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Every weekend provides every team the opportunity to make a statement in the college baseball world, and this past weekend was no different. However, for the most part it was favorites and not underdogs that made statements from April 15-17.

Friday’s games saw higher ranked teams in the College Baseball 360 Composite National Rankings go 30-8, for a .790 winning percentage. That percentage dipped to .580 (25-18) on Saturday, but the higher ranked teams bounced-back on Sunday by winning at a .700 (26-11) clip.

Two underdogs that broke that trend were #4 South Carolina and #21 Oklahoma State, which each took two of three games in their high profile series against #3 Vanderbilt and #15 Oklahoma, respectively.

Gamecock Statement…

Considering South Carolina is the defending national champion, it’s kind of hard to consider its series win over #3 Vanderbilt an upset. However, the Commodores are the second SEC team that South Carolina has beaten this year (Florida is the other) that was ranked #1 in one of the national polls at the time the Gamecocks beat them in a best two-of-three series. Vandy’s (32-5, 11-4 SEC) series loss is its first since dropping last year’s Super Regional at Florida State, while South Carolina (28-7, 12-3 SEC) has won every series it has played in 2011.

Matt Price

This series was everything it was supposed to be, with great pitching, timely hitting and great defense. There were just two errors committed all weekend. Michael Roth (8-1) out-dueled Sonny Gray (7-2) to give South Carolina a 3-1 game one win. Each ace fired 7 2/3 innings, with Matt Price closing the door with 1 1/3 perfect innings and four strikeouts for his 11th save. The teams combined to use 11 pitchers in Saturday’s 6-4 Vanderbilt victory. Aaron Westlake and Mike Yastrzemski each had two RBIs to help Grayson Garvin improve to 7-1. South Carolina used a 4-run 7th inning to win Sunday’s finale 5-3. Roth was again spectacular out of the bullpen, notching 7 Ks in 3.0 shutout innings to improve to 4-2.

By the way, how would you like to be in the SEC East, where South Carolina, Vanderbilt and Florida all reside? The defending national champs now sit atop the division at 28-7 overall and 12-3 in conference play, followed by Florida (28-9) and Vandy (32-5), which are both 11-4 in the SEC. The Commodores and Gators go head-to-head in Nashville May 13-15.

Beavers Surging, Cardinal Slumping…

Sam Gaviglio

Oregon State swept Stanford in Palo Alto in a match-up of teams who are now heading in completely opposite directions. The Beavers (27-7, 8-1 Pac-10) have won nine straight, with eight of those wins coming against conference foes Arizona, Arizona State and now Stanford. Meanwhile, Stanford (16-12, 3-6 Pac-10) has dropped five of its last six games, including five straight in conference action.

OSU’s Sam Gaviglio (7-1) was masterful in Friday’s 1-0 series-opening win. He mixed enough fastballs in between his devastating curveballs to limit the Cardinal to four hits over 8.0 innings. Gaviglio and his staff mates combined to hold Stanford to five runs on the weekend. It doesn’t get any easier for the Cardinal next week, with UCLA coming to Sunken Diamond.

CLICK HERE for even more in-depth analysis of this series from CB360 contributor Jack Blanchat.

Bedlam Breakthrough…

Oklahoma State took two of three from Oklahoma in the Bedlam Series for its first series win over the arch-rival Sooners since 2008. Both Cowboys wins came in walk-off fashion. Davis Duren gave OSU the win on Sunday with a 10th inning walk-off RBI single for an 11-10 victory in Oklahoma City. Dane Phillips ended Friday’s 8-7 win in Tulsa with a 9th inning lead-off home run.

Break-up The Bruins…

Beau Amaral

The adage that good pitching beats good hitting held-up as UCLA picked-up its biggest series win of the season by taking two of three games from hot hitting Arizona. The Wildcats were averaging 7.5 runs-a-game with a .342 team batting average heading into the series, but the vaunted Bruins pitching staff limited Arizona to 3.3 runs-a-game and a .202 average over the weekend. Trevor Bauer (7-1) fanned 13 and gave-up just four hits in Saturday’s complete game win. Bauer has hit double digit Ks in eight of his nine starts this year. His 110 strikeouts leads the nation. Beau Amaral led the Bruins by hitting 7-for-12 (.583) for the weekend, including six RBIs in Sunday’s 8-5 series clincher.

Wolfpack Attack…

North Carolina was red hot entering its series with arch rival North Carolina State, but the Wolfpack red gave UNC the blues by sweeping the Tar Heels in Raleigh. North Carolina had won 16 of its previous 18 games, including a sweep of Clemson and 2-of-3 vs. Florida State, entering the weekend. Pratt Maynard led NC State by going 6-for-12 with five runs scored in the sweep.

Red Storm Rising…

Joe Panik

Louisville is finding out just how hard it is to maintain dominance over an extended period of time. St. John’s swept the Cardinals (20-15, 6-6 Big East) to hand Louisville its fifth straight loss. Louisville’s 15 losses are one more than it suffered all of last year. St. John’s shortstop Joe Panik was 6-for-14 (.428) with 5 RBIs and a home run in the sweep. Louisville committed 12 errors in the series and has just a .963 fielding percentage this season.

 

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For the first time since mid-February, we are coming out of a weekend that featured no college baseball. A few days earlier, the season concluded in Omaha with South Carolina’s extra-inning victory over UCLA. CollegeBaseball360.com recently announced its latest edition of the Primetime Performer Honor Roll – with 14 players recognized for their clutch play during the 2010 College World Series.  (front-page photo courtesy of TCU)

South Carolina sophomore lefthander Michael Roth

A full tribute to the CWS Primetime Performers follows below, featuring headshots and action photos – along with expanded bio./accomplishment capsules – for each of the 14 players.

TCU senior catcher Bryan Holaday

Leading the way are TCU senior catcher Bryan Holaday (Dallas, Texas) and South Carolina sophomore lefthander Michael Roth (Greer, S.C.), the respective Primetime Player and Primetime Pitcher of the 2010 College World Series (as selected by CollegeCaseball360.com).

CLICK HERE for the CB360 Primetime Performer archive.

CLICK HERE for CWS team/players stats package (provided exclusively by CollegeBaseball360.com)

Roth is joined by four other South Carolina players on CB360’s 2010 CWS Primetime Performers Honor Roll: senior RHP Blake Cooper (Neeses, S.C.), sophomore centerfielder Jackie Bradley, Jr. (Prince George, Va.), freshman first baseman Christian Walker (Limerick, Pa.) and fr./so. RH closer Matt Price (Sumter, S.C.). Holaday was one of three TCU players named to the Primetime team, along with sophomore shortstop Taylor Featherston (Katy, Texas) and freshman LHP Matt Purke (Spring, Texas).

UCLA – which finished as runner-up but had inconsistent performances from numerous individual players – is represented on the CWS Primetime Perforemrs list by freshman centerfielder Beau Amaral (Huntington Beach, Calif.) and sophomore righthanded strikeout machine Trevor Bauer (Valencia, Calif.). Two Oklahoma players – who both hail from the home state of rival Texas – also are Primetime honorees: sophomore catcher Tyler Ogle (San Antonio) and junior RHP Zach Neal (Flower Mound). Two other players round out the 2010 CWS Primetime Honor Roll: Florida State junior centerfielder Tyler Holt (who hails from Gainesville, site of rival University of Florida) and Clemson jr./so. third baseman John Hinson (Asheville, N.C.)

The CWS Primetime honorees include five starting pitchers (RHPs Cooper, Bauer and Neal; LHPs Roth and Purke), three centefielders (Bradley, Amaral and Holt) and a pair of catchers (Holaday and Ogle), plus the first baseman Walker, shortstop Featherson, third baseman Hinson and closer Price. The 14 selections feature the battle-tested seniors Holaday and Cooper, three juniors (Hinson, Holt & Neal), a group of six sophomore that includes several likely high draft picks in 2010 (Bradley, Bauer, Featherston, Ogle, Price and Roth), and the promising freshman trio of Amaral, Purke & Walker.

The honorees hail from seven different home states, led by five from Texas (the TCU and Oklahoma players) and three of the South Carolina players who are native sons (Cooper, Price & Roth), plus the UCLA duo (both in-state California products) and one each from Florida (Holt), North Carolina (Hinson), Pennsylvania (Walker) and Virginia (Bradley).

… ROTH rose to the occasion during four appearances at the 2010 College World Series, where he compiled a 1.10 ERA and answered the call with strong outings in his first two starts of the season (he also made only two starts as a freshman, in 2009). His most impressive appearance came in his first start, as the 6-1, 210-pound lefthander went the distance in 3-hit fashion to defeat in-state rival Clemson (5-1) – in what was SC’s third of four straight wins when facing elimination. Over the course of his 16.1 innings at the CWS, Roth limited the opposition to a .167 combined batting avg. (9 H) and had three times as many strikeouts (9) as walks (3, also 3 hit batters and 20 groundouts).

During his four appearances, Roth allowed 4-of-16 leadoff batters to reach base – but the opposition hit only 3-for-20 (.150) vs. him with runners on base and Roth closed out innings with near-perfect efficiency (limiting opponents to 1-for-17 hitting/.059 with 2-outs).

Roth’s first appearance came in relief of Blake Cooper, retiring 4-of-5 batters he faced (HBP, K) in the 6th/7th to maintain a 3-2 deficit vs. Oklahoma (SC rallied but still lost its opener, 4-3). Four days later, the scenario repeated itself – as Roth again relieved Cooper (with another narrow deficit vs. OU, 1-0) and retired all 4 he faced (K) – but this time the Gamecocks completed their rally for a 3-2, 12-inning win.

Less than 24 hours later, Roth was back on the mound as a surprise starter vs. rested in-state rival Clemson. His complete-game masterpiece in that 5-1 win saw virtually all of Clemson’s 33 batters fail to drive the ball out of the infield. Roth allowed only thee runners into scoring position (one reached third base), with his 9.0 innings featuring a 2nd-inning double/run scored, singles in the 8th and 9th, 16 groundball outs, 4 Ks, 2 foulouts, an infield lineout double play (4-3) and 3 flyouts (also a walk,  2 hit batters and a runner who reached on an E4 throw).

Richie Shaffer’s 3rd-inning leadoff double represented the only ball vs. Roth that reached the outfield until Spencer Kieboom’s flyout to right ended the 5th. Roth located 67 of his 108 pitches for strikes and did not allow a hit from Clemson’s #1 thru #4 spots in the batting order (0-for-14, BB, HBP, K … Chris Epps/John Nester, Mike Freeman, Jess Schaus and Kyle Parker).

Clemson twice put the leadoff man on vs. Roth, who proved extra-tough with runners on base (1-for-10 opp. batting) and with 2-outs (1-for-9).

Roth’s strong start vs. UCLA in the title-clinching win set up the 2-1 final score, with the decisive run coming in the bottom of the 11th. His 5.0 innings included the lone run scored on 6 hits and 2 walks, with 3 strikeouts. The Bruins failed to generate a 2-out hit vs. Roth (0-for-5), who avoided the big inning and laid the groundwork for the rare 1-1 game through 9-plus innings.

Roth finished the season with a team-best 1.34 ERA and 3.5 K-to-walk ratio (35/10) spanning 37 appearances and 40.1 innings (27 hits allowed, .196 opp. avg.).

HOLADAY reached base multiple times in each of TCU’s five games in Omaha and hit more home runs (4) than any other player in the 2010 CWS (no other players had more than 2 HR). He joined SC’s Walker (.414) as the only players with 17-plus ABs who hit above .400 in the CWS (.409; 9-for-22), with his other stats including 5 RBI, a CWS-leading 8 runs scored, a double (part of his 1.000 slugging pct.) and a walk. His 1.458 OPS (.458 on-base) ranked second only to Ogle’s 1.624, among the players in the eight-team CWS field.

Situationally, the 5-11, 190-pound righthanded-hitting Holaday batted equally well against lefthanded (3-for-8/.375) and RH pitching (6-for-14/.429) and went 3-for-4 (3 RBI) with 2-outs on the board (also 3-for-9 w/ runners on).

Beyond his offensive numbers, Holday continued to direct the talented TCU pitching staff and made an ever bigger impression on observers due to his leadership and inspiring play. Several opposing coaches at the CWS singled out Holaday for his all-around contributions to TCU’s success.

Holaday had a big debut in the CWS opener vs. Florida State (8-1 win), batting 3-for-5 from his customary 2-hole spot (a rare lineup position for a catcher on any level). His single and run scored helped the Frogs jump out to a 5-0 lead in the 1st inning, and he added another single in the 2nd before sending his 14th home run of the season over the leftfield fence (for a 7-1 cushion in the 4th).

Two days later, vs. UCLA ace Gerrit Cole, Holaday reached base twice (HBP, BB) but the TCU offense failed to generate enough runs (in a 6-3 loss). Holaday then helped his team rally to avoid elimination, in an 11-7 comeback vs. Florida State. The veteran catcher scored a run in the 3rd and had a 5th-inning single, before playing his part in the 8th-inning eruption that saw TCU turn a 4-run deficit into a 4-run lead.

With one run on the board in the top of the 8th and TCU still trailing (7-4), Holaday stepped in with 2-outs and FSU relief ace Mike McGee on the mound. He took the first pitch for a ball before connecting on an RBI double to left field. Two batters later, Matt Curry’s grand slam vaulted TCU into the lead – but Holaday’s clutch 2-out double had helped set the table for that huge home run.

Two days later, Holaday’s 1st-inning single and run scored helped put TCU on its way to avenging the earlier loss to UCLA (6-2). He added a home run in the 8th for the final cushion – and homered twice twice more (once to left-center, once dead-center) in the third game vs. the Bruins, a 10-3 loss.

The recipient of the Johnny Bench Award – recognizing college baseball’s top all-around catcher in 2010 – Holaday finished the season with a .355 batting avg., 53 RBI, a team-best 72 runs scored, 42 extra-base hits (17 HR, 3B, 24 2B), 42 free passes (29 BB, 13 HBP) and a gaudy 1.069 OPS (.438 on-base plus .631 slugging).

Criteria for the Primetime Performer awards (and for determining the Primetime Player/Pitcher) extends beyond raw stats, with the other factors that play a role in the selection process including:

• Consistency of play throughout the team’s games during the CWS (i.e. started strong and finished strong)
• Involved in clutch performances, such as late game-winning hits, noteworthy comebacks, game-changing plays, etc.
• Contribution to team success
• Defensive play (routine and sensational)
• Leadership and other intangible factors
• General impact on the game
• Overcame adversity or extreme circumstances (for the team and/or individual)
• Any accomplishment that is rare, historic, record-setting, etc., on a national level

PRIMETIME PERFORMERS HONOR ROLL #18
(College World Series; June 19-29, 2010)
presented by CollegeBaseball360.com

“It’s not so much what you do, as it is when you do it.”

note: all photos courtesy of the respective schools (action photo of Walker will be added when provided/located)

BEAU AMARAL (CF … #25)
UCLA  •  Fr.
Huntington Beach, CA  •  Huntington Beach HS
5-10  •  175  •  Bats: Left

Top of the lineup batter (leadoff/2-hole) who hit team-best .375 (9-for-24) during six CWS games (with 2 RBI, 4 runs, 3 doubles, 2 walks, 2 HBP and a stolen base) … compiled a .964 OPS (.464 on-base, .500 slugging pct.) during his stay in Omaha (he was the only player to hit more than 2 doubles) … picked up the slack for UCLA offense that averaged only 5.2 runs per game in Omaha (the rest of the team hit .257 at the CWS) … hit for the same avg. (.375) vs. LH and RH pitchers, also batting .417 (5-12) with runners aboard during the CWS … proved to be an effective table-setter , reaching on 4-of-7 leadoff plate appearances … reached on his first five trips to the plate (3-for-4, BB, HBP, RBI, R, SB) during 11-3 opening win over Florida (#6 seed over #3) … got aboard on 1st-inning HBP during that game, followed by a single/SB/R in the 3rd, a walk in the 4th and two more singles  (in the 5th and 7th) … led from the leadoff spot in key 6-3 winners-bracket win over TCU (3-for-3, BB, RBI, 2R) … walked and scored in the 1st inning of that game, followed by singles in the 2nd and 4th and a 7th-inning double down the leftfield line that led to him scoring team’s final run … joined his teammates in suffering through 4-hit loss vs. TCU four days later, but he and the Bruins bounced back to beat the Frogs again (10-3) for a spot in the championship series … UCKA endured 4-hit loss vs. South Carolina in title-series opener (7-1) before more competitive second game (2-1 decisive loss, in 11 inn.) … had a single and double in that final game, but was stranded each time … earned second team all-Pac-10 honors in 2010, en route to team-best .354 season batting avg. (31 RBI, 45 R, 4 HR, 12 2B, 20 BB, 16 HBP, .442 on-base, 9 SB).

TREVOR BAUER (RHP … #47)
UCLA  •  So.
Valencia, CA  •  Hart HS
6-1  •  175

Struck out 24 batters spanning 15 innings pitched in Omaha (14.4 Ks/9 IP), with only 4 walks in his pair of outings (6:1 K-to-walk ratio) … allowed 6 runs (5 earned; 3.00 ERA) en route to picking up key wins over Florida (11-3) and TCU (10-3; bracket final) … limited opposing hitters to a .182 combined batting avg. (10 H), with his other CWS stats including a  pair of wild pitches and 2 balks … proved equally tough vs. righthanded (.188 batting avg.) and lefthanded hitters (.174) … allowed only 3 hits with men on base (.176) and surrendered only 4 two-out hits (.200) … struck out 11 (4 “looking) in the opening win over Florida, with 3 runs, 6 hits and a pair of walks allowed in that 7-inning outing (2 BK) … 17 of his 21 outs vs. the Gators came via Ks or groundouts (6) … proved tough to hit for the UF righthanded hitters (2-for-12; also 2-for-12 w/runners on and 2-for-10 with 2-outs) … his elimination-game win over TCU included 8.0 strong innings (30 batters faced), with more than half of his strikeouts (7 of 13) coming on called strike-3s … limited Horned Frogs to 3 runs (2 earned) on 4 hits and pair of walks (2 WP) … allowed leadoff baserunner only twice in the TCU game (also did not allow a lefthanded hit, 0-for-7, while limiting Frogs to 1-for-5 batting with runners on and 2-for-20 w/ 2-outs) … struck out the final four TCU batters he faced, en route to his 8th double-digit K game of the season … became first UCLA pitcher ever to post three wins in one NCAA Tournament … ended his All-America 2010 season with UCLA-record and nation-leading 165 strikeouts (in 131.1 innings; 11.3 Ks per 9 IP), plus a 3.02 season ERA, 12-3 record, 41 walks (4-to-1 K/walk ratio) and a .244 opponent batting avg. … first UCLA pitcher with 12-plus wins since 1997 (when future big-leaguer Jim Parque won 13).

JACKIE BRADLEY, Jr. (CF … #19)
South Carolina  •  So.
Prince George, VA  •  Prince George HS
5-10  •  175  •  Bats: Left

Talented all-around player and 3-hole hitter who stormed out of the gate at the CWS, batting 5-for-8 with 7 RBI and a pair of home runs in the first two games … ended up leading all players at the 2010 CWS with 9 RBI, while batting .345 (10-for-29) with 5 runs scored and a 1.027 OPS (.441 on-base plus .586 slugging pct.; 3BB, 2HBP, 2HR, 2B) …hit 4-for-10 in Omaha with runners in scoring position (also 4-for-10/3 RBI with 2-outs) … kept Gamecocks in the game during opening 4-3 loss to Okahoma (2-for-4, 2RBI-HR-BB) … sent ball over rightfield fence to forge 4th-inning tie in that first game vs. OU (2-2) … also had 1st-inning single and 2-out walk in the 9th, as SC rallied to nearly tie the game (1R in 9th, left bases loaded) … drove in 4 runs to help eliminate top seed Arizona State, 11-4 (3-for-4, HR, HBP) … had 1st-inning single in that game, then launched huge 3-run HR to left-center as part of crushing 8-run bottom of the 2nd (also had bases-loaded HBP in the 3rd and singled in the 9th) … his only hit in elimination game vs. Oklahoma was a big one: a 2-out single to right that tied the game in the 12th (he scored moments later on a Brady Thomas single, for 3-2 win) … stroked a 3rd-inning RBI double the next day, for early 3-0 lead vs. in-state rival Clemson (5-1 win; also walked in 8th) … had early single and a HBP in bracket final rematch vs. the Tigers, later earning an intentional walk and coming around to score 7th-inning run that secured final margin in that 4-3 game … opened the title series vs. UCLA with a 2-out bunt single and run scored, adding another infield single in that 7-1 win … helped clinch title in 2-1, 11-inning thriller vs. UCLA … a second team all-SEC performer in 2010, with his final stats including team-best totals in batting avg. (.368) and RBI (60), plus 56 runs scored, 26 extra-base hits (13 HR, 3B, 12 2B), four more walks than strikeouts (41/37, plus 8 HBP), an impressive 1.060 OPS (.473 on-base plus .587 slugging pct.), 7 stolen bases and a .933 fielding pct. (1 error).

BLAKE COOPER (RHP … #27)
South Carolina  •  Sr.
Neeses, SC  •  Edisto HS
5-10  •  180

Battle-tested veteran who made three starts at the CWS, logging 300 total pitches and a 2.41 ERA while going 1-1 with 21 strikeouts, only 5 walks, 3 hit batters and 13 hits allowed (.197 opp. batting avg.) in 18.2 innings … proved tough against lefthanded batters (1-for-6) … allowed 8-of-20 leadoff batters to reach, but limited the opposition to .179 batting with runners on base (12-for-60) and .150 w/ 2-outs (3-for-20) … had a solid outing but limited run support in CWS opener vs. Oklahoma (4-3), taking the loss after 5 IP (3R-6H-BB-5K-22BF-67 pitches) … returned to the mound four days later for strong start in 12-inning elimination-game rematch vs. OU (3-2 win) … allowed a single run over 5.2 innings during that clutch outing (4H-2BB-HB-6K-22BF-98p), limiting OU to 1-for-7 batting with runners on (0-for-4 w/ 2-outs) … was back on the mound four days later, picking up huge 7-1 win vs. UCLA in title series opener (8+IP-R-3H-BB-10K-10 groundouts-32BF-136p) for his 34th career victory with the Gamecocks … took a no-hitter into 5th inning of that game and carried a 1-hitter into the 8th … allowed a ball out of the infield only three times through the first 8.0 innings (2 flyouts; his 24 outs included the 10 Ks, 10 GOs, a foulout to the 2B and a lineout back to the mound) … limited UCLA leadoff batters to reaching only twice (plus 1-for-11 with runners on, 0-for-8 w/ 2-outs) … a first team all-SEC selection in 2010, when he finished the season with a 2.76 ERA, 13-2 record and 3.2 K-to-walk ratio (126/39) in 137 innings (111 H, .223 opp. avg., 15 HB, only 1 wild pitch).

TAYLOR FEATHERSTON (SS … #12)
TCU  •  So.
Katy, TX  •  Taylor HS
6-1  •  175  •  Bats: Right

Slick-fielding shortstop who played error-free in four CWS games (19 fielding chances; three double-plays) while providing a huge offensive boost from the 7-hole … racked up a 1.183 OPS (.450 on-base plus .733 slugging pct.) in Omaha, after batting 6-for-15 (.333) with 12 total bases (HR-3B-2B) and 4 walks (also a sac.-fly) … his .733 slugging was 4th-best among all players at the 2010 CWS … joined South Carolina RF/3B Whit Merrifield as only players that hit for the cycle over the course of their respective CWS games (not in one game) … finished second at the CWS with 7 RBI (behind SC’s Jackie Bradley, Jr., who drove in 9 runs) … 4 of his RBI came with 2-outs (also hit 3-for-5 w/ runners in scoring position) … had early sac.-fly and nearly scored in the 3rd inning (BB/reached 3rd) to help beat Florida State in 8-1 CWS opener … delivered one of the most exciting moments of the 2010 CWS two days later, when his 2-out, bases-clearing triple cut UCLA’s lead in half (6-3) with two full innings still to play (the Bruins held on to that final margin) … his single was part of TCU’s thrilling 8-run top of the 8th, as the Frogs rallied to beat FSU again (11-7, this time in an elimination game) … two days later, he reached base in all four of his plate appearances (2-for-2, 2 BB, 3 RBI) to help beat UCLA, 6-2 … walked with the bases-loaded in that game, then singled and stole a base, walked again and launched 2-run HR over leftfield fence to turn a 3-2 game into a 5-2 cushion heading into the 8th … closed with a double and walk in decisive third game vs. UCLA (10-3 loss) … a first team all-Mountain West Conference selection (also MVP of the NCAA Ft. Worth Regional), he hit .338 during the 2010 season, with 52 RBI, 59 runs scored and an impressive extra-base combination (16 2B, 7 3B, 8 HR), plus 23 walks and a .991 OPS (.420 OB, .571 slug.).

JOHN HINSON (3B … #4)
Clemson  •  Jr./So.
Asheville, NC  •  Reynolds HS
6-0  •  175  •  Bats: Left

Six-hole batter who led Clemson to a 2-0 start at the CWS and ended up hitting team-best .438 (7-for-16) during four games in Omaha (3B, BB, 2 SB; no errors at the hot corner) … his .438 batting was best at the CWS among players with 12-plus at-bats … factored into nearly one-third of his team’s 16 runs (3 RBI, 3 R) in Omaha … hit 3-for-5 with runners in scoring position and reached 2-of-4 times as leadoff batter … helped knock off top-seeded Arizona State (6-3), with an RBI single and run scored to cap a 3-run top of the 5th (also singled in the 7th) … returned to Rosenblatt two days later and was the offensive hero in 6-4 winners-bracket win over Oklahoma (3-for-4, 2 RBI, R, 2 SB) … sent 4th-inning RBI single to center field, stole second and scored, for 4-1 midgame lead on the Sooners (added RBI single in the 5th) … part of Tigers team that totaled only 3 hits in 5-1 loss vs. in-state rival South Carolina, followed by 2-for-5 effort (5th-inning RBI single/run) in elimination-game rematch vs the Gamecocks (6-3 loss) … finished second on the 2010 Tigers in season batting avg. (.351), RBI (75) and home runs (17), adding a team-best 25 stolen bases, plus 60 runs scored, 9 doubles, a triple, 26 walks and a 1.008 OPS (.410 on-base; .598 slugging).

*BRYAN HOLADAY (C … #16)
TCU  •  Sr.
Dallas, TX  •  North Central Texas JC/W.T. White HS
5-11  •  190  •  Bats: Right

Reached base multiple times in each of TCU’s five games in Omaha and hit more home runs (4) than any other player in the 2010 CWS (no other players had more than 2 HR) … one of two players with 17-plus ABs who hit above .400 in the CWS (.409; 9-for-22), adding 5 RBI, a CWS-leading 8 runs scored, a double (part of his 1.000 slugging pct.) and a walk .. his 1.458 OPS (.458 on-base) ranked second at the CWS … batted equally well against lefthanded (3-for-8/.375) and RH pitching (6-for-14/.429) and went 3-for-4 (3 RBI) with 2-outs (3-for-9 w/ runners on) … continued to direct talented pitching staff and made an ever bigger impression on observers due to his leadership and inspiring play … had big debut in CWS opener vs. Florida State (8-1 win), batting 3-for-5 from his customary 2-hole spot (a rare lineup position for a catcher on any level) … his single and run scored helped Frogs jump out to a 5-0 lead in the 1st inning, and he added another single in the 2nd before sending ball over leftfield fence for 7-1 cushion in the 4th … two days later, vs. UCLA ace Gerrit Cole, he reached base twice (HBP, BB) but the TCU offense failed to generate enough runs in  6-3 loss) … helped his team rally to avoid elimination, in 11-7 comeback vs. FSU … scored in the 3rd and had a 5th-inning single, before playing his part in 8th-inning eruption that saw TCU turn a 4-run deficit into a 4-run lead … with one run on the board in the top of the 8th and TCU still trailing (7-4), he stepped in with 2-outs to face FSU relief ace Mike McGee, connecting on a 0-1 pitch for an RBI double to left field (minutes before Matt Curry’s grand slam) … two days later, his 1st-inning single and run scored helped put TCU on its way to avenging earlier loss to UCLA (6-2) … added a home run in the 8th for final cushion – and homered twice twice more (once to left-center, once dead-center) in third game vs. the Bruins, a 10-3 loss … recipient of the Johnny Bench Award, recognizing college baseball’s top all-around catcher in 2010 … finished season with .355 batting avg., 53 RBI, team-best 72 runs scored, 42 extra-base hits (17 HR, 3B, 24 2B), 42 free passes (29 BB, 13 HBP) and a gaudy 1.069 OPS (.438 on-base, .631 slug.).

TYLER HOLT (CF … #15)
Florida State  •  Jr.
Gainesville, FL  •  Gainesville HS
6-0  •  190  •  Bats: Right

Leadoff batter who hit .417 at the CWS (5-for-14), with a .533 on-base pct. (3 walks), 4 runs scored, 2 RBI, a home run and only a single strikeout … his .417 batting was 2nd-best at the CWS among players with 12-plus ABs … compiled the 4th-best OPS (1.200; .533 on-base plus .667 slugging pct.) among players at the 2010 CWS … reached base 3-of-5 times when leading off the inning … singled vs. TCU ace Matt Purke and scored to open the scoring at the 2010 CWS (also walked in next trip to the plate; 8-1 loss) … reached base four times (3-for-4, BB) to lead 8-5 elimination-game victory over in-state rival Florida (2 RBI-3R-HR) … led off the bottom of the 1st in that game with a home run to center field (vs. Hudson Randall), later adding a walk/run (sparking 3-run bottom of 3rd), a single up the middle/run and an RBI single into the right-center gap … singled and scored in the 5th for 5-2 lead in elimination-game rematch vs. TCU (later drew 8th-inning walk to load the bases, but TCU escaped en route to closing out a thrilling 11-7 comeback win) … his 2010 All-America season included an impressive all-around collection of statistical accomplishments, with a team-best .355 batting avg., 87 runs scored, 48 RBI and 30 stolen bases on 33 attempts, plus 13 home runs among his 42 extra-base hits (26 2B, 3 3B), 11 more walks than strikeouts (59/48, plus 4 HBPs), a 1.100 OPS (.471 on-base; .629 slug.) and a .994 fielding pct. (only 1 E).

ZACH NEAL (RHP … #32)
Oklahoma  •  Jr.
Flower Mound, TX  •  Howard JC/Sam Houston St./Flower Mound HS
6-2  •  210

Likely would have picked up elimination-game win versus eventual NCAA champion South Carolina, but he received only one supporting run from the OU offense as Sooners lost, 3-2 in 12 innings … logged 7.0 shutout innings before allowing leadoff hit in the 8th (his final batter faced, with the runner coming around to tie the score) … retired 14 straight at one point and faced only 28 batters, with 5 hits allowed, a walk, hit batter and 7 strikeouts … limited the SC lefthanded hitters to 1-for-8 combined hitting and allowed only a pair of 2-out hits (2-for-9) … the 104-pitch outing (62 strikes) easily ranked as one of his best of the season (4.23 final ERA), matching his fewest earned runs allowed in 18 starts during the 2010 season … earlier had an 8-inning no-decision in the NCAA Regional round vs. North Carolina (3R-8H-3BB-10K; OU won 7-6 in 10) … earned 2010 second team all-Big 12 honors, with his other season stats including an 8-3 record, nearly a 4-to-1 K/walk ratio (95/24, in 105.2 innings) and a .275 oppnent batting avg.

TYLER OGLE (C … #35)
Oklahoma … So. … San Antonio, TX
5-10  •  180  •  Bats: Right

Cleanup hitter whose .455 batting (5-for-11) at the CWS picked up the slack for an OU offense that hit only .196 during its three games in Omaha (rest of team was .165) … factored into half of team’s 10 runs at the CWS (4 RBI-3R-2HR) while compiling a CWS-best 1.629 OPS (.538 on-base plus a CWS-leading 1.091 slugging pct.; 2B, 2 BB, sac-bunt) with no strikeouts … hit 2-for-3 with runners in scoring position and 2-for-4 with 2-outs (reached as leadoff batter 3-of-5 times) … brought home the game’s first run with 2-out single in the 1st, as OU beat eventual NCAA champ South Carolina (4-3) … two days later, he had a walk, 8th-inning home run and RBI double in the 9th but the Sooners lost to Clemson in the winners-bracket (6-4) … nearly carried OU to elimination-game win vs. SC (3-2 loss, in 12 inn.) … led off 2nd inning of that game with single and run scored, adding sac. bunt and a walk as Sooners endured nine scoreless innings … was in line to be the 12th-inning hero, when his home run cleared the centerfield fence to lead off the top of the inning (1-0 pitch from Ethan Carter; SC scored twice in bottom of 12th) … his 2010 final statistics included a .331 batting avg. (2nd-best among the OU regulars), plus 46 RBI, 39 runs, 11 home runs, 11 doubles, an equal number of walks vs. strikeouts (26; plus 4 HBP) and a 1.040 OPS (.439 on-base; .601 slug.).

MATT PRICE (RHP … #22)
South Carolina  •  So./Fr.
Sumter, SC  •  Sumter HS
6-2  •  215

Closer for national champs who compiled a 0.93 ERA spanning four CWS appearances … his two wins included decisive game that won national title (2-1, in 11 inn.) …. allowed a single run in his 9.2 innings while racking up 15 Ks to only a single walk … held opposing hitters to a .189 combined batting avg. (7-for-27) and had a “WHIP” (walks + hits per 9 IP) of 7.72 … a triple was his only extra-base hit allowed (also had three HBPs and faced 41 total batters) … allowed a couple inherited runners to score but still closed out the huge win that eliminated #1 seed Arizona State, 11-4 (1.2 IP, 3 H, 4 K, HB, 9 BF) … returned to the mound two days later for an impressive performance in another elimination game (3-2 vs. Oklahoma, in 12 inn.) … faced only 10 batters while pitching the 9th-11th innings of that thriller (HB, 5 Ks) … was the pitcher of record in 4-3 win over in-state rival Clemson, sending Gamecocks on to the title series (1.2IP-R-3H-3K-10BF) … closed title-clinching win vs. UCLA, with 2.2 shutout innings (H-BB-HB-3K-12 BF) … a second team all-SEC selection, he finished the 2010 season with a 2.26 ERA, 10 saves and a 4-1 record in 31 relief appearances, along with a 4.4 K-to-walk ratio (83/19), a lowly .183 opp. batting avg., an impressive 9.05 “WHIP” (37 H; had 19 more innings pitched than hits allowed), 9 hit batters and no wild pitches.

MATT PURKE (LHP … #47)
TCU  •  Fr.
Spring, TX  •  Klein HS
6-4  •  180

Rookie sensation and 2009 MLB Draft 1st-rounder who lived up to his billing while pitching on the big stage at the CWS, where he won both of his starts en route to compiling a 1.35 ERA over 13.1 innings (9 Ks, 6 BB, HB, WP, 7 H, .152 opp. batting avg.) … allowed only a pair of hits from lefthanded batters (2-for-17; .118) during the wins over Florida State (8-1) and UCLA (6-2) … surrendered a leadoff baserunner four times in Omaha, but opposing hitters were only 3-for-18 with runners on base (.168) and 1-for-13 with 2-outs (.077) … 35 of his 40 outs at the CWS came via strikeouts or groundball outs (26) … was touched for only one run (unearned) in his CWS debut vs. FSU (7IP-7K-4BB-4H-11GO-28BF-115 pitches) … held the Seminoles’ lefthanded bats to 1-for-8 while working out of several jams (FSU was 2-for-13 w/ runners on and 0-for-6 w/ 2-outs) … returned six days later to help beat UCLA and stave off elimination, with 14 groundouts in that 6.1-inning appearance (2R-3H-2K-2BB-HB-25BF-107 p) … allowed only 1-of-7 Bruins leadoff batters to reach (1-for-5 UCLA batting w/ runners on, 1-for-7 w/ 2-outs, 1-for-9 by lefties) … ended his All-America season as national leader in wins (16-0; 20 appearances/18 starts), along with a 3.02 ERA, a 4.2 K-to-walk ratio (142/34 in 116.1 innings; 11.0 Ks per 9 IP), and 25 more innings pitched (116.1) than hits allowed (91; .212 opp. batting avg.).

*MICHAEL ROTH (LHP … #29)
South Carolina  •  So.
Greer, SC  •  Riverside HS
6-1  •  210

Rose to the occasion during four appearances at the CWS, where he compiled a 1.10 ERA and answered the call with strong outings in his first two starts of season (also made only two starts in ’09) … limited CWS opposition to .167 batting avg. (9 H) and had three times as many strikeouts (9) as walks (3, also 3 HB & 20 groundouts) … allowed 4-of-16 leadoff batters to reach, but the opposition hit only 3-for-20 (.150) with runners on base and  1-for-17 hitting (.059) w/ 2-outs … his first appearance came in relief of Blake Cooper, retiring 4-of-5 batters (HBP, K) in the 6th/7th to maintain 3-2 deficit vs. Oklahoma (4-3 loss) … four days later, the scenario repeated itself – as he again relieved Cooper (with another narrow deficit vs. OU, 1-0) and retired all four he faced (K) as SC went on to win 3-2 in 12 … was back on the mound less than 24 hours later, as surprise starter vs. rested in-state rival Clemson … his 3-hit masterpiece in that 5-1 win saw virtually all of Clemson’s 33 batters fail to drive the ball out of the infield … allowed only three runners into scoring position (one reached third), with his 9.0 innings featuring a 2nd-inning double/run scored, singles in the 8th and 9th, 16 groundball outs, 4 Ks, 2 foulouts, an infield lineout double play (4-3) and 3 flyouts (BB,  2 HB, E4 throw) … located 67 of 108 pitches for strikes and did not yield a hit from Clemson’s #1 thru #4 batters (0-for-14) … allowed Clemson leadoff batters on-base twice and proved extra-tough with runners on (1-for-10 opp. batting) and 2-outs (1-for-9) … his strong start vs. UCLA in title-clinching win set up 2-1 final score (11 inn.) … his 5.0 innings included the lone run scored on 6 H and 2 BB (3 Ks) … the Bruins failed to generate a 2-out hit vs. him (0-for-5) … finished season with team-best 1.34 ERA in 37 appearances (2-1, 3 saves, 35K/10 BB, 27H/.196 opp avg., 40.1 IP).

CHRISTIAN WALKER (1B … #13)
South Carolina  •  Fr.
Limerick, PA  •  Kennedy-Kendrick HS
6-0  •  210  •  Bats: Right

Cleanup hitter who led the national champions with a .414 battting avg. (12-for-29) during the CWS, with the 12 hits representing the most of any player (also had top CWS batting avg. among players with more than 16 ABs) … homered twice at CWS, with 5 RBI, 3 runs scored, a 1.090 OPS (.469 on-base plus .621 slugging pct.), 3 walks and struck out only once … had solid game (2-for-3, HR, BB) in 4-3 opening loss vs. Oklahoma, with game-tying blast in the 2nd (1-1), a single in the 4th and walk in the 8th … drew a walk in 11-7 win that eliminated top-seeded Arizona State, followed by big game in another elimination game (3-2 vs. OU in 12 inn.; 3-for-5, RBI, BB) … reached base in his final four plate appearances during that thriller, with singles in the 6th, 8th (tying hit to left scored Evan Marzilli) and 11th – plus 2-out walk in the 12th that advanced the eventual winning run (Jackie Bradley, Jr.) … had a single but was stranded in 5-1 win over Clemson before playing key role in 4-3 rematch vs. the rival Tigers (sending SC to title series) … led off 4th inning of that game with home run to left (2-1 lead) and later supplied clutch 2-out single to center, forging 3-3 tie in the 7th … his 2-for-5 effort in 7-1 win over UCLA included 2-out single/run scored in the 1st (for quick 2-0 lead) … reached base three times in title-clinching win vs. Bruins (2-1, in 11), with 2nd-inning walk and singles in the 5th and 7th … earned spot on the SEC All-Freshman Team, with his final 2010 stats including a .327 batting avg., 51 RBI, 35 runs, 23 extra-base hits (9 HR, 2 3B, 12 2B), an equal number of walks and strikeouts (18, plus 4 HBP) and a .902 OPS (.384 OB, .518 slug.).

* – Holaday has been honored by CB360 as the CWS Primetime Player while Roth is the Primetime Pitcher for the 2010 CWS.

South Carolina is the 2010 National Champion, after beating UCLA 2-1 to claim the program’s first College World Series title. Here’s a look at the 2010 CWS All-Tournament Team:

CWS MOP Jackie Bradley, Jr.

First Base – Christian Walker (South Carolina)

Second Base – Cody Regis (UCLA)

Shortstop – Taylor Featherston (TCU)

Third Base – John Hinson (Clemson)

CF – Jackie Bradley, Jr. (South Carolina)

CF – Beau Amaral (UCLA)

LF – Evan Marzilli (South Carolina)

DH – Brady Thomas (South Carolina)

LH Pitcher – Matt Purke (TCU)

RH Pitcher – Trevor Bauer (UCLA)

Gamecocks Down UCLA For First National Title …

2010 CWS MOP Jackie Bradley, Jr.

South Carolina (54-16) won the best two-of-three CWS Finals 2-0, with a 7-1 game-1 victory on Monday.  Centerfielder Jackie Bradley, Jr. was named the CWS Most Outstanding Player.

“Thank you very much for your enthusiasm. Thank you for your support,” South Carolina head coach Ray Tanner told the crowd at Rosenblatt after his team was presented its championship trophy. “And to UCLA, the greatest club we played all year and a class act.”

The win makes South Carolina only the third school from the SEC (along with LSU and Georgia) to win the College World Series. The Gamecocks also are the first team east of the Mississippi to win the title since Miami in 2001.

More notes and thoughts from CB360 Editor Sean Stires …

• UCLA (51-17) was trying to become the first school ever to win both the NCAA baseball and softball World Series in the same year. The 51 wins are the most in the history of UCLA baseball.

• South Carolina entered tonight’s game with the best team batting average (.294) and ERA (2.41) during the CWS. UCLA was third with its .282 BA and 3.89 ERA.

• The Bruins plated five runs in the 1st inning of Saturday’s 10-3 win over TCU to advance to the CWS Finals, but they scored single runs in two of the 20 innings in their two Finals losses.

• After making his first start of the season in last Friday’s elimination game vs. Clemson, South Carolina’s Michael Roth made his second start tonight. The lefty had tossed a 3-hitter with four strikeouts in Friday’s 5-1 win. Roth left tonight’s game trailing 1-0 after five innings. In his two CWS starts, the young southpaw totaled 14 IP, 9 hits, 2 ER, 7 K and 3 BB.

• Clemson lefthanded batters were only 1-for-20 in the Friday game, with the only hit coming in the 9th inning. UCLA’s Beau Amaral (also a LH hitter) matched that tonight with a 1st-inning infield single. Amaral then legged-out a double in his next at-bat, with one out in the 3rd inning.  UCLA lefties were 2-for-7 vs. Roth.
  

  Gerrit Cole (12) talks to Orel Hershiser before Tuesday's game.

• Before the game tonight, former L.A Dodger and current ESPN analyst Orel Hershiser was on the field with Monday’s starter, Gerrit Cole of UCLA.  Hershiser was tutoring Cole on gripping pitches.

• UCLA starter Rob Rasmussen had to stand behind the mound for a good 30 seconds prior to the start of the bottom of the 6th inning, because Hershiser was finishing some kind of demonstration on ESPN. (We could not hear what they were saying on TV in the press box, but we had monitors & could see it). Do we really need the fundamentals of the game explained to us just because it’s a college game and not MLB? The pace of CWS games is already an issue.If they have to do gimmick demonstrations, can’t they do it in a picture-in-picture small screen so the game can keep moving? It’s not like anyone’s going to miss 30 seconds of play-by-play.

• Rasmussen tossed six shutout innings in his second CWS start. The junior threw 109 pitches and finished with 5 Ks.

• I was dumbfounded when a wave broke out in the bottom of the 8th inning tonight. The score was 1-0 UCLA and South Carolina had the tying run at first base. Shouldn’t that be enough to hold your attention?

• When South Carolina reliever Matt Price walked Steve Rodriguez to load the bases with two outs in the top of the 9th, it was the Gamecock bullpen’s first free pass allowed in 18 IP at the CWS. After a mound meeting, Price struck out Niko Gallego on three pitches to escape any harm.

• With the score tied 1-1 and South Carolina batting in the bottom of the 9th inning, there were cameras flashing on every pitch.  The flashes continued through the 11th inning with the anticipation that each pitch to a Gamecock batter could be the last of the season and the last at Rosenblatt Stadium.

• After committing the error in the bottom of the 8th that allowed the tying run to score for the Gamecocks, UCLA first baseman Dean Espy punched a wooden dugout bench. He came out of the game defensively in the 9th. TV cameras showed him with an ice pack on his knuckles in the 10th inning. Adrian Williams entered and went to second base, Cody Regis moved from second to third and Trevor Brown went from third to first base.

• As the game moved to the 10th inning, a young blond girl (when I say young I’m guessing teenage to early 20s) came out of the leftfield stands and ran to center field. At least a dozen security guards scampered to the outfield grass to “apprehend” her. “Bye Blatt” was painted on her stomach.

• Not to be outdone, a guy jumped out of the leftfield bleachers in the bottom of the 10th. It took seven security guards to wrestle and subdue the skinny guy who was wearing only his underwear.

• Yesterday we had a sighting of South Carolina football coach Steve Spurrier, and today UCLA’s Rick Neuheisel was here. Neuheisel was chatting it up with ESPN’s Erin Andrews in the top of the 4th inning, while Spurrier was sitting in his press box booth.

• Attendance for Tuesday’s game was 24,390 – the largest crowd at this year’s CWS. The 16-game total was 330,922 for an average of 20,683. Last year’s Series drew a total of 336,076.

• A bugle player gave us a rendition of “Take Me Out To The Ballgame” to close the last college game ever played at Rosenblatt Stadium, after a video tribute and fireworks display.

• Not everyone who coached at Rosenblatt Stadium is in awe of tradition.  Former LSU head coach Skip Bertman told the Omaha World-Herald this week: “I’m not going to miss anything [about Rosenblatt]. I think the NCAA and Omaha have taken Rosenblatt as far as it can go.  “There are so many great college baseball facilities, it doesn’t make sense to come to Omaha and have a less-than-perfect locker room. There’s not enough room in the concourse. The restrooms are small. We saw it a couple years ago when they redid Yankee Stadium, and I haven’t heard anyone say ‘Man I miss that old place’ … They’ve got a wider seat, better bathrooms and concession stands, and they’re going to love it here.”
  

  Skip Bertman

• A lot of what Bertman says makes sense, and he should know since he’s been in and out of Rosenblatt as much as anyone in the past 20 years. I’ve never favored the move downtown, but I do think it is going to give that area a sorely needed boost. However, when they built the new Yankee Stadium they did everything they could to replicate the look and feel of the House That Ruth Built. That’s probably my biggest problem with the new stadium. With the exception of the partial red brick facade, nothing about it says tradition. Would it have been so hard to build a place that has even a hint of either Rosenblatt Stadium or any kind of retro feel that so many other new ballparks around the country have embraced?

• The College World Series has been on center stage for more than a week now, but here’s a cool college baseball note from outside of Omaha.  Houston Mayor Annise Parker declared today “Anthony Rendon Day” in honor of the Rice star.

• Which is worse: (a) when your hotel room key doesn’t work; (b) when you see that housekeeping is in a room near yours, so you leave for several hours only to return to an uncleaned room; or (3) when you leave again and come back to find the housekeeper is cleaning your room? All three happened to me today … and I got a parking ticket. Is somebody trying to tell me something?

College World Series Gameday: TCU (53-13) vs. UCLA (50-14) …

Coming into the game between UCLA and TCU, a close inspection of the team stat page in each program’s media guide revealed some interesting data.

The number six and the sixth inning would be an important run total and a pivotal inning for both teams, in determining who was going to win the epic matchup involving two programs loaded with pitching depth.

Rob Rasmussen Wwent 4.1 innings giving up 3 Runs on 6 Hits. (Photo: Chase Titleman)

UCLA has piled up some impressive statistics, most impressive (other than the 50-14 record with a program-best 22-game win streak to start the season) is the PAC-10 season strikeout record in which the Bruins logged 665 punchouts in 582 innings (10.3 ’s per 9-inning game).

Equally impressive is limiting the opponent batting average to .217 and the fact that the offense has jumped into high gear, hitting .311 in eight postseason games this month.

At 50-14 overall, the Bruins sport a 21-4 record on the road, 8-3 in 1-run games and 4-0 in extra inning affairs. Overall, the quality pitching depth has limited opponents in 2010 to 0-2 runs in 30 ballgames (UCLA is 29-1 in those games).

With all these impressive stats running rampant in the media guide, it is rather hard to find a chink in the Bruin armor.

But a closer examination reveals that the Bruins are only 9-7 when the opponent scores in the first inning, which TCU did on Friday afternoon when Taylor Featherston drove in a run on a bases-loaded walk when UCLA starter Rob Rasmussen struggled with his command.

When UCLA scores in the first inning, they are 22-3 … but they drew a blank tonight in Omaha during the opening frame. Advantage TCU!

Furthermore, when trailing after six innings UCLA is 3-11, but when leading they are 43-1. So when the Bruins began the top of the 7th inning trailing 3-1, you can bet your bottom dollar the west-coasters were in a tight fix given the few statistical numbers that have not worked in their favor this season (although they did stage a memorable late-inning rally to beat Cal State Fullerton in the Super-Regional round).

Cody Regis started the 7th inning with a drag-bunt single on the first pitch, and a pitch later Joe Giovinnazo hit a high-chop grounder to third to advance Regis (iovinnazo was out on the play). Trevor Brown entered the game to pinch-hit for Uribe, a rather odd move considering Uribe is hitting .329 on the year while Brown is hitting .296, but Coach John Savage wanted a better right-left matcup versus the taltented LHP Matt Purke (Uribe swings lefthanded).

Working the count full at 3-2, Brown drew a walk, finally running the TCU All-American Purke from the game and setting up runners at 1st and 2nd with one out.

The pitching change called upon another decision by Savage and he chose lefthanded hitter Jeff Gelalich to hit for Krill, for the same reason as the Uribe-Brown scenario as the new TCU pitcher Tyler Lockwood is a veteran righthander.

When Gelalich grounded a ball to third base, only his foot speed prevented the Frogs from turning a double play ball to get out of the inning (his speed also would come in handy two batters later).

Steve Rodriguez then walked to load the bases, which brought up leadoff hitter Niko Gallego, who hit a high chopper to third base and once again the speed of Gelalich beat the race to the bag (prolonging the inning). The Bruins had cut the lead to 3-2, but Beau Amaral struckout in a key at-bat as the Bruins left three runners on base and swam upstream against the statistics all evening long.

UCLA’s chance to defy the statistical trend faded, as the Bruins now are 5-14 and 4-15 when trailing after the 8th and 9th innings, respectively. They will need to limit TCU from scoring in the 1st inning tomorrow and likely must hold TCU to 0-5 runs to enhance their oddes at victory.

Taylor Featherston, Jerome Pena & Bryan Holaday all homered for TCU

In the bottom of the inning, Matt Curry – who hit the thrilling gamewinning grand slam versus Florida State two nights ago –  singled to right and Jantzen Witte bunted Corry to second. Hot-hitting Taylor Featherston then hit a towering home run into the leftfield bleachers to extend the lead to 5-2. An inning later, Bryan Holaday hit his 16th home run of the season (TCU’s 99th long ball of the season) to slam the door on the Bruins at 6-2.

With each team now beating the other in Bracket #1, the third and decisive game of the head-to-head series will be decided tomorrow afternoon at either 1 p.m. or 6 p.m (depending on the outcome of the Clemson – South Carolina ballgame this evening). If Clemson wins, they will clinch a championship series berth and if South Carolina wins, it forces a game-3 doubleheader tomorrow for both brackets (first game at 1:00 p.m. and the second to begin 50 minutes following the completion of TCU vs UCLA).

UCLA Postgame Comments:

Coach John Savage:

“It was one of those days. … You have to give Matt Purke and TCU a ton of credit. I thought he did a good job of pounding the zone … seemed like we were swimming upstream all day. Credit Lockwood as well. We just have to make sure there is no residue tomorrow. We will go with [Trevor] Bauer. We had a misstep today, but give a lot of credit to TCU.

“I thought Rob [Rasmussen] did fine. He had some tough luck defensively. It seemed like we couldn’t finish innings defensively.  e walked three guys in 4.1 [innings], which is uncharacteristic. They pecked away and then got some big swings late.”

On the decision to go with Clayton Claypool: “We could have gone in many directions. … Tomorrow, we have plenty of arms out of the bullpen. Bauer is one day short of a normal week. [Gerrit] Cole will be ready to go and then we have Klein, Grace and Goeddel.”

UCLA PLAYERS

Starter Rob Rasmussen: “I just tried to keep my team in the game as much as possible. I think you have to give Matt Purke a ton of credit. He did an excellent job all day.”

Shortstop Niko Gallego: “Wind was really brutal out there. … The wind was blowing pretty good, TCU had to deal the same wind, we should have handled it better, but no excuses, we should have played better defensively and handled the wind better.  [On Purke] … Not anything that he was doing,. He was pitching well, he threw a great game, he has his own rhythm and stuck to it.”

TCU Postgame Comments:

Head Coach Jim Schlossnagle: “Really good win for us, UCLA has a really great club. Matt [Purke] did a good job of making adjustments, especially with the sinker. I was nervous after the first inning, leaving the bases loaded with the catch in center field. … That was a tremendous play. [Lockwood] pitching on fumes did a great job. We survived another day.”

On the number of close calls: “On maybe the check-swing I could see arguing, but I thought he was safe at third. You can only control the things that you can control. At least for me it has to be something very grievous for us to lose our cool.

“The scary thing about UCLA is they know who they are, they are doing the same thing we talk about … maximizing their time at bat and minimizing their time on the mound. I think they are very well-coached. Bauer is a 3- or 4-pitch guy, he has a great routine, mentally strong. I’m sure he is a bulldog. My college coach coached those guys in Team USA and has always gone on and on and on about those guys. It’s not about the team that is the best, it’s about the team that plays the best.

“This is classic, this is what Omaha’s all about. [UCLA] still is in the driver’s seat because they have the extra day’s rest.We are both against the wall due to elimination. I don’t know who we are going to pitch tomorrow, but we have some options. Don’t let coach Savage fool you, they are pretty loaded over there.”

On Matt Purke’s Performance: “Sign of a good pitcher is winning when you don’t have your best stuff. He got groundball outs in hitters counts. Anyone can pitch when you have your best stuff … that’s a piece of cake. Jerome [Pena] has done a great job. He hasn’t even played infield in JC ball, it’s all about pitching and defense.“

Secon Baseman Jerome Pena: “On the home run, I was behind in the count again so I was guessing a bit and I got a good swing on it.”

Starter Matt Purke: “This place is an adventure on its own. We’ve been told to expect the unexpected here. Something on the boxscore that you were interested in: I came in looking at the ERA, hoping I could get down under the three, yes, it was today’s game was like the game I had versus Arizona in the regional. Guys took a long time to get to the plate … you can’t get rattled by that. Sooner or later, I was going to get them out and they could take their time on the bench.”

On UCLA’s patience: “Best I could compare them to is Texas in terms of patience, they really like getting the first guy on and doing some hit-and-runs or steals. You you have to focus on getting ahead and keeping them off base. [13 groundball outs]:  These guys play phenomenal behind me.  Jerome joked with me during the FSU game that he didn’t get a ground ball. So he wanted one today”

Shortstop Taylor Featherston: “I feel like every one of my at-bats have come with two strikes, so I am kind of getting used to it.”



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

OSU’s Peavey Wins Duel With UCLA’s Cole

#24 Greg Peavey is congratulated after OSU's win (Chase Titleman photo)

Many of the baseball experts around the country have voiced their opinion that the Beavers, with a struggling hitting line-up and a pitching staff frantically trying to stay healthy, would stand very little chance against the hot-hitting bats and powerful arms of the Bruins.

Think again folks, the experts were wrong.

RHP Greg Peavey pitched a complete game 2 hitter, with 7 strike-outs as Oregon State once again used its uncanny formula of outstanding pitching, phenomenal defense and timely hitting to shock the Bruins, 4-1 in the first game of a key PAC-10 series that could have regional and super-regional implications on the road to Omaha.

UCLA’s counter-part, RHP Gerrit Cole (2.49 ERA, 6-0) added to his league leading 61 strike-outs, garnering 9 more on the night, but after a 30 pitch first inning by Cole energized the Beaver dugout and the 2,500 rabid fans in attendance, the first inning momentum swing was an ominous sign of more misfortune to come for UCLA.

Cole started the game strong by striking out Oregon State lead off hitter Adalberto Santos on five pitches, but then proceeded to throw 9 straight balls out of the strike zone, culminating in three walks, sandwiched around a hit batter, and Gerrit forced in the first run of the game without a ball touching a Beaver bat.

Although Cole struggled in doing so, he proceeded to strike out the next two batters to end the threat, but he never really got control of his secondary pitches on the night, the slider in particular.

UCLA, the hot-hitting offensive team of the two entering the game, never had a chance to get started as Adalberto Santos ran down two deep fly balls hit by (SS) Niko Gallego and (3B) Cody Regis that were caught as he banged into the outfield wall in right-center field.

UCLA suffered its third loss of the season and the last week Friday.

Santos, together with middle infielders Carter Bell (SS) and Keith Jennette (2B) were busy on the night recording 12 of Peavey’s 27 outs.  Overall, including the 7 strikeouts, only 6 balls left the infield all night, a rather uncharacteristic effort by what has been a fantastic Bruin offense this season.

While Cole continued to struggle with his pitch count most of the evening (he threw 120 pitches in 6 complete innings) the Bruins ran themselves out of a potential game changing big-inning in the 4th as (2B) Tyler Rahmatulla walked after (CF) Beau Amaral lined out sharply to left to lead off the inning.

Left-handed hitting (1B) Justin Uribe hit a perfectly executed opposite field hit and run through the six hole as Oregon State (SS) Carter Bell was covering the bag, and with one out in the inning, the Bruins were in business.

Peavey dug himself a bigger hole when he walked the next batter, (LF) Cody Keefer to load the bases.

Then, disaster struck for UCLA, further cementing an ominous tone for the Bruins in the first game of the series.

(3B) Cody Regis hit a fairly deep fly-ball to left-center, which scored Rahmatulla from third base on the sacrifice fly, but for whatever reason, Justin Uribe failed to advance all the way to third base after initially starting out for the bag, and Keefer kept running with his head down from first, assuming Uribe was headed to third.

By the time the two realized they both occupied second base, the ball was already in the infield and Uribe was tagged out by OSU (3B) Stefen Romero.

Inning over and the wave of momentum the Beavers were steadily building through the middle part of the game would soon crest over.

From here on out, the wind went out of the Bruin’s sail as they had just one other runner on the base paths the rest of the evening as Peavey retired 15 of the next sixteen UCLA hitters, getting six of his 7 strike-outs during the span of five scoreless innings through the middle portion of the game.

Although the hard-throwing right-hander from Vancouver (WA) struggled with a 24-pitch first inning and a 20-pitch fourth inning, he never threw more than 11 pitches in innings number 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 and 8.

This in itself was the story line of the game.

In talking with OSU Associate Head Coach Marty Lees before the game, he mentioned that UCLA’s strength this year was their ability to run the count deep and work a walk, where in years past they were largely an overly aggressive first ball hitting team that could be fished in to hitting pitchers pitches.

The ability to run the count deep has improved the team batting average and on-base percentage as it has forced Bruin opponents into using their bullpen sooner than anticipated, which has helped the Bruin batting averages in the process as they force the starters off the bump and get deep into the pen.

But on this night, the tables were turned.

Oddly enough, the statement by Lee’s proved prophetical, as the Bruins let Peavey off the hook in the middle innings by reverting back to old form, swinging at the first pitch and hitting a rather large number of balls into the “Field Turf,” which plays into Oregon State’s strength.

The Beavers stole the momentum and the game in the process.

The big blow for the Beavers occurred in the seventh as light hitting (RF) Michael Miller, who was hitting a meager .193 entering the game, hit a line drive opposite field double down the right-field line and OSU had a man in scoring position to lead off the inning.

On a 1-2 pitch, (3B) Stefen Romero (.326) was plunked by LHH relief pitcher Mitchell Beacom (3.75, 1-0) on an inside fastball, which prompted Oregon State head coach Pat Casey to pinch-hit bunt specialist Andy Quiring for Danny Hayes, an odd move since Hayes was hitting .353 entering the game, but Casey obviously felt the lefty-lefty match-up with the bunt in order was not in OSU’s best interest.

However, on the first pitch to Quiring, the Beavers caught another break as Beacom drilled the second batter of the inning, this time an inside breaking ball, to load the bases.

This prompted UCLA head coach John Savage to pull Beacom after just 12 pitches, bringing in RHP Eric Goedell (3.15, 2-0)

The Beavers had the right man in the right spot as the rally train sounded its horn coming through the campus area next to the ballpark in Corvallis, and (C) Parker Berberet launched a 2-1 fastball into left center for a double, driving in all three base runners on base.

This had been a tradition at Oregon State for years and it is uncanny how many times the Beavers start a game changing rally after the rally train rolls through town, tooting its horn.

The horn was right on cue for the Beavers tonight and with a win in game two tomorrow, the Beavers can begin to toot their horn around the country in their drive to get back to the Dog pile in Omaha.