http://www.ncaa.com/interactive-bracket/baseball/d1

regionals start tomorrow. most of the usual suspects are hosting (UNC is the top overall seed). action really doesn't heat up until supers, but I'll be keeping an eye out for upsets.

http://www.ncaa.com/interactive-bracket/softball/d1

yes, I'm still beating the drum for college softball. in a lot of ways, it's more spectator-friendly than baseball (seven innings, very few pitching changes, no tedious pick-off throws, little posturing between pitches).

ladies started today. Oklahoma is the heavy favorite, returning almost everyone from a team that was runner-up last season. Tennessee looked good against bama last weekend.

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1. RHP Johnathan Gray, Oklahoma

2. 3B/OF Kris Bryant, San Diego

3. 3B Colin Moran, UNC

4. OF Hunter Renfroe, Mississippi State

5. 3B D.J. Peterson, New Mexico

6. RHP Ryne Stanek, Arkansas

7. RHP/OF Jonathan Crawford, Florida

8. RHP Alex Balog, San Francisco

9. RHP Bobby Wahl, Ole Miss

10. RHP Ryan Eades, LSU

11. RHP Jason Hursh, Oklahoma State

12. LHP Kevin Ziomek, Vanderbilt

13. OF Michael Lorenzen, Cal State Fullerton

14. 3B Chad Piner, Virginia Tech

15. LHP Dillon Overton, Oklahoma

16. LHP Kevin Emanuel, UNC

17. OF Jared King, Kansas State

18. RHP Trevor Williams, Arizona State

19. 2B Jacoby Jones, LSU

20. 1B Ryon Healy, Oregon

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Hell of an athlete.

I've got two kids that I coached last year playing in the regionals, so I'll probably a little more attention than usual this early.

obviously the biggest game on TV tonight. both teams have been perfect in the postseason, but Oklahoma has been downright dominant -- the Lady Sooners have outscored their playoff opponents 86-14. and their pitcher is the two-time NPOY.

anything can happen tho. go Vols.

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first game was a gut punch, but when you give a great team an inch, they take a foot. congrats to Oklahoma -- clearly the best team in softball this season, and the most dominant I've seen in the last seven years.

thanks to the Lady Vols, tho. having watched these girls for most of their careers, I'm happy to say they've repped Tennessee better than any other sports program in that span.

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so much for parity -- all but two of the top seeds advanced through regionals, the lone exceptions being Oklahoma and Rice (who were top 20 ranked teams themselves). no Kent States this season.

UNC had all sorts of trouble, however. they were pushed into a Monday elimination game, and needed their top starter to face seven batters in relief -- after 124 pitches and one day's rest.

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they need to move in the fences at Ameritrade Park. it's been a talking point since the stadium opened, and in three years the power drain has only worsened.

I'm fine with keeping the bats regulated, but in watching the games this weekend, pitchers were making flat out horrible mistakes and not getting punished. Mississippi State's closer throws a hanging curve that would've lost the game -- it's crushed, but still caught after traveling 374 feet. UCLA and LSU last night, both pitchers throw straight fastballs down the middle that can't clear either power alley.

anyway, an OK start to the CWS. the Mississippi State / Oregon State game was great. possible top 2014 pick Carlos Rodon was dominant against UNC (Tar Heels' pitching staff has still not recovered from their nightmare regional). Indiana / Louisville and UCLA / LSU were close games, but had a manufactured competitiveness due to the aforementioned park factor.

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