Arizona has the best all-around offense in college baseball.
Vanderbilt has two projected top-five picks atop its rotation.
So of course the Wildcats and Commodores are getting the prime-time slot when the College World Series opens Saturday. ESPN’s programming department knows a marquee matchup when it sees one.
Whether they face Kumar Rocker or Jack Leiter, the key for the Cats is to not make the game any bigger than it is. Arizona has done that all season, with its last contest serving as the ultimate example: Facing elimination, the UA blasted Ole Miss 16-3.
“The mental discipline that our players have exhibited to this point in the season — in being able to block out things and understand that they don’t have anything to do with the play or their performance — has led them to good performance,” Arizona coach Jay Johnson said Tuesday. “We need to really utilize our experience and our discipline in doing that. That in itself will help us play to our maximum potential, which gives us a great chance to be successful.”
Vanderbilt is the betting favorite in the CWS, according to DraftKings Sportsbook. The Commodores are the de facto defending champions, having won the title the last time it was contested, in 2019.
Then-freshman Rocker led the way for that team, including a 19-strikeout no-hitter in Super Regionals and a pair of wins in Omaha. He since has been joined by Leiter, who has put up even better numbers this season. Leiter is projected to be the third pick in this year’s MLB draft, Rocker the fifth.
Arizona will get one or the other Saturday. The Wildcats are looking forward to the challenge.
“I’m up to play any team,” veteran first baseman Branden Boissiere said. “I feel like we can compete with anyone.”
“I’m very excited,” added freshman catcher Daniel Susac. “I think that’s what you want. You don’t want to get this far and not face the best of the best.”
Arizona has faced the 19th-hardest schedule in the country this season, per WarrenNolan.com. The Wildcats are 26-15 against teams ranked in the top 100 in RPI.
Vanderbilt pitcher Jack Leiter comes from a family of pitchers. His father, Al, was a longtime pitcher in the big leagues. So was his uncle Mark and cousin Mark Jr.
Regarding the specific battle between Arizona’s lineup and Vanderbilt’s arms, Johnson believes his team’s versatility will work in its favor. Although they hit seven home runs in three Super Regional games, the Wildcats can score in any number of ways. They lead the nation in doubles and triples and rank second in on-base percentage. TD Ameritrade Park also tends to play big, similar to Hi Corbett Field.
“What I like about our team is we’re built to win any type of game,” Johnson said. “We have speed. We have strike-zone discipline. We have power. We have the ability to hit with runners in scoring position. We have a solid bunting game. We’re really good at running the bases.
“So we’re not going to be pigeonholed into any way or type of game that’s gonna put us in a tough deal. Somebody’s gonna have to pitch and play well to hold us down.”
Susac feeling ‘great’
Although his offensive production has fallen off lately amid a heavy defensive workload, Susac said he feels “great” physically heading into the CWS.
Susac has started 58 of 61 games behind the plate. Johnson was able to get him off his feet for the final two defensive innings of the second game against Ole Miss.
“It’s important,” Johnson said. “It’s a long season. He’s one of our most important players, National Freshman of the Year. He’s carried a big role.”
The CWS schedule — which generally features off days between games — also should help.
Besides, it’s nothing compared to travel ball.
“I used to have catch the first five (games) of the weekend, then go pitch the championship game,” Susac said. “You don’t really notice it as a kid. You kind of question, like, how much am I playing? But then you see when you get older how much it gets you ready for it. It’s one of those things where you start to be thankful for the stuff your parents did for you.”
Susac’s batting average peaked at .364 on May 18. It since has fallen to .329.
Susac did have two solid hits in the last game against Ole Miss, including a double. He has strived to maximize his recovery regimen of late, including an increased emphasis on hydration.
Inside pitch
Johnson said he had “no update” regarding the status of suspended relief pitchers Randy Abshier and Gil Luna. Abshier and Luna — who emerged as Arizona’s top two left-handers out of the bullpen this season — were placed on interim suspension last week by the UA dean of students office after an off-field incident. Efforts have been made behind the scenes to have them reinstated, but they remained suspended as of Tuesday.
After Vanderbilt, the Wildcats could face an opponent they’re familiar with — Pac-12 rival Stanford. The Cardinal was the last team to win a series against the Cats, taking two of three at Stanford in early May. Although he and his staff know the Cardinal well, Johnson isn’t taking any chances. “I have always been more comfortable in second matchups ... to go back and start over,” Johnson said. “We haven’t played those guys for what will probably be a month or a little over a month if we were to see them again. Players and teams change. They obviously played incredibly well at Texas Tech. We need to look at what they’ve done recently, because that’s probably a little better indication of where they’re at today.”
Arizona was set to practice Tuesday evening, lift weights Wednesday morning and fly by charter to Omaha on Wednesday afternoon. They will practice at Creighton on Wednesday and at Nebraska-Omaha on Thursday before the customary team workout at TD Ameritrade Park on Friday.
