This week's Tuesday night NCAA baseball slate may lack the name recognition that most other midweek slates possess, but something tells me that we have some must-watch games on our hands.
First, we'll head to the great state of Texas, where college baseball's best team — according to RPI ratings — hosts the men from across the Red River. Then, we have a civil war on our hands as the Beavers and Ducks add one more tally to the season score.
Oklahoma vs. Dallas Baptist
7:30 p.m. ET
Pitching will be optional in this matchup: Both the Sooners and the Patriots have had their fair share of difficulties on the mound this season.
Dallas Baptist will opt for the bullpen-game approach as Peyton Sherlin toes the slab. Sherlin has not had the best 2022 campaign and enters Tuesday's matchup with a 6.20 ERA and .270 batting average against (BAA).
Opposing Sherlin will be Sooners pitcher Braden Carmichael, who has been a swingman for Oklahoma in these midweek contests. However, he has not had much success in his 26 innings of work, reporting an 8.31 ERA and .317 BAA.
On top of the struggling starters in this matchup, the bats for each team have been quite potent.
The Sooners have slugged their way to some upsets during Big 12 conference play, and they enter with a team slash line of .301/ .422/.464. Dallas Baptist and their third-ranked strength of schedule have performed exceptionally well at the dish considering their competition.
The Patriots average .281 as a team with a .488 slugging percentage. That slugging percentage is key, because Oklahoma has a penchant for conceding the long ball. In fact, the Sooners have allowed four more homers than they have totaled themselves.
I expect both offenses to deliver fireworks while the arms for both teams diminish even further as the game goes on.
Pick: Over 13.5
Oregon State vs. Oregon
9 p.m. ET
Although starters have not been announced as of writing, at first glance this line seems very light — especially given the glaring discrepancy between pitching staffs.
The Beavers rotation features some of the best arms in the nation, bolstered by one of the top strikeout men, Cooper Hjerpe. Tuesday's starter likely will not be Hjerpe, but the majority of the arms behind him have performed admirably. The Beavers enter this matchup with a 3.66 team ERA.
The same cannot be said of the Oregon Ducks.
Oregon's offense has proven to be as potent as any in the country, but the Ducks pitching staff has allowed multiple opponents to hang around or come back after early offensive barrages. Opponents have slashed .258/.399/.300 against the Ducks.
It will be much easier for the Beavers to put up runs than it will be for the Ducks to do so against the Beavers. Oregon State should be a much bigger favorite, and I'll happily back them here.
Pick: Oregon State -150
