Sun Devils Banned From 2012 Postseason Play…

Sanctions upheld Friday by the NCAA occured when Pat Murphy was the Arizona State head coach.

The NCAA Division I Infractions Appeals Committee has upheld penalties against the Arizona State baseball team. The penalties, which include a one year NCAA postseason ban, were originally leveled last year. Three years of probation were also upheld. The sanctions stem from what the NCAA deemed a period of “lack of institutional control” by former ASU baseball coach Pat Murphy and the school’s athletic department.

Two “major” violations were upheld by the NCAA: overpayment of student-athletes for work in an outreach program for underprivileged kids for work not performed and allowing student managers to perform certain tasks. Murphy’s Sun Devils were also found to have used an impermissible recruiter.

“Obviously, we are very disappointed,” Arizona State Athletics Director Lisa Love said in a statement. “While we appreciate the committee’s decision to reduce the third violation to secondary status, we are concerned about its decision to uphold the other two. We believe that others who review the case will share our concerns about this outcome.”

Penalties are a three-year probation, a ban on postseason baseball competition, scholarship reductions, a vacation of wins, recruiting restrictions and limitations on coaching activity during practice. Some of the penalties were self-imposed by ASU.

The Infractions Appeals Committee upheld the initial ruling because of Arizona State’s repeat violator status. The Infractions Appeals Committee noted that even though it reduced one violation from major to secondary, there was sufficient basis for all of the penalties imposed by the Committee on Infractions.

Tim Esmay is now entering his third year as the head coach of the Sun Devil baseball program. He led ASU to the College World Series in his first year at the helm in 2010. They advanced to the Austin Super Regional last year, before falling to Texas.

“Obviously we are disappointed that we will not be able to participate in the postseason in 2012,” Esmay said of the sanctions in a statement. “The goals for this program will not and have not changed. We will take the same approach towards every practice and every game, non-conference and Pac-12, that we have always taken. Our goal to be the best team in the Pac-12 remains our focus.

The last time Arizona State did not participate in the NCAA postseason was 1999. The program has been to the College World Series 22 times.

The Appeals Committee members who heard this case were: chair Christopher L. Griffin of Foley & Lardner LLP; Susan Cross Lipnickey, health studies professor and the faculty athletics representative at Miami University (Ohio); Jack Friedenthal, professor of law at George Washington University; and Patti Ohlendorf, vice president for legal affairs at University of Texas.

College Baseball 360 spoke to Murphy last spring about his desire to return to coaching college baseball. CLICK HERE to see that video interview.

Pending Sun Devil Sanctions Guide Decision…

Kyle Ottoson is transferring from Arizona State to Oklahoma State.

After more than 25 years, the Reds are returning the favor in the form of arguably the most effective knuckle curve-tosser in Eaton history.

After a solid season at Arizona State University, former Eaton standout Kyle Ottoson is transferring to the unofficial birthplace of the Reds’ version of the knuckle curve, Oklahoma State, where Ottoson will spend his senior year.

“It’s just a new change,” Ottoson said of the move. “Oklahoma State is more of a farming, agricultural area. It’s more country, and I kind of like that because that’s kind of where I came from (in Eaton). It will be a nice change of scenery.”

Perhaps it’s only fitting that Ottoson will finish his college career at Oklahoma State. The Cowboys’ program is partially responsible — at least indirectly — for the immense success Ottoson has had as a left-handed pitcher.

In the mid-80s, Ottoson’s high school coach, Danley, was sitting at home watching baseball on T.V. when he noticed an Oklahoma State pitcher throwing a sharp-moving breaking ball that resembled a spitter.

Danley made the trip to the OSU campus in Stillwater, Okla. After some prying, Danley received basic information on the unorthodox pitch from Cowboys assistant coach Tom Holliday, who is the father of St. Louis Cardinals outfielder  Matt Holliday.

More than two decades later, the Reds’ version of the knuckle curve is as refined as it is devastating. The pitch has played a large role in Eaton’s nine spring titles, and numerous other summertime titles, since 1994, turning good pitchers into great ones and transforming great pitchers into virtually unbeatable ones.

There are few, if any, better examples than Ottoson, who lost just three times (34-3) during his high school career before embarking on a collegiate career with South Mountain Community College in Phoenix, Arizona State and now Oklahoma State.

Ottoson’s variation of the knuckle curve has movement that may be unrivaled by any knuckle curve ever thrown in Eaton or elsewhere, for that matter.

“Kyle’s (knuckle curve) is such a devastating pitch because it is like the ol’ fashion overhand curve — yet it breaks even more sharply,” Danley said. “Once it starts down, boy, it’s difficult to hit. If you hit it at all, you get groundballs. There are no groundball home runs in organized baseball.”

In recent years, Ottoson has complemented his knuckle curve with a developing arsenal that includes a beefed up fastball, which now routinely hits marks in the high 80s and has flashed as high as 91 miles per hour.

Ottoson, who was been drafted by a pro organization four times since he graduated from Eaton in 2008, will try to parlay his growing repertoire into a successful senior season as he prepares for his inevitable jump to the pros.

“My goal is to be a starter (at Oklahoma State), maybe throw a little harder and develop a fourth pitch,” Ottoson said. “I’ve been working on a slider a little bit, and it’s coming along. Those are things I know will help me out when I take that step to pro ball.”

Ottoson will join a Cowboys program that is fresh off a 35-25 season, 14-12 in the Big 12. Oklahoma State’s potential for team success this season was one factor that grabbed Ottoson’s attention.

Arizona State will likely look to the future as it is postseason ineligible this season because of NCAA infractions that occurred under former coach Pat Murphy.

“I knew it was a possibility that (Arizona State) wouldn’t be able to go back to the postseason, but that was all (that influenced) my decision,” Ottoson said. “I’m excited for this opportunity (at Oklahoma State). I can’t complain.”

Former ASU, ND Coach Looks Toward Return To College…

Click this link to get your officially licensed Notre Dame t-shirts for just $5 from Dugouthats.com!!

In more than two decades as a college baseball coach Pat Murphy was never at a loss for words. On Saturday in South Bend, Ind. the former Arizona State and Notre Dame skipper was as close as he’s likely ever been.

Pat Murphy with current Irish head coach Mik Aoki. Murphy was 318-116-1 in seven seasons at Notre Dame.

Murphy was surprised at a ceremony at Frank Eck Stadium, where he was informed that the new baseball clubhouse had been named in his honor. The newly renovated home of the Fighting Irish baseball team, where Murphy coached from 1988-1994, is now known as the Coach Pat Murphy Locker Room. He was also presented an honorary monogram and jacket by the Notre Dame Monogram Club.

Murphy was unwittingly lured to Notre Dame by his brother, Dan, under the guise that he was throwing out the first pitch at Saturday’s Notre Dame-South Florida game.

“How stupid I was not to know there was something more than throwing out the first pitch,” he said. “I’m shocked by myself, thinking how could I have not known this? My brother pushed me to ask permission from the Padres to leave for three days (Murphy is the manager of the Padres’ minor league affiliate in Eugene, Ore). I’m like well, it might be nice to get out of the heat. I just had no idea. I’m stunned, stunned…blown away.”

While Murphy gained national prominence at Arizona State, he blazed a trail to the desert in his seven seasons under the Golden Dome. Murphy’s Irish, which included the likes of future Major Leaguers Craig Counsell and Dan Peltier, were 318-116-1 (.732) prior to his departure. Notre Dame made trips to the NCAA Regional finals in his last three seasons in South Bend from 1992-’94.

A look inside the new Coach Pat Murphy Locker Room (courtesy Notre Dame).

Collegebaseball360.com asked the self described lifelong Fighting Irish fan if he could have ever envisioned being commemorated in such a way when he was hired by former ND Athletic Director Gene Corrigan in 1987.

“No. I never even thought about it,” he said. “I’m not a guy with a small ego, so I guess a guy like myself you’d probably think I was thinking about it, but never in a million years did I dream like something like this. This is Notre Dame, this isn’t some other institution trying to make it. This is Notre Dame and to be a speck on their radar is a great honor.”

The recognition came inside the same locker room he helped originally build just before his departure to Arizona State. The Coach Pat Murphy Locker Room, located within Notre Dame’s Frank Eck Stadium, is the first major renovation endeavor since the stadium’s construction in 1994-Murphy’s last season in the Irish dugout.

The project includes a redesign of the team space to make it more efficient and improve circulation between the clubhouse, shower, rest room facilities and the dugout. A kitchenette and mudroom (which replaced the former coaches’ office) were added along with direct access to and from the dugout area.

The Coach Pat Murphy wall in the entryway to the Irish locker room.

The locker space was completely overhauled with the installation of 36 brand new, 30-inch wood lockers including four specially designed corner lockers for catchers. New flat screen, high definition televisions and state-of-the-art RightView Pro technology was installed as well.

“You know you don’t feel worthy, you just don’t,” said Murphy. “You know all the stupid mistakes you made, you know what a jerk you were sometimes and all the players you might not have treated exactly the way you would now today, but as a 27 year old I did it from my heart. I didn’t do it with any other intention other than trying to make Notre Dame the best place and not to embarrass my family.”

Notre Dame went from a 15-29 team the year before Murphy’s arrival in 1987 to 39-22 in 1988.

Murphy (left) and his brother Dan (right) inside the locker room at Saturday's ceremony.

Murphy left Notre Dame to become the head coach at Arizona State in 1995. He was 629-284-1 with four trips to the College World Series from 1995-2009.  However, despite his success, Murphy was forced to resign in Nov. 1999 while the program was under NCAA investigation (the program was placed on postseason probation, but is still eligible for the 2011 postseason as the appeals process is ongoing).

Murphy said his departure from ASU is a wound that has not yet healed.

“It’s been real tough. The tougher part is the perception people have without knowing the facts. That’s the part that kills you and that’s what I think is the exclamation point today is that a university like this would look into it and see what’s real and what’s not.”

“You just feel so much joy inside that someone recognizes that you’re not dishonest, you’re not a cheater. Just like the NCAA found, they found that there was no dishonesty, no cheating.  This was a matter of paperwork and this was a matter of a lot of other strategic things and it hurt me deeply.”

The new "mud room" is located in what used to be the coaches' offices. The new office is new separate from the locker room.

“The last game I coached was against Texas in the (2009) College World Series for the right to play for the national championship. It’s been hurtful for the last 18 months.”

Murphy’s Sun Devils dropped that game to the Longhorns, but had they won he would have gone head-to-head with his successor at Notre Dame, Paul Mainieri, who defeated Texas in the CWS Championship Series to claim the 2009 national title.

Mainieri coached at Notre Dame from 1995-2006, and even hosted Murphy and the Sun Devils at Eck Stadium on April 26, 2002. The Irish won that game 9-4 en-route to a trip to that year’s College World Series. ASU’s roster included current Major Leaguers like Dustin Pedroia and Andre Ethier.

Murphy is currently working with young professionals as the manager of the Eugene Emeralds, but he says he hopes for a return to the college game.

“I think so. I like the pro element, I’m learning a lot, but I think my calling is college baseball and I’m just getting started, so I look forward to it. I’ve already been contacted by a few clubs,  but I just gotta look for the right fit and be able to do the things I can do.”

In the meantime, Murphy is satisfied with his new found place at Notre Dame.

“Notre Dame has done for me far more than I could ever do for it,” he said. “I’ve been gone for 17 years and in 17 years  it’s come-up every day. It’s just special.”

Murphy did eventually throw out the first pitch prior to the Notre Dame-South Florida game at Eck Stadium. His son, Kai, also worked that day at the Irish bat boy.

A Rundown Of The Weekend In Berkley…

ASU players after their sweep of Cal in Berkley

The series featured a 17-inning marathon on Thursday, two complete game shutouts by ASU pitchers on Friday and Saturday and two Cal coaches ejected for arguing separate balk calls in the series finale.

Arizona State (29-9, 11-4 Pac-10) has now won six straight games since being swept at Oregon State two weekends ago. Cal (24-12, 9-6 Pac-10) was ahead of ASU in the conference standings coming into this weekend.

Thursday’s 17-inning epic was the second longest game in the history of both baseball programs. The game was a pitchers duel between ASU sophomore ace Brady Rodgers, and the Bears ace junior Erik Johnson. Both pitchers got no decisions.

Rodgers lasted 7.1 innings allowing two earned on four hits while striking out four and walking three. The three walks increased Rodgers’ season total four, while his ERA currently sits a 2.85.

Johnson went 9.0 innings for Cal, allowing two earned on eight hits, with two strikeouts and three walks. Johnson’s season ERA is 2.04- more than two points lower than his 4.09 ERA in 2010.

Thursday’s game went into extra innings tied up at 2-2. ASU took a 3-2 lead in the top of the 10^th only to see Cal rally in the bottom half of the inning to extend the game. The same thing happened in the 13^th when Cal tied it again at 4-4 with ASU blowing its second save chance of the game.

The Sun Devils struck for two run in the top of the 17^th to take a 6-4 lead. This time ASU was able to hang on. Freshman Mark Lambson pitched 3.0 shutout innings to finish the game and get the win.

Both teams used four relievers in the contest. ASU sophomore Alex Blackford pitched 4.0 innings of relief, and Cal’s freshman Louie Lechich took the loss pitching 3.1 innings of relief.

The 5 hour and 12 minute game saw the two teams combine for 29 hits, and 28 runners left of base.

In Friday’s game both coaches got what they wanted out of their starting pitchers- enough innings to rest both teams’ tired bullpens. Both starting pitchers went the distance in the Devils’ 5-0 win.

Kramer Champlin

ASU junior Kramer Champlin was spectacular, giving the Devils’ their best pitching performance of the season to date by throwing a complete game shutout. He allowed five hits, all singles, one walk, and five strikeouts. Cal did not advance a runner past second base. Champlin finished the game by retiring the last seven batters he faced. The junior improved to 6-1 with a 2.78 ERA, which is the  lowest among ASU’s weekend starters. It was also his second complete game of the season.

Cal sophomore Justin Jones allowed five earned on nine hits with two walks and no strikeouts. ASU scored two runs off Jones with three straight singles and a sac fly in the second inning. Back-to-back doubles in the sixth gave ASU a 3-0 lead. ASU scored again in the sixth when Riccio Torrez stole third and scored on a throwing error by Cal junior catcher Chad Krist giving ASU a 4-0 lead. They added their fifth and final run in the eighth.

On Saturday sophomore starter Jake Barrett went the distance in another dominating performance as ASU shut out the Bears 6-0.

The highlights of the game were Cal head coach David Esquer and assistant head coach Dan Hubbs being ejected after heated arguments with umpires following separate balk calls by first base umpire Tim Vessey.

Cal head coach Dave Esquer argues a balk call.

Esquer was ejected in the third inning when starting pitcher junior Dixon Anderson was called for a balk with ASU runners at first and third. The run gave ASU a 2-0 lead. Esquer came out and began yelling at Vessey before being thrown out by the umpire. Before leaving the field, Esquer voiced his displeasure to home plate umpire Tony Norris as well.

In the sixth Anderson was called again for a balk with runners at the corners allowing ASU to take a 3-0 lead. Hubbs came out to argue the call with Vessey, but was relatively calm compared to Esquer.

Three batters later after Anderson was taken out of the game after allowing a solo home run to Zach Wilson, extending ASU’s lead to 5-0. Hubbs was thrown out after having words with Vessey. He then continued the argument and had to be restrained by another umpire.

The fireworks overshadowed the dominant performance by Barrett.  The ASU sophomore allowed five hits with two walks and two strikeouts. He improved to 5-3 with a 4.55 ERA in his first career complete game as a Sun Devil.

Cal did get two doubles in the game but for the second straight contest failed to get a runner past second. Going back to the 13^th inning of Thursday’s game, Cal has now been held scoreless for 22 consecutive innings.

It was the first time since May of 2009 that ASU posted back-to-back shutouts. It was an overall impressive weekend for the ASU pitching staff. The three starters went a combined 25.1 innings allowing just two earned runs.

The Sun Devils seem to lack a dominant ace pitcher, something they had the last two years with Mike Leake in 2009, and Seth Blair in 2010.  The staff ERA currently sits at 3.13.  The 2010 squad finished with a 3.32 ERA.

If ASU ends up making the tournament because their appeal to the NCAA likely will not be settled by the time the tournament selections are made, postseason pitching experience could be a key. None of ASU’s current weekend starters started any of the 2010 tournament games.

Cal has a much-improved pitching staff compared to the two previous years. Already posting eight shutouts, the team ERA 2.85 compared to 4.91 last season. The Bears’ weekend starters have all lowered their ERA in 2011 at least point from last season.

Senior Kevin Miller joins Johnson, Jones, and Anderson to give the Bears four quality starters for the rest of the season, and likely into the NCAA Tournament.

This weekend was a big blow for Cal’s Pac-10 Championship hopes. They came into the ASU series just a half game behind leader Oregon State. The Beavers lead the conference with a 10-2 (.883) Pac-10 mark, ASU is next at 11-4 (.733), followed by UCLA at 10-5 (.667) and Cal at 9-6 (.600).

The Golden Bears still have to play at Oregon State, and at UCLA. Along with home series’ against Oregon, and Stanford.

This week ASU will visit rival Arizona in a non-conference game before hosting Stanford for three games beginning on Friday. The Stanford series begins a eight game home stand for the Sun Devils

Cal will play at Stanford in a non-conference game between the two rivals before beginning a three game series at home against Oregon. After the Oregon series Cal does not play in Berkeley until the final weekend of the season.

Sweeps WSU After Being Swept By OSU…

Brady Rodgers

ASU improved to 25-9 and 8-4 in the Pac-10, while Washington St. continued to struggle in conference action falling to 2-10 in the Pac-10 with a 14-17 overall record.

ASU won in a pitchers duel between sophomore Brady Rodgers, and WSU junior Adam Conley on Friday night. Rodgers pitched 6.1 innings allowing an earned run on five hits. Three ASU relievers pitched the final 2.1 innings allowing just one hit while striking out four. Junior Mitchell Lambson, who took the loss in last Saturday’s game against the Beavers, earned the save on Friday by striking out the side in order.

Rodgers continues to solidify his spot as the Sun Devils ace. He improved to 5-2 with a 2.92 ERA. Through seven appearances Rodgers has a 30 to 1 strike out to walk ratio.

On Friday the Sun Devils had trouble figuring out the Cougar’s ace. Conley pitched a complete game limiting the Sun Devils to seven hits while allowing only one earned run while striking out seven. Conley dropped to 4-4 with the tough loss.

ASU scored all three of its runs in the 5^th off Conley. The two deciding runs came when WSU junior 2^nd basemen Tommy Richards committed an error by allowing a two out ground ball to go though his legs.

The Sun Devils were without sophomore starting SS Deven Marrero for the first two games because of a back injury. The injury forced junior Riccio Torrez to move from 3B to SS, and sophomore Joey DeMichele moved into the starting line-up going to 3B.

DeMichele made two nice plays at third in Friday’s win, and followed up the defensive effort with a 3-4, 3 RBI night on Saturday. Marrero returned to SS on Sunday and went 1-4.

Chad Arnold

The Devils had more offensive success in the last two games of the series. They chased WSU’s Saturday starter, senior Chad Arnold, after he allowed seven runs in 3.1 innings. ASU led 7-1 after just four innings. Besides DeMichele junior 1B Zach Wilson led ASU by going 3-3.

Junior Kramer Champlin went 6.1 innings for the win improving to 5-1 with a 3.20 ERA in nine starts. Champlin allowed two earned on eight hits while striking out five.

ASU struck early again in Sunday’s 10-4 win. ASU jumped out to a 4-0 lead after five innings, and put the game away with a five run sixth inning, which gave the Devils a 9-2 lead. DeMichele has his second consecutive three hit game going 3-5 as the starting DH. Senior RF Matt Newman, sophomore CF Andrew Aplin, and Torrez were a combined 6-for-13 with five RBIs in Sunday’s victory.

For the second consecutive game WSU’s starter failed to get through five innings going 4.2 innings and falling to 3-4 with the loss. Sophomore Jake Barrett got the victory for the Devils improving to 4-3 by going 5.2 innings.

This weekend ASU continued to be aggressive on the base paths. The Sun Devils stole seven bases in the series. For the season has 58 stolen bases on 86 attempts – a 67% success rate.

Washington State continues to be one of the bigger disappointments in the conference through the first four weeks of conference play. There were high expectations in Pullman coming into this season after the team came within a game of the Super Regional’s in 2010. The Cougars are currently last in the Pac-10 – 7.5 games behind first place Oregon State. WSU has now dropped seven of its last eight Pac-10 games.

The Cougars need to play well the last month plus of the season to reach the tournament again. The Cougars have played one of the tougher conference schedules, with games at #16 Cal, vs. #17 Stanford, and vs. #23 UCLA. The schedule does not get any easier next weekend when they visit #9 Oregon State. WSU will have played the top four teams in the conference standings after the OSU series.

Following OSU, the Cougars do play three of their last four conference series at home.

The Sun Devils are going for a fourth straight conference title, and currently sit 1.5 games behind conference leader Oregon State, three games back in the loss column. The Beavers hold the tiebreaker over ASU with last weekend’s sweep.

Next weekend the Devils travel to northern California to play at Cal beginning on Thursday. The Bears are 9-3 in the Pac-10, just one-half game behind OSU.

The Sun Devils currently could be eligible for the NCAA Tournament, because they are appealing the NCAA’s postseason ban. The ban would not go into effect until the appeals process is over.

ASU has a decent shot to make the tournament because they are not set to have their case heard until May 14, about two weeks before the tournament field is selected. It is unlikely that the appeals committee will make a ruling by the time the 2011 tournament beings.

Dugouthats.com has officially licensed 2010 College World Series memorabilia year- round!

Click this link to find out how to save 50-75% on college baseball caps and 2010 College World Series gear and memorabilia at Dugouthats.com!!

NCAA Appeals Process Ongoing…

Sun Devils head coach Tim Esmay

They have notable series wins against New Mexico, Auburn, Oklahoma, Oral Roberts, and Arizona, which all made the 2010 NCAA Tournament field. They also split a recent two-game set at Cal State Fullerton.

ASU may seem plenty motivated for the season, but right now there actually is reason to believe the Sun Devils could play in this year’s tournament.

In December, when the NCAA hit the program with the postseason ban for lack of institutional control charges, the school planned to appeal. When a school appeals an NCAA penalty the charges do not go into effect until after the appeals process is completed. According to the Arizona Republic, the appeal hearing is set for May 16.

Though the chances of the postseason ban being lifted are still slim, the May 16 date is significant because it comes two weeks before the selection for the 64-team NCAA field.  If the appeals committee does not rule on the case before May 30,  Arizona State may end up in the tournament.

There is current precedent to believe the committee will not have made its ruling before the 30. Southern California went before the appeals committee for its football postseason ban on January 22 and has yet to hear back almost two months later.

If the appeals committee rules against ASU after the start of the 2011 tournament then the team would not be eligible for the 2012 tournament.

Regardless of what happens to the team with the NCAA, second-year head coach Tim Esmay has done a great job steering the team through another year of questions and hardships. Last year it was how the team would handle Pat Murphy leaving the team suddenly because of the NCAA investigation.

In 2011, other than the possible tournament ban, the team has had to deal with the serious injury to freshman outfielder Cory Hahn, who injured his neck February 20 sliding into 2^nd base against New Mexico. He had surgery and is currently rehabbing at home in California, but few other details have been made public. The team has honored Hahn by wearing wrist bans and his number on their hats and socks.

Arizona State outfielder Cory Hahn suffered a serious neck injury in the first inning of Sunday’s game against New Mexico in Tempe. The ASU athletic department released a statement on Monday in which Hahn’s family confirmed he had undergone surgery.

Hahn was injured on a stolen base attempt in the first inning of Sunday’s game. The freshman from Corona, CA slid head first and collided with New Mexico second baseman Kyle Steiner on the play. He was carried off the field on a stretcher and taken to St. Joseph’s hospital in Phoenix after making his second collegiate start.

Here’s the Arizona State statement:

The university is working closely with the Hahn family regarding any official updates regarding the health of Cory Hahn, who sustained an injury in yesterday’s baseball game.

The family would like Sun Devil fans to know that Cory has sustained a neck injury, that he underwent surgery last night and that he is slowly recovering.

The family welcomes all wishes and positive thoughts from everyone at this time.

By College Baseball 360 Editor Sean Stires

We are just days away from a new year and that means we’re less than two months away from the start of the 2011 college baseball season. There was good and there was bad, and with that in mind here are 10 significant things we’ll take from college baseball in 2010…

1.  Goodbye to Rosenblatt Stadium

What can be said about Rosenblatt that hasn’t already been said? After 60 years at the top of the hill in Omaha, Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium hosted its final College World Series in 2010. The move to the new TD Ameritrade Park in 2011 is seen by progress to some, but heartbreak to many. The new park will have all the amenities that Rosenblatt lacked, and maybe the future will be even brighter at the CWS and Omaha down the road. However, wouldn’t it have been nice if the new stadium had even a hint of nostalgia? The new Yankee Stadium has oversized high-priced seats and is swelling with luxury suites, but they still managed to keep the look from the House that Ruth Built. Too bad they couldn’t do the same at TDA.  CLICK HERE to read a letter of thanks from Omaha native Paul Fiarkoski to Johnny Rosenblatt.

2. Cal Cuts Baseball

Septbember 28, 2010 could be remembered as “Black Tuesday” at Cal. That’s the day Cal-Berkley Chancellor Robert Birgeneau and Athletic Director Sandy Barbour announced the school would eliminate baseball and four other sports (rugby, gymnastics and lacrosse) at their school at the conclusion of the 2010-2011 season. The given reason was to “generate an estimated $4 million annual savings in direct and indirect costs for Cal Athletics, while limiting further growth in expenses.” The outcry was instant, and the “Save Cal Baseball” movement began.  More than $10 in pledges have poured in to save the 118 year-old baseball program and the four other sports. The future is still uncertain, but head coach Dave Esquer’s Golden Bears are ranked 33rd in Collegiate Baseball’s 2011 preseason poll.

3. Arizona State Gets Probation

Our top story from 2009 was Pat Murphy leaving ASU, but Tim Esmay still led the Sun Devils to Omaha after the departure of the controversial head coach. That won’t be possible in 2011 after the NCAA slapped the program with postseason probation due to “lack of institutional control”.  Click here for the full rundown. While Arizona State plans to appeal the postseason ban, the school has been sanctioned nine times since 1953 (in sports other than baseball). Murphy is currently working in the San Diego Padres organization, but the NCAA also ruled that if he were to return to college baseball he would not be able to make recruiting calls until December 14, 2011.

4. Garrett Wittels Chases History, And Then…

Garrett Wittels

Heading into the 2010 season nobody was talking about Florida International, and they sure weren’t talking about Garrett Wittels. However, by season’s end the sophomore infielder who hit just .246 as a freshman was the toast of college baseball. Wittels batted .413 by hitting safely in all 56 games he started in 2010 (he didn’t play in five games) while helping his team to a Sun Belt Conference title and an NCAA Regional berth. He enters 2010 on the heels of Robin Ventura’s 1987 Division I record 58-game hitting streak. Things took a turn for the surreal earlier this month though when Wittels and a group of friends were charged with raping two 17-year-old girls on Dec. 20 in the Bahamas. Wittels is free on bond as the 2011 season approaches. ESPN is scheduled to televise FIU’s season-opening series against Southeastern Louisiana, but for now the question is will Wittels be in the line-up or behind bars?

5.  South Carolina Wins The CWS

Ray Tanner

Ray Tanner’s Gamecocks became regulars at Omaha over the last decade, but they never won it all. In the 61st and final CWS at Rosenblatt, South Carolina changed that in a big way. South Carolina lost its first game, but stormed back to win six straight to claim the school’s first major championship in any sport. They also beat their biggest rival, Clemson, twice in the process. No player more embodied the Gamecocks’ team effort than soph. Michael Roth, who made his first two starts of the season on the Omaha dirt. Roth held opponents to a .167 average in 16 1/3 total innings at the CWS. It was only fitting that South Carolina won in dramatic fashion on Whit Merrifield’s walk-off single in the bottom of the 11th inning against UCLA.

6. Matt Curry’s CWS Grand Slam

Matt Curry

With two out, a full count and his team down by two runs to Florida State, TCU’s Matt Curry jacked a grand slam to centerfield to stave-off elimination. The big hit made TCU an instant CWS legend in the the most electric moment of the 61st and final series at Rosenblatt. Not bad for a senior who played his first two seasons of college ball at Howard Junior College. Of that moment, TCU head coach Jim Schlossnagle would later tell us “That’s a game and that’s a moment I think that if they were to do a history of the College World Series…it’s gonna be a very small part, but I think it would be a part.” Said Curry afterward “When I hit it, I knew it was gone, because I’ve hit home runs and I usually know when I get them. I look and I’m all fired up” CLICK HERE for more postgame reaction from Curry, Schlossnagle and FSU head coach Mike Martin.

7. TCU Beats Texas In Super Regionals

Before Curry had his shot at Omaha immortality, TCU had to beat Texas in Super Regional play. Many thought the Horned Frogs were deserving of a national seed and the chance to host a Super Regional that would come with that distinction, but that didn’t happen. Instead, for a second straight year TCU was matched with the perennial power in Austin with a trip to Omaha on the line.  TCU won games one and three by giving-up just a run in each game against the #2 national seed Longhorns to send the Horned Frogs to the program’s first CWS. CLICK HERE for more from TCU’s historic win.

8. New Mexico And Oregon Make It To NCAA Regionals

Ray Birmingham

For the game of college baseball to grow it has to prosper in places where it has not traditionally prospered. New Mexico made it to an NCAA Regional for the first time in 48 years in 2010, while Oregon made it in just its second season since resurrecting the program after a nearly 30 year extinction. The Lobos and Ducks reached the postseason with the distinctive styles of their head coaches. For UNM it was Ray Birmingham’s “Kick down the door” offensive approach, while UO did it with George Horton’s pitching laden formula. It should come as no surprise that both programs prospered under their skippers. Birmingham led New Mexico Junior College to a 2005 national championship, while Horton more famously won the 2003 CWS at Cal State Fullerton.

9. Kyle Parker’s Record-Setting Double Duty

Kyle Parker

Parker took being a two-sport college athlete to another level during the 2009-2010 season. The Clemson quarterback/outfielder became the first Division One athlete to ever throw 20 touchdown passes and hit 20 home runs in the same academic year. In fact, he was the first to even go 15/15. Parker helped the football team to a Music City Bowl win in the fall and then helped Jack Leggett’s baseball team reach the College World Series in the spring. Parker was taken by the Colorado Rockies with the 26th overall pick in the June, 2010 draft. He has signed a professional contract and will report to spring training in 2011. CLICK HERE for an exclusive podcast interview with Parker.

10. UCLA And Arizona State Get Off To Fast Starts

The Bruins and Sun Devils both ended their seasons in Omaha, and they both got their seasons off to blazing hot starts. UCLA road its pitching out of the gates to a 22-0 record that didn’t end until an April 2 loss to Stanford. Arizona State used its balance of pitching and offense to start 24-0 under new head coach Tim Esmay. Their first setback came a day after UCLA’s first defeat when they dropped a 12-inning game at Oregon. John Savage’s Bruins ended their season with a 51-17 mark and a second place finish at the CWS, while ASU finished with a 52-10 mark despite going 0-2 in Omaha.

Time is running out to own a piece of history. How about a 2010 Limited Edition Commemorative Print Collection from The Dugout in Omaha!

The package includes: 6 limited edition framable “8×10″ prints: Catching the Action, Hitting the Sweet Spot,Bringing the Heat, Turning Two, Gameday at Rosenblatt, Nightcap at Rosenblatt.

Don’t wait, get yours today from Dugouthats.com!