Sooners, Jayhawks meet in Super Regionals with trip to Omaha on the line

The road to Omaha runs through Lawrence this weekend.

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Oklahoma and Kansas will meet in the NCAA Super Regionals with a trip to the College World Series on the line. The best-of-three series features two of the hottest teams in college baseball after both pulled off major upsets during regional play.

The Sooners advanced by eliminating No. 2 national seed Georgia Tech in Atlanta, while Kansas swept through its home regional, including two wins over Arkansas.

Kansas radio analyst Kevin Wheeler joined Toby Rowland on the Oklahoma’s Own Sports Podcast this week and said the atmosphere at Hoglund Ballpark should be unlike anything fans have seen this season.

Kansas expects a packed and loud Hoglund Ballpark

“Every single pitch, the crowd lived and died with that moment,” Wheeler said. “It was really special to see that.”

Wheeler said the Jayhawks benefited from one of the best home-field environments in program history during regional play and expects an even larger crowd for the Super Regional.

Kansas recently expanded fan areas around the stadium and has continued to set attendance records during its historic season.

Historic season fuels Jayhawks’ confidence

The Jayhawks enter the weekend in the middle of one of the best seasons the program has ever seen.

Kansas won the Big 12 regular-season championship for the first time in more than 70 years, captured its first conference tournament title in two decades and hosted its first NCAA Regional.

Wheeler credited head coach Dan Fitzgerald for building a culture centered on team-first players.

“He doesn’t want the best player in the country. He wants the best teammate in the country,” Wheeler said.

Dominic Voegele and Kansas lineup present major challenge

Kansas is expected to start ace Dominic Voegele in Game 1.

Wheeler described Voegele as one of the best pitchers to ever wear a Jayhawk uniform, highlighting his upper-90s fastball, elite breaking ball and dominant strikeout numbers.

Offensively, the Jayhawks are led by shortstop Tyson LeBlanc, who has already broken the program’s single-season home run record.

Wheeler said Kansas’ lineup is dangerous from top to bottom, featuring a mix of power, athleticism and lineup balance that has helped fuel one of the nation’s most productive offenses.

Why Kansas respects Oklahoma’s postseason run

While Kansas has enjoyed a dream season, Wheeler said the Jayhawks understand the challenge awaiting them this weekend.

Oklahoma enters the series after knocking off Georgia Tech twice in Atlanta and overcoming multiple deficits during regional play.

“If I was Oklahoma, I’d be on cloud nine,” Wheeler said. “I think that’s the kind of team that doesn’t even think they can get beat right now.”

Both programs enter the weekend believing they have what it takes to reach Omaha.

Game 1 between Oklahoma and Kansas is scheduled for 5 p.m. Saturday in Lawrence. Game 2 will be played Sunday at 5 p.m., with a winner-take-all Game 3 set for Monday if necessary.

One team will leave Lawrence headed to the College World Series.