This weekend, No. 8 Stanford baseball will host a regional round of the NCAA Tournament that will also feature San Jose State, Texas A&M, and Cal State Fullerton. San Jose State is the 4th seed in the regional, Cal State Fullerton is the 3rd seed, and Texas A&M is the 2nd seed. Stanford’s first game will be on Friday against San Jose State at 2:00 PM PT on ESPN+ and KZSU radio.
Tournament format: For those that need a refresher on the format, it’s the same double elimination format as softball which I explained a couple weeks back when Stanford softball began their NCAA tournament. Check that out here if you need to.
Last time out: Stanford fell to Arizona in the semifinals of the Pac-12 Tournament.
RECAP: No. 3 Stanford BSB falls to Arizona in semifinals of Pac-12 Tournament
Keys to the regional: For Stanford, the first thing they need to do is establish a good hitting flow early on. If their offense is in a nice groove, they should be in good shape. They just have so many weapons with guys like Tommy Troy, Carter Graham, Braden Montgomery, and others. If they’re hitting home runs, having a good time, and playing loose at the plate, they’re going to be really tough to stop.
Secondly, Quinn Mathews needs to come up big on the mound. It remains to be seen if Stanford will start him on Friday or save him for a potential matchup with Texas A&M, but regardless of when they use him, they need him to deliver the goods. He’s been their best pitcher all year and has overall had an excellent season.
Stanford Athletics Video: On the Mound At Home | Quinn Mathews
Lastly, Stanford needs their bullpen to hold. The bullpen has been the difference maker in a lot of games this season (for good and bad) and they will be this weekend for sure. If they’re able to keep it together well enough, Stanford should advance. If not, this could be a long and frustrating weekend for the Cardinal.
Prediction: I do think Stanford will win the regional, but I think they’ll lose one game along the way. It’s going to be dramatic, so Stanford and their fans better buckle up for a wild ride.
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