Does MissState move past us in the race for regionals.............

Baseball Insider Board
#1

…after their win over our collapsing bullpen today? If the SEC only gets four regionals are we now on the outside looking in?

#2

I can’t imagine they would. We still have a 3-1 record over them & we finished ahead of them in the regular season. If they win it all & we lose tonight, I suppose it could happen, but I don’t think today’s game alone will allow them to pass us.

#3

I think it would take a deep run for Mississippi State to host a regional and that’s unlikely with Florida up next, and the Bulldogs’ pitching staff thinning. MSU’s RPI is in the 30s. The Georgia series loss and being swept twice was a killer.

#4

I suspect we’ll see MSU again tomorrow night, and they don’t have much pitching depth. And we have Knight probably ready to go. I like our chances to be playing Saturday. Who we pitch Saturday, though, is an open question. Committee time, I guess.

#5

Arkansas now has 40 wins, which is the same number it had in all of 2015 when it went to the College World Series.

It would be hard to justify keeping a 40-win team with a top 16 RPI from hosting.

#6

Like Jeff, I’d bet UF beats MSU tomorrow morning & we’ll face MSU again tomorrow night. I like our chances if that happens. We only used 3 pitchers tonight & game only went 7 innings. Knight can go. MSU will be on its 4th set of pitchers–not to mention it’ll be their 2nd game tomorrow & 4th game in 4 days. It’ll be our 3rd game in 3 days. Tough, but not as hard as MSU’s had it.

If we win tomorrow, I’m not sure I care if win on Saturday. I suspect we’re safe to host now. Go 2-2 in the SEC, I’m sure we will. So Car & MSU are the only teams left who could theoretically move ahead of us. UK, LSU & UF are already ahead of us. I don’t think either USC or MSU can move ahead of us–especially if we eliminate MSU tomorrow night.

#7

Based on what? What objective measure would have MSU over us?

#8

Good point. Here is a side by side comparison of some key data points the selection committee looks for:

RPI: Arkansas 14, Mississippi State 29
Head to Head: Arkansas 3, Mississippi State 1
Top 50 Wins: Arkansas 14, Mississippi State 15
Times Swept: Arkansas 0, Mississippi State 2
Bad Series Losses: Arkansas 0, Mississippi State 1

#9

The win over Auburn locked us into hosting. RPI is in the top 16 and we have 40 wins.

#10

I think Arkansas was already locked into hosting a regional, but the Auburn win should have removed any doubt.