Weekend #2 is here and it is loaded with great games. Follow me on X: @ Wes10Rundown.

Highlighted Matchups

Karbach Round Rock Classic

Amergy College Baseball Series

Jax College Baseball Classic

UNC vs East Carolina

Louisiana Tech @ Southern Miss – SOTW

Nebraska @ Louisiana

UC Irvine @ Texas Tech

San Diego @ Arizona

Rutgers @ Grand Canyon

Xavier @ Liberty

Cincinnati @ UNLV

Write-Ups

Minnesota vs Oklahoma

• OU’s Kyson Witherspoon is one of the best arms in the country. The projected first rounder will get game one against Minnesota. Last weekend, The Gophers smacked Houston in game one before dropping the last two. Friday Starter, Cole Selvig, tossed 5 scoreless innings before allowing 3 runs in the 6th. Witherspoon should be able to overpower Minnesota’s lineup. Oklahoma’s offense worries me a little here, but they shouldn’t need much.

Ohio State vs North Carolina State

• Despite being swept, Ohio State flashed some offensive upside last weekend against Arizona State. The Buckeyes averaged 8 runs a game, but unfortunately allowed a whopping 33 runs. NC State dropped their midweek game against Liberty. They are the much better team here on paper and should bounce back, but Justin Haire’s Buckeyes can be sneaky.

Washington State vs Michigan State

• Washington State’s Griffin Smith tossed 5 shutout innings against Arkansas. He allowed 3 hits, walked 2, and struck out 4. Michigan State’s ace, Joseph Dzierwa, showed out last weekend against Western Michigan. He fanned 11 through 6 shutout innings. I’ll be interested in the under here with two talented arms starting.

Xavier @ Liberty

• What an opening week for Liberty. After sweeping St John’s, the Flames upset NC State in the midweek to move to 4-0. Xavier piled together a solid 2-2 weekend (both losses to Oregon State) in Arizona. Liberty’s Dylan Mathieson tossed 4 hitless innings with 6 strikeouts last Friday. The Liberty staff issued 0 walks in that game. Xavier’s Jake Hooker is a talented arm. He allowed only 1ER in 4 innings against Oregon State despite issuing 4 free passes. I’m interested in backing Xavier here as a dog on the road in game one after Liberty’s big midweek win.

Michigan vs TCU

• Michigan will send out Dylan Vigue. Vigue did a great job last week of holding a high powered UVA offense in check. He allowed only 2 ER and 1 free pass across 5.1 IP. He will once again face another deep offense tonight. TCU will send out Caedmon Parker. Parker is a talented arm that TCU will be relying on heavily in the absence of Abeldt. Michigan is a scrappy team and I think they compete here. TCU is obviously the better team on paper, but too large of a favorite for my liking. Solid value on the Wolverines.

Virginia vs Oregon State

• Here we go. An early season matchup between the Cavs and the Beavs. Unfortunately, Virginia will still be without Friday Starter Evan Blanco this weekend. However, Jay Woolfolk is a talented arm capable of beating anyone. Oregon State will role with another talented arm in Nelson Keljo. Keljo struggled with command last weekend, but only allows one run over 4 innings. Both offenses have capability of putting up runs in bunches. Virginia’s bats struggled last weekend, but they are one of the best lineups on paper. Can they get right against a loaded Oregon State pitching staff? This could have a “game of the year” feeling to it . I can see multiple outcomes happening here with a shootout or low-scoring game. Lean Beavs.

Coastal Carolina vs Alabama

• Coastal will send out UVA transfer, Cullen McKay. McKay is a talented arm that pitched in Friday’s 11-1 win over St Joe’s. He went 2.1 IP allowing 2 hits and 1 ER with 7K’s. The 4 free passes were a blunder and McKay will need to clean them up in this matchup. Alabama will send out LHP Zane Adams. Adams has some nasty stuff and I am expecting a breakout season on the bump for the Tide sophomore. Alabama has started 5-0 but will be taking a step up in competition this weekend. I believe Alabama has the better starter and the better lineup in this matchup. If McKay loses control, Alabama’s offense will make him pay unlike St Joe’s. Lean Tide.

UConn vs FAU

• UConn had a pretty rough opening weekend, after finishing 0-3. The Huskies were in every game, but could not come away with a win. RHP Gabe Van Emon will be looking to bounce back after a rough first start against Stetson. As we saw last year, Van Emon can shut down anyone when everything clicks. RHP ace Trey Beard will go for FAU. Beard went 4 IP with 10ks in his first start of the season against Delaware. FAU will look to carry momentum after taking down Miami in the mid week. Lean UConn and under here in game one.

Nebraska vs Louisiana

• This will be a big home series for the Ragin Cajuns. After dropping the opening series to San Jose St and barely escaping a mid week with Texas Southern, ULL will need to play to standard against this Nebraska team. Friday’s pitching matchup will be a good one and a targeted under. Mason McConnaughey will go for Nebraska after struggling against Irvine last weekend and the talented Chase Morgan will go for ULL. I believe Nebraska in the better team in this series, but I’m not looking to fade the Cajuns just yet.

UC Irvine vs Texas Tech

• If you like offense, this will be the series for you. The Anteaters roll into Lubbock after a 2-1 weekend in Arizona & a midweek loss to USC. Unfortunately for the Eaters, 1B Anthony Martinez still appears to be out for this weekend. Texas Tech only produced 6 runs in Chapel Hill last weekend, but we know what this offense has available. Tech shifted their rotation up and will start Mac Heuer on Friday. Heuer is a talented arm that did a solid job of holding UNC in check across 4 innings. I’m expecting Texas Tech offense to bounce back here this weekend. UC Irvine is also lethal on offense. They proved it last weekend by scoring 36 runs even with Martinez. I’ll be interested in firing overs here all weekend.

San Diego vs Arizona

• Both of these teams will be fine over the course of the season, but San Diego sits at 0-4 after being swept at home by TCU while Arizona sits at 1-3 after a bad showing in Arlington. This series will have excitement and I lean Arizona’s way. I would be surprised to see a sweep from either team here. San Diego’s Friday Starter

Rutgers vs Grand Canyon

• Rutgers rolled right into Kennesaw State last weekend and stole the series from the Owls. I am not high on Rutgers this season, but they looked good last weekend. It could be a down KSU team, but the Knights pitching and defense excelled in all 3 games. Justin Shadek will get the ball tonight after tossing 4 scoreless frames last weekend. For Grand Canyon, Isaac Lyon will go. Lyon is preseason WAC pitcher of the year. He was hit around a little against Vandy last Friday, but Rutgers is not Vandy. GCU took down Nebraska on Monday, who is projected to finish 12 spots higher than Rutgers in the Big Ten. The worry is can GCU score enough? I think so. I like the Lopes here.

Arkansas vs Kansas State

• I just don’t see Kansas State hitting Gabe Gaeckle. I know KSU beat Hagen Smith last season, but this is a different Wildcat team. Can Arkansas score? They needed a walkoff to win in Gaeckle’s start last Friday against Washington State. With a huge pitching and crowd advantage, I will take Arkansas here.

Cincinnati vs UNLV

• Cincinnati soared into D1Baseball’s rankings after taking last weekend’s series at Duke. Overreaction? Big time, but the Bearcats did look good. Kellen O’Conner will go for Cincy tonight. O’Conner only went 1.2 IP before being relieved by Joel Pineiro, who came in and fired 4 scoreless. UNLV ended their opening weekend with two wins over Indiana. Carson Lane will go for UNLV. Lane held IU in check striking out 7 across 4.1 IP. Cincinnati executed the “small ball” approach against Duke. If they do the same here, the BearCats will likely see similar success.

2/21 Bets

All bets to win 1u unless specified otherwise

1.5u: Vanderbilt + Stanford -116 ✅ 1.5u

Oklahoma + Arizona State -112 ❌ -1.12

1.5u: Arkansas + Mississippi State -122 ❌ -1.83u

Clemson + Georgia Southern -123 ❌ -1.23u

Clemson / Miss State / NC State +106 ❌ -1u

Baylor + California +149 ❌ -1.u

Cincinnati -154 ✅ 1u

Old Dominion -114 ❌ -1.14u

Xavier +117 ❌ -1u

Oregon State -125 ✅ 1u

Alabama -160 ✅ 1u

Grand Canyon -154 ✅ 1u

TN / Texas A&M / Duke / Oregon / LSU / UGA/ FSU / Ole Miss -120 ❌ -1.2u

0.25u: Miss St / Baylor / Alabama / NCST / Clemson +420 ❌ -0.25u

0.25u: ODU / Grand Canyon / Cincy / Stanford +669 ❌ -0.25u

Wake Forest + College of Charleston -114 ✅ 1u

Wake Forest + Fresno State +126 ✅ 1.26u

Iowa / Notre Dame u11.5 -115 ✅ 1u

UConn / FAU u12.5 -115 ✅ 1u

Nebraska / Louisiana u11.5 -115 ✅ 1u

TCU / Michigan u11.5 -108 ❌ -1.08u

10-11 (-0.34u)