Missouri State at Arkansas
Baum Stadium, Fayetteville, AR
4:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2
The #OmaHogs won the Stillwater Regional and now are hosting their own Super Regional thanks to the minor league team that Missouri State shares a stadium with having dibs on the park for this weekend. Trey Killian will take the mound for the Razorbacks, while MSU is leading with its ace in Jon Harris.
The Razorbacks are 7-5 all time in Super Regionals, including 2-0 at Baum Stadium after a sweep of Florida State in 2004. The Bears have already won at Baum this year, though, having downed the Hogs 2-0 back in March. Arkansas is campaigning for slugger Andrew Benintendi for the Golden Spikes award, and it'll need him on his game against a future first round draft pick in Harris. Missouri State is looking to knock out the Razorbacks 2-0 by going with Harris and strikeout artist Matt Hall in the first two games, while Arkansas is saving its two best pitchers by ERA for the weekend.
Arkansas Fight did some scouting of Missouri State here, and the full D1baseball.com preview is here.
Florida State at Florida
McKethan Stadium, Gainesville, FL
7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2
The bracket makers were looking to stoke some Sunshine State passions this year. These bitter rivals now face off in the Gainesville Super Regional, and whichever one goes to Omaha will play Miami (FL) should the Hurricanes beat VCU in their Super Regional.
Florida is just 1-2 against FSU this season, though the one win did come at home in McKethan. The Seminoles' wins came in Jacksonville and Tallahassee, respectively. Neither of the Gators' two best arms pitched in those games, and they're up in the first two of this series with Logan Shore starting today and A.J. Puk slated for tomorrow. Florida State is countering with Boomer Biegalski, who likewise hasn't faced the Gators this season.
The D1baseball.com preview of the series likes Florida's chances. If the Gators do advance, look for them to do it on the strength of their pitching and defense.