scored four in the 1st inning, three on a Jacob Stallings home run, as that stood up in a 4-0 win over Maine. Pitcher Kent Emanuel went eight strong shutout innings. UNC now draws James Madison in the Winner's Bracket. James Madison busted out for eleven runs against Florida International as they held on for a 11-7 win. Four of James Madison's top five hitters had multiple hits and the 2-3-4 hitters racked up 7 RBI. The Dukes certainly lived up to their reputation as the highest scoring D1 team, surpasssing their 9.2 runs per game average.

James Madison will need something from their Saturday starter after Friday's starter went just 1.1. The good news was the Dukes got 7.2 IP in relief from one pitcher to shore up the problem. Still, UNC comes in with a clear experience and pitching edge. The Heels set-up perfect for today with their best pitcher, senior Robert Johnson who was 11-1 with a 2.56 ERA. A whopping 14.5 run total this one. That's the highest NCAA Baseball total I can recall in a long time. FIU & Maine meet in the Loser's Bracket. FIU clearly has enough offense for anyone, but is their pitching good enough? They carry a -3.5 line into this game. Total set at 11.5. With their combination of solid hitting, but questionable hitting, the over might be worth a look.

Charlottesville Regional
No problems for the top seed and hosts, Virginia, in their opener as they ride dominant pitching from Will Roberts in a 6-0 win. Roberts struck out 14 Midshipmen as the Cavs shutout Navy with little effort. One of their stud pitchers, Danny Hultzen, was the DH and he drove in three runs. Virginia will face St.John's in the winner's bracket. The Red Storm won as +145 dogs over #2 seeded East Carolina on Friday, 2-0. Sean Hagan was able to get big outs when he needed them as he scatted eight hits over 7 IP. Loser's bracket will pit East Carolina and Navy with the loser heading home in the double elimination format. ECU should take care of business on Saturday and Virginia should be able to lock up a spot in the Championship Game in the region with a win over St.John's.

Clemson Regional
Clemson powered to a big win over Sacred Heart to open the Clemson Regional. The Tigers scored eleven runs in the first three innings and were never threatened, winning 11-1. Clemson takes on a strong Coastal Carolina squad in the Winner's Bracket on Saturday. Coastal's experienced squad crushed Connecticut, 13-1. Anthony Meo went 6.1 IP and yielded just one earned run to notch the win. The Chanticleers got three RBI games out of both Tommy La Stella and Hayes Orton. The Loser's bracket will pit UConn against Sacred Heart. Before automatically tossing out Sacred Heart, remember they beat UConn in the regular season. Still with their season on the line, I think the Huskies should find a way to get it done. Sacred Heart though could be worth considering on the spread if it's large enough.

Columbia Regional
South Carolina struggled to put away a tough Georgia Southern team in their opener. The defending champs used their trademark strong pitching though to get it done 2-1 and move into the Winner's Bracket. That is where they will face off against Stetson. The Hatters rallied from a 5-0 deficit to take a 7-5 lead and then re-rallied after blowing that lead to win with a win off a fielding error in an 8-7 finale. The Gamecocks still look the class of this region after the first day, but they'll need to find more offense. Stetson had a 3.77 ERA in the regular season and opponents bat .270 against them.

N.C. State and Georgia Southern battle it out for survival to Sunday. I fancy this Georgia Southern squad to get it done on Saturday at a good dog price. They have the nation's top homerun hitter in Vicktor Roache and should find more scoring opportunities against a weaker N.C. State pitching staff. The Eagles have shown they are not afraid of the names on the jerseys of these power conference teams, having nearly beaten the defending National Champs and scoring regular season wins over tournament teams Georgia Tech, Jacksonville and St.John's. They also have a rested bullpen after a complete game by their ace on Friday. Chris Beck likely gets the start Saturday and he had solid numbers at a 3.21 ERA with a 9-4 mark this season.

College Station Regional
No problems for the top seeded Aggies on Friday as they blanked Wright State 11-0. Michael Wacha gave A&M six shutout innings and Kevin Gonzalez and Matt Juengel each drove in three runs in the victory. A&M draws Seton Hall in the Winner's Bracket. The Pirates were a bit of a surprise as 4-0 winners over Arizona. Seton Hall cashed as another solid dog. John Prosinksi tossed the complete game shutout. Seton Hall sets up for a possible spoiler role as their coach gambling by holding their ace out for Saturday. Joe DiRoccio went 8-1 with a 1.68 ERA and will go against A&M's Ross Stripling who was 12-2 in the regular season. It will be important for A&M to get the win here as they lost their ace prior to this tournament and now are a bit less deep should they have to play into Monday. Expect their pitching to carry them past a scrappy, but inferior Seton Hall squad. Loser's Bracket should be Arizona exercising its demons from Friday. Wright State seems outclassed here.

Corvallis Regional
Creighton was another "mid-Major" that won as a good dog on Friday at +145. The Blue Jays used solid pitching and timely hitting to work a 2-1 win over Georgia. Jonas Dufek's complete game masterpiece vs. the Diamond Dogs may be hard to repeat, but Creighton will expect the same from Ty Blach who had a 10-2 mark with a 2.72 ERA. The Blue Jays draw the hosts, Oregon State. The Beavers had to mount a big comeback as they trailed by four runs before putting together two and three run innings in the 5th and 6th. Oregon State ultimately won, 7-4 overf Arkansas-Little Rock. Creighton is going to be a tough out here. We'll see if Oregon State got scared straight. In the Loser's Bracket, it could be tricky for Georgia. Most are going to assume the SEC power will beat the tiny Sun Belt squad. That's not wise thinking here as both teams are about on equal footing. UGA played a tough schedule, the toughest RPI wise in the country, this is the moment where it is supposed to pay off. We'll see if that's true against Little Rock.

Fort Worth Regional
Dallas Baptist scored one of the nice priced wins of the day on Friday at +175 over Oklahoma. The Patriots rallied for a run in the 9th before plating the game winner in the 10th to score a 3-2 win and head to the Winner's Bracket. They'll face TCU there. The Horned Frogs pounded Oral Roberts 10-2. Andrew Mitchell stifled Oral Roberts with seven shutout innings and the offense foir multiple RBI games out of four different batters.

Don't discount this Dallas Baptist squad again on Saturday. They beat TCU twice this season, including once at Lupton Field. That's the site of this Regional. Dallas Baptist will offer another good plus money play on Saturday. In the Loser's Bracket, Oklahoma will look to stave off elimination against in-state rival Oral Roberts. ORU may not have beaten many of the top notch teams they played in the regular season, but they have been very tough. They should offer a possible play on the spread on Saturday against an OU team that is a tad overhyped.

Fullerton Regional
The Cardinal hit their way into the Winner's Bracket with a 10-3 win over Kansas State. Stanford saw six regulars tally multiple hits with Lonnie Kauppila going 4-for-5 with 2 RBI to lead the charge. Mark Appel tossed a complete game to save the Cardinal bullpen for today's game. The Cardinal will need a stellar start as they go against Fullerton's second Ramirez, Nick who is every bit as good as his more experienced brother, Noe. Both Ramirez' were excellent. Nick with a 1.12 ERA. Both teams use a small ball type of approach as neither hits with much power. Fullerton has the added bonus of being a great base stealing team. Their approach is likely to be more effective. Fullerton comes in off a solid 10-4 win over Illinois

In the Loser's Bracket, K-State meets Illinois. Both teams are below average pitching-wise and fairly even offensively. Slight edge to the Wildcats who scored more runs and look able to manufacture runs slightly better with steals and big hits. They also have a bit better tested club as the Big Ten was not overly strong again in 2011.

Gainesville Regional
Gainesville Regional hosts' Florida wasted little time in pounding #4 seed with Friday's best offensive performance. The Gators racked up 16 runs in the first three innings in route to a 17-3 win over Manhattan. Preston Tucker led the charge with a pair of home runs and five RBI. Florida battles long-time rival Miami in the Winner's Bracket. The Hurricanes broke open a close game with Jacksonville on Friday with a four run 8th inning that propelled them to a 7-2 win. The Gators and Canes met for a three game series in March in Gainesville. Florida swept and outcored Miami, 14-6. Gator's pitcher Hudson Randall (9-3, 2.25) will meet Canes' hurler Eric Whaley (7-5, 2.55). Florida is now 9-2 in games at McKethan Stadium under head coach Kevin O’Sullivan, including 7-0 in Regional play. They'll expect to knock off Miami again. In the Loser's Bracket, Jacksonville should have some confidence in spite of their late inning meltdown. If the Dolphins don't eliminate Manhattan, it would be a major shock.

Houston Regional
Hosts Rice University found little resistance in their opening encounter with Alcorn State. The Owls advanced easily to the Winner's Bracket courtesy of a 14-2 crush job. Rice scored multiple runs in five different innings and pounded out 22 hits to back Abe Gonzales' complete game win.
They face Baylor on Saturday. The Bears scoring an upset win over the #2 seed California. Baylor held off a late surge from Cal to win 6-3. The Bears got RBI from four different players and all but one of their starters had a hit vs. the Golden Bears.

Baylor and Rice met earlier this season in the Houston Classic. It was Baylor coming out in extra innings with a 12-8 win on the strength of a Max Muncy Grand Slam. Baylor may get another shot at John Sims who they roughed up in that game. Baylor offers another good plus money play shot on Saturday. Cal should take out its frustrations from opening day with a win over Alcorn State in the loser's bracket.

Los Angeles Regional
An absolute stunner here as UCLA dropped their 1st game to San Francisco. The Bruins offense, the Achilles' Heel of this team, was the culprit again as they lost a 3-0 game. Licking their chops as a result of UCLA's faltering on Friday is UC-Irvine. The Anteaters got an unexpected offensive outburst in a 12-6 route of Fresno State. UCI struck for five in the first, utilizing two errors before Jordan Leyland hammered a three run homer. Irvine will need to shore up their own defense which committed three errors. That was abnormal for a .980 fielding team. Expect Irvine to stay focused on avenging their loss in the regionals last year here in L.A. by taking out San Francisco. UCLA is do or die suddenly against Fresno State. This is one where if Fresno can strike for a crooked number early, UCLA may be squarely behind the eight ball with an offense that is not built to put up big runs. The Bruiins should be able to call on their experience and pitching to scrape by on Saturday, but I won't be backing them as a favorite.

Nashville Regional
Troy banged out nine runs on eleven hits and Tyler Ray shut down a potent Oklahoma State lineup as Troy advanced to the Winner's Bracket with a 9-2 win. The 2-3-4 hitters for Troy combined for 6 hits and 5 RBI in the win. Troy's high powered offense now faces Vanderbilt's stifling pitching in the Winner's Bracket. Vanderbilt got a shutout effort from Sonny Gray over six innings and applied the knock out punch with a six run 4th inning.

In the loser's bracket, Oklahoma State will be favored to stick around another day by taking out Belmont. The Bruins won't be an easy out as their offense is talented, led by Nate Woods how had a team best .312 avg. with 12 HR and 61 RBI in the regular season. The problem is a lack of pitching depth. Belmont sported a 4.68 ERA and got rocked by Vanderbilt. Oklahoma State likely will take out its frustrations on Belmont. Could be a high scoring affair.

Tallahassee Regional
Florida State had some troubles getting past the bottom seed in Bethune-Cookman in their opener. The Seminoles pitching was the real question mark coming into this Regional. With a 3.58 Team ERA, they had the best numbers of the teams in this region, but were still a very average staff. Their offense bailed them out yesterday. They face Alabama as the Crimson Tide advanced with a 5-3 win over Central Florida. The Tide got a solid performance from postseason vet Nathan Kilcrease who went 7 IP and gave up 2 ER. Alabama had five different hitters with multiple hit games on Friday. They could pose a threat against Florida State who will hope senior Mike McGee can give them a solid outing. In the Loser's Bracket, Bethune-Cookman has to be considered a shot to beat UCF.

Tempe Regional
Top seeded Arizona State was up against it against New Mexico, trailing 2-1 going into th 9th inning. However, ASU found their mojo just in time along with some help from the Lobos. ASU got a single, a walk and a wild pitch to set up the dramatics as DH Joey DeMichel clocked a three run bomb to get ASU out of a hole. ASU seems to possess a certain amount of magic in the postseason, but Charlotte won't be overwhelmed here. Charlotte notched the win yesterday as a +190 underdog behind a strong pitching performance from Anthony Smith, 3-1 over Arkansas. The 49ers now face top seeded Arizona State in the Winner's Bracket.

Expect strong pitching again from both squads making the under an option & depending on the number, Charlotte on the spread. The Loser's Bracket is all about which team can pick up from disappointment better. Arkansas' experience in the postseason would seem to give them an edge there, especially with the nature of New Mexico's late beat. The Razorbacks also sport the better pitching staff.

SATURDAY, JUNE 4th

Books as expected are scrambling to set lines for Saturday. As of this post, there are not lines posted for all games on Saturday. Here though are the ones I will be tracking for possible plays. Will try to get some plays out in the morning once the books decide where they want to go.

Bethune-Cookman +Spread
FIU-Maine Over 11.5
Georgia Southern +Spread
Fresno State +Spread
Clemson-Coastal Carolina Over
Texas-Kent State Under
Baylor ML
Charlotte ML/+Spread

[Otters27]

Cool write up on NCAA games.

[EaglesPhan36]

Alright, here's what I'm going with today to start. May add more as the books toss up more lines. They are definitely a little gun shy today. Good luck to anyone playing.

FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL-MAINE OVER 11.5 [-110]
FIU can definitely put up some runs. They led the Sun Belt with a .319 average and put 7 on the board yesterday against James Madison. That included five home runs. Problem was they gave up 11. They have some solid options to pitch today, so I don't expect quite as bad a performance against Maine. The Black Bears went with their ace yesterday, so we're going to see a hittable guy today in either Perakslis or Gibbs potentially. FIU should produce again and if Maine can get on the board for three or more, this should have a shot.

GEORGIA SOUTHERN +165
Taking the shot here with the Eagles against N.C. State. Georgia Southern went toe-to-toe with South Carolina yesterday and did not back down, losing a 2-1 decision. Wolfpack flashed a solid offense on Friday, but their pitching was touched up. They will send their best in Mazzoni to the hill today. Ga.Southern should counter with Chris Beck who was solid in their conference tournament + they will have a rested bullpen after Friday's starter went the distance. Two very capable offenses. National HR leader Roache needs a big game for the Eagles today. Defense could be a big key. Eagles have a poor fielding percentage and gave up an unearned run yesterday. That needs to be stronger. NC State also had a costly error on Friday. Could be the big difference today, whichever team backs up their pitchers with solid D. The Eagles won't back down again here. They have played some of the best in the country during the regular season + the game yesterday against the defending Champs.

[EaglesPhan36]

These 11.5 totals seem to be favoring the under pretty solidly at this point. Looks like I'll be missing out on another total to start the day, FIU can't piece together anything. Good pitching from the Maine starter. Maine actually should have scored more I think.

[EaglesPhan36]

Poor start to the day. FIU couldn't buy a hit today, did not see that coming. Georgia Southern kept the game close at 3-2, but just let in two in the 9th. They lost 5-2.

GEORGIA -210
Yes, laying the chalk here which might not be wise for a team struggling to score, but if Georgia loses to Arkansas-Little Rock - they might have to walk back from Oregon to Georgia. The Diamond Dogs played the toughest schedule in America this season and their record reflected that as they barely finished above .500. They have scored just ten runs in six postseason games, but let's look back and see some of the opponents in that stretch: Vanderbilt, South Carolina & a very tough Creighton squad yesterday. They send out Alex Wood today. Wood had an elevated ERA of 4.57 in the regular season, but should have some confidence after a CG gem against Auburn in the SEC tournament [3-2 UGA win]. UALR had their chances against the top seeds Oregon State yesterday, but their poor pitching did them in as they lost 7-4. I think that is the difference today. Even though the UGA ERA is high, it's a product of who they played. They have talent there. UALR has a very hittable staff that carried a 5.84 ERA this season. Georgia needs to start fast and play with a lead as they have an elite closer to shut the door. A bit of a risk here that this team can start to hit, but they've got the set-up to do it in an elimination game. First pitch at 4pm ET.

[EaglesPhan36]

JAMES MADISON-NORTH CAROLINA OVER 14.5 [+145]
Maybe the books are just suckering the F outta me and others on this one. But they set the total high for a reason, James Madison can flat out rake the ball & their pitching today should get absolutely clobbered. JMU started their best against FIU yesterday and he was bombarded early and often. They used DJ Brown in relief and he did an admirable job of saving the bullpen by going 7.2 IP. That however means they will choose from a pair of starters who boasted ERAs over 6 this season. Or the potential of simply piecing together a lot of bullpen pieces. Either way, UNC hitters should be digging in for a big day. The Heels start stud Robert Johnson. He'll have to be at his best to hold down the top scoring club in D1. This one is either gonna fly by or be terribly off the total. I'm trying the big plus money.

[raggman]

a couple of number one seeds lost friday---interested to see if they bounce back

[EaglesPhan36]

Georgia Tech did. Hoping Fresno takes out UCLA. 2-1 UCLA in the middle innings. OU got bounced as a #2. Should have gone with my gut and taking something with Oral Roberts today. Hoping my Horned Frogs don't fall victim to Dallas Baptist again. Miami & Florida in a good one, knotted at 4. Georgia looks like they'll hang on with a four run lead, so the high chalk play worked out although I still never feel fully comfortable with those.

KENT STATE +3.5 [-145]
Potential pitcher's duel here. Junggman is an absolute stud for UT with a sub-1 ERA on the season. Kent State has a trio of solid starters. Kyle Hallock opened on Friday, going six strong as Kent rallied with two in extra innings to nip Texas State. Lefty Andrew Chafin likely will will start today and try to keep down the Horns offense. Runs figure to big at a premium here, so getting 3.5 runs in what should be a 2-3 run ballgame potentially seems solid for me.

[EaglesPhan36]

CREIGHTON +205
The Blue Jays have a solid 1-2 pitching combo and put out Ty Blach to oppose Oregon State's ace Sam Gaviglo who has a sub-2 ERA. These are two teams that usually win with solid pitching, defense and timely hitting. This figures to be a tight, low scoring type of game where one mistake could mean the game. Oregon State came into the regional reeling with a losing streak broken by a late rally last night to beat UALR, 7-3. Little Rock though is one of the weaker seeds in the regionals, so in spite of the win, Oregon State still has to have some questions surrounding their ability to get through this region. OF Trever Adams will need a big game for Creighton if the Jays are to pull off the upset. Taking the spread of 2.5 might make sense here, but the chalk is ridiculous at -170. With Oregon State running hot and cold most of the season, I'll take the bigger shot on the ML here.

[EaglesPhan36]

UNC-James Madison total is going to hurt. 14-0 UNC and they left plenty more opps out there. Easily could have had 4-5 runs. Thought JMU would at least get one even though Johnson was stellar today.