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By The Numbers And Analysis For Each Of The Omaha Eight

By Collegebaseball360.com Editor Sean Stires

The beginning of the end is almost here.  The last College World Series that will ever be played at Rosenblatt Stadium starts Saturday.  Below are statistical breakdowns of this year’s eight CWS teams as well as a “by the numbers” look at each team and analysis.

Once the CWS begins Collegebaseball360.com will have daily coverage of every game in Omaha, including post game video with players and coaches, a daily blog and a daily CWS scoreboard.

CWS Bracket One

Team	Record	Conf.	BA	Runs/ Game	HR	Slg%	OBP	SB- Att.	Fld%	ERA	CG	SV	K	BB	Opp. BA
Florida	47-15	SEC	.300	6.9	81	.480	.381	92-126	.978	3.96	1	18	441	130	.268
TCU	51-12	Mountain West	.340	8.6	92	.558	.415	71-104	.971	3.46	3	12	521	182	.251
Florida St.	47-18	ACC	.301	8.1	81	.497	.413	96-114	.971	4.38	0	19	524	255	.260
UCLA	48-14	Pac 10	.307	7.0	61	.464	.401	97-128	.970	2.97	2	11	639	189	.218

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Jim Schlossnagle

TCU Horned Frogs (51-12)
Head Coach: Jim Schlossnagle  (7th season)

1…College World Series appearance by the Horned Frogs.  It’s also the first CWS appearance by any Mountain West Conference team in the 11 year history of the league.

51…Wins this season-a school record.

37-3…Combined record of TCU starting pitchers Matt Purke, Kyle Winkler and Steven Maxwell.   The trio has also combined for 312 strikeouts and just 95 walks in 317 2/3 IP.

23-0…TCU’s record this season when its pitching staff strikes out at least 10 batters in a game.

14…Wins with no losses by Purke.  The freshman was also the 14th overall pick in the first round by the Texas Rangers in the 2009 MLB draft, but he chose to go to college instead.

5-1…The Horned Frogs’ record so far in the NCAA post season.  Their only loss was vs. Texas in game two of their Super Regional.

.340…Team batting average, which is 10th best in the nation this season.

3.46…Team ERA-good for a #7 national ranking.  TCU is the only team in the nation to rank in the top 10 in both team batting average and ERA.

.558…Team slugging percentage-the best of any of the eight CWS teams and good for a #6 NCAA ranking.

1…TCU player, Matt Curry, who has double-digit home runs and stolen bases.  Curry leads the Horned Frogs with 17 and 12, respectively.  Curry also has team highs with 26 doubles and an 1.173 OPS.

.373 & 66…Team best batting average and RBIs by outfielder Jason Coats, who has also hit 13 HR.

ANALYSIS: TCU has the best combination of pitching and hitting of the eight teams in Omaha.  Any questions about the Horned Frogs offensive and pitching stats against Mountain West Conference competition have already been answered.  They took two of three from one of the nation’s best offensive teams, New Mexico, during the regular season.  They also beat the nation’s best pitching team, Texas, in last week’s Super Regional.  The biggest question would appear to be whether they can avoid the awe factor of the program’s first CWS appearance.

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Mike Martin

Florida State Seminoles (47-18)
Head Coach: Mike Martin  (31st season)

20…College World Series appearances by the FSU-the fifth most all-time appearances by a school.

2,570…Florida State baseball games head coach Mike Martin has been involved in as a player, assistant and head coach.  Martin has been involved in nearly 75% of the 2,526 wins in the history of Florida State baseball.

15 & 68…Team leading home runs and RBIs by Mike McGee, who is also batting .328.

12…Team leading saves by McGee, which is tied for 10th in the nation.  The junior, who doubles as the team’s closer, is 4-0 on the mound with a 1.37 ERA.

0…Complete games by the FSU pitching staff.  The Seminoles join Arizona State as the only two CWS pitching staffs without a CG this season.

15…Out of 15 FSU pitchers who have made at least one relief appearance during the season.

255…Walks issued by the Seminole staff-the most of any of the teams in Omaha.

30…Team best stolen bases by Tyler Holt, who is also batting a team best .352 and leads the ‘Noles with 82 runs scored.

ANALYSIS: As usual, Mike Martin’s Seminoles have a team that can hit, but there are questions with their pitching depth.  Sean Gilmartin was knocked-out early in FSU’s Super Regional opener against Vanderbilt and then had to come back out of the bullpen to help win game three.  A win over TCU and freshman ace Matt Purke in the opener would be huge.

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John Savage

UCLA Bruins (48-14)
Head Coach: John Savage  (6th season)

3…College World Series appearances by the Bruins.  This is their first since 1997.

48…School record wins this season.

#6…National seed of the Bruins, which are one of just three national seeds to make it to Omaha.

22…School record wins to open the season by UCLA.  The Bruins first setback was an 8-4 loss to Stanford on April 3rd.

2.94 & .218…Team ERA and opponent batting average of the Bruin pitching staff.  The ERA is the second best in the nation (behind Texas).

639…NCAA leading strikeouts fired by the UCLA pitching staff.

396…Of the strikeouts that have been recorded by weekend starters Gerrit Cole, Trevor Bauer and Rob Rasmussen.  The trio is also a combined 31-8 this season.

11…Wins this season by Rasmussen.  The junior has the most wins by a Bruin hurler since Jim Parque set the school record with 13 on the team’s 1997 CWS team.

1…Career complete game Rasmussen has tossed.  It came in Sunday’s Super Regional clincher vs. Cal State Fullerton.

.464 & .401…Team slugging percentage and on-base percentage.  The slugging percentage is the lowest in the CWS field, while the on-base percentage is tied for the second lowest with Oklahoma.

0…Double digit home run hitters for UCLA.  They’re the only such CWS team this year.

.328-7-45…Batting average, HR and RBIs by Tyler Rahmatulla, who started 61 of UCLA’s 62 games this season as their primary 3-hole hitter.  The sophomore will miss the CWS after breaking his wrist in the Bruins’ Super Regional celebration dog pile.

ANALYSIS: As evidenced by the strikeout total UCLA is built on not just pitching, but power arms and that’s what usually gets it done in the post season (although not for Texas last week).  The Bruin pitchers aren’t just strong-armed, they’re confident as well.  UCLA must overcome the loss of Rahmatulla, who emerged early as one of their top run producers.  A team that doesn’t have a lot of offense to begin with can’t afford to lose what offense it has.

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Kevin O'Sullivan

Florida Gators (47-15)
Head Coach:  Kevin O’Sullivan  (3rd season)

6…College World Series appearances by the Gators.  This is their first trip to Omaha since finishing as the national runner-up in 2005.

3…Years as a head coach by Gator boss Kevin O’Sullivan.  He made trips to the CWS as a Clemson assistant in 2000, 2002 and 2006.

3…National seed of the Gators, making the first round Florida vs. UCLA game the only one to feature two national seeds.

6.9…Runs a game scored by Florida-the lowest of the eight teams in the field in Omaha.

.381…On-base percentage by the Gators-the lowest of the eight CWS competitors.

1…Complete game this season by the Florida pitching staff.  Alex Panteliodis got it last week when he struck out 12 in Florida’s 7-2 win over Miami in the Super Regional opener.

11…Saves by Kevin Chapman, who has made a staff high 30 appearances while holding opposing batters to a .183 average.

6…Florida position players who have started at least 25 games who are either freshmen or sophomores.

2…Freshmen, Brian Johnson (6-4) and Hudson Randall (8-3), who join the sophomore Panteliodis (11-2) in the weekend pitching rotation.

3.97 & .413…Johnson’s ERA and batting average this season.  The freshman has started 14 times on the mound as well as 26 games in the Gator line-up.

17 & 70…Team leading home runs and RBIs by freshman Austin Maddox, who has started 61 of his team’s 62 games this season.

.358 & 23…Team high batting average and stolen bases by Matt den Dekker, who is one of a handful of seniors on the team.  He has also hit 13 home runs and has scored a team best 64 runs.

.978…Team fielding percentage-the best of the eight CWS teams and 6th best in the nation.

ANALYSIS: The Gators don’t do anything particularly flashy, they are just good across the board and they find a way to win.  They’re battled tested with big SEC series wins, including the regular season finale vs. fellow CWS team South Carolina.   There’s a possible Omaha awe factor as well for the young Gators.

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CWS Bracket Two

Team	Record	Conf.	BA	Runs/ Game	HR	Slg%	OBP	SB-Att.	Fld%	ERA	CG	SV	K	BB	Opp. BA
South Carolina	48-15	SEC	.302	7.3	90	.493	.396	45-66	.975	3.61	4	16	568	208	.230
Arizona St.	52-8	Pac 10	.338	8.5	68	.539	.436	134-176	.976	3.14	0	23	537	160	.239
Clemson	43-23	ACC	.310	8.8	93	.500	.407	122-146	.963	4.72	1	12	460	213	.280
Oklahoma	49-16	Big 12	.312	7.9	100	.523	.401	95-126	.976	3.79	2	16	562	207	.257

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Tim Esmay

Arizona State Sun Devils (52-8)
Head Coach: Tim Esmay  (1st season)

#1…National seed.  The Sun Devils are one of just three national seed (along with UCLA and Florida) to make it to Omaha this year.

22…College World Series appearances by ASU-the third most all-time behind Texas (33) and Miami (23)

24…Consecutive wins by ASU to open the season.  They suffered their first loss on April 2nd with a 6-5 setback to Oregon in 12 innings.

134…Stolen bases by the Sun Devils-the most of any CWS team.  Drew Maggi leads ASU with 35 swipes.

14…NCAA leading triples hit by Pac 10 Player of the Year Zack MacPhee, who also leads the Sun Devils with a .679 slugging percentage.  MacPhee’s .394 batting average is second only to Riccio Torrez’s .399 avg.

33-3…Combined record of starting pitchers Merrill Kelly, Jake Borup and Pac 10 Pitcher of the Year Seth Blair.

7-2…The trios ASU record last year, with all the decisions courtesy of Blair.  Kelly is in his first year at ASU after transferring from Yavapai CC, while Borup made just eight appearances last year as a freshman.

0…Innings pitched this year by Josh Spence due to an elbow injury.  Spence was 10-1 with a 2.37 ERA for last year’s CWS team.  He was drafted in the third round of last year’s MLB draft by the Angels, but chose to return to ASU for his senior season.

0…Complete games by the ASU pitching staff.  They join Florida State as the only two staffs in Omaha without a CG this year.

23…Saves by Sun Devil pitchers-the most of any CWS team this season.  Jordan Swaggerty leads the way with 14, which is tied for the third most in the nation.

.239…Opponent batting average by the Sun Devil staff.  The mark is second only to UCLA’s CWS leading .219.

ANALYSIS: Arizona State brought plenty of confident teams to Omaha under former head coach Pat Murphy, but never brought home the big prize.  Under Tim Esmay the Sun Devils enter the CWS this year in circumstances similar to last year’s Cal State Fullerton team that was 5-0 in Regionals and Super Regionals, but went 0-2 in Omaha.  ASU still has the same swagger under Esmay as they head under Murphy, but can they finally go the distance with it?

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Jack Leggett

Clemson Tigers (43-23)
Head Coach: Jack Leggett  (17th season)

12…College World Series appearances by Clemson – the 11th most all-time appearances by a team.

43…Wins by the Tigers – the fewest of the eight CWS teams.

23…Clemson losses – the most of the field in Omaha.

20 & 20…Touchdown passes thrown and home runs hit by quarterback/outfielder Kyle Parker, who is the first such 20/20 two-sport athlete in Division One history.  The Colorado Rockies took Parker with the 26th pick in the first round of this year’s MLB draft.

4.72…Team ERA – the highest of this year’s CWS teams.

.280…Opponent batting average, which is also the highest of the eight pitching staffs in Omaha.

8.8…Runs a game scored by the Tigers, making them the highest scoring offense in Omaha this year.

17 & 23…Home runs hit and stolen bases by 3B John Hinson, who is also batting .345 with 72 RBIs.

15 & 85…Home runs and RBIs by OF Jeff Schaus, whose RBI total ranks fifth in the nation and is the most of any player at the College World Series.

7-2…Alex Frederick’s record on the mound.  The reliever has made just one start with a team high 30 appearances and is tied with starter Casey Harman (7-3) for the second most wins on the Tiger staff.

1…Complete game (tossed by Harman) by the Clemson pitching staff.

5…Tigers relievers, incuding Frederick, who have made at least 20 appearances this season.  Harman and Scott Weismann (8-2) have each made 17 starts and are the only Clemson pitchers without a relief appearance in 2010.

ANALYSIS: The Tigers hit and then hit some more, as evidenced by their 31 runs in their three Super Regional games vs. Alabama.  They scored at least 10 runs in a game 25 times this season, but how will they fair in their first round match-up against an Arizona State team that pitches, hits and plays defense?  ASU is going to put it in play and Clemson’s defense also ranks just 135th in the nation.

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Sunny Golloway

Oklahoma Sooners (49-16)
Head Coach: Sunny Golloway  (6th season)

10…College World Series appearances by the Sooners, who haven’t been to Omaha since 1995.  OU won the 1994 National Championship.

100…Home runs hit this season by Oklahoma – the most by any of the eight CWS teams and good for eighth in the nation.

65…Sac bunts by the Sooners, which is also the most by any of the eight CWS teams and good for seventh in the nation.

4…Home runs hit in OU’s two Super Regional wins over Virginia by Cody Reine.  The OF was 5-for-8 with 11 RBIs in the game two and three victories.  Five of his 10 HR this year have come in NCAA play.

95…Stolen bases by Oklahoma.  With five more swipes OU would join Coastal Carolina and Miami as the only three teams with at least 100 HR and 100 SB this season.

2…Straight wins by Oklahoma to close their Super Regional series after losing 3-2 to Virginia in the opener.  The Cavaliers hadn’t lost back to back games all season.

0…Runs allowed by the Sooners in their 11-0 Super Regional clinching win over UVA.  It’s their first shutout in NCAA play since 1992.

.371/16/64…Team best batting average, home runs and RBIs by Garrett Buechelle.  The sophomore is the son of 11-year MLB veteran Steve Buechelle.

.311/15/52…Batting average, home runs and RBIs by Cameron Seitzer.  The sophomore is the son of 12-year MLB veteran Kevin Seitzer.

.976…Team fielding percentage – tied with Arizona State for the second best fielding rate at the CWS.

5-0…Record of pitcher Jack Mayfield.  The freshman has made just three starts with 13 relief outings, but he has one of the pitching staff’s three complete games this year.

7 & 5…Wins and saves by Jeremy Erben, who leads the Sooners with 31 appearances, including 29 in relief.  Erben’s saves are second to Ryan Duke, who leads the team with 11.

540…Miles from OU’s campus in Norman, OK to Omaha, NE.  The number has been posted in the Sooner’s dugout all season.

ANALYSIS: Oklahoma took a page out of Virginia’s own book when it went on the road to beat the Cavs in last week’s Super Regional (as UVA did last year at Ole Miss).  The first round match-up vs. South Carolina’s Blake Cooper (see below) is an intriguing one.  Despite the big offensive numbers the Sooners have put-up this year they were shutout twice and scored just three runs in three games against the best pitchers they’ve seen so far: Texas.

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Ray Tanner

South Carolina Gamecocks (48-15)
Head Coach: Ray Tanner  (14th season)

9…College World Series appearances by the Gamecocks.  Their last appearance was in 2004.

3…Times (including this year) that South Carolina made it to Omaha in the same year as intrastate rival Clemson.  The two also appeared together at the CWS in 2002 and 1977.

2-0…South Carolina’s record vs. Clemson at the ’02 CWS – the only games between the two teams in Omaha.

12…Home runs hit and stolen bases by Whit Merrifield.  The junior leads his team in both categories and he’s the only Gamecock with double digit home runs and stolen bases.

13 & 70…Sacrifice bunts and runs scored by Merrifield - both tops in the SEC.

9…South Carolina players who have hit at least seven home runs and driven-in at least 28 runs in 2010.

15 & 52…Team leading doubles and RBIs by Adrian Morales.  The junior is batting .286.

.371…Team high batting average of Jackie Bradley, Jr., who had 51 RBIs entering the CWS.

12 & 118 1/3…Wins and innings pitched by Gamecock ace Blake Cooper, who leads the SEC in both departments.  The senior (12-1, 2.81 ERA) suffered his only loss of the season in his last start of the regular season to SEC regular season champion Florida.

4…Complete games pitched by the SC pitching staff – the most of the eight CWS teams.  Sam Dyson (5-5, 4.39 ERA) has tossed three of them, while Cooper has the other.

91…Combined relief appearances by Michael Roth (1-1, 1.50, 3 SV), Matt Price (3-1, 2.54, 10 SV) and Jose Mata (7-1, 2.34).  Roth is second in the SEC with 33 appearances, while Mata’s 31 are tied for third.

568…Strikeouts by the Gamecock pitching staff.  The total ranks third in the nation and is second only to UCLA’s 619 of the teams in Omaha.

ANALYSIS: Like SEC rival Florida, South Carolina is a team that lacks a lot of flash, but just gets it done.  Cooper is a bulldog who has gone up against the top pitchers in the SEC and lost just once all season.  While none of the other starters approach his production, the bullpen is deep enough to make the Gamecocks a legit threat.  Their Sunday match-up with OU could be the best of the four first round games.

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THE FINAL RELEASE

Vanderbilt sophomore lefthander Richie Goodenow

With the Super-Regional round fast approaching, CB360 takes a look back at the Primetime Performers from the Regional Round that wrapped up on Tuesday during this condensed week. Coastal Carolina junior centerfielder Rico Noel (Lawton, Okla.) has been selected the national Primetime Player of the Week while Vanderbilt junior lefthander Richie Goodenow (Nashville, Tenn.) is the Primetime Pitcher of the Week. (front-page photo courtesy of Coastal Carolina)

Coastal Carolina junior centerfielder Rico Noel

It doesn’t get much more “primetime” than during NCAA Tournament play, with 104 high-stakes games played over the five-day stretch of June 4-8. Noel and Goodenow are joined by 19 others in comprising CollegeBaseball360.com’s latest installment of the Primetime Performer Honor Roll, which included a player from each of the 16 advancing teams (plus one each from the five runner-up teams that were playing on the road and forced a game-7 finale).

NOEL supplied his all-around game througout the regional, with Coastal Carolina serving as the host and top seed at BB&T Field in Myrtle Beach, S.C. The Chanticlers battled back from a 16-6 loss vs. 2-seed College of Charleston (in the winners-bracket), winning three straight games to earn a spot in the Super-Regional round.

Coastal Carolina's Noel Rico (pictured in action earlier this season) batted 10-for-23 in the Myrtle Beach Regional with 7 RBI, 7 runs scored, a pair of home runs and 6 stolen bases. His 9th-inning, 2-run blast vs. College of Charleston took Coastal from the brink of elimination to a decisive Monday rematch (photo courtesy of Coastal Carolina).

Over the course of the five regional games, Noel patroled center field while batting .435 (10-for-23) from the 2-hole/leadoff spots. He factored into 12 of Coastal’s runs (7 RBI, 7 R, 2 HR). The speedy veteran swiped six bases during the regional, yielding a nation-leading 56 stolen bases for the season.

The 5-foot-9, 170-pound righthanded hitter went 5-for-13 in three showdown games vs. Charleston (6-16; 8-7; 11-10, in 10) – highlighted by his 9th-inning home run as the Chanticleers were 2-outs away from elimination. That home run (his 11th of the season) came on a 1-2 pitch, with the ball sailing over the leftfield wall to turn a 1-run deficit into a 1-run win. His final line in that dramatic game also included batting 4-for-5 with 5 RBI and his 18th double of the season.

Noel collected three stolen bases in Monday’s clinching win, also batting 3-for-6 with a triple in that extra-inning finale. Earlier in the tournament, he helped post a pair of wins (6-0, 25-7) over a scrappy Stony Brook squad that upset 3rd-seed North Carolina State.

In addition to his 56 stolen bases, Noel ranks second on his team in season batting average (.348) and has motored home for a team-leading 81 runs, plus 62 RBI and 40 walks (.464 on-base pct.).

GOODENOW had been a solid lefthanded setup man for Vanderbilt throughout the 2010 season, making 28 appearances before being tabbed for his first start of the season in a pressure-packed situation. Homestanding and top-seeded Louisville was awaiting with a fresher and deeper pitching staff, along with a potent offense that ultimately finished the season with a .314 team batting average and 88 home runs.

Vanderbilt sophomore Richie Goodenow – typically a spot reliever and setup man – rose to the challenge in his first start of the season (second of career), fashioning a 2-hit shutout vs. the potent Louisville offense (7-0) that forced a decisive rematch. Goodenow had a pair of walks – but also rolled up two double-play balls – in facing only 29 batters during the 99-pitch complete game. (photo courtesy of Vanderbilt)

With his team needing to beat Louisville in that Sunday game (and again on Monday), Goodenow delivered a complete game that preserved the bullpen and set up the clinching Monday win. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound lefthander fashioned a 2-hit shutout (7-0) while facing only two batters over the minimum (29, with a pair of walks). He located 60 of 99 pitches for strikes, with 19 of his outs coming via strikeouts (5), groundballs (12, including pair of double-play balls) or infield popups (2).

A third-inning double represented the only Louisville batter who reached second base during the entire game.

Goodenow retired the first five batters he faced (four on strikeouts) before allowing a double by Cade Stalling (before a 4-3 groundout and F-9 flyout). Ryan Wright later was stranded after a 2-out walk in the 4th, with Goodenow then retiring seven straight before Andrew Clark’s leadoff walk in the 7th (followed by a 5-4 groundout and 4-6-3 double play).

The Cardinals’ fourth and final baserunner came in the 8th, when Josh Richmond sent a 1-out double up the middle but quickly was erased on a 4-6-3 double play.

Louisville’s #1 thru #6 hitters all went hitless (0-for-18 combined) during Goodenow’s masterpiece.

Primetime Performer Award Criteria (not based solely on raw stats, but rather …)
• Must have been playing for or against a CB360 top-50 team (in the Composite National Rankings) or performed a high level in games that could be key to a team’s conference/NCAA postseason qualification/advancement; made significant contribution to team’s postseason positioning (single-game wins, “quality” wins, series wins, road wins, etc.).
• Involved in clutch performances, such as late game-winning hits, noteworthy comebacks, game-changing plays, team leadership, key defensive efforts, etc.
• Performed at a top level against a team rated highly nationally (or within its conference), with bonus consideration given for key performances away from home field and vs. traditional rivals.
• Overcame adversity or extreme circumstances (for the team and/or individual).
• Any accomplishment that is rare, historic, record-setting, etc., on a national level.

The other 19 members of the CB360 Primetime Performer Weekly Honor Roll for the NCAA Regionals include (see capsules for each player at bottom of release): St. John’s fr. LF Jeremy Baltz (Vestal, N.Y.) … Virginia jr. DH John Barr (Ivyland, Pa.) … Washington State sr. 2B Cody Bartlett (Kent, Wash.) … UCLA so. RHP Trevor Bauer (Valencia, Calif.) … Arizona State sr. RF Kole Calhoun (Buckeye, Ariz.) … Cal State Fullerton jr. SS Christian Colon (Corona, Calif.) … South Carolina sr. RHP Blake Cooper (Neeses, S.C.) … Texas A&M jr. catcher Kevin Gonzalez (Houston, Texas) … Clemson jr. 3B  John Hinson (Asheville, N.C.) … College of Charleston jr. SS Jamie Holler (Rock Hill, S.C.) … Florida State so. 3B Sherman Johnson (Tampa, Fla.) … Texas so. RHP Taylor Jungmann (Temple, Texas) … Arkansas so. LF Collin Kuhn (Beaver Dam, Wis.) … Miami sr. 2B Scott Lawson (Grapevine, Texas) … TCU sr. RHP Steven Maxwell (The Woodland, Texas) … Alabama so. LHP Adam Morgan (Marietta, Ga.) … Oklahoma so. RF Cody Reine (Walker, La.) … Minnesota jr. RHP Seth Rosin (Shoreview, Minn.) … and Florid so. LF Tyler Thompson (Tequesta, Fla.).

The week-16 honorees ended up including at least one player from every position, with seven total pitchers (five RHPs and a pair of LHPs), three leftfielders, two shortstops, two third basemen and two rightfielders, plus a catcher, first baseman, second baseman, centerfielder and DH. The 21 selections feature five seniors, eight juniors, seven sophomores and the freshman Balyz. The honorees hail from 15 different home states, led by four from Texas and two each from California, Florida and South Carolina – plus one each from Arizona, Georgia, Louisiana, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Washington and Wisconsin.

PRIMETIME PERFORMERS WEEKLY HONOR ROLL #16
(NCAA Regionals; June 4-8, 2010 … presented by CollegeBaseball360.com)

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

JEREMY BALTZ (LF … #18)
St. John’s  •  Fr.
Vestal, NY  •  Vestal HS
6-3  •  190  •  Bats: Right

Power-hitting rookie (finished with 24 HR) who wrapped up impressive first season by batting 7-for-16 (.438) with 19 total bases (4 HR) and 13 times on-base (3BB-3HBP) spanning five regional games at Virginia, as 3rd-seed SJU reached the final game … racked up a 1.779 OPS (.591 on-base + 1.188 slugging pct.) at the regional, highlighted by 2-HR game in 6-5 win over the top seed/host Cavaliers … his 2-run blast in the bottom of the 8th of that game sent Red Storm from brink of elimination into Monday rematch (won by UVa, 5-3; Baltz had RBI 1B) … helped eliminate 2-seed Ole Miss (20-16; 1-for-3, RBI-2R-BB-2HBP), after homering in earlier 10-5 loss to the Rebels (2-for-3; 3RBI-2BB) … collected his other HR in 8-6 win over VCU (2RBI, HBP, sac-fly).

JOHN BARR (DH … #7)
Virginia  •  Jr.
Ivyland, PA  •  Germantown Academy
6-2  •  195

Provided bonus production from the 9-hole in key 13-7 winners-bracket game vs. 2-seed Mississippi (4-for-4, 4 RBI, 2B, HBP) … also had some timely offensive moments in pair of games vs. upstart St. John’s (R, BB in 6-5 loss … BB, HBP in 5-3 clinching win) … hit .500 in the four regional games (6-12; 5RBI-2R-2B-2BB-2HBP-SB), including 15-4 opener vs. Virginia Commonwealth (RBI-R-SB).

CODY BARTLETT (2B … #2)
Washington State  •  Sr./Jr.
Kent, WA  •  Kentwood HS
5-8  •  170  •  Bats: Right

Flashed his shortstop background with error-free showing (22 fielding chances) at the regional, also batting .381 (8-for-21) with several key plays from the 2-hole  … factored into 10 runs (4RBI-8R-2HR; 2BB) for 3rd-seeded Cougars squad that made run to regional’s final day … walked and scored twice in 10-7 win over top seed/host Arakansas, forcing the final game … helped knock off #2 seed Kansas State on opening day (9-6; 2-for-4, R-BB) and later smacked huge 8th-inning HR in elimination-game win over KSU (8-6; 3-for-5, 2RBI-3R) … also homered in winners-bracket loss vs. Arkansas (6-4;2-4, 2RBI-R) and had a single/run in 7-2 loss to the Razorbacks.

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

Came through in 6-3 winners-bracket victory over LSU, allowing only a single earned run (plus 2 UERs) in 8.0 strong innings … struck out 11 of the 33 batters he faced in that 121-poitch outings, with 7 hits allowed and a pair of walks.

KOLE CALHOUN (RF … #49)
Arizona State … Sr.
Buckeye, AZ  •  Yavapai JC/Buckeye HS
5-11  •  190  •  Bats: Left

Helped Sun Devils reach 50-win mark, following victories over Milwaukee (6-2) and Hawaii (12-1, 8-4) … homered in all three games (giving him 16 HR for the season) while reaching base seven times … factored into four runs vs. Milwaukee (3RBI-2R-HR; BB-HBP) … hit 2-for-4 to help close out Hawaii (BB).

CHISTIAN COLON (SS … #4)
Cal State Fullerton  •  Jr.
Corona, CA  •  Canyon HS
6-0  •  180  •  Bats: Right

Helped Titans win their 4th straight elimination game (9-5 clincher vs. Minnesota) – on the same day he was selected 4th overall in the MLB draft … hit .476 (10-for-21) while factoring into 15 runs (9RBI-8R-2HR) during the five regional games … top-seeded and host team Fullerton had been upset by Minnesota in opener (3-1) before staying alive with 6-5 win over 2-seed Stanford, with Colon homering twice in that key win (4RBI) … went 3-for-5 later that day to help eliminate New Mexico, 11-3 (2RBI-3R-2B-BB) … helped beat Minnesota on Sunday night (7-2; 2-for-4, BB) to force decisive 9-5 finale in which he went 3-for-4 with 3 RBI and 3 runs scored (2 2B, HBP).

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

Battle-tested veteran who delivered victory for his team in top pitching matchup opposite The Citadel’s ace Asher Wojciechowski, during 9-4 winners-bracket game … did not allow an earned run (4 UER) in game that saw Citadel holding a 4-2 lead entering the 7th … struck out 12 while allowing 6 hits and 3 walks over 7.1 innings, en route to boosting his season record to 11-1.

KEVIN GONZALEZ (C … #10)
Texas A&M  •  Jr.
Houston, TX  • Mayde Creek HS
5-10  •  195  •  Bats: Right

Veteran catcher who supplied bonus offense from the 8-hole, as 2nd-seeded Aggies reached final game in regional … launched huge solo HR in top of 9th vs. Dartmouth, as A&M rallied to avoid elimination with 4-3 comeback win … hit .389 (7-for-18) with an .889 slugging pct. (2 HR, 3 2B) in five games at the regional (5RBI-3R) … helped blow out surging 3-seed Florida International in 17-3 opener (2-for-5, 2RBI-R-HR) … went 2-for-5 with a double in 11-7 win over host team Miami and then 2-for-4 (2RBI-R-2B) in final game, a 10-3 loss to the ‘Canes.

RICHIE GOODENOW (LHP … #15)
Vanderbilt  •  Jr.
Nashville, TN  •  Overton HS
6-2  •  200

Setup man who rose to the occasion in his first start of the season with 2-hit shutout vs. top seed Louisville (7-0), helping his 2nd-seed team rally to beat the host team twice … faced only 29 batters (2 over the minimum) in masterful outing vs. potent Cardinals offense … issued only a pair of walks in the 99-pitch outing that includes 60 strikes thrown … 19 of his outs came via strikeouts (5), groundballs (12, including pair of double-play balls) or infield popups (2) – while a 3rd-inning double represented the only Louisville player that reached scoring position … held each of Louisville #1 thru #6 batters hitless (0-for-18 combined).

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

Delivered clutch play at the hot corner (no errors) and from the 6-hole, batting .563 (9-for-16) with and 19 total bases (3HR-2B; 5RBI-5R-BB-HBP) for 2nd-seeded Clamson … turned in strong efforts during three games (10-1, 10-11, 13-7) vs. top seed Auburn (7-for-12, 4RBI-4R-2HR-2B-BB-HBP) … had a pair of singles and an RBI in winners-bracket game and closed 2-for-3 in clinching win (RBI-3R-HR-2B-BB-HBP) … helped team nearly win second game vs. Auburn (3-5, 2RBI-R-HR) … opened regional going 2-for-4 with a HR vs Southern Mississippi.

JAMIE HOLLER (SS … #4)
College of Charleston … Jr.
Rock Hill, SC  •  Sumter JC/Northwestern HS
6-0  •  170  •  Bats: Right

Slick fielder who made no errors in four regional games (22 fielding chances) while coming through with some timely offense from the 9-hole for 2nd-seeded Cougars … played lead role in 16-6 winnners-bracket victory over top seed and host Coastal Carolina (3-for-5, 2RBI-2R) … connected on a 2-out/2-run blast for his 4th HR of season in that win over CC … batted 7-for-14 in three games vs. Coastal (pair of 1-run losses, 8-7 & 11-10, in 10), factoring into 7 of his team’s runs (3RBI-5R-HR-2B) … also singled and scored in opening win over N.C. State (9-6).

SHERMAN JOHNSON (3B … #32)
Florida State  •  So.
Tampa, FL  •  Alonso HS
5-10  •  180  •  Bats: Left

Steady 2-hole hitter who helped Seminoles advance from a rare road regional, in Norwich, Conn. (11-3 vs. Central Connecticut; 6-4 and 5-3 vs. Oregon) … hit .417 (5-12) with a pair of HR and a double while factoring into seven of team’s runs (4RBI-5R) during the three games (2 BB, SB) … went 2-for-3 with his 8th HR of season in final win over the Ducks (2RBI-BB) … also homered and hit his 14th 2B in earlier win over Oregon (2R).

TAYLOR JUNGMANN (RHP … #26)
Texas  •  So.
Temple, TX  •  Georgetown HS
6-6  •  195

Closed out home regional with impressive outing that helped beat 2nd-seed Rice, 4-1 … faced only 25 batters (2 over the min.) in 7.2 innings, while improving to 7-3 for the season … allowed the lone run on 2 hits and 2 walks, with 7 strikeouts and 9 groundball outs in that 84-pitch outing.

COLLIN KUHN (LF … #25)
Arkansas  •  So.
Beaver Dam, WI  •  Beaver Dam HS
5-11  •  190  •  Bats: Right

Leadoff batter who blasted 4 home runs in the regional … hit 4-for-9 and factored into six runs (4RBI-3R-HR; 2 2B-BB-HBP) during pair of wins vs. Washington State (6-4 winners-bracket; 7-2 finale) … hit .412 (7-16) at the regional and had a hand in 11 of the team’s runs (7RBI-8R-4HR; 2 2B-3BB-2 HBP-SB), with the other games including 19-7 win over Grambling and 10-7 loss to WSU (16th HR of season) … went 3-for-5 with 2RBI-2R-HR-2B in the pivotal first win over the Cougars.

SCOTT LAWSON (1B … #2)
Miami  •  Sr.
Grapevine, TX  •  Grayson JC/Colleyville Heritage HS
5-10  •  185  •  Bats: Left

One of a handful of players across the nation with a 3-HR game during regional round, doing so from the 2-hole in 14-1 winners-bracket win over 2-seed Texas A&M … went 4-for-6 in that game while factoring into 7 of the Hurricanes runs (6RBI-4R-3HR) … hit .529 (9-17) with 22 total bases in the four regional games (6RBI-5R-4HR-2B-4BB), with a single, walk and two runs scored in 10-3 clinching win over A&M … opened regional batting 2-for-4 in 12-8 win over Dartmouth (3RBI-R-BB) and added another 2-for-4 game in 11-7 loss to A&M (HR-2B).

STEVEN MAXWELL (RHP … #4)
TCU  •  Sr./Jr.
The Woodlands, TX  •  The Woodlands HS
6-0  •  180

Veteran leader of strong 3-man rotation, delivering key victory in 9-0 winners-bracket game vs. Baylor … faced only 27 batters (3 over the min.) in 8.0 strong innings … struck out 10 while holding the Bears to 3 hits and a pair of walks in the 114-pitch outing.

ADAM MORGAN (LHP … #32)
Alabama  •  So.
Marietta, GA  •  Kell HS
6-1  •  180

Surging lefthander whose complete game sparked a regional-winning rally by 2nd-seeded ‘Bama … picked up the Sunday-night win (8-1) over top seed/host Georgia Tech, forcing the decisive game on Monday … faced only 33 batters in that 114-pitch outing (75 strikes), with only 5 hits allowed and a walk while totaling 9 strikeouts and 10 groundouts … limited GT’s #1 thru #5 hitters to a combined 3-for-19 batting.

RICO NOEL (CF … #1)
Coastal Carolina  •  Jr.
Lawton, OK  •  Lawton HS
5-9  •  170  •  Bats: Right

Talented all-around hitter from the 2-hole/leadoff spots, batting .435 (10-for-23) and factoring into 12 runs (7RBI-7R-2HR) during five regional games … hit 5-for-13 in three showdown games with the College of Charleston (6-16; 8-7; 11-10, in 10) – including the 9th inning, 1-out/2-run HR that won the middle game in dramatic fashion … racked up six stolen bases in the regional, pushing his season total to a nation-leading 56 … his big game in the 8-7 win over CofC included batting 4-for-5 with 5 RBI, his 11th HR of season and 18th 2B … came back next day to hit 3-for-6, triple score twice and collect 3 SBs in clinching win … also helped post pair of wins over scrappy Stony Brook squad (6-0, 25-7).

CODY REINE (RF … #11)
Oklahoma  •  So.
Walker, LA  •  Grayson JC/Walker HS
5-9  •  215  •  Bats: Left

Provided several key offensive plays from the 6-hole, as Sooners advanced with three 1-run wins (7-6 vs. Oral Roberts in 10; 7-6 vs. North Carolina in 10; and 3-2 vs. UNC) … his 7th-inning, 2-out single scored final run in finale vs. the Tar Heels … sparked 10th-inning rally vs. ORU with 1st-pitch/1-out single up the middle (went on to score winning run) … hit 2-for-5 with a sac.-bunt in crucial first win over UNC … batted 5-for-11 in the regional (2RBI-3R-HR-2BB-HBP-SAC).

SETH ROSIN (RHP … #29)
Minnesota  •  Jr.
Shoreview, MN  •  Mounds View HS
6-6  •  245

Shocked top seed and host team Cal State Fullerton with 8.0 dominating innings, as 4th seed Minnesota won its opening game at the regional (9-4) … allowed a single run on 3 hits and no walks, with 7 strikeouts and 6 groundouts among his 26 batters faced (2 over the min.).

TYLER THOMPSON (LF … #18)
Florida  •  So.
Tequesta, FL  •  Jupiter HS
6-1  •  190  •  Bats: Left

Platoon starter in left field who picked perfect time for best game of his career, leading the way regional clinching win over 2-seed Florida Atlantic (15-0) … batted 4-for-5 out of the 9-hole in that game, with his 3 home runs matching his career total entering the game … factored into 7 runs during that final win (6RBI-4R-3HR-2B) … tied program record for total bases (14) while becoming first Gator with 3HR in an NCAA Tournament game (his RBI 2B opened the scoring) … earlier hit 2-for-4 (R-3B) in 10-2 winners-bracket game vs. Oregon State.

* – Coastal Carolina’s Noel is the CB360 Primetime Player of the Week and Vanderbilt’s Goodenow the Primetime Pitcher of the Week … primary class years are based on academic standing (some players may have an extra year of eligibility)

Oklahoma Next Faces South Carolina At CWS

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CLICK HERE for our Super Regional Central page where you will find links to other Super Regionals.

Best two of three series (All times Eastern)

Gm 1 – Saturday - FINAL: Virginia 3, Oklahoma 2 |  Final Stats

UVA Recap | OU Recap *Virginia leads series 1-0

Gm 2 – Sunday – FINAL: Oklahoma 10, Virginia 7 | Final Stats
OU Recap | UVA Recap * Series tied (1-1)
* Highlight: OU’s Cody Reine 2 HR & 5 RBIs

Gm 3 – Monday FINAL: Oklahoma 11, Virginia 0 | Live Stats
OU Recap | UVA Recap

* Oklahoma wins series (2-1)

The Skinny

Virginia:  (#5 National Seed) This is head coach Brian O’Connor’s seventh season at Virginia, and the Cavaliers have been to the NCAA Tournament in each of those seven seasons.  The team is in its second straight and overall Super Regional, but this is the first time it has hosted a Super.  They advanced to last year’s College World Series by winning the last two games of their Super Regional at Mississippi.

Danny Hultzen (10-1, 2.83) is the ACC Pitcher of the Year.  He had a 2.05 ERA during last year’s NCAA Tournament, but he had a rough Regional outing last week when he gave-up six runs in six innings in a 13-7 win over Ole Miss. Hultzen hit  last year, but he’s focused more on pitching this year with a .281 average and just 15 starts.

Kevin Arico has been one of the nation’s top closers all year.  He is tied for the NCAA lead with 17 saves, a 2.59 ERA and 40 strikeouts with just seven walks in 31 1/3 IP.

Keith Werman leads the Cavs with a .430 average, Steven Procsia tops the team with 10 HR and 64 RBIs (he’s tied with Jarrett Parker for the HR lead), while Phil Gosselin stuffs all the stats with a .378 avg., 9 HR, 57 RBIs, 18 SB, and a 1.066 OPS.

Oklahoma:  Sunny Golloway has the Sooners in the Super Regionals for just the second time since the format began in 1999.  OU saw Arkansas advance to the College World Series last year out of the Norman Regional, but the Sooners were 3-0 in Regional play this year, including the championship game win over four-time CWS participant North Carolina.

The Sooners don’t have the vaunted starting pitching that Big 12 rival Texas has, but they have big arms in the bullpen.  Jeremy Erben (7-1, 3.90, 4 SVs) has the second most wins on the staff, but he’s made just two starts while coming out of the pen 27 times.  Ryan Duke slams the door at the end with a 3-1 record and 11 saves.

The OU line-up has both power and pedigree.  Cameron Seitzer (14 HR) and Garrett Buechele (16 HR) have helped Oklahoma top the Big 12 with 93 home runs.  Seitzer is the son of former Kansas City Royals Rookie of the Year Kevin Seitzer, while Buechele’s dad is former Texas Ranger Steve Buechele.

Charlottesville Super Regional

Notes & Thoughts From Day 1 NCAA Action (updated)

CLICK HERE for DAY-1 NCAA SCOREBOARD

• Minnesota was the only #4 seed that won on Friday (3-1 at Cal State Fullerton, see notes below), while the collective #3 seeds went 9-7 vs. the #2s. The #3 seeds that posted the “minor upsets” (some may have been considered the favorites?) included: Louisiana-Lafayette 1, Rice 0 (in Austin) … The Citadel 7, Virginia Tech 2 (in Columbia) … Washington State 8, Kansas State 6 (in Fayetteville) … Arizona 10, Baylor 9 (in Ft. Worth) … New Mexico 9, Stanford 5 (in Fullerton, which also had the 4-vs.-1 upset) … Oregon State 6, Florida Atlantic 4 (in Gainesville) … North Carolina 12, California 3 (in Norman) … Oregon 5, Connecticut 3 (in Norwich) … and Hawaii 4, San Diego 2 (in Tempe). See bullet notes below for some highlights from Friday’s nine “upsets” (along with info. from the other games).

• Regional host teams have the option to take the first or second game on Day-1 of NCAA Regional play. The hosts traditionally take the second or “Prime Time” game, and this year was no different with 12 of 16 Regional hosts opting for game two. Coastal Carolina, Virginia, Arkansas, and Oklahoma were the only Regional hosts to opt for the early game rather than the night cap (some coaches prefer to get the game out of the way, avoid risk of rain delays, get their team a few hours more rest, etc.). All four of those teams won.
  

  11 year MLB veteran turned college baseball analyst Eric Byrnes

• Disclaimer: I (Sean Stires … Pete LaFleur ditto) like Eric Byrnes. That said, Byrnes was considered by many to be more style than substance in his playing days, so it’s only fitting that ESPNU has continued its tradition of going with style over substance by using the newly-retired Byrnes in the broadcast booth during the Coral Gables Regional. Case in point:  Texas A&M was trailing FIU 1-0 in the bottom of the first inning. After Aggie leadoff man Jaoquin Hinojosa reached base safely, 2-hole batter Tyler Naquin tried (unsuccessfully) to bunt him over. This prompted Byrnes to question why A&M was playing for only onw run so early in the game…. An inning later, with #9 batter Andrew Collazo at the plate in the same situation, Byrnes said, “We’re not bunting again are we?” Uh, yes Eric they were, and after Collazo executed his 8th sac-bunt of the season a graphic popped-up on the screen that showed that A&M had just tied a school record with its 59th sac-bunt of the season. The Aggies entered the day tied for 14th nationally in that department. Apparently game preparation was not high on Byrnes’ list of things to do prior to his college baseball broadcasting debut.
• Byrnes, who played at the 1997 College World Series for UCLA, again showed his lack of knowledge of the current college game later in the broadcast when the subject of NCAA bids came up. Minnesota was mentioned as the only Big Ten representative in the tournament, while the Pac-10 was one of three conferences to get eight bids. “How does that happen, though,” Byrnes asked. “We’re talking one team from the Big Ten and eight from the Pac.” Um…do I really need to say more? Thankfully, Kyle Peterson was there to keep Byrnes pointed in the right direction.
• In fairness to Byrnes, he did provide some needed entertainment when the game turned into a blowout in the middle innings.
• When Florida International pitcher Daniel DeSimone hit Caleb Shofner with a pitch in the bottom of the 5th inning, it marked the 100th HBP by the Golden Panther pitching staff this season. The dubious mark sets an NCAA single-season record.
• Garrett Wittels extended hit hitting streak to 55 games in FIU’s loss to Texas A&M. He doubled to right-center field by swinging at a 3-0 pitch to lead off the top of the 6th inning. A smattering of boos were directed at A&M pitcher Barret Loux when the count reached 3-0 and it looked like Wittels might not have a chance to swing in his third at-bat of the day.
• The hit by Wittels marked the 16th time he extended the streak with a hit between the 4th and 6th innings this season. He’s kept the streak going 25 times in the first three innings of a game, 13 times from the 7th through 9th innings, and once (March 26 vs. Arkansas-Little Rock) in the 12th inning.
• Five different Texas A&M players hit home runs in the 17-3 win, while Aggie winning pitcher Loux (11-2) struck out 10 in 8 IP. He’s now fanned 136 in 104 innings this season.
• The Aggies have won seven straight, 13 of their past 14 and 19 of 22 games dating back to April 27.
• Southern Mississippi’s got some work to do if they’re going to make a return trip to the College World Series (and possibly extend Brett Favre’s NFL career … although something tells us he’s coming back anyway!). The Golden Eagles fell 10-1 to Clemson in their Regional opener. USM ace Scott Copeland dropped to 11-1 with his first loss of the season, after winning as a starter and deep reliever at the C-USA Tournament (to earn CB360 national Primetime Pitcher of the Week honors).
  

  Brett Eibner hit 3 HR in Arkansas' Friday win over Grambling St. (Arkansas photo)

• Brett Eibner smacked 3 HR to help Arkansas rout Grambling State 19-7.  Eibner was 4-for-5 with 7 RBIs and 5 runs. Look for the two-way talent on the mound this weekend as well. Collin Kuhn and Andy Wilkins each homered twice for the Hogs.
• The Citadel pulled-off a minor upset as the #3-seeded Bulldogs beat #2 Virginia Tech, 7-2. The win is the 13th straight for The Citadel, but the best news is they didn’t even use ace Asher Wojciechowski (3.25 ERA, 12-2. 144 Ks in 119 IP). Lefty Matt Talley (8-3) tossed 7.0 innings and won, while 3B David Greene had a 2-run HR from the 7-hole. The jr. RHP “Wojo” is slated to be opposed on Saturday by South Carolina’s ace, sr. RHP Blake Cooper (2.94, 10-1, 88 Ks in 104 IP). Justin Wright was the losing pitcher on Friday vs. Citadel (5.1IP-6R-10H-BB-5K), as VT’s #1-3 hitters combined to hit only 2-for-14 (CF/leadoff Sean Ryan has a 2-run HR in the 7th).
• Zach Osborne registered Louisiana-Lafayette’s first NCAA Tournament shutout since 2002 by blanking Rice, 1-0. Catcher/cleanup hitter Chad Keefer’s 2-out single in the 8th inning plated the game’s lone run.
• Baylor scored five runs in the bottom of the 9th inning, but they came up short in a 10-9 loss to Arizona at the Ft. Worth Regional. The Bears left runners at first and third to end the game. They committed three errors to give the Wildcats five unearned runs in the 6th inning. Steve Selsky & DH/6-hole Josh Garcia (2RBI-2R-HBP) homered for the Wildcats, while SS Alex Mejia was 3-for-4 with 4 RBI, a double & run scored from the bottom of the order.
• Baylor’s Logan Vick walked twice to set a single-season school record with 56 BBs this year. The Bears left 12 men on base (including the two in the 9th), with Gregg Glime‘s home run and 3 RBI pacing the Baylor offense. Logan Verrett had no-decision (3.1IP-3R-5H-BB-2K) and Shawn Tolleson (2-7) was let down by his defense in the hard-luck loss (3.2IP-6R/1ER-5H-BB-2K).
• Closing in on 200: … Friday’s win by Coastal Carolina (6-0 vs. Stony Brook) is the 199th victory for the Chanticleers over past four seasons (199-50-0, from 2007-10).
  

  Oklahoma's Chris Ellison

• Chris Ellison drove in Cody Reine in the bottom of the 10th inning to give Oklahoma a 7-6 win over Oral Roberts. Reine had homered two innings earlier to tie the game (6-6) and ultimately force extra innings.
• One-time Little League World series participant Michael Broad hit one of Miami’s two 1st-inning, 3-run home runs to help the Hurricanes beat Dartmouth, 12-8. The ‘Canes held on after leading 11-0 thru five innings. Joe Sclafani homered twice for the Big Green.
• Oregon State beat Florida Atlantic, 6-4, in Gainesville, Fla. The start of the game was delayed a total of 3:15 by rain. Tyler Smith hit his first home run in nearly two months in the win.
• “Lobos fight scratch and claw baby, we’ll play anybody, anywhere anytime and we’re trying to spend a lot of our effort trying to prove that we can play with anybody in the country.” – Those were New Mexico third-year head coach Ray Birmingham’s comments during his in-game interview on ESPNU while his team was playing Stanford. Is it any wonder UNM is making its first NCAA appearance since 1962?
• New Mexico won that game, 9-5, for the second NCAA Tournament win in school history. Willy Kesler had no-decision (5.2IP-4R-11H-BB-5K) and Jason Oatman (1-2) picked up the relief win (3.1IP-R-3H-2K). RF Chris Juarez went 3-for-4 (3RBI-2B) from the 5-hole, while the 2-hole-batting catcher Rafael Neda homered and scored 4 times (1B/2-hole Justin Howard had 3R).
• Don’t know how to say his name, but Pi’ikea Kitamura was hit-by-pitch with the bases loaded in the top of the 9th inning to give Hawaii a 4-3 win over San Diego in Tempe, Ariz. San Diego ace Kyle Blair had another solid outing but did not figure into the decisions (8IP-3R/1ER-7H-8K). USD’s Mike Ferraro homered from the 7-hole and had 2 RBI, but USD’s #1-5 hitters combined for only 4 hits.
  

  LSU's Trey Watkins

• In his only at-bat of the night, LSU’s Trey Watkins smacked a 2-strike, 2-out double in the bottom of the 11th to lift LSU to an 11-10 over UC-Irvine. LSU’s Austin Nola forced extra innings when his blooper to right with 2 outs in the 9th scored Johnny Dishon, who motored all the way  aroundfrom first base.
• Jack Armstrong’s pinch-hit single scored Andrew Giobbi to give Vanderbilt an 8-7 win over Illinois State at the Louisville Regional opener. If the name of the offensive hero sounds familiar, it’s because Armstrong has been one of Vandy’s top starting pitchers this season and we’re sure to see him make a start over the weekend.
• Oregon beat Connecticut, 5-3, in Norwich, Conn., thanks to three runs in the top of the 9th inning.
• TCU didn’t use freshman ace Matt Purke (12-0), but the Horned Frogs still cruised to a 16-3 win over Lamar. Kyle Winkler and Greg Holle combined for 11 strikeouts to improve TCU to 20-0 this year when its pitchers have at least 10 K in a game. Purke will go Saturday vs. Arizona.
• Louisville also sat its ace, Thomas Royse (9-1), in its 11-2 win over Saint Louis. Head coach Dan McDonnell was not in the dugout, as he served the first game of his three-game suspension for last week’s dustup with an umpire at the Big East Tournament.
• Minnesota pulled-off the biggest Day-1 upset, as the #4 seed Golden Gophers downed #1 seed andnd host Cal State Fullerton, 3-1 in Fullerton. Jr. RHP  Seth Rosin (9-4) faced only 26 batters and struck out 7 with no walks in 8.0 innings to move his season totals to 95 Ks and only 12 BB. All the Gophers runs came in the opening frame, with RBI singles from Kyle Knudson and Matt Puhl scoring AJ Pettersen & AndyHenkmeryer (other run scores on error/unearned).
• Washington State registered its 19th come-from-behind win of the season, an 8-6 victory over Kansas State in Fayetteville, Ark. Adam Conley postedhis 19th save, while the Cougar bullpen notched its 18th win of the year (one away from tyingthe school record set in 1987). Cody Barlett’s 2-run HR in the 8th inning proved to be the game-winner.
• It took a 5-run 8th inning for South Carolina to rally to a 9-5 home win over Bucknell. It’s the Gamecock’s 12th straight postseason home win.
• Texas scored all 11 of its runs with 2-outs in an 11-0 win over Rider in Austin. Brandon Workman (12-1) tossed a complete game.
• Ole Miss held off St. John’s, 10-5, in Charlottesville, Va. The Red Storm scored all five of their runs in the last two innings.
• Tony Plagman was 5-for-5 in Georgia Tech’s 10-0 win over Mercer in Atlanta.
• Florida freshman Hudson Randall notched a career-best 10 strikeouts in 7.1 innings to help the Gators beat Bethune-Cookman, 7-3. Randall didn’t allow a hit until the 5th inning.
• UCLA routed Kent State, 15-1 in L.A., for the Bruins 25th home win of the season. Their 44 total wins are one away from tying the program’s single-season record set in 1997.
• North Carolina validated its NCAA berth with a 12-3 win over Cal in Norman, Okla. The Tar Heels have scored eight or more runs in 16 of their past 24 first- or second0round NCAA Tournament games.
• 5,684 fans saw Oregon beat UConn, 5-3 at Dodd Stadium in Norwich, Conn. The Ducks rallied for three runs in the top of the 9th. Reliever Madison Boer has notched a save in Oregon’s past four wins. An attendance of 1,948 was on hand earlier in the day to see Florida State beat Central Connecticut, 11-3.
• Kole Calhoun hit his team-leading 14th HR to help overall #1 seed Arizona State beat Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 6-2 in Tempe.