WSU @ Jax College Baseball Classic

[1972Shocker]

Baseball Preview: Jacksonville Classic

Looks like it is Caden Favors in Game 1 (Virginia), Tommy LaPour in Game 2 (Auburn), and Daniel Zang in Game 3 (Iowa).

SCOUTING VIRGINIA: The Cavaliers are off to a 4-0 start in 2024 after a 50-15 campaign and a spot in the College World Series a year ago. Virginia has made the trip to Omaha two of the last three seasons and six times since 2009. Offensively, the Cavaliers are led by juniors Ethan Anderson and Griff O'Ferrall; O'Ferrall was a unanimous preseason All-American while Anderson earned preseason All-America recognition from D1Baseball and the NCBWA. The 'Hoos led the nation in hits (766) and doubles (172) in 2023 while tying for the nation's top spot in batting average (.332). Head coach Brian O'Connor is in his 21st season with Virginia, owning an overall record of 843-353.

SCOUTING AUBURN: The Tigers head to Jacksonville with a 4-0 record after sweeping Eastern Kentucky and downing fellow AAC member UAB in the midweek. Auburn is coming off back-to-back regional host bids for the first time in program history after a 34-23-1 mark in 2023; the Tigers went 0-2 in the Auburn regional with losses to Penn and Southern Miss. A veteran pitching staff returns all three weekend starters from a year ago, while preseason All-SEC picks Ike Irish and Bobby Peirce headline the lineup. Head coach Butch Thompson is in his ninth season with the Tigers, boasting a record of 260-187.

SCOUTING IOWA: The Hawkeyes check into Jacksonville with a 3-1 record following a 2023 season that ended with a 44-16 mark, tied for the most wins in a single season in program history. Iowa advanced to the Big Ten Tournament championship game and made its first NCAA tournament appearance since 2017, going 2-2 at the Terre Haute Regional. Friday starter Brody Brecht was named preseason first team All-America by D1Baseball and Perfect Game, one of three preseason All-Big Ten selections. Longtime head coach Rick Heller is in his 11th season at Iowa and 37th overall, entering Friday with a 1,013-757 record.

How did we get into this tournament? Token Non-P5 program? Trying to guarantee the other 3 teams at least 1 win?

[Kung Wu]

How did we get into this tournament? Token Non-P5 program? Trying to guarantee the other 3 teams at least 1 win?

Our program was on the rise last year. With Tolle, Pennington, Vornado, etc still on board without the coaching change, we might have done a little damage. I can see where we would have fit in better when this was scheduled. Well, assuming it was scheduled last year.

[WuDrWu]

It's a company that runs these tournaments, Frisco, Red Rock, Jacksonville....a couple of others. When we were in Frisco, I talked to several people that were running the tournament, and while I understand their job is to make the fans etc feel good and appreciated, they were clearly impressed with WSU, it's team, the professional manner they went about their business and the fans in attendance. Eric was in charge and I know for a fact they said we would be invited back as soon as they could make it work (within 4 years due to fields already being offered, and they got us back in just 2 years later) whether it was Frisco or one of the other locations.

Pretty sure we'll go back to Hawaii fairly soon, and I suspect one of these tourneys every other year, especially if we return to relevance.

[1972Shocker]

Our program was on the rise last year. With Tolle, Pennington, Vornado, etc still on board without the coaching change, we might have done a little damage. I can see where we would have fit in better when this was scheduled. Well, assuming it was scheduled last year.

That's a good point. We are on the rise at least until late in the season when we lost 8 of 11. The Shocks were flying petty high after sweeping East Carolina and taking 3 of 3 from Memphis, both at home followed by a 1-0 shutout of K-State at home. At that point the Shocks were 27-17 on the season before finishing 35-20 with a 2 and que in AAC Tournament.

The filed was announced on August 3, 2023 but that doesn't mean it was locked in prior to that. Brian Green was named as head coach a couple months before that on June 7th. Payton Tolle's transfer to TCU was announce on around June 27th and I think he held out longer than most of our transfers. But who knows for sure what they knew when they selected Wichita State to be in this tournament.

[WuDrWu]

Our program was on the rise last year. With Tolle, Pennington, Vornado, etc still on board without the coaching change, we might have done a little damage. I can see where we would have fit in better when this was scheduled. Well, assuming it was scheduled last year.

Tolle hit a moon shot to beat A&M his freshman year. We lost the 1st 6 games of the season before winning a couple in Corpus Christi. Eventually got to Frisco, beat Iowa and their 100mph stud guy, then beat Brian Green's Washington State team and played Texas A&M for the title on Sunday and eff it was cold. I think A&M either won the SEC or went to the CWS that season. We trailed 4-0 into the 6th and then in the 7th with Chuck on base and trailing 4-3 Tolle announced his presence with authority hitting a ball into the fountains that on a hot day probably lands in the apartment complex across the street. Great tourney. COLD effing game.

[1972Shocker]

That Frisco tournament was probably the highlight of that year for the Shocks beating Iowa 6-4, Brian Green's Washington State team 8-2 and Texas A&M 6-5. The Shockers were 2-7 going into that tournament and finished that year at 21-36. So anything is possible.

Washington State also beat Texas A&M in the tournament 11-6. Wazoo lost to Iowa 5-6.

[1972Shocker]

Here are the streaming options: https://d1baseball.com/subscribe/#h-...aming-packages

[ShockerFever]

Here is how I would grade the series:
F == 0-3 and not competitive
D == 0-3 and at least competitive in the games
C == 1-2
B == will depend on how competitive they are in all 3 games.
A- == 2-1
A+ == 3-0 (Resets season expectations)

How they compete in each game could raise/or lower their grades either (-) or (+) levels.

Warren Nolan is predicting Marginal failure for losses of 4-7, 5-6 and 5-6.

BTW, Warren Nolan picks WSU to finish 3rd in the AAC

That seems like a fairly ridged scale, unless you expect this team to go deep into the postseason.

[Kung Wu]

That seems like a fairly ridged scale, unless you expect this team to go deep into the postseason.

Yeah, 3-0 is summa cum laude. 2-1 A+, 1-2 is A or B depending on the losses and 0-3 could be anything from a B to an F depending on how it all goes down.

[shoxlax]

How did Warren Nolan pick us 3rd? We returned almost nobody.

[Kung Wu]

How did Warren Nolan pick us 3rd? We returned almost nobody.

Wondered the same thing, though didn't Green have a high ranking recruiting class, maybe?

[SB Shock]

That seems like a fairly ridged scale, unless you expect this team to go deep into the postseason.

With the resources it has, I expect the program to be an NCAA tournament team every year. Of course, you can easily argue that with the track record of this program, that is insanity. Maybe one day...

[WuShock16]

Tolle hit a moon shot to beat A&M his freshman year. We lost the 1st 6 games of the season before winning a couple in Corpus Christi. Eventually got to Frisco, beat Iowa and their 100mph stud guy, then beat Brian Green's Washington State team and played Texas A&M for the title on Sunday and eff it was cold. I think A&M either won the SEC or went to the CWS that season. We trailed 4-0 into the 6th and then in the 7th with Chuck on base and trailing 4-3 Tolle announced his presence with authority hitting a ball into the fountains that on a hot day probably lands in the apartment complex across the street. Great tourney. COLD effing game.

You sent me pictures from your meal at a local BBQ establishment. My mouth watered. That peach cobbler looked delish.

[WuDrWu]

You sent me pictures from your meal at a local BBQ establishment. My mouth watered. That peach cobbler looked delish.

It was all ridiculous. Hutchins or Hard 8, you cannot go wrong.

Whose mother do I have to kill for one of their beef ribs....one freaking rib, about 1.5 pounds, around $45....worth every freaking penny.

[ShockerFever]

With the resources it has, I expect the program to be an NCAA tournament team every year. Of course, you can easily argue that with the track record of this program, that is insanity. Maybe one day...

You expect an NCAA tournament team with a complete roster overhaul and a completely new coaching staff in year 1?

That might be a tad unrealistic.