March Madness has come to a close, so now the stars of the collegiate baseball season take center stage.
If you're just joining now, welcome aboard. We’re on the journey to Omaha as the College World Series is just a mere two months away. However, many games are still to be played and Tuesday's slate is as loaded as ever.
So, let's dive into the best bets for these featured matchups.
Texas State vs. Texas A&M (6:30 p.m. ET)
In-state rivalries are part of what makes weekday matchups great and this is a tremendous meeting. The Bobcats have burst onto the scene and find themselves amongst the 10 best teams in the country.
This is a contest where name recognition is deceiving. Texas State isn't the traditional powerhouse, but it has been tested more than its fair share of times. The Bobcats swept Ohio State, took a series from Arizona and split their series against Texas. The success has come from their offense, as they are slashing .285/.390/.464 as a team.
In contrast, the Aggies have also proven to be a solid team as it holds a series victory over LSU and took down the Longhorns last Tuesday. However, for this matchup, the pitching is a concern since the Aggies have a 4.56 staff ERA and three of their four starters hold ERAs over four this season.
The Bobcats' staff instills much more confidence as they have a staff ERA of 3.59, and much of that is due to their bullpen, which has been tremendous this season. Back the better club here as it's undervalued on the road.
Pick: Texas State ML [+100]
Ole Miss vs. Southern Miss (7 p.m. ET)
We'll kick things off with the only Top 25 matchup on the slate as the ninth-ranked Ole Miss faces directional rival Southern Miss, which is currently the 18th-best team in the nation.
Each of these clubs enters this midweek matchup off of impressive series wins over the weekend, as the Rebels took two from Kentucky and the Golden Eagles did the same to Louisiana Tech.
While plenty of runs were scored over the weekend, I'm focused on the men on the mound here. Derek Diamond will toe the rubber for the Rebels in this clash, and while his 6.11 ERA might not be pretty, his immense talent is there.
Diamond is currently the 86th-best draft prospect, according to MLB.com. He has elite stuff, flashing a mid-90s fastball that pairs well with his tight slider. He won't get many breaks with this Southern Miss lineup, but with his talent he's due for a solid outing.
Opposing him will likely be a myriad of quality arms for the Golden Eagles. They are opting to use Tyler Stuart as an opener as he is just one of their weapons in the bullpen. Through 22 innings this season, Stuart holds a 1.99 ERA and has pushed out 18 men. He is an excellent choice to open as he has gone more than two innings in every appearance this year.
Behind him, the arms only get better as the Southern Miss staff has a 2.96 ERA and is capable of containing the Rebels' offense.
Their staff, combined with a solid effort from Diamond, should make runs hard to come by in this game.
Pick: Total Under 12 Runs
Texas Tech vs. Grand Canyon (9 p.m. ET)
The No. 4 team in the country heads west to take on the class of the WAC as Grand Canyon cannot be overlooked. If there is one thing we can expect in this game, it is runs.
Texas Tech is one of the offensive teams in the nation as they average over ten runs per game and are slashing .306/.423/.521 with 45 homers and 303 runs scored through 30 games. Leading the Red Raiders is arguably the best player in the country, Jace Jung. The sophomore is having an incredible season as he's batting .400 with a 1.283 OPS.
While the Red Raiders' offense is formidable, Grand Canyon has shown they can swing it with the best of them as well. This season, the Antelopes have beaten Oregon State, Arizona, and UC Irvine. They scored 26 runs in just those three victories alone and average over six runs per game.
Lastly, it helps that this game is in Pheonix, and it will be in the low 90s by first pitch there. So, count on these two juggernaut offenses to put balls into orbit.
Pick: Total Over 12.5 Runs
