NCAA Baseball Tournament Knoxville Regional Preview & Predictions
Last updated May 30, 2025
The 2025 NCAA Baseball Tournament opens with one of its most intriguing four-team pods at Lindsey Nelson Stadium, where top-seed Tennessee welcomes Wake Forest, Cincinnati, and Miami (OH) for the Knoxville Regional beginning Friday, May 30. Oddsmakers favor the host Volunteers to return to the Super Regionals after last year’s title run, yet each visitor arrives with a distinct offensive identity and at least one frontline arm capable of tilting a short double-elimination event in their favor.
- 550+ Slots, Fish Games, Crash Games, & More
- Tons of Sports Prediction Markets
- Daily Login Bonuses, Prize Drops, & VIP Rewards
Up To 10 FREE Sweepstakes Coins
Knoxville Regional Preview
Tennessee Team Preview
Head coach Tony Vitello enters his eighth postseason in Knoxville leaning on a lineup that slashed .307/.416/.558 while out-homering opponents 122-59 during the regular season. Andrew Fischer paces the offense with a .340 average, 22 home runs, and a gaudy 1.253 OPS, while veteran outfielder Hunter Ensley adds a .353 average and 61 RBI. Gavin Kilen (.351 BA, 15 HR) deepens the order, giving Tennessee multiple hitters with double-digit long balls and on-base clips north of .430.
The Vols’ biggest edge, though, lies on the mound. Staff ace Liam Doyle (9-3, 3.04 ERA, 142 K in 83 IP) holds opponents to a .182 average and is slated to start Friday night against Miami (OH), followed by Marcus Phillips (3-4, 3.64 ERA) in Saturday’s game regardless of opponent, per Vitello’s comments this week. That continuity mirrors last June’s title run and allows Tennessee to keep its elite bullpen fresh for high-leverage innings.
Cincinnati Team Preview
Cincinnati finished 32-24 and showcased a dynamic running game that swiped 128 bases on 142 attempts. Offensively, the Bearcats hit .284 with 70 home runs. Shortstop Kerrington Cross hit .399 with a .525 OBP and 49 RBI, while first baseman Tommy O’Connor chipped in seven long balls and a .837 OPS. The lineup’s balance makes Cincinnati dangerous in the spacious gaps of Lindsey Nelson.
The concern for bettors is a staff ERA of 5.44 and a 1.46 WHIP. Christian Mitchelle (0-1, 9.00 ERA) closed out three saves but the Bearcats converted just 12 save chances, and starting pitching depth is lacking. Their path likely requires out-slugging Wake Forest in the opener and leveraging stolen bases to stress opposing bullpens late.
Wake Forest Team Preview
The Demon Deacons ride into Knoxville with the nation’s most complete statistical profile outside the SEC. Wake bats .308 as a club with 100 home runs, a .431 OBP, and an opponents’ batting average of only .221. Catalyst Kade Lewis (.392, 11 HR, .498 OBP) ignites an order that features five players with double-digit homers, including Marek Houston (.351, 12 HR) and Jack Winnay (.296, 14 HR). The Deacs’ 70 stolen bases on 82 tries add another layer of pressure for opposing pitchers.
On the hill, opponents managed just 44 homers all season and struck out 11.1 times per nine innings. Combining swing-and-miss stuff on the mound with a balanced approach at the plate makes Wake the one team in this field capable of staring down Tennessee in a power game.
Miami (OH) Team Preview
The MAC champion Miami (OH) RedHawks arrive with a 35-21 record after ripping through conference play at 23-7 and riding a four-game winning streak into Friday’s showdown with Tennessee. Miami has a .299 team average and a .497 slugging percentage. Dominic Krupinski (.361, .504 OBP) sets the tone, while Evan Appelwick supplies the power with 19 home runs and 71 RBI. Anthony Zarlingo (.346 BA, 10 steals) helps give Miami (OH) credible scoring depth one through seven.
Pitching for Miami (OH) is more top-heavy than deep. Right-hander Carson Byers (2.65 ERA, 6 SV) and southpaw Cooper Katskee (11-1, 2.66 ERA) are key figures on the hill, but overall the RedHawks’ ERA sits at 6.34 and their bullpen beyond the top two arms has struggled at times to hold opponents at bay. Miami will try to ambush Tennessee early, aiming to steal a winners' bracket berth that would prevent their shallow pen from being exposed.
Betting Insights
Tennessee stands at −310 to advance, with Wake Forest the primary threat at +360, Cincinnati a value flier at +850 and Miami (OH) the long shot at +2800. Friday’s slate pairs the Vols with the RedHawks after Wake Forest and Cincinnati meet in the opener. Tennessee’s reward for its 43-16 record and top-20 national rankings in both polls is the luxury of staying home, but the bracket’s balance suggests that even a No. 1 seed cannot afford an early stumble. With the SEC and ACC represented alongside the Big 12 and MAC, the stylistic contrasts should create volatile in-game markets, particularly on totals, which could swing from pitcher’s duels to slugfests from one matchup to the next.
Be sure to claim your Sportzino no deposit bonus before betting on the Knoxville regional. There, players can get up to 45 sweepstakes coins in bonuses after signing up using the button above. Don't miss your bonus coins before regional play begins.
2025 Knoxville Regional Prediction
The safest futures ticket remains Tennessee to win the pod. The Vols pair the weekend’s best arm with an offense that crushes opposing pitching on its home turf. Still, the gap is narrower than the −310 price implies. Wake Forest’s balanced roster and proven ability to silence bats merit a small wager, especially given its level of experience in high-caliber ACC play. Expect the Deacs to down Cincinnati in Game 1, then hang with the Vols in a Saturday night thriller that could flip the bracket. Tennessee’s depth should eventually push it through the loser’s bracket if required, yet that path drains pitching and erodes value.
My official play: Wake Forest +360 to win the regional.
Projected order of finish: 1) Wake Forest, 2) Tennessee, 3) Cincinnati, 4) Miami (OH).
