Well, the games I was most confident in yesterday did not go as planned, as we began the postseason with a reverse sweep. However, Friday's slate was wild — it featured six walk-offs — and I expect today's action to go more according to plan.
So, let's dive into today's college baseball best bets for Day 2 of the NCAA Regionals.
College Baseball Best Bets
The team logos in the table below represent each of the matchups that Action Network college baseball expert Doug Ziefel is targeting from Saturday's slate of Regional games for the NCAA Baseball Tournament. Click on the team logos for any of the matchups below to navigate to a specific bet discussed in this article.
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 3 p.m. | |
  | 4 p.m. | |
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Find more college baseball content on our NCAA Baseball page. | ||
Oral Roberts vs. Duke
The Duke Blue Devils dropping their opening matchup was just one of the many surprises we saw on the first day of Regionals. However, Duke is going to bounce back with authority this afternoon.
The No. 2 seed in the Norman Regional is turning the ball over to its ace, Jonathan Santucci, who's making his return from injury. Before missing a few starts, Santucci was one of the best pitchers in the country with a 3.67 ERA and 34.58% strikeout rate in 11 starts.
He'll be going up against Oral Roberts' Brooks Fowler, who held a 5.68 ERA in 15 starts this season.
Fowler has not faced a lineup close to the caliber of Duke's. The Blue Devils own a wRC+ of 138 on the season, and after yesterday's disappointing performance, they're overdue for positive regression at the dish.
With Santucci expected to keep ORU quiet, Duke should open this one up and cover the spread on its way to victory.
Pick: Duke -4.5 (-115)
| |
San Diego vs. Fresno State
San Diego dropped a tough one against Oregon, but it still showed why it's the No. 2 seed in the region in that matchup. Just like No. 2 seed Duke, San Diego is primed to bounce back against a No. 4 seed.
The Toreros have a massive edge on the mound, as they will hand the ball to Logan Reddemann, who holds a 3.75 ERA in 15 starts this season.
He'll be opposed by Jake Dixon of Fresno State.
Dixon posted a 5.45 ERA and 1.64 WHIP in 15 starts. That means there will be a lot of traffic on the bases for a San Diego lineup that owns a wRC+ of 119 and showed its power yesterday against a much better pitching staff.
Back San Diego to bring the thunder and cover the run line.
