Atlanta Regional: Georgia Tech is loaded, but is hosting a tough regional
By Michael A. Lough
The Sports Report
centralgasports@gmail.com
The Atlanta Regional
The Schedule
Friday
12 p.m.
Coastal Carolina vs. Auburn
7 p.m.
Florida A&M vs. Georgia Tech, ESPN3
Saturday
1 pm.
Game 1 losers
7 p.m.
Game 2 losers
Sunday
12 p.m.
Saturday 1 p.m. winner vs. Saturday 7 p.m. loser
6 p.m.
Sunday noon winner vs. Saturday 7 p.m. winner
Monday
12 p.m.
The Stories
Analytics a boost for the Yellow Jackets
Hearts are heavy for Auburn
Auburn knows it needs some offense
Written off for dead, Coastal Carolina survives
Coastal’s Biermann playing inspired
The Chants are a major player: CWS champs in 2016
Regional breakdown
Game notes packages
Georgia Tech
Auburn
Coastal Carolina
Florida A&M
Georgia Tech
Record: 41-17
RPI: 8
Central Georgia connections: None.
FYI: Third is Tech’s highest national seed since 2005. The beat Furman 5-4, South Carolina 10-2, lost to South Carolina 8-3, and then beat the Gamecocks 5-0. Tech hosted the Super Regional, but lost 3-2 and 13-3 to Tennessee.
Scouting Report: Getting a 3 seed was a little bit of a surprise, especially after coming off a lackluster game in the ACC finale.
But the Jackets were all but a lock for a national seed before that. The 3 seed puts a little spring in the step of a team that’s got some spring.
Tech is 14-4 in games decided by two runs or less, 3-0 in extra innings, and has led after six innings in 38 games. The Jackets aren’t a comeback team, though: 1-12 when trailing after six, 0-14 trailing into the ninth.
The Jackets are 24-9 at home, and have some iffy early-season losses to Richmond and Northwestern and mid-season losses to Boston College and Virginia Tech, and in the regular-season finale to Pitt.
While not looking ahead, this team can smell a legit shot at Omaha, riding on the shoulders of Kyle McCann, Tristin English, and Connor Thomas, among others.
The staff has given up some homers, but that’ll only be an issue against Coastal. Opening up against a weak four seed sets them up to be rested for the rest of the way, which isn’t good news for the Tigers and Chanticleers.
Auburn
Record: 33-25
RPI: 19
Central Georgia connections: None
FYI: This is Auburn’s third straight NCAA trip, the first time that’s happened since 2001-03. They went 3-0 in Raleigh last year.
Scouting Report: It’s likely to be something of a home-away-from-home game for the Tigers, loaded with Peach Staters and having a nice short drive.
There may be an emotional impact with the death of Auburn broadcaster Rod Bramblett and his wife in a car wreck Saturday night.
Otherwise, figuring out what Auburn is remains a little task.
The Tigers were 14-16 in conference play and are 4-6 in their last 10. That’s after starting off 20-2 with a sweep of No. 22 Tennessee and series win over UCF. Then there were losing streaks of four once and three twice with only a pair of two-game winning streaks. They come in with little momentum after a wild SEC Tournament, getting eliminated in a stunning 4-3 loss to LSU with two runs coming in on one wild pitch, with a throwing error in there.
Some pitching injuries have slowed Auburn down, but the familiarity of playing not far from, playing with some heartbreak, and having time to get past the SEC gathering might make the Tigers tougher than they look.
Coastal Carolina
Record: 35-24-1
RPI: 57
Central Georgia connections: None
FYI: Coastal Carolina played in Atlanta in 2002 with Tech, Georgia, and Louisville, going 1-2 (lost 6-0 to Tech, beat Louisville 9-1, and lost to Georgia 9-7). That was a year after going 2-2 in Athens (beat Tech 5-3 and Georgia Southern 12-3, then lost to Georgia 9-3 and 8-7).
Scouting Report: The Chanticleers missed the tournament a year after winning the College World Series in 2016.
The Chants –who have two metro Atlanta players with Bradley Riopelle/Lassiter and Alaska Abney, Mill Creek – have gone 0-2 four times in 16 regionals since 1991, the last time coming in 2013.
And this year, they have top-50 wins over Illinois, Connecticut, Indiana, and N.C. State. Ranked into early April, Coastal knows the postseason, and making the final is no surprise, even with only a decent RPI.
Zach Biermann was a preseason All-American who made the Sun Belt season team and all-tournament, as did Parker Chavers.
Florida A&M
Record: 27-32
RPI: 235
Central Georgia connections: None.
FYI: The Rattlers went 0-4 against Mercer, but did beat Wofford twice.
Scouting Report: The odds are long against the Rattlers.
They have 64 wild pitches and 33 passed balls, leading to nearly 100 unearned runs this season. FAMU’s 20 homers are behind 13 individuals, including Georgia Tech’s Kyle McCann (23).
Octavien Moyer is the lone Rattler above .300 (at 3.12). And FAMU has 195 more strikeouts than walks.
STATS
(national rank where applicable)
Batting avg.
.309, 501-2,143/ 11 Coastal
.297, 593-1,995/ 25 Tech
.260, 517-1,988/192 Auburn
.255, 502-1,966/218 FAMU
HR/game
1.45/ 8 Coastal
1.16/ 29 Tech
.71/T149 Auburn
.34/T277 FAMU
SB/Att.
78-92/53 Coastal
64-74/T94 FAMU
61-72/T109 Tech
59-72/T119 Auburn
Fielding
.974/74 Auburn
.973/77 Tech
.962/229 Coastal
.955/270 FAMU
ERA
4.53/104 Auburn
4.58/111 Tech
5.39/189 FAMU
5.55/217 Coastal
Opp. BA
.261 Auburn
.263 Tech
.277 Coastal
.291 FAMU
HRs allowed
43 FAMU
46 Auburn
63 Coastal
63 Tech