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College baseball has played a key role in the background of many of the 2017 World Series players and coaches … although you wouldn’t know it simply by listening to the various television broadcasts during the past few weeks of postseason play.

A lean and lanky Justin Verlander (three-time World Series pitcher with Tigers & Astros), shown here during his college career at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va.

(Full/obvious disclosure: this site is focused on college baseball, and yes I was a college baseball SID for nearly 20 years before covering the sport for the past 10 … but it’s not too much too ask for the networks to share important/basic biographical  information about these players’ backgrounds. Viewers literally can count on one hand, often one finger, the number of college baseball references during any of these three-hour, or five-hour, broadcasts. In many cases, we have gone several weeks through the postseason now with NO mention of the college background for numerous players during these assorted broadcasts.)

** Note: scroll throughout this page for historical photos of 30 different Astros & Dodgers players/coaches who played college baseball (some are included at bottom of the page).

>> CLICK HERE for a similar CB360 breakdown of the 2016 MLB All-Star Game and its connections to college baseball.

Dave Roberts (Los Angeles Dodgers manager) in his playing days at UCLA. Current Dodgers reserve second baseman Chase Utley (former World Series champ with the Phillies) also played collegiately at UCLA and is pictured near the bottom of this page.

As detailed below, and by various measures, the number of college baseball products scattered throughout the Astros and Dodgers rosters significantly dwarfs the number of players who entered pro ball directly from high school (on average, by a ratio of 2.5-to-1 but often closer to 3-to-1). This lopsided comparison holds true for the coaching staffs as well, led by two former conference rivals (Pac-10, now Pac-12) who are managing these World Series teams: Houston’s A.J. Hinch (Stanford) and L.A.’s Dave Roberts (UCLA). Not surprisingly, the overwhelming majority of each of their coaching staffs all played college baseball back in their early playing days – including Astros bench coach/soon-to-be Red Sox manager Alex Cora (Univ. of Miami).

Astros centerfielder George Stringer, shown taking a rip a few years ago during his career at the Univ. of Connecticut.

College baseball – particularly during recent years – has proven to be an excellent venue for preparing players for their often quick journey to the Major Leagues (with many, including former LSU standout Alex Bregman, rapidly transitioning to the big leagues). Equally important, the college baseball student-athlete experience provides countless intangible benefits to each player, impacting his life both on and off the field. And most will forge lifelong friendships from those college years, with athletes and non-athletes alike.

A svelte and clean-shaven Justin Turner (current Dodgers third baseman), back in his his playing days at nearby Cal State Fullerton.

The combined 25-man World Series rosters for the Astros and Dodgers include nearly three times as many college baseball products (28) as players who entered pro ball directly from U.S. state-based high schools (10). The other 12 World Series players include four from Puerto Rico and two each from Cuba, Japan and Venezuela (plus one each from Curacao and the Dominican Republic).

• 2017 WORLD SERIES ROSTERS
(25-man; Astros & Dodgers)
> 28 College Baseball Products
(21 DI; one D2, one D3, one NAIA, 4 JC)
… 2–Arizona State, Arkansas, CS Fullerton, Georgia, LSU & Virginia
… 1–Cal, UConn, Miami, Mich., Neb., ODU, Rice, Texas A&M & UCLA
… D2: Texas Permian Basin; D3: Berry GA; NAIA: St. Xavier IL
… JC: Middle Georgia St, Yavapai AZ, Palm Beach FL St, Lamar TX
12 from outside mainland U.S.
… 4–Puerto Rico; 2–Cuba, Japan & Venezuela;
1–Curacao & Dominican Republic
10 direct-from-high school
… 2–CA, GA & NC; 1–AZ, CT, FL & TX

Former LSU shortstop Alex Bregman has sparkled for the Astros throughout the postseason, with both his bat and his glove while manning the hot corner at third base,

• ASTROS World Series Roster (25-man)
> 13 College Baseball Products
(7 DI; 1 D2, 1 D3, 1 NAIA, 3 JC)
… 2–LSU; 1–Ark., Fullerton, UConn, ODU & UVa
… D2: Texas Permian Basin; D3: Berry (GA); NAIA: St. Xavier (IL)
… JC: Middle Ga. St, Yavapai AZ, Palm Beach FL St
7 from outside mainland U.S.
… 3–Puerto Rico; 2–Venezuela; Cuba & & D.R.
5 direct-from-high school (CA–CT–FL–GA–NC)

• DODGERS World Series Roster (25-man)
> 15 College Baseball Products (14 DI; 1 JC)
… 2–Arizona State & Georgia
… 1–Ark., Cal, Fullerton, UGa, Miami, Mich., Neb., Rice, Texas A&M, UCLA & UVa
… JC: Lamar (TX)
5 from outside mainland U.S.
… 2–Japan; 1–Curacao, Cuba & Puerto Rico
5 direct-from-high school (AZ–CA–GA–NC–TX)

Rich Hill – one of the three lefthanders in the Dodgers postseason 4-man starting rotation – pictured during his college days at the University of Michigan.

• World Series Starting Lineups – Both of Houston’s top starting pitchers – RHP Justin Verlander (Old Dominion) and LHP Dallas Keuchel (Univ. of Arkansas) – are college baseball alums, as are two members of the Dodgers postseason starting rotation: LHPs Rich Hill (Univ. of Michigan) and Alex Wood (Univ. of Georgia).

When looking at the nine position players who typically have started for each World Series team (18 total), eight of them are college baseball players (including the regular CF and 3B for both teams) while six others are from foreign countries (or Puerto Rico), and only four entered pro ball directly from a stateside high school.

Current Astros DH/catcher Evan Gattis has an amazing story tracing his path to the big leagues. That journey included benefitting from the college baseball experience, at the (D2) University of Texas-Permian Basin (pictured).

The Astros regular starters who played college ball include Bregman (LSU), CF George Springer (Univ. of Connecticut), RF Josh Reddick (Middle Georgia JC) and DH/C Evan Gattis (Texas-Permian Basin). Catcher Brian McCann is the only Astros regular position player who entered pro ball directly from a U.S. high school baseball background, with the other Houston regular starters hailing from Cuba, Venezuela (2) and Puerto Rico.

• • •

Current Astros centerfielder Chris Taylor converted to the outfield earlier this season, after playing previously in the middle infield (including in college, as the starting shortstop while at the University of Virginia, pictured).

The Dodgers regular starting position players have included four college baseball products, three direct-from-high-school, and two players from outside the continental U.S. Both of LA’s catchers – Austin Barnes (Arizona State) and Yasmani Grandel (Univ. of Miami) – spent their formative years in college baseball, as did 3B Justin Turner (Cal State Fullerton), CF Chris Taylor (Univ. of Virginia) and infielder Logan Forsythe (Univ. of Arkansas).

> 2017 WORLD SERIES STARTERS <
Starting Rotations:
4 College Baseball Products (all DI)
Justin Verlander (Astros; Old Dominion)
Dallas Keuchel (Astros; Arkansas)
Rich Hill (Dodgers; Michigan)
Alex Wood (Dodgers; Georgia)

3 Direct-from-High School Products
Clayton Kershaw (Dodgers; attended HS in Texas)
Lance McCullers (Astros; HS in Florida)
Charlie Morton (Astros; HS in Connecticut)

1 Foreign Player – Yu Darvish (Dodgers; Japan)

Current Dodgers utility infielder Logan Forsythe played collegiately at the Univ. of Arkansas (pictured), where his teammates included current Astros ace lefthander Dallas Keuchel (pict. below).

Starting Position Players (including DH); 18 total:
8 (9) College Baseball Products (6/7 DI + D2, JC)
3B Alex Bregman (Astros; LSU)
CF George Stringer (Astros; UConn)
RF Josh Reddick (Astros; Middle Georgia St JC)
DH/C Evan Gattis (Astros; Texas–Permian Basin/D2)
C Austin Barnes (Dodgers; Arizona State)
… or Yasmani Grandal (Miami)
2B Logan Forsythe (Dodgers; Arkansas)
3B Justin Turner (Dodgers; CS Fullerton)
CF Chris Taylor (Dodgers; Virginia)

4 Direct-from-High School Products
C Brian McCann (Astros; high school in GA)
1B Cody Bellinger (Dodgers; HS in AZ)
SS Corey Seager (Dodgers; HS in NC)
OF/DH Joc Pederson (Dodgers; HS in CA)

6 Foreign Players (incl. Puerto Rico)
1B Yuli Gurriel (Astros; Cuba)
2B Jose Altuve (Astros; Venezuela)
SS Carlos Correa (Astros; Puerto Rico)
LF Marwin Gonzalez (Astros; Venezuela)
OF Yasiel Puig (Dodgers; Curacao)
OF/DH Kike Hernandez (Dodgers; Puerto Rico)

____________

Current Astros reliever Chris Devenski is one of three former Cal State Fullerton players associated with the 2017 World Series teams, along with Dodgers standout third baseman Justin Turner and Astros reserve infielder J.D. Davis (part of Houston’s lateseason 40-man roster).

• World Series Reserves –In addition to the 13 players referenced above, there are 15 other members of the World Series teams who are college baseball products. These 15 (mostly DI, plus a D3, NAIA & three JC players) are primarily bullpen pitchers, plus a couple reserve position players:

2B Chase Utley (Dodgers; UCLA)
OF Andre Ethier (Dodgers; Arizona State)
OF Derek Fisher (Astros; Virginia)

RHP Chris Devenski (Astros; CS Fullerton)
RHP Will Harris (Astros; LSU)
RHP Collin McHugh (Astros; Berry (GA)/D3)
RHP Luke Gregerson (Astros; Saint Xavier (IL)/NAIA)
RHP Ken Giles (Astros; Yavapai (AZ) JC)
RHP Brad Peacock (Astros; Palm Beach (FL) St JC)

Former University of California pitching standout Brandon Morrow (a type-1 diabetes inspiration story) has been a workhorse out of the Dodgers bullpen and could become the second pitcher (first in 44 years) to pitch in all seven World Series games. Interestingly enough, the record-holder (Brandon Knowles; Oakland A’s 1973) crossed paths with Morrow a few years back, as Knowles was the Toronto Blue Jays rehab pitching coordinator when Morrow was in that organization/often-injured  from 2011-14.

LHP Tony Cingrani (Dodgers; Rice)
RHP Josh Fields (Dodgers; Georgia)
RHP Brandon Morrow (Dodgers; California)
RHP Ross Stripling (Dodgers; Texas A&M)
LHP Tony Watson (Dodgers; Nebraska)
RHP Brandon McCarthy (Dodgers; Lamar (TX) JC)
____________

• Extended Rosters (40-man & DL) – Finally, the Astros and Dodgers expanded late-season rosters (40-man, plus some 60-day DL players) include 20 more former college baseball players (16 of the 20 played on the DI level, with only one JC):

C Kyle Farmer* (Dodgers; Georgia)
IF Tim Locastro (Dodgers; Ithaca/D3)
IF Rob Segedin (Dodgers; Tulane)
OF Curtis Granderson* (Dodgers; Illinois-Chicago),
OF O’Koyea Dickson (Dodgers; Sonoma State/D2; 60-day DL)
OF Andrew Toles (Dodgers; Tennessee; 60-day DL)
* = played in earlier postseason rounds/25-man roster

IF J.D. Davis (Astros; CS Fullerton)
IF Tony Kemp (Astros; Vanderbilt)
IF Colin Moran (Astros; North Carolina)
IF A.J. Reed (Astros; Kentucky)
IF Tyler White (Astros; Western Carolina)
OF Preston Tucker (Astros; Florida)

Current Dodgers reserve outfielder Curtis Granderson, who played earlier in the 2017 postseason and has been a three-time all-star during his 14-year MLB career, played collegiately at the University of Illinois-Chicago (UIC; pictured).

RHP Walker Buehler (Astros; Vanderbilt)
RHP Brock Stewart (Astros;  Illinois State)
LHP Grant Dayton (Astros; Auburn; 60-day DL)
LHP Adam Liberatore (Astros; Tenn. Tech; 60-day DL)

LHP Tony Sipp (Astros; Clemson)
RHP Mike Fiers (Astros; Nova Southeastern/D2)
RHP James Hoyt (Astros; Palomar JC)
RHP Brady Rodgers (Astros; Arizona State; 60-day DL)

Former University of Arkansas ace lefthander Dallas Kuechel has assumed the same role with the Houston Astros (while adding his distinctive beard), winning the 2015 AL Cy Young Award and helping lead Houston to the 2017 World Series.

> 2017 WORLD SERIES TEAMS <
(40-man rosters + 60-man DL; 91 players, Hou. 43/L.A. 48)
• 48 College Baseball Products (37 Division I; 3 D2; 2 D3;
1 NAIA; 5 JC)
• 25 outside mainland U.S.
(9–D.R., 5–Ven., 4–P.R.,
2–Cuba/Japan,
1–Curacao/Mexico/S.K.)
• 18 direct-from-high school
(7–CA, 2–AZ/FL/GA/NC/TX, 1–CT)
… The Astros full breakdown (from the above grouping) includes 23 former college players among the 43 total, plus 12 foreign-based players and only eight direct-from-high school (ratio of 2.9 college-to-HS).
… the Dodgers full 40-man + DL similarly includes 25 total former college players, 13 from outside the mainland U.S. and only 10 direct-from-HS (2.5 ratio).
•

____________

Many baseball managers are former catchers and that is the case with current Astros skipper A.J. Hinch, who was a starting catcher at Stanford (pictured) during his collegiate career.

• World Series Coaching Staffs – When looking at the Astros and Dodgers combined 16 primary coaches, exactly two-thirds of them (12) played college baseball back in their formative years, including both managers, all four of the pitching/hitting coaches and one of the bench coaches (see below).

Current Dodgers pitching coach Rick Honeycutt was a standout two-way players at the University of Tennessee (first base/pitcher), where he won a Southeastern Conference batting title (.404) before embarking on a 21-year Major League Baseball pitching career.

Seven of the eight primary members of the Astros coaching staff are former college baseball players, led by the manager Hinch (Stanford) and bench coach Cora (Miami), plus both pitching coach Brent Strom (USC) and hitting coach Dave Hudgens (Arizona State). Another USC baseball product, Rich Dauer, is the Astros first base coach, while Gary Pettis (Laney (CA) JC) mans the third-base coaching box for Houston. Bullpen coach Craig Bjornson (Nicholls State) rounds out the seven members of the Astros core coaching staff who are college baseball alums (six of the seven played DI).

The 2017 World Series coaching staffs include two current managers (Hinch & Roberts) who are former college baseball players, plus soon-to-be Red Sox manager Alex Cora, the current Astros bench coach and a former college player at the University of Miami.

Five of the Dodgers eight primary coaches are college baseball products, most notably the manager Roberts (UCLA), pitching coach Rick Honeycutt (Tennessee) and hitting coach Turner Ward (South Alabama) – along with bullpen coach Josh Bard (Texas Tech) and third base coach Chris Woodward (Mt. San Antonio JC, in Walnut, CA).

Both of the Dodgers bullpen catchers – Rob Flippo (Univ. of the Pacific) and Steve Cilladi (Kansas Wesleyan) – played college baseball, as did one of the Astros bullpen catchers (Carlos Munoz/Alvin JC).

________________________

Photos of additional 2017 World Series players/coaches who are college baseball products included below:

Dodgers LHP Alex Wood (Univ. of Georgia)

Dodger catcher Austin Barnes (Arizona St.).

Astros outfielder Derek Fisher (University of Virginia)

Dodgers second baseman Chase Utley (UCLA)

Astros RHP Will Harris (LSU)

Dodgers veteran outfielder Andre Ethier (Arizona State)

Dodgers LHP Tony Watson (Univ. of  Nebraska)

Dodgers RHP Ross Stripling (Texas A&M)

Dodgers RHP Josh Fields (Univ. of Georgia)

Dodgers LHP Tony Cingrani (Rice)

Astros pitching coach Brent Strom (USC; University of Southern California)

Dodgers hitting coach Turner Ward (University of South Alabama)

Astros first base coach Rich Dauer (USC; University of Southern California)

Dodgers bullpen coach Josh Bard (Texas Tech catcher)

 

 

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Sun Devils Eye NCAA Return After Sweep Of Long Beach…

Brady Rodgers

In the Sun Devils 6-3 win over the Dirtbags on Friday Devils ace pitcher sophomore Brady Rodgers dominated en route to picking up his 7^th win of the season. Rodgers (7-2 2.92 ERA) went 7.1 innings allowing three runs on 8 hits while striking out five.

Rodgers seemed to get stronger as the night worn on before he was hit in the ankle by a come-backer off the bat of LBSU freshman catcher Royce Murai in the 8^th. Rodgers allowed the next three hitters to reach after the Murai single. Prior to being hit in the leg Rodgers had retired 13 of the previous 14 Dirtbag hitters. The injury is not believed to be serious.

Long Beach rallied against ASU in the 8^th cutting the deficit to 6-3. The Dirtbags had the tying run at the plate with two outs, but Devils junior LF Johnny Ruettiger made a spectacular sliding catch in the left center field gap off the bat of LBSU sophomore Matt Duffy to end the inning and the threat.

ASU struck first with a run in the bottom of the first leading off the inning with Ruettiger double, and a single by junior Zach MacPhee. Ruettiger scored on an error by Long Beach starter junior Andrew Gagnon (4-7, 2.73 ERA).

In Saturday’s win ASU jumped out early and were never threatened in the 9-2 win. ASU led 4-0 after three innings and 9-0 after five.

Arizona State starting pitcher Kramer Champlin (7-2 2.82 ERA) bounced back from his loss to Stanford last weekend pitching eight strong innings allowing two earned on eight hits, with seven strikeouts. Champlin didn’t allow a run until the 8^th inning.

Joey DeMichele

Joey DeMichele continued his offensive tear with hit second five hit game of the season going 5-for-5 with a double and 3 RBIs. Junior DH Austin Barnes was 2-for-3 with 2 RBIs. DeMichele (.406 average), and Barnes (.362) currently rank number one, and five respectively in the Pac-10 in hitting.

ASU got 14 hits in Saturday’s win with MacPhee, and Newman having multiple hit games for the second straight night. Duffy was the offensive leader for LBSU going 3-for-4 with a double, and 2 RBIs.

Long Beach’s pitching staff struggled with starter junior Branden Pinder (3-5 5.53 ERA) lasting just three innings allowing 4 runs (3 earned). Junior Matt Johnson relieved Pinder and he allowed five earned in just two innings.

In the series finale ASU exploded for its highest scoring output of the season in there 17-9 win. The Devils broke the game wide open with a six run 5^th pushing their lead to 11-2.

The Dirtbags scored six runs in the 9^th inning to make the final score look closer than the game really was.

Andy Workman led the offensive charge going 4-for-5 with 7 RBIs, a double, and two HRs. DeMichele was 2-for-5 on Sunday, he was 9-for-14 (.643) in the series. Zach Wilson was 3-for-4, and MacPhee was 2-for-3 in the win.

MacPhee was 6-for-12 in the series as the reigning Pac-10 Player of the Year raised his average from .270 to .286. MacPhee hit .398 in 2010.

Long Beach starter freshman Ryan Strufing (3-2 3.92 ERA) took the loss allowing eight runs (five earned) in four innings. Freshman Kyle Friedrichs went two innings in relief of Strufing allowing five runs.

The Dirtbags fielders were no help to the team’s pitchers committing four errors, leading to five unearned runs.

ASU has been with out sophomore shortstop Deven Marrero since May 1 because of an ankle injury. Riccio Torrez was also out the last two games of the series because of injury. Neither injury is believed to be serious.

Currently ASU is second in the Pac-10 in hitting with a (.312), on base percentage (.383), runs scored (.299), hits (497), and RBIs (269). The pitching staff is fifth in the conference with a team ERA of 3.17.

The Devils sit in second place in the Pac-10 with three weekends left in the conference schedule. ASU is one game back of conference leader Oregon State. The Beavers hold the tiebreaker over ASU after sweeping the Sun Devils in Corvallis last month.

Arizona State, which went 6-2 in eight games played in ten days, now travels to USC next weekend followed by a series at Washington. The Sun Devils finish their season at home vs. UCLA.

ASU remains eligible for the NCAA Tournament, because the NCAA appeal process continues. The school is set to have its appeal heard a couple of weeks before the NCAA Tournament selections are made May 30, and it is unlikely the appeals committee will have a ruling before the 30^th.

If ASU remains eligible and continues to play well down the stretch it could find itself in position not only to be in the tournament, but also as one of the Top-8 National Seeds.

Despite not picking up any wins this weekend, Long Beach State still has some chances for some quality resume wins down the stretch.  They travel to Cal State Fullerton next weekend, and finish the year at UC Irvine.

They also have a Big West series at home vs. Cal State Northridge, and non-conference home games vs. UCLA, and Pepperdine.

(Front page photo courtesy Arizona State)

Three Games On Tap For Monday…Hopefully!

Our coverage of the 2010 College World Series is brought to you by The Dugout in Omaha, with everything you’re looking for when it comes to officially licensed CWS hats and shirts.  If you can’t make it to Rosenblatt make sure to follow the link for all of your CWS gear!

CB360 CWS Scoreboard

Monday Schedule

10 am – FINAL: Clemson 6, #1 Arizona St. 3
3:30 pm – FINAL: Florida St. 8,  Florida 5 (Gators Eliminated)
8 pm – FINAL: UCLA 6, TCU 3

By Collegebaseball360.com Editor Sean Stires

Sunday’s CB360 CWS Blog

8:20 am – Well, the Arizona State vs. Clemson game that was supposed to have been played last night is supposed to start in about an hour and a half.  It’s not looking too promising right now though, because it’s been pouring down rain all morning.  I woke-up at around 3:45 this morning and heard it coming down pretty good then.  It stopped for a short time, but it’s been raining pretty steadily for a few hours now.  The local weather shows a front that looks like it could pass within the next couple hours.

Two more games are also scheduled for later today.  Florida State vs. Florida in the afternoon elimination game and TCU vs. UCLA tonight.  It’s likely to be a touch and go day.  Stay tuned…

10:22 am - The sun is shining and Arizona State vs. Clemson is underway.  It’s the first morning game at the CWS since June 10, 2000 when USC played Florida State.  This morning’s game is also a rematch of last year’s Tempe Super Regional won by the Sun Devils.

Clemson head coach Jack Leggett was fired-up after the home plate meeting with ASU’s Tim Esmay and the umpires.  Leggett raced away from the plate and was immediately engulfed in a near dog pile by his team before they batted in the top of the first inning.

• ASU starter Seth Blair (12-1) has already walked a season-high four batters in his first two innings on the mound.  Blair is the Pac 10 Pitcher of the Year.  He ended his day with five free passes.

• Blair topped the 100 pitch mark with two on and no outs in the top of the 5th inning.  He left after 4 1/3 innings with runners at the corners in the top of the 5th.  He threw 110 pitches and gave-up five earned runs.  It was his second shortest start of the season, after a 3.0 inning start vs BYU on May 10.

• It’s easy to see why ASU’s Rauol Torrez wears the “C” (for captain) on his
  

  Rauol Torrez

  chest.  Torrez lined what could have easily been just a single to left field in the third inning, but he didn’t settle for one base.  Torrez never broke stride and made it into second ahead of the throw from Jeff Schaus.  He then took third on a wild pitch by Casey Harman and scored on a Sac Fly to right by Austin Barnes.  His slide home just beat the throw by Kyle Parker.

• As if the heads-up base running weren’t enough, Torrez made a Brooks Robinson-esque play at third in the top of the next inning.  Spencer Kieboom hit a hot shot just inside the line, which carried Torrez into foul territory.  He did a piroutett and fired a strike across the diamond to get the out.

• Clemson came into the series with 95 errors this season, which ranks in the bottom one-third of the 301 Division One college teams in the country.  However, the Tigers also came into the CWS with 75 double plays turned, which is good for 3rd nationally.

• The Tigers caught a break in the top of the 5th with ASU LF Drew Maggi lost a fly ball off the bat of Richie Shaffer in a high sky.  Maggi froze with his hands up in the air to both sides…the ball landed some 30 feet away from him.

• The biggest “BOO” of the CWS so far came from the smallest crowd to date when a ball girl dropped a foul ball that caromed off the net behind the plate.  Some traditions never change…

• The announced attendance for the morning game was 14,198 for a four game total of 83,953.

• All 14 of Clemson’s hits in its 6-3 win over ASU were singles.

CB360 Clemson/ASU Postgame Video

• The Florida vs. Florida State match-up in the 3:30 pm elimination game was the 5th meeting in the 5th different city between the two rivals this season.  Florida State won previous encounters in Tampa, Jacksonville and Tallahassee, while Florida beat the Seminoles in Gainesville.

• Florida State leadoff man Tyler Holt started the bottom of the first inning with a home run high off the batter’s eye in center field.  Holt was starting in his 198th consecutive game.

• Mike McGee launched a 3-run shot in the third inning.  McGee is also FSU’s closer and is a finalist for the John Olerud Award given to the two-way player of the year.   He came into a bases loaded situation with the tying run at first base in the 9th inning.  The game ended on a line drive to shortstop Stephen Cardullo who then stepped on second to end the game.  McGee now has 13 saves and 16 HR this season.
  

  Stephen Cardullo

• Cardullo had an even more impressive blast when he sent one over the batter’s eye and out of the stadium to straight away centerfield…where the distance is 408.

• Clemson and Florida State are trying to end a 55-year championship drought for the ACC.  The only Atlantic Coast Conference team to win the College World Series was Wake Forest in 1955.

• Does anyone else always make an audible “Oooo” every time they see a batter get hit by a pitch?

• Florida called on #3 starter Brian Johnson after fellow freshman and #2 starter Randall Hudson gave-up four runs in 2 2/3 IP.  Johnson didn’t fair much better though.  He surrendered two runs on six hits in 3 1/3 innings in just his second relief appearance of the season.  The last hit Johnson gave-up was Cardullo’s HR.

• It worked!  99.9 % of the time the old “fake to third throw to first” never works, but it did today.  FSU pitcher Daniel Bennett picked-off Florida’s Tyler Thompson at first base when he executed the move to end the top of the 8th inning.

• The announced crowd for the Florida-Florida State game was 19,841 for a five game total of 103,794 and an average of 20,759.

CB360 Florida/Florida State Postgame Video

• UCLA pitcher Trevor Bauer said after Saturday’s start that he doesn’t like big baseball caps that make him look “like a conductor”.  That’s why he has worn the same hat for the last two years.

• Every win UCLA gets during the CWS adds to its school record season total.

• Beach balls in the outfield bleachers are the norm here, but there was a barrage of beach balls on the warning track in left field just before the start of the sixth inning.

• The most electric moment of the CWS so far was Taylor Featherston’s 2-out, 3-run triple in the top of the 7th inning.  The TCU shortstop laced a Gerrit Cole pitch over Beau Amaral in left centerfield to get the Horned Frogs on the board.  TCU had managed just one hit throught the first six innings, but had four hits in the inning to cut their deficit to 5-3.

• The TCU-UCLA game drew a crowd of 23,345 to make it a six game total of 127,139…still about 10 K behind last year’s pace.  Does no LSU and no Texas really affect the draw that much?  So much for Rosenblatt nostalgia…

• Gerrit Cole (11-3) had 13 strikeouts to lead UCLA to its 6-3 win over TCU.  He had the one hiccup when he gave-up the bases loaded triple to Taylor Featherston in the 7th, but he came back in the 8th and had the last two of his punchouts.  Cole and TCU’s Matt Purke have lived-up to their billing.  They have been the most impressive individuals of the CWS so far.

• With its win UCLA now waits until Friday to play either Florida State or TCU again.  Those two play an elimination game Wednesday night.

UCLA/TCU Postgame Video Interviews