Corbin Martin is 77-3 ?
Diamond Talk
Brodie Greene
Texas A&M Baseball
College Station Super Regional Preview: Texas A&M vs. Davidson
Who: Davidson (35-24, 13-11 A-10)
Where: Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park — College Station, Texas
When: Friday 2:00 p.m. CT (ESPN2)
Saturday 5:00 p.m. CT (ESPN2)
Sunday 5:00 p.m. CT (ESPN2; if necessary)
Pitching matchups
Scouting Davidson
What a Cinderella story last weekend. With a little feel of the NCAA basketball tournament, which thrives on the plight of the underdog, the No. 4 seed Davidson Wildcats (with an enrollment of 1,920 students) shocked the college baseball world by steamrolling through the Chapel Hill Regional and defeating the No. 2 overall national seed and highly-favored North Carolina Tar Heels twice. That's the equivalent of Incarnate Word defeating Texas A&M twice in a regional at Olsen Field. Beating Goliath once is an upset. Slaying the overall No. 2 seed twice in three days borders on the unthinkable and the unbelievable.
It's the three-seed Aggies against the four-seed Wildcats.
Only six times out of 320 regionals in the past 20 seasons has a No. 4 seed ever advanced to a Super Regional. This is also only the sixth time in those 20 seasons that a No. 3 seed has hosted a Super Regional. With the historical significance and improbable circumstances duly noted, what's the scouting report on the Wildcats?
The statistics echo the improbability of Davidson's 8-1 postseason run that transformed a very average, nondescript season for the Wildcats into the run of a lifetime for the tiny liberal arts college that does not charge admission for its home games.
The media has picked up senior starting pitcher Durin O'Linger as the team's unquestioned leader and best player after throwing 365 pitches over the last five games. He got the win in game one against UNC and closed things out with a save against the Tar Heels in the regional final two days later. But a deeper look into the numbers shows that O'Linger is a grinder who has been finding his way out of trouble rather than a staff ace that dominates the opposition.
His 9-3 record and 2.89 ERA looks very stout, but he's also surrendered an astounding 118 hits in 109 innings. That's a lot of innings and a lot of hits. Opposing batters are hitting a comfortable .274 against the staff ace. So Linger is hit-able, but he finds ways to wiggle out of danger. It should also be noted that the fifth-year senior is just three seasons removed from major Tommy John surgery. That combined with his massive 109 innings pitched and 365 pitches thrown in just the past 10-14 days makes one wonder how much gas is left in the tank. So far, he's shown no signs of wear and tear.
For all of the buzz about Linger's performance last weekend in North Carolina, it was actually the performances of starters Evan Roberts and Josh Hudson that made the Cinderella story possible. Roberts started the critical winner's bracket game on Saturday that sent Davidson into the championship game. Despite a season ERA well over 4.00, Roberts allowed just one run over eight innings in a 2-1 nailbiter over No. 2 seed Florida Gulf Coast College.
As a whole, Davidson's team ERA (even after last weekend's stellar performances) is a bloated 4.41, which is exactly one run higher than Texas A&M's 3.41 ERA. The big question for this weekend: Can Davidson's starting pitchers have two dream weekend performances in the span of seven days? That's what it will take to win this Super Regional. We'll soon find out.
The season numbers on the offensive side look more credible. The team is batting a respectable .276, compared to Texas A&M's .274. In fact, up and down the board, the offensive statistics of the two teams are almost identical with Davidson scoring 365 runs this season compared to the Aggies' 361 runs. Now, the level of competition differs between the A-10 and SEC. That should be noted and the numbers placed in proper context. But as Iowa's Jake Adams proved in the Houston Regional, a dangerous power hitter can leave the yard against anybody. Just ask Houston and Texas A&M.
Davidson actually has two power hitters in Will Robertson (.336, 18 HR, 46 RBI) and Brian Fortier (.313, 15 HR, 53 RBI) in the two- and four-holes, respectively. In fact, the top of the Wildcat lineup is dangerous with the top five batters hitting .292 or higher. Davidson doesn't have much speed in terms of stolen bases, but lead-off hitter Cam Johnson has walked 43 times and finds ways to get on-base to set the table for the big, power hitters in the middle of the lineup.
On paper, the offensive production drops off significantly near the bottom of the order, but that wasn't the case last weekend when the lower third of the lineup came up big with 10 of the team's 26 base hits over the weekend. If Texas A&M pitching struggles with the bottom of the lineup, it could make the weekend a long grind.
Marc Flores, TexAgs
Texas A&M will have success against the Wildcats if it can play clean baseball and pitch well. If the Aggies struggle in the field, it could be a long weekend.
After seeing what Davidson must accomplish to see that the slipper fits twice, the Aggies' storylines this weekend seem bland and boring, but I'm sure that's exactly how Rob Childress and the players would like to see this weekend transpire – no surprises, no miracles. If the weekend goes by the script, the Aggies have a very good chance of advancing to the College World Series.
To keep the action on that script, the Aggies need to play good, solid baseball and avoid the big mistakes that could allow an underdog like Davidson to continue its fantastic postseason run. The storyline is very clear and has been since midway through the season. If this team pitches well and plays good defense, the Aggies have a good chance to win against anybody in the nation, including LSU, Auburn and Texas Tech.
But the numbers are very compelling when the Aggies face a team with an RPI over No. 100. Davidson entered the NCAA Tournament with an RPI of 127. Over the past two seasons, Texas A&M is 34-3 against teams with an RPI greater than 100. Of course, the two wins over North Carolina did wonders for the Wildcats' RPI, shooting them up to No. 93 on Monday. Against teams with RPI's between 51-100, the Aggies are 4-1 this season.
The numbers are on Texas A&M's side – if the team avoids mistakes and plays a solid brand of baseball this weekend. And solid baseball means no silly errors and quality pitching from the starters on the bump. That means the Aggies need quality outings from ace Brigham Hill and Saturday starter Corbin Martin.
Hill hasn't been sharp in recent weeks, but the veteran junior has battled and kept Texas A&M in each game. The same can be said of Corbin Martin, whose transformation from volatile, erratic closer to a trusted weekend starter since March has been amazing. Martin actually has the lowest ERA of any starting pitcher (2.99) and hasn't been chased early from a game in a couple of months. If both Hill and Martin come out firing strikes and hitting spots and the defense is doing its job, the Aggies will be hard to beat this weekend.
Christina DeRuyter, TexAgs
The Aggies will need National Freshman of the Year Braden Shewmake to heat up at the plate this weekend.
The Aggie offense did just enough to win all three games last weekend in Houston, but it wasn't easy. Braden Shewmake did his usual thing in game one against Baylor with a decisive homer, but he fell silent at the plate the final two games.
In fact, Shewmake's current .333 batting average is his low for the season. He had several RBI situations in the final two games, and he didn't deliver, which has been rare this season. The Aggies will need the freshman to heat back up and deliver some offensive punch because he's the catalyst and the engine that makes this offense run.
Nick Choruby had a terrific regional last weekend. The senior is making the most of his last days in a maroon uniform, seeing his average climb to .317 and, more importantly, scoring runs at the top of the lineup. Blake Kopetsky is another senior that had a big weekend in Houston. With the season and a trip to Omaha on the line, it's been the seniors that have really stepped up and delivered.
Joel Davis actually practiced this week. His status is unknown for this weekend, but it sounds like he'll make the trip to Omaha and could be ready to go if the team advances. His defense at first base would be huge if his foot cooperates and he gets the green light to play.
Do I really need to break it down for you?
OMAHA!!!!!!
Where: Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park — College Station, Texas
When: Friday 2:00 p.m. CT (ESPN2)
Saturday 5:00 p.m. CT (ESPN2)
Sunday 5:00 p.m. CT (ESPN2; if necessary)
Pitching matchups
- Friday: Brigham Hill (RHP, 8-3, 3.29 ERA) vs. Durin O'Linger (RHP, 9-3, 2.89)
- Saturday: Corbin Martin (RHP, 77-3, 2.99) vs. TBA
- Sunday: Stephen Kolek (RHP, 4-4, 3.59) vs. TBA
Scouting Davidson
What a Cinderella story last weekend. With a little feel of the NCAA basketball tournament, which thrives on the plight of the underdog, the No. 4 seed Davidson Wildcats (with an enrollment of 1,920 students) shocked the college baseball world by steamrolling through the Chapel Hill Regional and defeating the No. 2 overall national seed and highly-favored North Carolina Tar Heels twice. That's the equivalent of Incarnate Word defeating Texas A&M twice in a regional at Olsen Field. Beating Goliath once is an upset. Slaying the overall No. 2 seed twice in three days borders on the unthinkable and the unbelievable.
Only six times out of 320 regionals in the past 20 seasons has a No. 4 seed ever advanced to a Super Regional.
But folks, it happened, and Aggie fans are the biggest beneficiaries of the miracle as the 12th Man converges on Blue Bell Park this afternoon for today's improbable Super Regional matchup.It's the three-seed Aggies against the four-seed Wildcats.
Only six times out of 320 regionals in the past 20 seasons has a No. 4 seed ever advanced to a Super Regional. This is also only the sixth time in those 20 seasons that a No. 3 seed has hosted a Super Regional. With the historical significance and improbable circumstances duly noted, what's the scouting report on the Wildcats?
The statistics echo the improbability of Davidson's 8-1 postseason run that transformed a very average, nondescript season for the Wildcats into the run of a lifetime for the tiny liberal arts college that does not charge admission for its home games.
The media has picked up senior starting pitcher Durin O'Linger as the team's unquestioned leader and best player after throwing 365 pitches over the last five games. He got the win in game one against UNC and closed things out with a save against the Tar Heels in the regional final two days later. But a deeper look into the numbers shows that O'Linger is a grinder who has been finding his way out of trouble rather than a staff ace that dominates the opposition.
His 9-3 record and 2.89 ERA looks very stout, but he's also surrendered an astounding 118 hits in 109 innings. That's a lot of innings and a lot of hits. Opposing batters are hitting a comfortable .274 against the staff ace. So Linger is hit-able, but he finds ways to wiggle out of danger. It should also be noted that the fifth-year senior is just three seasons removed from major Tommy John surgery. That combined with his massive 109 innings pitched and 365 pitches thrown in just the past 10-14 days makes one wonder how much gas is left in the tank. So far, he's shown no signs of wear and tear.
For all of the buzz about Linger's performance last weekend in North Carolina, it was actually the performances of starters Evan Roberts and Josh Hudson that made the Cinderella story possible. Roberts started the critical winner's bracket game on Saturday that sent Davidson into the championship game. Despite a season ERA well over 4.00, Roberts allowed just one run over eight innings in a 2-1 nailbiter over No. 2 seed Florida Gulf Coast College.
As a whole, Davidson's team ERA is a bloated 4.41, which is exactly one run higher than Texas A&M's 3.41 ERA.
Hudson came into the regional final game against UNC with a 2-3 record and a 5.27 ERA and held a powerful Tar Heel offense to just one run. The miracle looks even more impressive after seeing those season numbers.As a whole, Davidson's team ERA (even after last weekend's stellar performances) is a bloated 4.41, which is exactly one run higher than Texas A&M's 3.41 ERA. The big question for this weekend: Can Davidson's starting pitchers have two dream weekend performances in the span of seven days? That's what it will take to win this Super Regional. We'll soon find out.
The season numbers on the offensive side look more credible. The team is batting a respectable .276, compared to Texas A&M's .274. In fact, up and down the board, the offensive statistics of the two teams are almost identical with Davidson scoring 365 runs this season compared to the Aggies' 361 runs. Now, the level of competition differs between the A-10 and SEC. That should be noted and the numbers placed in proper context. But as Iowa's Jake Adams proved in the Houston Regional, a dangerous power hitter can leave the yard against anybody. Just ask Houston and Texas A&M.
Davidson actually has two power hitters in Will Robertson (.336, 18 HR, 46 RBI) and Brian Fortier (.313, 15 HR, 53 RBI) in the two- and four-holes, respectively. In fact, the top of the Wildcat lineup is dangerous with the top five batters hitting .292 or higher. Davidson doesn't have much speed in terms of stolen bases, but lead-off hitter Cam Johnson has walked 43 times and finds ways to get on-base to set the table for the big, power hitters in the middle of the lineup.
On paper, the offensive production drops off significantly near the bottom of the order, but that wasn't the case last weekend when the lower third of the lineup came up big with 10 of the team's 26 base hits over the weekend. If Texas A&M pitching struggles with the bottom of the lineup, it could make the weekend a long grind.
Marc Flores, TexAgs
Texas A&M will have success against the Wildcats if it can play clean baseball and pitch well. If the Aggies struggle in the field, it could be a long weekend.
Texas A&M storylines to watch
After seeing what Davidson must accomplish to see that the slipper fits twice, the Aggies' storylines this weekend seem bland and boring, but I'm sure that's exactly how Rob Childress and the players would like to see this weekend transpire – no surprises, no miracles. If the weekend goes by the script, the Aggies have a very good chance of advancing to the College World Series.
To keep the action on that script, the Aggies need to play good, solid baseball and avoid the big mistakes that could allow an underdog like Davidson to continue its fantastic postseason run. The storyline is very clear and has been since midway through the season. If this team pitches well and plays good defense, the Aggies have a good chance to win against anybody in the nation, including LSU, Auburn and Texas Tech.
But the numbers are very compelling when the Aggies face a team with an RPI over No. 100. Davidson entered the NCAA Tournament with an RPI of 127. Over the past two seasons, Texas A&M is 34-3 against teams with an RPI greater than 100. Of course, the two wins over North Carolina did wonders for the Wildcats' RPI, shooting them up to No. 93 on Monday. Against teams with RPI's between 51-100, the Aggies are 4-1 this season.
The numbers are on Texas A&M's side – if the team avoids mistakes and plays a solid brand of baseball this weekend. And solid baseball means no silly errors and quality pitching from the starters on the bump. That means the Aggies need quality outings from ace Brigham Hill and Saturday starter Corbin Martin.
Hill hasn't been sharp in recent weeks, but the veteran junior has battled and kept Texas A&M in each game. The same can be said of Corbin Martin, whose transformation from volatile, erratic closer to a trusted weekend starter since March has been amazing. Martin actually has the lowest ERA of any starting pitcher (2.99) and hasn't been chased early from a game in a couple of months. If both Hill and Martin come out firing strikes and hitting spots and the defense is doing its job, the Aggies will be hard to beat this weekend.
Christina DeRuyter, TexAgs
The Aggies will need National Freshman of the Year Braden Shewmake to heat up at the plate this weekend.
In fact, Shewmake's current .333 batting average is his low for the season. He had several RBI situations in the final two games, and he didn't deliver, which has been rare this season. The Aggies will need the freshman to heat back up and deliver some offensive punch because he's the catalyst and the engine that makes this offense run.
Nick Choruby had a terrific regional last weekend. The senior is making the most of his last days in a maroon uniform, seeing his average climb to .317 and, more importantly, scoring runs at the top of the lineup. Blake Kopetsky is another senior that had a big weekend in Houston. With the season and a trip to Omaha on the line, it's been the seniors that have really stepped up and delivered.
Joel Davis actually practiced this week. His status is unknown for this weekend, but it sounds like he'll make the trip to Omaha and could be ready to go if the team advances. His defense at first base would be huge if his foot cooperates and he gets the green light to play.
What's at stake this weekend
Do I really need to break it down for you?
OMAHA!!!!!!
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