Stillwater Regional action is scheduled for this weekend with Nebraska hitting the road for its trip to the NCAA Tournament. The Huskers will travel to Oklahoma State’s home park in search of their first Super Regional appearance since 2005.
Along with the host Cowboys, Nebraska enters the regional group along with Niagara and Florida. The first games are scheduled for Friday, May 31 and will conclude on Monday, June 3.
Here is the complete schedule and latest betting odds for the Stillwater Regional:
Stillwater Regional Time (all times ET)
Friday May 31
- Game 1 – 3 Florida vs. 2 Nebraska – 3 pm (Keynote USA+)
- Game 2 – 1 Oklahoma State vs. 4 Niagara – 7 pm (Keynote USA+)
Saturday 1 June
- Game 3 – Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 2 – 2 pm (Keynote USA+)
- Game 4: Winner of Game 1 vs. Game 2 Winner: 7 pm (Keynote USA+)
Sunday June 2
- Game 5: Winner of Game 3 vs. Loser of Game 4: 2 pm (TBD)
- Game 6: Winner of Game 5 vs. Game 4 Winner: 7 pm (TBD)
Monday June 3
- Game 7 (if necessary) – Winner of Game 6 vs. Loser of Game 6 – TBD (TBD)
Stillwater Regional Betting Odds
As the No. 11 seed in the country and the host program, Oklahoma State is the favorite to emerge from the Stillwater Regional. However, Florida is not far behind in the odds, while Nebraska is ranked third despite being second in the region. Here are the complete odds to win the regional via Keynote USA Bet:
- Oklahoma State: -105
- Florida: +160
- Snowfall: +400
- Niagara: +5000
Here’s a breakdown of each team in the Stillwater Regional:
#1 Oklahoma State
Oklahoma State cemented its postseason spot with a Big 12 Tournament title, making it 3 straight wins with a title game victory over Oklahoma. The Cowboys finished the regular season 40-17 overall and second in the Big 12 standings entering the tournament.
Oklahoma State is ranked No. 11 in the RPI after going 11-12 against Quad 1 opponents and 9-3 against Quad 2 opponents. They beat Oklahoma in a regular season series at home and also beat Michigan and Arkansas in non-conference matchups.
Offensively, the Cowboys averaged over 8 runs per game with Nolan Schubart’s 20 home runs leading 7 OSU players with at least 9 home runs. Oklahoma State’s pitching staff is also among the best in the country with 4.6 runs allowed per game.
The Cowboys’ pitching staff is led by a pair of 15-game starters in Brian Holiday and Sam Garcia, each of whom recorded over 110 strikeouts and a sub-3.30 era.
Number 2 Nebraska
After finishing behind Illinois in the Big Ten standings, Nebraska made a fantastic run in the B1G Tournament. The Huskers lost their first game of the tournament in disastrous fashion against Ohio State, but bounced back with 5 straight wins, including a thrilling 2-1 win against Penn State for the title.
Even without a tournament title, Nebraska looked like a team eligible for an at-large bid with a No. 28 ranking in the RPI. The Huskers finished the season 3-1 against Quad 1 and 15-12 against Quad 2. Nebraska won the regular season series against Indiana while sweeping Nicholls and taking 3 of 4 Grand Canyon games.
Offensively, Nebraska averages more than 6.7 runs per game, but does not rely on the long ball. Josh Caron led the Huskers with 16 home runs and a .605 slugging percentage. Nebraska is active in the running game with 91 steals, including 31 from Riley Silva with a .416 OBP.
On the mound, Nebraska has a quartet of starters with 10-plus starts on the season, led by Brett Sears, who pitched 99 innings with 97 strikeouts on the year. With a defense that allows 4.9 runs per game, the Huskers should have the arms and depth to hang around in any game they play in Stillwater.
No. 3 Florida
Florida enters the NCAA Tournament as one of the most controversial at-large bids this season. The Gators, national runners-up a season ago, barely finished above .500 at 28-27 and were just 13-17 in the SEC.
However, a 30th place finish in the RPI carried Florida into the tournament, even with a 13-18 record in Quad 1 and a 2-6 mark in Quad 2. Florida’s regular season high points include series wins against Texas A&M, LSU, Mississippi State and Georgia, but the Gators also lost series to Mizzou (3-game sweeps), South Carolina, Vanderbilt, Tennessee and Arkansas.
Florida possesses plenty of firepower with elite MLB prospect Jac Caglianone leading the way with 29 home runs. In total, the Gators have 7 players with double-digit home runs and a team slugging percentage of .514.
Pitching has been the issue for Florida with a team ERA of 6.27 and Caglianone serving as a two-way star and anchor of the pitching staff. However, even Caglianone has struggled on the mound this season with a 4.35 ERA and just 62 innings pitched.
No. 4 Niagara
Niagara tied for the regular season championship in the MAAC with Fairfield, putting a lot on the line in the MAAC Tournament. Niagara would need just 3 games to win the MAAC Tournament, including a decisive 10-6 victory over Fairfield in the title game.
Niagara enters the postseason with a No. 103 ranking in the RPI and a 1-1 record in Quad 1 and a 1-2 record in Quad 2.
Offensively, the program averages over 8.4 runs per game with balanced power throughout the lineup. Eric Rataczak leads the team with 16 home runs and 14 doubles, but 11 players have at least 3 home runs.
Niagara’s team ERA is 5.40, and 15-game starter Maximilian Ramirez IV has a 6.38 ERA. Zach Cameron is a workhorse reliever, but it’s fair to wonder if Niagara has the weapons to win a regional tournament.
Stillwater Regional Forecast
The depth of Florida’s firepower needs to be monitored, but this is the time of year when teams need weapons to advance in the postseason. That means this one will likely come down to Nebraska and Oklahoma State and which team sees their pitching staff wear down the fastest. The Huskers have a group capable of moving forward and their +400 value to win the region at Keynote USA Bet is attractive. But for a winner, it is difficult to face the host Cowboys.
Prediction to win the region: Oklahoma State (-105 via Keynote USA Bet)
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