With three weeks of the college baseball season in the books, there have been a lot of changes in the top 25 rankings. This Tuesday, two ranked teams will be featured in our best bets, but if all goes our way, their results will vary.
I'll be looking to a matchup between the Oklahoma Sooners and Dallas Baptist Patriots before heading to the West Coast for a game between the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos and USC Trojans.
Let's dive into my college baseball picks and NCAA baseball best bets for the games on Tuesday, March 4.
College Baseball Picks for Tuesday, March 4
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 7 p.m. | |
  | 9 p.m. | |
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Check out more college baseball betting coverage on our NCAA baseball page. | ||
Oklahoma vs. Dallas Baptist Pick
The No. 16 Oklahoma Sooners come into this matchup red-hot. They have yet to lose a game this season and have done so on the heels of stellar pitching and timely hitting.
The same can't be said for the No. 21 Dallas Baptist Patriots. Yes, the Patriots are still ranked, but they have three losses on the season and haven't been anywhere near as tested as the Sooners.
While starting pitchers have yet to be announced at the time of writing, my concern for the Patriots is their staff depth in this midweek matchup. So far, they're 0-2 in midweek games and have been outscored, 22-8.
DBU's staff ERA comes in at 4.34, which is good for 81st in the country. However, this Oklahoma lineup is a big test. The Sooners rank 28th in team batting average and 31st in OPS.
Not to mention, Horner Ballpark is a hitter-friendly environment, which will only amplify the Patroits' pitching woes in this one.
Back the Sooners to keep rolling tonight.
Pick: Oklahoma ML -155
| |
UCSB vs. USC Pick
The UC Santa Barbara Gauchos have been a force out of the Big West for years now, and with a national ranking of 20th, expectations are no different this season.
However, the Gauchos have relied heavily on their pitching this season, and their bats have lagged behind.
Their lack of offense will cost them tonight as they take on a USC Trojans team that has been very impressive thus far. The Trojans are 9-2 on the season and come into this game with impressive wins over Vanderbilt, UC Irvine and UConn.
USC will hand the ball to sophomore Jackson Baker tonight. Baker looked rough in his first few appearances with command being a big issue. Although he can right the ship a bit, his leash will likely be short, as the Trojans have pitched to a 2.87 ERA as a staff.
It's a similar situation for the Gauchos. Freshman Nathan Aceves will be getting the ball for his first career start. Aceves has looked solid in three relief appearances but has pitched only 2 2/3 innings.
With this being a bullpen game for both sides, I'm backing the more tested team with the better lineup. That's the Trojans.
Pick: USC ML +114
