Athens Baseball Regional Projection 2024: Odds and picks for 2024 NCAA baseball
The Athens Regional features Georgia, UNC Wilmington, Georgia Tech and Army West Point. The NCAA Selection Committee handed the Bulldogs the hosting duties for being selected as the No. 7 seed in the Selection Show on Monday.
The Seahawks and the Black Knights secured the 2024 NCAA Baseball Tournament automatic berths after winning the Colonial Athletic Association and Patriot League tournaments, respectively, while the Yellow Jackets got an invite from the Selection Committee for being one of the best at-large teams during the regular season and the conference tournaments.
Georgia (39-15) is the top seed in the double-elimination college baseball regional tournament while UNC Wilmington (39-19), Georgia Tech (31-23) and Army (31-21) were ranked second to fourth for the regionals, which will be held at the Foley Field from May 31-June 3.
The winner of the Athens Regional will be paired with the victor of the Raleigh Regional in the best-of-three Super Regional showdown scheduled for June 7-10. NC State, South Carolina, James Madison and Bryant are the teams taking part in the Raleigh Regional.
Athens Baseball Regional Projection 2024
#1. Georgia Bulldogs
The Bulldogs are favored to rule the Athens Regional with batting average and home run leader Charlie Condon leading the charge. The third baseman hit .443 in the regular season and the SEC Tournament and has smacked 35 home runs and batted in 75 runs.
Aside from Condon, Georgia will get a ton of support from Corey Collins, Slate Alford, Kolby Branch and Dylan Goldstein. All four have slammed at least 12 homers each and produced a combined 206 RBIs this season.
The pitching staff is led by Leighton Finley and Kolten Smith who have combined for 14 wins this year. Brian Zeldin is the team's closer with six saves but has an ERA of 5.59. The Bulldogs scored 500 runs but allowed 327 in 54 games this season.
Barring any untoward incident, expect Georgia to score a ton of runs and trample the field en route to winning the Athens Regional.
#2. UNC Wilmington Seahawks
The Seahawks stood out in the CAA with superb play from both sides of the field. UNC Wilmington scored 418 runs this season while allowing 295 this season.
Tanner Thach is the team's top run producer, smacking 27 home runs and 75 RBIs. He hit .328 and slugged .714 for a 1.123 OPS this season. Trevor Marsh is UNC Wilmington's top hitter, batting .372 and hitting 14 homers and 49 RBIs.
In defense, the combined 4.50 ERA of its pitching staff could spell trouble for the three other teams in the Athens Regional as it is capable of shutting down opponents. RJ Sales is the team's top hurler as he went 10-3 in 15 starts this season. He recorded an ERA of 3.70 and struck out 87 batters in 87.2 innings.
The relief corps has silenced opponents in the latter innings, producing 15 saves throughout the season. If there is one team that could shut down Georgia's offensive juggernaut, it has to be UNC Wilmington.
#3. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
The Yellow Jackets boast of an offense that has produced 448 runs and 90 home runs this season. Drew Burress spearheaded Georgia Tech's run production, batting .379 and producing 23 home runs and 65 RBIs in 54 games this year.
Six more batters have averaged .301 or better, including Matthew Ellis (.318/16 HR/58 RBI) and Payton Green (.317/12 HR/42 RBI). Cam Jones is a threat on the basepaths, as he stole 28 bases in 29 attempts.
Their pitching crew is somewhat questionable, as they have allowed 368 runs and a combined ERA of 6.65. Aeden Finateri had 15 starts for Georgia Tech this season and had a 5-4 record and 6.52 ERA. Cam Jones had an ERA of 5.85 and a record of 3-2.
#4. Army West Point Black Knights
The Black Knights have scored a total of 347 runs this season, built around their three-headed monster composed of Derek Berg, Sam Ruta and William Parker. Berg, Ruta and Parker have combined for 42 home runs and 150 RBIs. Chris Barr is the team's batting leader, hitting .329 and a top base stealer with 16 SBs during the year.
Army's pitching crew tends to be stingy as it has averaged 4.28 ERAs. Justin Lehman is the team's ace with a 2.53 ERA. He has a record of 5-3 in 11 starts and produced two complete games this year. Matthew Ronnebaum is 6-3 in 11 starts and has a 3.91 ERA and produced two complete games like Lehman.
The Black Knights face elite competition in the Athens Regional and there's a possibility that the team's ERA could inflate a bit as they will be up against two of the nation's top run-producing teams in Georgia and UNC Wilmington.
Athens Regional Betting Odds and Picks
The odds for the Athens Regional have been released with Georgia emerging as the top favorite with a -115 moneyline odds. Georgia Tech has the second-best odds at +245 while UNC Wilmington and Army West Point are considered longshots with their moneyline odds set at +380 and +2000, respectively.
Foley Field has been friendly for the Bulldogs as they are 29-5 this season. There is a great chance that Georgia will rule the Athens Regional and secure a slot in the Super Regional with a dominant performance in the four-day tournament.
How to watch Georgia baseball in Athens Baseball Regional?
The first game of Georgia in the Athens Baseball Regional against Army West Point will be featured live by ESPN at 1:00 p.m. ET.
What are the dates of the NCAA Baseball Regionals?
The NCAA Division I Baseball Regionals will begin on Friday, May 31, and will end on Monday, June 3.
Will Georgia rule the field and win the Athens Regional? Let us know your views in the comments section.