Tennessee leads NCAA baseball tournament field. Analyzing the College World Series bracket, schedule

Selection day has arrived in college baseball, the official start of the quest for the sport’s ultimate destination, the College World Series in Omaha.

First, however, the 64-team field must navigate the regionals, with the winners at the 16 four-team double-elimination sites advancing to the best-of-three superregional round a week later.

In addition to the seed order at all 16 sites, the NCAA committee also unveiled the top eight overall seeds in the field. That group will be guaranteed to be playing in friendly environs should they advance, but it doesn’t guarantee a trip to Omaha. That seems especially true this year in what appears to be a wide-open field of title contenders. Here’s everything you need to know about the draw.

Who are the top teams in the NCAA baseball tournament?

Defending champ LSU will be a long shot at best this time, needing a late push just to make the field. But the SEC is well represented at the top of the bracket as the likes of Tennessee, Texas A&M, Kentucky and Arkansas have all hovered at or near the top of the polls for much of the season. The conference also broke a record with 11 teams selected and five of the eight national seeds. ACC top finisher North Carolina and league rivals Clemson and Florida State could also make some noise, as could Oregon State and Oklahoma. The best hope among non-power conference representatives looks to be East Carolina or UC Irvine, but the Sun Belt Conference could also offer a candidate or two.

Who are the top players?

There might not be a Paul Skenes in this year’s field, but there’s certainly no lack of arm talent. Wake Forest’s Chase Burns finished the regular season with 169 strikeouts. Arkansas’s Hagen Smith wasn’t far behind with 150 while allowing just over four hits per nine innings. Duke’s Beilenson and ECU’s Trey Yesavage also sport top-five ERAs. Top sluggers in the tournament include Georgia’s Charlie Condon, the Texas A&M duo of Jace Laviolette and Braden Montgomery, Tennessee’s Christian Moore and Oregon State’s Travis Bazzana. Florida getting a nod while on the bubble means two-way star Jac Caglione will continue his career in the tournament.

Who are the top 16 seeds?

1. Tennessee (50-11)
2. Kentucky (40-14)
3. Texas A&M (44-13)
4. North Carolina (42-13)
5. Arkansas (43-14)
6. Clemson (41-14)
7. Georgia (39-15)
8. Florida State (42-15)
9. Oklahoma (37-19)
10. North Carolina State (33-20)
11. Oklahoma State (40-17)
12. Virginia (41-15)
13. Arizona (36-21)
14. UC Santa Barbara (42-12)
15. Oregon State (42-14)
16. East Carolina (43-15)

NCAA baseball tournament bracket, schedule

All times Eastern

Regionals

Knoxville Regional

Friday, May 31

Game 1: No. 2 Southern Mississippi (41-18) vs. No. 3 Indiana (32-24-1), 1 p.m.

Game 2: No. 1 Tennessee (50-11) vs. No. 4 Northern Kentucky (35-22), 7 p.m.

Saturday, June 1

Game 3: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, noon

Game 4: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 6 p.m.

Sunday, June 2

Game 5: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 loser, noon

Game 6: Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 6 p.m.

Monday, June 3

Game 7: Game 6 winner vs. Game 6 loser, TBA, if necessary

Greenville Regional

Friday, May 31

Game 1: No. 1 East Carolina (43-15) vs. No. 4 Evansville (35-23), 1 p.m.

Game 2: No. 2 Wake Forest (38-20) vs. No. 3 Virginia Commonwealth (37-21), 6 p.m.

Saturday, June 1

Game 3: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, noon

Game 4: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 6 p.m.

Sunday, June 2

Game 5: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 loser, noon

Game 6: Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 6 p.m.

Monday, June 3

Game 7: Game 6 winner vs. Game 6 loser, TBA, if necessary

Norman Regional

Friday, May 31

Game 1: No. 2 Duke (39-18) vs. No. 3 Connecticut (32-23), 1 p.m.

Game 2: No. 1 Oklahoma (37-19) vs. No. 4 Oral Roberts (27-30-1), 7 p.m.

Saturday, June 1

Game 3: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 3 p.m.

Game 4: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 9 p.m.

Sunday, June 2

Game 5: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 loser, 3 p.m.

Game 6: Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 9 p.m.

Monday, June 3

Game 7: Game 6 winner vs. Game 6 loser, TBA, if necessary

Tallahassee Regional

Friday, May 31

Game 1: No. 1 Florida State (42-15) vs. No. 4 Stetson (40-20), noon

Game 2: No. 2 Alabama (33-22) vs. No. 3 Central Florida (35-19), 6 p.m.

Saturday, June 1

Game 3: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, noon

Game 4: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 5 p.m.

Sunday, June 2

Game 5: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 loser, noon

Game 6: Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 6 p.m.

Monday, June 3

Game 7: Game 6 winner vs. Game 6 loser, TBA, if necessary

Fayetteville Regional

Friday, May 31

Game 1: No. 1 Arkansas (43-14) vs. No. 4 Southeast Missouri State (34-25), 3 p.m.

Game 2: No. 2 Louisiana Tech (45-17) vs. #3 Kansas State (32-24), 8 p.m.

Saturday, June 1

Game 3: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 3 p.m.

Game 4: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 9 p.m.

Sunday, June 2

Game 5: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 loser, 2 p.m.

Game 6: Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 7 p.m.

Monday, June 3

Game 7: Game 6 winner vs. Game 6 loser, TBA, if necessary

Charlottesville Regional

Friday, May 31

Game 1: No. 1 Virginia (41-15) vs. No. 4 Penn (24-23), noon

Game 2: No. 2 Mississippi St. (38-21) vs. No. 3 St. John’s (37-16-1), 7 p.m.

Saturday, June 1

Game 3: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, noon

Game 4: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 6 p.m.

Sunday, June 2

Game 5: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 loser, noon

Game 6: Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 6 p.m.

Monday, June 3

Game 7: Game 6 winner vs. Game 6 loser, TBA, if necessary

Tucson Regional

Friday, May 31

Game 1: No. 2 Dallas Baptist (44-13) vs. No. 3 West Virginia (33-22), 3 p.m.

Game 2: No. 1 Arizona (36-21) vs. No. 4 Grand Canyon (34-23), 9 p.m.

Saturday, June 1

Game 3: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 4 p.m.

Game 4: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 10 p.m.

Sunday, June 2

Game 5: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 loser, 3 p.m.

Game 6: Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 9 p.m.

Monday, June 3

Game 7: Game 6 winner vs. Game 6 loser, TBA, if necessary

Chapel Hill Regional

Friday, May 31

No. 2 LSU (40-21) vs. No. 3 Wofford (41-18), noon

No. 1 North Carolina (42-13) vs. No. Long Island (33-23), 6 p.m.

Saturday, June 1

Game 3: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, noon

Game 4: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 5 p.m.

Sunday, June 2

Game 5: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 loser, noon

Game 6: Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 6 p.m.

Monday, June 3

Game 7: Game 6 winner vs. Game 6 loser, TBA, if necessary

Lexington Regional

Friday, May 31

Game 1: No. 1 Kentucky (40-14) vs. No. 4 Western Michigan (32-21), noon

Game 2: No. 2 Indiana State (42-13) vs. No. 3 Illinois (34-19), 7 p.m.

Saturday, June 1

Game 3: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, noon

Game 4: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 6 p.m.

Sunday, June 2

Game 5: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 loser, noon

Game 6: Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 6 p.m.

Monday, June 3

Game 7: Game 6 winner vs. Game 6 loser, TBA, if necessary

Corvallis Regional

Friday, May 31

Game 1: No. 2 UC Irvine (43-12) vs. No. 3 Nicholls State (38-20), 4 p.m.

Game 2: No. 1 Oregon State (42-14) vs. No. 4 Tulane (35-24), 9 p.m.

Saturday, June 1

Game 3: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 4 p.m.

Game 4: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 10 p.m.

Sunday, June 2

Game 5: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 loser, 3 p.m.

Game 6: Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 9 p.m.

Monday, June 3

Game 7: Game 6 winner vs. Game 6 loser, TBA, if necessary

Raleigh Regional

Friday, May 31

Game 1: No. 2 South Carolina (36-23) vs. No. 3 James Madison (34-23), 2 p.m.

Game 2: No. 1 North Carolina State (33-20) vs. No. 4 Bryant (36-19), 7 p.m.

Saturday, June 1

Game 3: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, noon

Game 4: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 6 p.m.

Sunday, June 2

Game 5: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 loser, noon

Game 6: Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 6 p.m.

Monday, June 3

Game 7: Game 6 winner vs. Game 6 loser, TBA, if necessary

Athens Regional

Game 1: No. 1 Georgia (39-15) vs. No. 4 Army (31-21), 1 p.m.

Game 2: No. 2 UNC Wilmington (39-19) vs. No. 3 Georgia Tech (31-23), 7 p.m.

Saturday, June 1

Game 3: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, noon

Game 4: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 6 p.m.

Sunday, June 2

Game 5: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 loser, noon

Game 6: Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 6 p.m.

Monday, June 3

Game 7: Game 6 winner vs. Game 6 loser, TBA, if necessary

Clemson Regional

Friday, May 31

Game 1: No. 2 Vanderbilt (38-21) vs. No. 3 Coastal Carolina (34-23), noon

Game 2: No. 1 Clemson (41-14) vs. No. 4 High Point (34-25), 7 p.m.

Saturday, June 1

Game 3: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, noon

Game 4: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 5 p.m.

Sunday, June 2

Game 5: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 loser, noon

Game 6: Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 6 p.m.

Monday, June 3

Game 7: Game 6 winner vs. Game 6 loser, TBA, if necessary

Stillwater Regional

Friday, May 31

Game 1: No. 2 Nebraska (39-20) vs. No. 3 Florida (28-27), 3 p.m.

Game 2: No. 1 Oklahoma State (40-17) vs. No. 4 Niagara (38-15), 7 p.m.

Saturday, June 1

Game 3: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 2 p.m.

Game 4: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 7 p.m.

Sunday, June 2

Game 5: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 loser, 2 p.m.

Game 6: Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 7 p.m.

Monday, June 3

Game 7: Game 6 winner vs. Game 6 loser, TBA, if necessary

Santa Barbara Regional

Friday, May 31

Game 1: No. 2 San Diego (40-13) vs. No. 3 Oregon (37-18), 3 p.m.

Game 2: No. 1 UC Santa Barbara (42-12) vs. No. 4 Fresno State (33-27), 9 p.m.

Saturday, June 1

Game 3: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 4 p.m.

Game 4: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 10 p.m.

Sunday, June 2

Game 5: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 loser, 3 p.m.

Game 6: Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 9 p.m.

Monday, June 3

Game 7: Game 6 winner vs. Game 6 loser, TBA, if necessary

Bryan-College Station Regional

Friday, May 31

Game 1: No. 1 Texas A&M (44-13) vs. No. 4 Grambling (26-26), 1 p.m.

Game 2: No. 2 Louisiana-Lafayette (40-18) vs. No. 3 Texas (35-22), 6 p.m.

Saturday, June 1

Game 3: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 3 p.m.

Game 4: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 8 p.m.

Sunday, June 2

Game 5: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 loser, 3 p.m.

Game 6: Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 9 p.m.

Monday, June 3

Game 7: Game 6 winner vs. Game 6 loser, TBA, if necessary

Super Regionals

June 6-June 8

Knoxville Regional winner vs. Greenville Regional winner

Norman Regional winner vs. Tallahassee Regional winner

Fayetteville Regional winner vs. Charlottesville Regional winner

Tucson Regional winner vs. Chapel Hill Regional winner

Lexington Regional winner vs. Corvallis Regional winner

Raleigh Regional winner vs. Athens Regional winner

Clemson Regional winner vs. Stillwater Regional winner

Santa Barbara Regional winner vs. College Station Regional winner

College World Series bracket, schedule

At Charles Schwab Field, Omaha, Neb.

Friday, June 14

Game 1: TBD vs. TBD

Game 2: TBD vs. TBD

Saturday, June 15

Game 3: TBD vs. TBD

Game 4: TBD vs. TBD

Sunday, June 16

Game 5: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser

Game 6: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner

Monday, June 17

Game 7: Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 loser

Game 8: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner

Tuesday, June 18

Game 9: Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 loser

Game 10: Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 loser

Wednesday, June 19

Game 11: Game 6 winner vs. Game 9 winner

Game 12: Game 8 winner vs. Game 10 winner

Thursday, June 20

Game 13: Game 11 winner vs. Game 11 loser, if necessary

Game 14: Game 12 winner vs. Game 12 loser, if necessary

Championship series

Saturday, June 22

Bracket 1 winner vs. Bracket 2 winner, TBA

Sunday, June 23

Bracket 1 winner vs. Bracket 2 winner, TBA

Monday, June 24

Bracket 1 winner vs. Bracket 2 winner, TBA, if necessary