Latest Regional Projections: LSU Hosting, But Will Cajuns Be in BR?

It's fun for college baseball fans this time of year, as Baseball America and D1Baseball continue to post their projections for the NCAA Regionals.

And, as usual, they agree and yet, don't agree on a lot of things.

Here are the highlights from the two projections:

D1Baseball:  They have LSU hosting a regional, and that shouldn't be a surprise considering the Tigers have now won nine straight games.  They've got Florida at home this weekend and a chance to really solidify that host spot.

But D1 doesn't think the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns will be joining the Tigers at Alex Box Stadium.  That #2 seed goes to Tulane, the leaders in the American Conference.  A surging Wake Forest team is penciled in at #3 along with a solid #4 seed in Wright State of the Horizon League. That would be a very attractive and competitive regional.  D1 has Baton Rouge paired with Virginia, which is projected to host Coastal Carolina, Bryant and Navy as the #7 national seed.

D1 likes the Cajuns going to Hattiesburg, where Southern Miss would host Louisiana, Alabama and Oral Roberts of the Summit Conference.  That regional is paired with #5 national seed Mississippi State, hosting Georgia Tech, Southeastern La. and SWAC champion Alabama State.

In the projections, D1 now has South Alabama as a #3 seed after dropping two of three to the Cajuns at home last weekend.  They would be headed to Tallahassee, where Minnesota of the Big 10 is a projected #2.  Atlantic Sun champ Kennesaw State rounds out the field.  The winner is projected to visit #3 national seed Texas A&M, which has Dallas Baptist, Washington and Binghamton in their field.

And, D1baseball now projects Louisiana Tech to be selected as one of the last at-large teams in the field.  The Bulldogs are slotted in Oxford as the #3 seed with UC Santa Barbara and OVC champion Southeast Missouri State.  The winner of that region is paired with #2 national seed Miami, slated to host Florida Atlantic, Nebraska and Florida A&M.

Baseball America agrees that LSU will be hosting, but they disagree on the participants.  That group likes the Cajuns headed to Baton Rouge as the #2 seed, with North Carolina and SEMO.  Baton Rouge is paired with #5 national seed Louisville, hosting UC Santa Barbara, Nebraska and Navy.

BA's Oxford Regional has a pair of Louisiana schools, with #2 Tulane and #3 Louisiana Tech, along with WAC champ Seattle.  The winner would head to #8 national seed Virginia, hosting Michigan, Long Beach State and VCU.

BA also likes Southeastern Louisiana to head to #6 national seed Mississippi State, along with Georgia Tech and Princeton.  That regional is paired with North Carolina State, hosting East Carolina, Washington and UNC-Greensboro.

What about South Alabama?  Well, BA says they are headed to #1 national seed Florida, with Minnesota and Fairfield.  That region is paired with Tallahassee, which has Florida State, FAU, Kentucky and Kent State.

And, how about this?  BA says former Cajuns' assistant coach Matt Deggs and his Sam Houston State club will be the last at-large team selected.  They are the #4 seed in Hattiesburg with Southern Miss, Vandy and Duke.  That regional is paired with #2 seed Miami, hosting Creighton, Alabama and Florida A&M.

Should you be making reservations?  Not yet.  These projections will be updated almost daily next week when conference tournaments are played.