On Monday, the NCAA announced the 64 collegiate baseball teams to earn the honor to be a part of the Division I national tournament, which will begin Friday at noon when the Missouri Tigers take on the Ole Miss Rebels. In preview of the regional tournaments that will be held this weekend, throughout the week we will examine each individual regional:

College Station Regional

1. Texas A&M Aggies (43-16) vs 4. Illinois-Chicago Flames (34-20)
2. Dallas Baptist Patriots (37-17) vs 3. Houston Cougars (39-22)

**Winner to take on champion of Houston (Rice) Regional.**

Texas A&M earned the right to host the regional by winning the Big 12’s regular season title with a 19-8 record, including a school record 16 consecutive conference victories at one point. The Aggies rely on their offense, led by Dane Carter (.382, 8 HR, 59 RBI, 13 SB) and Luke Anders (.335, 14 HR, 51 RBI). Jose Duran (.394, 6 HR, 66 RBI, 12 SB), whose brother German plays in the Rangers’ farm system, is the catalyst for the team.

Brooks Raley (6-2, 4.76 ERA) has been A&M’s Friday night starter, but Clayton Ehlert has put up the better numbers: 6-2, 3.25 ERA and only 9 walks in 63.2 innings. Out of the pen, the Aggies get solid relief out of Kyle Thebeau (5-4, 1.87 ERA, 3 SV, 70 K in 29 appearances) and Travis Starling (8-0, 3.53 ERA, 9 SV in 25 appearances).

Raley will face off against the Horizon League champion, University of Illinois-Chicago Flames. UIC would have a shot at advancing if they were playing in the windy city (21-5 at home), but the Flames are a completely different squad when on the road (8-14).

Brett Schaeffer (.384, 10 HR, 58 RBI) is the only major power threat in the Flames’ lineup, but speedy Steve McGuiggan (.374, 18 extra base hits, 38 RBI, 14 SB) can also cause troubles. Derrick Miramontes (6-2, 3.31 ERA) and Mike Kool (6-4, 3.92 ERA) are reliable starters but do not have overpowering stuff as evidenced by their 78 K in nearly 180 IP.

In the 2 vs 3 matchup, unlikely #2 seed Dallas Baptist, who most people may have never heard of, will face the Houston Cougars. As an independent, Dallas Baptist had to earn an at-large bid, and accomplished that feat in only their third season as an active Division I member by compiling a 37-17 record, including two wins over Texas powerhouse Rice University.

The Patriots have a potent lineup (.325 team average) and it all starts with the first half of the lineup. Ryan Enos (.351, 41 R, 15 SB) sets the table. Then the collective group of Ryan Goins (.353, 10 HR, 43 RBI), Evan Bigley (.340, 13 HR, 58 RBI), Nick Santos (.394, 6 HR, 37 RBI), and Trevor Head (.335, 15 HR, 51 RBI) do a lot of knocking in.

On the mound for DB against Houston will be Jordan Meaker (7-1, 4.28 ERA). It is his job to get the ball to Chris Haney (22 appearances, 6-4, 2.33 ERA) and closer Tyson Bagley (27 appearances, 4-2, 2.19 ERA, 11 SV, 54 K in 37 IP) in the bullpen.

Houston’s starter Wes Musick (8-4, 4.08 ERA) will try to make Haney and Bagley a non-factor by stifling the Patriot bats early in the game. Houston fans hope Musick can get the ball to the Cougars own closer, Chase Dempsay (6-3, 2.50 ERA, 11 SV in 30 appearances), who has thrown well throughout the season.

For the Cougars to compete, Musick and Dempsay have to pitch well as John Touchton (5-3, 3.98) is the only pitcher to have an ERA below 4.00 besides Dempsay. On offense, this statistic should sum up the Cougars: they have as many sacrifice bunts as home runs (46:46). I don’t think the Cougars’ bats are strong enough to make up for their lackluster pitching staff.

Like Houston, Texas A&M doesn’t have dominant starters, but if the Aggies are able to get the ball to Thebeau and Starling at the back end of the bullpen and can contain the top of Dallas Baptist’s lineup (if they should meet), expect Texas A&M to advance to the super regionals.

Shotgun Spratling

Also, check out our other regional previews: Ann Arbor, Athens, Baton Rouge, Cary, Conway, Coral Gables, Fullerton, Houston, Lincoln, Long Beach, Palo Alto, Raleigh, Stillwater, Tallahassee, Tempe

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