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It was to be expected, but there was no shortage of action on Opening Weekend. A number of high-profile draft prospects showed well, pitchers dazzled and there were even some upsets sprinkled in.
Now, it’s time to turn the page to week two, where multi-team events are the theme below. The best individual matchup of the entire weekend slate can be found in the Round Rock Classic, while a pair of big winners from last weekend will look to carry their momentum into the Amegy Bank College Baseball Series.
Karbach Round Rock Classic
For the fifth-straight season, the Round Rock Classic returns to the Lone Star State. This year’s field includes a quartet of quality teams, headlined by No. 7 Virginia and No. 9 Oregon State. In addition to the Cavaliers and Beavers, Oklahoma and Minnesota round out the field. The marquee matchup of the tournament is undoubtedly Friday afternoon’s tilt between Oregon State and Virginia, though there really isn’t an uninteresting game on the slate.
A Gauntlet Lies Ahead For Minnesota, Oklahoma
With top 10 matchups on back-to-back days, Minnesota and Oklahoma have the most difficult schedules this weekend. The Golden Gophers enter at 1-2 and the biggest underdogs of the tournament. Not to write them off completely, but winning one game this weekend would be considered an overall victory from this chair. Should the Gophers repeat their 1-2 performance from the opening weekend, it would mean they took down a strong Oklahoma team or a top 10 opponent. Junior outfielder Drew Berkland (.385/.429/.923) has paced the offense so far, while both Kyle Remington (0-1, 3.86 ERA) and Cole Selvig (1-0, 4.50 ERA) turned in solid starts last weekend.
This is a cold take, but Oklahoma has an opportunity to be the big winner of the weekend. It soundly swept Lehigh last week, outscoring the Mountain Hawks by a resounding 36-7 margin. Staff ace and potential first-round pick Kyson Witherspoon (1-0, 3.60 ERA) will look to set the tone on Friday against Minnesota, and his twin brother Malachi (1-0, 1.80 ERA) is in line to get the ball Saturday against Virginia.
The Sooners’ depth doesn’t stop with the Witherspoon twins, though, as they boast both a handful of quality bullpen arms and a strong lineup. Leading the charge offensively are potential top-three round pick Easton Carmichael (.545/.571/1.455) and Jaxon Willits (.333/.500/.778). It will have plenty of chances to do so as the season progresses, but this weekend is a golden opportunity for Oklahoma to make serious waves.
Key Players To Watch
Oregon State and Virginia both have their own in-depth previews, though it’s still worth highlighting a couple of key players for each team.
Oregon State
The Beavers last weekend went a resounding 4-0 out in Arizona and averaged an impressive 12 runs per game. They have received contributions up and down their lineup, which is led by the dynamic duo of Aiva Arquette (.538/.667/.846) and Trent Caraway (.471/.500/.588). Not only have both hit the ground running, but each are likely day one picks this July—especially Arquette, who has first-round upside.
It’s hard to upstage an offense that averages a dozen runs per game, but Oregon State’s arms have done just that. To this point, the trio of Nelson Keljo (4 IP, 0 hits), Ethan Kleinschmit (6 IP, 0 hits) and star freshman Dax Whitney (5 IP, four hits) have combined to allow just four hits across 15 shutout innings. They did it against lesser opponents last weekend, so it will be interesting to see how the Beavers fare against a sizable step up in competition.
Virginia
Following a one-run, extra-innings loss to Michigan on Opening Day, Virginia bounced back with a pair of wins over Villanova and Rice. It goes without saying, but last weekend’s loss does not at all change the overall outlook for Virginia who has national championship upside.
The Cavaliers’ lineup is one of the most dangerous units in the country, and it’s led by a pair of potential first-round picks in Henry Ford (.182/.231/.413) and Henry Godbout (.273/.385/.273). Neither lit it up last weekend, but it’s a matter of when—not if—they’ll get going. Blue chip sophomore Eric Becker went 6-for-12 last weekend with a pair of extra-base hits, while impact two-way transfer Chris Arroyo homered on Opening Day and fired 1.1 shutout innings on the mound. On the bump, veteran righthander Jay Woolfolk allowed a pair of runs across 4.2 innings, while freshman Tomas Valincius dazzled in his debut to the tune of 10 strikeouts across six shutout innings.
How To Watch The Karbach Round Rock Classic
Our college baseball streaming guide for 2025 can be found here, but all of this weekend’s action can be streamed via D1Baseball (subscription required).
Jax College Baseball Classic
The second annual Jax College Baseball Classic features a four-team field that includes No. 14 NC State, Alabama, Coastal Carolina and Ohio State.
A Golden Opportunity For Coastal Carolina
Year one of the Kevin Schnall era is off to a strong start in Conway. The Chanticleers last weekend notched a trio of convincing wins, two of which were over Kansas State, before a midweek hiccup on Tuesday against College of Charleston. It will be difficult for any team to sweep this weekend given the quality of competition across the board, but Coastal can absolutely earn another “series win.”
Potential first-round pick Caden Bodine (.333/.429/.500) is the straw that stirs the drink offensively, but senior shortstop Ty Dooley (.455/.500/.545) and and freshman Domenico Tozzi (.385/.357/.692) both had productive opening weekends of their own. Virginia transfer Cullen McKay (0-0, 3.86 ERA) collected seven strikeouts across 2.1 innings last weekend, while Cameron Flukey (0-0, 2.08 ERA) is armed with one of the louder fastballs in the 2026 class. In what is a change of pace from years past, the biggest strength of this year’s Coastal club could end up being its bevy of pitching depth.
Can The Tide Keep Rolling?
Alabama is off to a roaring 5-0 start in which it’s averaging over 13 runs per game. The Crimson Tide last weekend soundly swept Bradley before notching a pair of midweek wins. They’re knocking on the door of the top 25 and at least two wins this weekend—especially if they come against NC State and Coastal Carolina—would only help their cause.
Star sophomore Justin Lebron (.500/.640/1.125) is off to a hot start, and six of his eight hits have gone for extra bases. Miami transfer Jason Torres’ (.400/.538/.700) nine RBIs rank third on the team, while Southern Miss transfer Bryce Fowler (.444/.600/.667) leads the way with 11. The Tide also boast a dynamic duo on the mound in imposing righthander Riley Quick (1-0, 0.00 ERA) and southpaw Zane Adams (1-0, 6.75 ERA). Adams wasn’t his sharpest last weekend, but he impressed in the Cape League over the summer and will inevitably round into form.
The Team To Beat?
No. 14 NC State last weekend dismantled Fordham before a midweek slip-up against an always-quality Liberty team. It enters this weekend as the team to beat, but the Wolfpack certainly has its work cut out for them. The ‘Pack has a deep, balanced unit offensively that can beat teams a number of ways. Sophomore infielder Luke Nixon (.412/.444/.529) plays the game at one speed and fits the mold of a prototypical lead-off hitter, but the biggest star on offense is sophomore catcher Alex Sosa (.250/.368/.688).
NC State has established a lengthy track record of producing quality catchers and Sosa is next in line. A likely top-two round pick in 2026, Sosa is tied for the team lead with two home runs and has collected five RBIs. State’s rotation of Heath Andrews (1-0, 3.60 ERA), Dom Fritton (0-0, 0.00 ERA) and Ryan Marohn (1-0, 0.00 ERA) all turned in strong starts last weekend and has a chance to be one of the better starting trios in the ACC when all is said and done. This weekend is the furthest thing from the end all and be all for NC State—or any team in the field—but it is a good early barometer to see how it stacks up against at least a pair of likely tournament teams.
How To Watch The Jax College Baseball Classic
The Jax College Baseball Classic can be streamed via D1Baseball (subscription required).
Amegy Bank College Baseball Series
The first week of the Amegy Bank College Baseball Series boasts an enticing four-team field, of which three—No. 4 Arkansas, No. 24 TCU and No. 25 Michigan—are ranked.
Can TCU And Michigan Stay Hot?
TCU and Michigan were two of the biggest winners from Opening Weekend. The Horned Frogs vaulted into the top 25 after a 3-0 weekend against San Diego, while Michigan opened eyes nationwide with a 4-0 showing down in Puerto Rico that was headlined by an impressive win over then-No. 5 Virginia. Both teams come into this weekend with plenty of momentum and a pair of ranked matchups on each of their schedules.
TCU last week was dealt a big-time blow when it was announced that junior lefthander Ben Abeldt would be out for the season due to an elbow injury, but so far the Horned Frogs haven’t blinked. While it’s still quite early and four games is a minuscule sample size, their depth on both sides of the baseball has been on display.
Strong-armed righthander Tommy LaPour struck out five across six shutout innings last weekend, but my early “pick to click” on the pitching staff is junior lefthander Braeden Sloan. Sloan last weekend spun four shutout innings and notched eight strikeouts, but the biggest key for him is continuing to compete around the strike zone. His best pitch is a plus changeup that generates plenty of whiffs, and he’s an uncomfortable look for opposing hitters. The Horned Frogs have received contributions from a number of hitters, but senior Cole Cramer (.412/.450/.882) and sophomore Isaac Cadena (.400/.571/.867) have been particularly impressive.
Michigan came into this season with less fanfare than TCU, but that is no longer. The Wolverines have captured the attention of the college baseball world and have another great opportunity to cement themselves within the top 25. Preseason third team all-American Mitch Voit (.471/.474/1.059) leads the offense with two home runs and seven RBIs, but leadoff man Jonathan Kim (.500/.500/.611) veteran backstop Matt Spear (.357/.438/.571) are also off to fast starts.
I’ve been particularly impressed with how the Wolverines have looked on the mound, and it appears that head coach Tracy Smith has a plethora of arms he feels comfortable giving the ball to. Sophomore righthander Dylan Vigue (0-0, 3.38 ERA) threw the ball well on Opening Day against Virginia, while the trio of Kurt Barr (0-0, 0.00 ERA), David Lally Jr. (1-0, 0.00 ERA) and Gavin DeVooght (2-0, 0.00 ERA) have not allowed an earned run across 17.1 total innings. This weekend is a big test for the Wolverines—especially Friday and Sunday’s games against TCU and Arkansas—and I’m looking forward to seeing how they rise to the occasion.
Will Anyone Knock Off Arkansas?
Unsurprisingly, Arkansas will have a target on its back this weekend and throughout the season. It comes with the territory of being one of the top programs in the sport. The Razorbacks are off to a perfect 4-0 start, but their bats struggled to get going at times last weekend. Whether or not that was strictly a “last weekend issue” is yet to be seen, but I’ll be looking to see if they can bring some offensive fireworks down to Globe Life Field.
On paper, Arkansas has one of the more vaunted quartet of arms in the country. I could discuss all four at-length, but Landon Beidelschies (1-0, 1.80 ERA), Gabe Gaeckle (0-0, 0.00 ERA), Zach Root (1-0, 1.80 ERA) and Gage Wood (0-0, 3.60 ERA) all looked excellent in their respective starts last weekend. The Razorbacks’ pitching depth doesn’t end in their rotation and head coach Dave Van Horn also has a stable of viable bullpen arms at his disposal. With two ranked matchups on the docket, this weekend will be a step up in competition for Arkansas. However, expect its offense to heat up a bit and for the Hogs to handle business.
How To Watch The Amegy Bank College Baseball Series
Every game this weekend can be streamed via FloSports (subscription required).
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