Joe Boozell | NCAA.com | June 16, 2016 Which Omaha squad makes opposing pitchers work the hardest? Miami outfielder Carl Chester has reached base on almost 44 percent of his plate appearances this season. Share Taking copious amounts of pitches is more than just an analytical tool meant to optimize run potential; it’s a way to weaken your opponent in the process. In a double-elimination baseball tournament, games often turn into a battle of the bullpens or worn down starting pitchers. When that’s the case? Advantage, offense. NCAA Baseball JOIN THE TEAM. Follow @NCAACWS But if laying off of balls and swinging at strikes was so easy, you or I could play high-level college baseball. Spoiler alert: it isn’t. Some of these pitchers are pumping mid-90s fastballs complemented by electric breaking stuff, and hitters have a split second to determine whether or not they should take a hack. Discipline in the batter’s box is becoming more and more valued in baseball circles, but it’s never the first thing a scout or a pundit will mention when discussing a hitter’s merits. But ask yourself this: would you rather face a Logan Shore who’s thrown 50 pitches in the fifth inning or a Logan Shore who’s thrown 90 pitches in the fifth inning? Or better yet, the Florida bullpen? Exactly. Plate discipline is a vital skill. With that in mind, the below table ranks the eight College World Series teams in terms of on-base percentage, walks and isolated on-base percentage (difference between batting average and on-base percentage). College World Series plate discipline School OBP Walks ISO TCU .387 305 .83 Coastal Carolina .385 316 .85 Texas Tech .384 336 .90 Miami .383 293 .83 Arizona .372 295 .80 Florida .360 296 .80 Oklahoma State .351 268 .83 UC Santa Barbara .329 217 .67 With four teams hovering above the .380 on-base clip (Texas Tech, TCU, Coastal Carolina and Miami), here are a few things to expect in the 2016 College World Series. 1) Long games between TCU and Texas Tech As is life in Big 12 baseball. The Red Raiders and the Horned Frogs own the highest combined on-base percentage and walk rate of any opening game in Omaha. RELATED: Five essential facts about the CWS Texas Tech and TCU squared off three times this season, with the Red Raiders winning two of the contests. Pitchers issued a total of 30 free passes in those three affairs. These two teams are set to play at 2 p.m. CT on Sunday, so plan accordingly. 2) On the flip side, a quick opening game between Oklahoma State and UC Santa Barbara The Gauchos take the least amount of pitches of any team in Omaha, and probable Oklahoma State starter Thomas Hatch is a control wizard. Along with his 8-2 record, Hatch has walked a miniscule 30 batters in 119.1 innings this season. He issues 2.27 free passes per nine innings; the Cowboys walk 4.01 hitters per nine innings as a staff. 3) Multiple chances to be a hero for Miami SS Brandon Lopez Why? Because Lopez hits behind Hurricane catcher Zack Collins in the batting order, he of the .538 on-base percentage. Lopez only has two home runs this season, but his ability to spray the ball in the gaps and to all fields will serve as a major factor in the College World Series. On that note, here are the most patient hitters we’ll see in Omaha: Most patient CWS hitters Player School OBP Zack Collins Miami .538 Luken Baker TCU .488 Tanner Gardner Texas Tech .485 Connor Owings Coastal Carolina .485 Peter Alonso Florida .468 Zach Gibbons Arizona .465 Brandon Lopez Miami .460 Cody Ramer Arizona .445 Andrew Calica UC Santa Barbara .441 These guys should produce a litany of RBI opportunities. 4) A wildly entertaining opener between Coastal Carolina and Florida Florida starter Logan Shore hasn’t lost this season, and Coastal Carolina has the coveted combination of power (the Chanticleers have 40 more homers than anyone else in the field) and patience. This may be the most intriguing game of the first weekend. FGCU's Kierstan Bell headlines this week's starting 5, the top players in women's basketball FGCU's Kierstan Bell highlights this week's NCAA.com Starting Five for women's basketball. READ MORE Michigan at Ohio State and 6 more college hoops games picked this week Andy Katz predicts Michigan at Ohio State and six more college basketball games from Feb. 17-21. READ MORE 2021 Big 12 softball preview: Oklahoma reigns supreme, Texas within striking distance Here are the Big 12 softball teams that can compete with Oklahoma for the conference crown. READ MORE