After a full weekend of baseball, beginning with games on Friday afternoon and continuing all the way into late Monday afternoon, we have narrowed down the sixty-four teams to sixteen. And, as always, there were some surprises. Some teams that were world-beaters fell hard (stand up Alabama) while small giants will roar on (congrats to Florida Atlantic and Richmond). So, before we move on and look at this weekend’s Super Regional matchups, let’s take a look back at what happened last weekend.

As expected, the Seminoles had very little problems with this field. It took only three games for the Noles to secure their spot in this weekend’s Super Regional round. Stetson, a team I thought could possibly advance to Sunday, was the first team to be eliminated. The team I thought to be the worst in Tallahassee, the South Florida Bulls, advanced to Sunday’s action but were defeated by FSU 13-6. Central Florida beat USF on Friday but were defeated when the two teams met again Saturday night.

South Alabama once again came up short in regional play and will end their season prior to the Super Regionals. The Jags won on Friday but then lost two consecutive games on Saturday to Notre Dame and Ohio State. The ND game was an embarrassing one for USA, a 25-1 loss. Kent State, my pick as a possible surprise team, was the first to be eliminated from South Bend, while Ohio State, a weak three seed in my opinion, advanced all the way to Sunday by winning two games on Saturday over KSU and USA. The Buckeyes, however, fell short on Sunday as Notre Dame won the first game 9-6 and advanced to the Super Regional round.

For the third straight time, my pick for surprise team in a regional was the first team to be eliminated. Maine was taken out in the first two games by CSN and BYU. The Cougars, whom I felt to be by far the weakest team in LA, lost on Friday in 12 innings but recovered in time to defeat both Maine and Cal State-Northridge on Saturday and force a game on Monday. Northridge was beaten in two consecutive games on Saturday by USC and BYU and eliminated from the tournament. Southern Cal won the first game on Monday with BYU and reached the Super Regionals.

Since this was likely the strongest four-team regional in the history of NCAA baseball, there was no pick by me for a surprise team and no one was overly impressive over the weekend in Palo Alto. San Jose State, a good team but obviously the weakest of the four, was the first to be eliminated, losing to LBSU and CSF. After a loss Saturday afternoon, Long Beach State was able to rebound and knock off Cal State Fullerton in the final game on Saturday. The Titans had fallen in a 13 inning game on Friday night before their two games on Saturday. Stanford advanced to Sunday and played LBSU for the second time in twenty-four hours, winning the game and the regional 8-4.

Southern University, whom I thought could surprise in this regional by scoring a lot of runs, came up one short in their opening game with LSU on Friday and were then eliminated by Tulane on Saturday morning. Louisiana-Lafayette knocked off the Tigers in the second game Saturday and secured a spot in Sunday’s championship game. LSU, however, was able to bounce back and defeat Tulane in the final game Saturday, advancing to Sunday’s play needing two wins over ULL. The Tigers dominated both games Sunday, winning both games by a score of 12-2 and moving on to the Super Regionals.

Harvard, of the Ivy League, was the first team to be eliminated from the Houston Regional Saturday morning, when they were defeated by the Washington Huskies. In Friday’s action, Rice had defeated Harvard while Texas Tech had knocked off UW. The matchup of the two winners was won by Rice, and in the final game of the day, Texas Tech fell once again, this time to UW. The Huskies advanced to Sunday’s championship games. Washington was able to win the first game Sunday on a three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth, coming away with a one-run victory. Rice, however, fought back strong in the second game and demolished Washington by a score of 14-2.

Central Connecticut State was the first team eliminated from Austin after losing to Texas and Lamar on Friday night and Saturday morning, respectively. In the winner’s bracket game, the hometown Longhorns were two runs better than in-state rival Baylor, winning 10-8 and advancing to Sunday’s championship game. Baylor, who knocked off Lamar on Friday, would have to face them again Saturday night. Once again, the Bears came out on top, winning 10-9 and setting up an all-Texas chamionship Sunday. It took only one game for the Horns to secure themselves a Super Regional spot as they took a 2-0 lead and made it stand up, sending Baylor home while extending their own season at least one week longer.

New Mexico State ws the first school eliminated from the Mesa regional after losing to Houston on Friday afternoon and then San Diego on Saturday morning. SD was beaten by Arizona State, the host school, on Friday evening. Houston, the one seed, knocked off ASU in the winner’s bracket game Saturday afternoon, 8-4, forcing the Sun Devils to play another game Saturday night. ASU bounced back, though, and knocked off San Diego 11-1, the second time the Sun Devils had beaten SD in twenty-four hours. Arizona State had the crowd behind them going to the championship game, but Houston prevailed and secured a spot in the Super Regionals with an 8-3 victory.

After being shut out by Georgia Tech on Friday, Coastal Carolina bounced back to defeat and eliminate Louisville, ending the Cardinals season after just three games in the regional. The two winners from Friday, who also happen to be in-state rivals, Georgia and Georgia Tech, met on Saturday afternoon. The hometwon Yellow Jackets prevailed, shutting out their opponent for the second time in less than twenty-four hours. UGA was forced to play a second game on Saturday, and the Bulldogs were able to defeat Coastal Carolina 9-7 and advance to meet GT again on Sunday. The in-state matchup on Sunday was a tight game, but the Yellow Jackets, backed by the home crowd, advanced to the Super Regionals with an 8-7 win.

Although I thought FAU could make some noise, I did not think they were good enough to knock off the host school Alabama and make it to a Super Regional. However, FAU was able to capture a win over Auburn on Friday in a 16-11 shootout while Southeast Missouri State upset the Crimson Tide 7-4 in the nightcap on Friday. That meant the two in-state rivals had to meet in an elimination game on Saturday. The game was won by Alabama 6-3, sending Auburn home early and letting Bama move on at least one more game. In the winner’s bracket contest, Florida Atlantic once again scored many runs and knocked off SEMO 12-6. That set up yet another matchup between SEMO and Alabama Saturday evening. This time the Crimson Tide pulled off the 7-4 win and advanced to Sunday. Florida Atlantic was beaten soundly by Alabama in the first game Sunday by a score of 7-2. The final game would prove to be the decisive game, the winner marching on to the Super Regionals. Florida Atlantic captured a 6-5 win and the regional championship, extending their season yet another weekend.

The top two seeds in this regional, North Carolina and South Carolina, were victorious on Friday, setting up a crucial winner’s bracket game on Saturday afternoon. The two losers of Friday’s games, Virginia Commonwealth and James Madison, were matched up in a loser’s bracket game on Saturday morning. JM won 5-2 and eliminated VCU from the regional. In the afternoon game, USC out-slugged UNC 9-6 and advanced to Sunday’s game. UNC had to turn around and face James Madison Saturday night, and the Tar Heels beat JM for the second time in two days. UNC was also able to beat USC 8-4 in the first game Sunday before the Gamecocks bounced back and won the regional 3-1.

Everyone said Miami deserved a chance to defend their title, and they made the most of it in the regional round. After knocking off FIU on Friday, the Canes took on Florida in the winner’s bracket game on Saturday, thanks to the Gators 13-1 win over Bethune-Cookman. BC knocked off FIU 7-4 Saturday morning and eliminated FIU. Miami continued their streak with a 7-2 win over UF Saturday afternoon, and the Gators were forced to take on BC again. The Gators once again pounded Bethune-Cookman, this time 21-10. In the first game Sunday, the Gators squeaked out an 11-10 win in ten innings. In game two, Miami rebounded and won 8-7, keeping their hopes of repeating as national champs alive.

East Carolina, with a 13-7 win over Elon, and Clemson, thanks to a 15-1 beating of Georiga Southern, were matched up for a winner’s bracket game Saturday. First, though, the two losers met, with GSU topping Elon 6-2. The Saturday afternoon was won by Clemson in a low-scoring game 4-2. ECU was forced to take on GSU and was able to secure a spot in Sunday’s championship game with a 7-3 win. In what was probably the worst game of this regional, Clemson shallacked East Carolina 21-1 on Sunday, sending the Pirates home early while allowing the Tigers to advance to the round of sixteen.

Both teams who were supposed to be victorious on Friday, Oklahoma and Wichita State, were defeated and forced to matchup on Saturday morning. OU was sent home early thanks to a WSU 8-4 win. In the afternoon, the two surprise teams went head-to-head with Arkansas advancing to Sunday with a 7-6 win. In the nightcap, Oral Roberts pounded Wichita State for the second straight day, this time capturing a 15-8 win. Arkansas easily won the Sunday game 11-6 and moved on to the Super Regionals.

After being beat 5-4 in eleven innings on Friday, SWMO bounced back and knocked off Wisconsin-Milwaukee in the first elimination game Saturday. W-M was beaten by the home team, Nebraska, 7-2 in the first game Friday. Nebraska rolled on with a 9-1 win over Marist Saturday afternoon, forcing Marist to matchup with SWMO Saturday night. Southwest Missouri came out on top with a 5-2 win and moved on to Sunday. Nebraska, however, was ready for the challenge, and pounded SWMO 14-3, securing a spot in the round of sixteen for the Cornhuskers.

The top two seeds in Winston-Salem, Richmond and Wake Forest, were victorious on Friday. Navy and George Washington, the two losers, were forced to meet in an elimination game Saturday morning, and Navy came out on top with a 6-4 and extending their season. In the winner’s bracket game, Richmond squeaked past WF 3-2 in a pitcher’s duel. That set up an evening game between WF and Navy. The game was dominated by Wake Forest 13-1. On Sunday, the Deamon Deacons came out ready to play and beat Richmond 5-4 in ten innings, forcing a second game. In game two, Richmond topped the home team 7-5 and locked up a spot in the Super Regionals.