Arkansas (47-19, 3-0 in CWS)
Team
Batting Average: .302 (11th in NCAA)
Home Runs: 98 (3rd in NCAA)
Stolen Bases: 39 (210th in NCAA)
Fielding Percentage: .972 (98th in NCAA)
Projected Lineup
RF – Eric Cole - .325, 14 doubles, 14 HR, 51 RBI
3B – Casey Martin - .357, 14 doubles, 13 HR, 48 RBI
LF – Heston Kjerstad - .337, 15 doubles, 14 HR, 57
DH – Luke Bonfield - .303, 9 doubles, 9 HR, 43
CF – Dominic Fletcher - .298, 15 doubles, 10 HR, 49 RBI
2B – Carson Shaddy - .335, 12 doubles, 13 HR, 54 RBI
1B – Jared Gates - .252, 6 doubles, 6 HR, 23 RBI
C – Grant Koch - .243, 6 doubles, 7 HR, 34 RBI
SS – Jax Biggers - .286, 9 doubles, 4 HR, 26 RBI
Breakdown
Coming into the CWS Fletcher seemed to be pressing and struggled through the regional and super regional rounds. He has come out of it in impressive fashion, driving in 8 runs on 8 hits, including a double and a home run, through three games in Omaha and will look to size up OSU’s pitching this week. One more long ball from him and the Razorbacks will have six players with double-digit home runs. Arkansas has had 12 multi-hit performances by 9 players in three games, including a 3-hit game by both Gates and Kjerstad and a 4-hit game by both Martin and Fletcher. This is a lineup that comes at you as a team, feeding off one another and picking each other up. Never far from a rally, these dangerous Hogs will look to keep pace with one of the top offenses in the nation.
Oregon State (53-11-1, 4-1 in CWS)
Team
Batting Average: .323 (3rd in NCAA)
Home Runs: 65 (27th in NCAA)
Stolen Bases: 50 (152nd in NCAA)
Fielding Percentage: .979 (13th in NCAA)
Projected Lineup
2B – Nick Madrigal - .395, 9 doubles, 3 HR, 34 RBI, 15 SB
SS – Cadyn Grenier - .317, 17 doubles, 6 HR, 45 RBI
RF – Trevor Larnach - .344, 17 doubles, 18 HR, 75 RBI
C – Adley Rutschman - .397, 22 doubles, 8 HR, 80 RBI
3B – Michael Gretier - .312, 21 doubles, 7 HR, 49 RBI
DH – Tyler Malone - .284, 6 doubles, 8 HR, 32 RBI
LF – Kyle Nobach - .303, 10 doubles, 6 HR, 31 RBI
1B – Zak Taylor - .265, 7 doubles, 2 HR, 21 RBI
CF – Jack Anderson - .276, 9 doubles, 0 HR, 15 RBI
Breakdown
The Beavers have scored early and often in the CWS, posting double digit runs in three of their five games and scoring 4 or more runs in 8 different innings so far. This lineup has many weapons highlighted by 4th overall draft pick Madrigal and potential 2019 early first rounder Rutschman, who are both flirting with hitting .400. Larnach is by far the power bat with 18 HR, but this lineup top to bottom has gap power that makes runners on first base basically in scoring position. Opposing teams have had a hard time keeping up with Oregon State in scoring runs, but the Razorbacks are definitely up to the task.