Welcome again, DII sports activities followers. The spring DII competition is underway and DII baseball is heading to the tremendous regionals. The tip of the 2024-25 season is in sight, however now we have some work left to do. This week we break down the DII baseball tremendous regionals, check out the DII girls’s lacrosse semifinalists and get you caught up on the DII competition.
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⚾️ The DII baseball tremendous regionals, a breakdown
Sixteen groups stay within the DII baseball championship. Of these groups remaining, six are making their first-ever journey to tremendous regional play. The opposite 10 are not any strangers to the match, a number of of which know Cary, NC all too nicely. It’s fairly the mix of powerhouses and the inexperienced, which usually means we are able to count on the surprising.
Earlier than motion resumes this weekend to resolve our eight for Cary, let’s take a fast have a look at every collection.
Atlantic: Indiana (PA) vs. Seton Hill
Nicely, I picked West Chester to make it to Cary and the Golden Rams have been swept out of the tourney in two video games. Nonetheless, I did say Seton Hill was the crew to observe that would shock and make all of it the way in which to Cary. The Griffins confirmed why, successful a pair of video games from nationally ranked Millersville earlier than downing No. 2-seeded and nationally ranked East Stroudsburg in back-to-back video games on Sunday. The Griffins needed to come from behind, displaying the expertise this crew has in its second-straight journey to the tremendous regionals.
It is a outstanding run for IUP. The Crimson Hawks have been 2-35 in 2021 and after two years of slowly rebuilding, they’re within the DII baseball championship for the primary time since 1990. Simply their third journey to the match ever, the Crimson Hawks swept by their portion of the area for its first-ever journey to the tremendous regionals. The 36 wins tie the single-season report set again in 2008. IUP and Seton Hill met in April and the Crimson Hawks took the weekend collection 3-1 — the Griffins can be seeking to settle the rating.
Central: Central Missouri vs. Arkansas-Monticello
What a matchup now we have right here. Traditionally — particularly within the Kyle Crookes period — Central Missouri is likely one of the winningest packages in DII baseball. The Boll Weevils however, are making program historical past, reaching the tremendous regionals for the primary time ever.
The Mules offense has been spectacular all season, main DII baseball in batting common, dwelling runs per sport, slugging proportion and runs scored. This lineup has six hitters with a batting common of at the least .364 and with 11 dwelling runs all whereas stealing 185 bases — yet one more top-10 mark in DII. The Boll Weevils are merely wanting so as to add to their lore, capturing its first GAC regular-season title since 2019, their first GAC match title since 2017 and now the tremendous regionals debut. They definitely have succesful hitters, however can a pitching workers with a mixed 5.72 ERA and 1.46 WHIP hold the Mules from lighting up the field rating? It is going to be a tricky job, however now we have seen stranger issues in Might.
East: Molloy vs. Southern New Hampshire
The Penmen are heading to the tremendous regionals. In different information, water is moist. All joking apart, Southern New Hampshire has dominated the East, now enjoying for the East Area title for the eighth consecutive season. They’ve gained the earlier three and look to advance to Cary for a fourth straight yr. After sweeping by its East Area pod, SNHU is now 46-26 within the DII baseball championship. The Penmen have gained six of their final seven and Jorge Burgos continued his program record-setting season with two homers within the clincher to advance.
The Penmen will face off in opposition to Molloy in a rematch of the 2022 tremendous regionals. The Lions have 42 wins, essentially the most in program historical past and the second time reaching the 40-win plateau since 2022. Whereas the Lions have some massive bats, it’s the beginning rotation that’s the massive benefit if Molloy hopes to dethrone the Penmen. JC Kiss, Charlie Cucchiara, and Ryan Hynes have mixed for a 2.94 ERA to date in 2024. Every of the large three threw an entire sport within the East Area pod.
Midwest: Saginaw Valley State vs. UIndy
What a yr it has been for the Cardinals. Simply 27-24 a yr in the past, Saginaw Valley State heads to its first-ever tremendous regionals with 41 wins, a program report. Hayden Jatczak is an enormous motive for the turnaround — the breakout star hit .466 with a 1.373 OPS, 103 hits, 15 dwelling runs, 27 doubles, 87 runs scored and 77 RBIs. Maybe extra outstanding is that each a kind of stats led the GLIAC.
UIndy is again in acquainted territory, reaching the tremendous regionals for a second yr in a row. Similar to final yr, the Greyhounds dismantled Maryville in consecutive video games to advance, scoring 28 runs in two days for an opportunity to move to Cary for a second yr in a row and fourth time in program historical past. It’s fairly spectacular that UIndy is again with all that they misplaced from final yr’s historic run — together with three beginning pitchers that made a mixed 40 begins — however it reveals that head coach Al Prepared is beginning one thing particular in Indianapolis.
South: Tampa vs. Embry-Riddle
Tampa is again within the tremendous regionals as soon as once more, wanting so as to add to its nationwide championship whole. Head coach Joe Urso added to his illustrious resume, selecting up win 1,000 on an Alex Canney full sport masterpiece, wherein he struck out 10 and walked none to maneuver on to the supers. The Spartans have seemed just like the crew to beat since Opening Day and are a run-scoring juggernaut that’s third in DII with 10 runs per sport backed by arguably one of the best pitching workers in DII with a 3.09 ERA and 1.22 WHIP, each of that are top-3 marks within the division.
Embry-Riddle is likely one of the “rookies” on the tremendous regionals this yr. The Eagles have been 25-23 final yr and improved to a 34-win crew in 2024, returning to the DII match for the primary time since 2019. They confirmed they’ve the bats to compete, piling up 27 runs in its two regional wins in opposition to West Florida, regardless of not having an elite DII baseball dwelling run slugger. Embry-Riddle misplaced a three-game set to Tampa earlier this season, so there may be loads of familiarity to maintain the Cinderella story going.
South Central: Angelo State vs. Lubbock Christian
The Rams are on an unbelievable run, now enjoying of their fourth-straight South Central tremendous regional, fifth-straight South Central championship (there was no tremendous regionals in 2021 as a result of abbreviated discipline) and at the moment are seeking to advance to Cary for the fourth yr in a row. The defending champs didn’t have a simple street again right here however turned it on within the South Central regional with decisive victories in opposition to top-25 West Texas A&M and Colorado Mesa. The pitching isn’t the place it was on final yr’s nationwide championship run, however the offense is alive and nicely led by a red-hot Tripp Clark (who has had six multi-hit video games in a row) and Jacob Guerrero, who put the Rams forward for good in final yr’s nationwide championship sport with an enormous dwelling run.
Lubbock Christian had fairly the memorable regionals. My sleeper for the South Central because the starting of the season noticed their skipper Nathan Blackwood decide up win No. 800 and Brevin McCool hit for the cycle in a 23-5 onslaught of Texas-Permian Basin. The next day, the Chaps poured on 20 extra runs and at the moment are tremendous regional certain for the primary time in program historical past. Lubbock Christian and Angelo State confronted earlier this season and cut up a four-game collection. Proper now, historical past is on Angelo State’s aspect, however Lubbock Christian is pink scorching, using a 13-game successful streak on its historic run.
Southeast: Catawba vs. Georgia School
As I discussed within the preview, any crew may pull off a shock on this a part of the bracket as a result of the seven groups right here have been seven of one of the best groups within the nation. I mentioned to be careful for the No. 7-seed Georgia School, which was pink scorching coming into the match, and lo and behold, listed here are the Bobcats, defeating two-time Southeast Area champion North Greenville after which Mount Olive twice — each of which have been Energy 10 groups for the majority of the season. Can the Bobcats take down Catawba — at present No. 8 within the Energy 10 — to finish one of many extra gorgeous runs to Cary in latest historical past?
Reverse the Bobcats is a crew that has been to the tremendous regionals — and Cary — earlier than. Catawba has been a power since opening day, taking the SAC and proudly owning a few of the greatest metrics within the area. It seemed grim for the Indians, who have been shocked within the SAC match, bounced within the opening spherical, solely to lose the opener of the Southeast Area tourney. However this balanced crew — which led the SAC in ERA and WHIP whereas ending first or second in a number of offensive classes — dug deep and did what it has completed greatest all season: win.
West: Level Loma vs. Cal State Monterey Bay
The West can be gained in a rematch we’ve been ready for because the opening month of the season. Level Loma took three of 4 video games from the Otters again in February and actually set the tone for the Sea Lions’ run by the West. Minus Westmont — which is ineligible for the postseason throughout its NAIA transition — these have been one of the best two groups within the West for just about your entire season.
Level Loma has gained seven in a row and 16 of its final 18, so the Sea Lions are scorching. They want to return to Cary for the second time in three years, whereas the Otters are again within the West tremendous regionals for a second yr in a row. The underside line, these groups are winners and have expertise on the large stage. Each groups are very evenly match offensively, so the slight edge might go to Level Loma with a statistically stronger pitching workers and probably the greatest fielding groups in DII.
One factor (or extra) to know concerning the ultimate 4 groups within the DII girls’s lacrosse championship
The DII girls’s lacrosse semifinals are set to start on Thursday, Might 23, from the DII competition in Orlando — and what an fascinating discipline now we have. If you happen to return over the previous 5 tournaments, the semifinals have seen no fewer than two regional No. 1 seeds advance. Nonetheless, in 2024, nary a regional No. 1 seed stays. Traditionally talking, we’re taking a look at a uncommon discipline with a really excessive probability (statistically talking) to see a first-time nationwide champion.
FOLLOW THE TOURNAMENT | BRACKET
Let’s take a fast have a look at what to find out about every of the 4 groups remaining within the discipline.
No. 1 Adelphi. The Panthers are the one crew remaining that has gained a DII girls’s lacrosse nationwide championship. In actual fact, Adelphi has gained extra nationwide championships than every other DII girls’s lacrosse program, searching for the large No. 10 total in Florida this week. Adelphi handed Tempo its first lack of the season to advance, ending the Setters’ run at changing into the primary repeat champions since these very Panthers pulled off the feat in 2014-15. The Panthers — who’re the second-highest scoring offense among the many remaining 4 — are powered by a trio of scorers in Danielle Marino (49 objectives), Kelly-Ann McGrath (51 objectives), and Kerrin Heuser (55 objectives) that can make issues tough on opposing defenses.
No. 2 Tampa. The Spartans are the one crew amongst this bunch that’s in uncharted territory. Having to compete with the powerhouse that’s Florida Southern within the SSC has been troublesome, however Tampa lastly moved on with an 11-9 victory over the rival Mocs. Tampa has a balanced assault, with Sarah Hinkle (61 objectives) main 4 gamers which have scored at the least 40 objectives this season. The Spartans’ keeper Alex Walling may have her palms full with that Regis offense, however she must be as much as the problem — Walling posted the sixth-best save proportion in DII this yr at .504.
No. 3 Regis (CO). Statistically talking, you need to just like the Rangers’ possibilities among the many remaining discipline. Regis has the highest scoring offense among the many semifinalists, averaging 16.75 objectives per sport, which can also be a top-10 mark in DII. The Rangers additionally personal the fourth-best scoring protection in DII at 7.25 objectives allowed per sport — one of the best mark among the many semifinalists. That is this system’s twenty fifth season, and Regis has by no means appeared in a DII girls’s lacrosse nationwide championship sport. Maybe this well-balanced crew will make historical past in its silver anniversary.
No. 4 East Stroudsburg. On paper, the Warriors are the underdogs, therefore the No. 4 seed within the semifinals. They’ve the bottom scoring offense and the highest-scoring protection among the many remaining discipline. Nonetheless, Emily Mitarotonda is an unstoppable power. Already East Stroudsburg’s all-time greatest objective scorer — she set the PSAC single-season report for objectives scored within the upset over West Chester — she is at present No. 3 in DII girls’s lacrosse this season with 91 objectives (practically 5 per sport), fourth in DII with 6.11 factors per sport, and is now second all-time in DII historical past in objectives scored. East Stroudsburg confirmed it’s a crew that gained’t fold, scoring six objectives within the fourth interval in an exciting comeback to advance. Plus, the Warriors and mighty Adelphi, its semifinal opponent, met earlier this season and East Stroudsburg gained. Keeper Abby Simonetti is DII’s greatest stopper with a .621 save proportion. Is the upset prepare able to hold rolling?
👀 What Wayne’s Watching 👀
Adelphi and Lenoir-Rhyne superior to the DII males’s lacrosse finals. The nationwide championship match can be performed on Sunday, Might 26, from Lincoln Monetary Subject in Philadelphia. You possibly can see the complete preview and my prediction, in addition to all the outcomes from the match to this point, right here.
The DII softball championship finals are underway in Florida. Whereas Tuesday, Might 21, will see some groups eradicated, I took a have a look at every of the eight groups and what to know concerning the discipline final week. In case you missed it, you may get caught up on some details and figures concerning the eight regional champions right here.
What else to observe…
The DII baseball championship tremendous regional tournaments start this weekend. You possibly can observe all of the motion right here.
The DII males’s and ladies’s golf championships started Tuesday morning on the DII competition and can conclude on Saturday, Might 25. You possibly can observe all of the finals motion for the males right here and girls right here.
Climate brought on some shifts to the start of the DII males’s and ladies’s tennis finals, however we’re underway on the DII competition. Already by the second day, you may get caught up and observe alongside to the nationwide championship with the males’s hub right here and girls’s hub right here.
A nationwide champion can be topped in DII males’s and ladies’s outside observe and discipline this coming weekend from Welch Stadium in Emporia, Kansas. You possibly can observe the motion right here.
On the Radar
🚣 DII rowing alternatives introduced Might 21
🏆 The 2024 DII Championships Pageant (Spring), concludes Might 25: This contains males’s and ladies’s tennis, males’s and ladies’s golf, girls’s lacrosse and softball. Go to the DII Pageant hub.
🥍 DII males’s lacrosse championship, Might 26.
🏟 DII baseball championship, June 1-8.
⚾️ 2024 MLB Draft, July 14.
Did I miss somebody or one thing? It positive is feasible. Don’t overlook to drop me a line at Wayne.Cavadi@WBD.com and get your stars of the week in by each Monday.