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Talent Heavy Field Ready To Play On Big Stage …

It’s college baseball’s top event, so it stands to reason that some of the top players in the country should be on display when the 2011 College World Series starts this Saturday in Omaha. However, the wealth of talent seems like it’s bursting at the seams for the first CWS at TD Ameritrade Park.

How much talent? Consider this – the SEC, ACC, Big 12, and Pac-10 are the only conferences represented at the CWS this year. Each of those conferences present a Player of the Year, Pitcher of the Year and Freshman of the Year award every year. Of the possible 12 such honorees from the conferences, nine will be playing in Omaha this weekend.

Add to that the fact that 13 CWS players received NCBWA All-America recognition this week, two players were first-round picks in the 2011 MLB Draft.

Danny Hultzen

Virginia pitcher Danny Hultzen is more than just your everyday pitcher. He’s also been one of the top two-way players in the country in his three years. This is his second go-round at the CWS, after helping the Cavs advance to Omaha as a freshman. Hulzten is an All-American and the ACC Pitcher of the Year in 2011. The Seattle Mariners made Hultzen (12-3, 1.49 ERA, .320 BA) the second overall pick in last week’s draft. His 151 strikeouts rank second in the nation. He’ll be on the mound when Virginia faces Cal in Sunday’s 2 p.m. ET game.

Hultzen’s teammate, Will Roberts, has emerged as a top pitcher in his own right. Roberts (11-1, 1.58 ERA) started the season pitching in midweek games, but he moved into the weekend rotation not long after firing a perfect game against George Washington on March 29. It’s just the eighth Division I  nine-inning perfect game since 1957. CLICK HERE to listen to a podcast interview CB360 recorded right after that start. Roberts also was named an NCBWA second team All-American this week.

Taylor Jungmann

Like Hultzen, Texas pitcher Taylor Jungmann was pitching on the big stage in Omaha two years ago. Also like Hultzen, Jungmann (13-2, 1.38 ERA) was a high first-round draft pick last week when the Milwaukee Brewers nabbed him with the 12th overall selection. Jungmann made his mark at the CWS in 2009, going 3-0 with a complete game and 15 strikeouts in 15.1 innings to help the Longhorns reach the title series. The 2011 Big 12 Pitcher of the Year will be on the hill Saturday night looking to snap his personal two-game NCAA Tournament losing streak when Texas faces Florida. The three-time All-American lost in this year’s Austin Regional to Kent State and he fell to Arizona State in the Super Regional – for his only setbacks of the year.

While Jungmann and Texas are no strangers to Omaha, two significant Longhorns will make their Omaha debuts this weekend. Big 12 Freshman of the Year Erich Weiss and NCBWA First Team All-American Corey Knebel have figured prominently into their team’s success this season. Weiss leads the Longhorns in batting average (.358), RBIs (44), slugging percentage (.532), and on-base percentage (.495). The lanky 6-foot-3 third baseman is one of three Longhorns to start all 66 games this season. While Weiss is the Big 12 Freshman of the Year, Knebel is the NCBWA’s National Freshman of the Year. The closer has 19 saves with a sparkling 1.15 ERA in 37 appearances. He earned his most-recent pair of saves with a total of 3.0 shutout innings in the Super Regional wins over the Sun Devils.

Tyler Naquin

Texas A&M Big 12 Player of the Year Tyler Naquin gives the conference three top award winners at this year’s CWS. His .390 average and .460 OBP fit the bill for a leadoff batter, and the third team NCBWA All-American also leads the Aggies with his .556 slugging percentage, which is helped by 23 doubles and a whopping seven triples. While the big-armed right fielder has only six stolen bases, centerfielder Krey Bratsen has totaled 31 swipes along with a .335 avg. to help him earn Freshman All-America honors. Aggie pitchers Michael Wacha (8-3, 2.10 ERA) and Ross Stripling (14-2, 2.29 ERA, 4 CG, 4 SVs) are the real deal too.

Finding just one or two Vanderbilt players to highlight is hard to do, because the Commodore roster is brimming with top talent. Consider the fact that while Sonny Gray (12-3, 1.97 ERA) was tabbed by the Oakland A’s with the 18th overall pick in the MLB Draft, fellow junior Grayson Garvin (13-1, 2.36 ERA)  was named the SEC Pitcher of the Year and is a second team All-American – not to mention being the 59th overall pick by Tampa Bay. The starting duo has the luxury of turning things over to NCBWA third team All-America closer Navery Moore (1.21 ERA, 11 SVs). Vandy also boasts SEC Freshman of the Year Tony Kemp (.325 BA, 16 SB, 56 Runs). The Commodores set an SEC record with 12 players selected in the 2011 draft. In addition to Gray, Garvin and Moore, Jason Esposito, Jack Armstrong, Aaron Westlake, Corey Williams, Taylor Hill, Mark Lamm, Curt Casali, Will Clinard, and Joe Loftus all had their names called during the three-day draft.

Colin Moran

North Carolina has a top duo that combines youth and veteran presence. ACC Freshman of the Year Colin Moran leads the Tar Heels in nearly every offensive category, including batting average (.335), RBIs (69), HR (9), slg.% (.551), and OBP (.443). His RBIs rank 14th in the nation and are the most of any player at the 2011 CWS. Moran’s older brother Brian was an All-American at UNC. Their uncle, B.J. Surhoff, played for 19 years in the Major Leagues after a great career at North Carolina. Like Moran, junior Levi Michael (.300, 5 HR, 48 RBIs) jumped into the middle of the Tar Heel order as a freshman. Michael was selected with the 30th overall pick to the Minnesota Twins last week.

Jackie Bradley, Jr.

South Carolina is back to defend its national championship, but its reigning CWS Most Outstanding Player, Jackie Bradley, Jr., has been out of action since injuring his wrist back on April 23. Despite the injury, Bradley still was tabbed with the 40th overall pick last week by the Boston Red Sox. He said this week that he hopes to contribute in some way for his team in Omaha. Michael Roth made only two 2010 starts for the Gamecocks, but they both were in Omaha. The first was a complete-game win over archrival Clemson to help SC reach the CWS Finals, and the second came four days later against UCLA in the Finals. Roth (13-2, 1.02 ERA) has been South Carolina’s ace this year. He and veteran closer Matt Price (5-3, 2.16 ERA, 18 SVs) recently were named NCBWA second team All-Americans. The Gamecocks return several other everyday players from the 2010 championship team, including team triple-crown leader Christian Walker (.359 BA, 10 HR, 60 RBIs), who is only a sophomore.

Catcher Mike Zunino on a play at the 2010 CWS.

SEC Player of the Year Mike Zunino (.376, 18 HR, 66 RBIs) leads Florida back to Omaha for a second straight year. The iron-man catcher boasts a gaudy .686 slugging percentage that ranks 15th in the nation and is the best of any player in the College World Series field. Zunino is an NCBWS second team All-American who is one of only two Gators (Preston Tucker-.314 BA, 14 HR, 68 RBIs) to play in all 67 of his team’s games in 2011. Sophomore Brian Johnson (.312 BA, 5 HR, 27 RBIs – 8-3, 3.66 ERA) joins Virginia’s Hultzen as another top two-way player – but Johnson has yet to play since May 28, when he was injured at the SEC Tournament after a fluke play saw him hit by a throw from home plate to second base. Freshman pitcher Karsten Whitsen (8-0, 2.45 ERA)  joins the likes of 2010 CWS pitcher Gerrit Cole of UCLA and TCU’s Matt Purke to turn down first-round MLB Draft money in order to play college baseball. Whitsen was the ninth overall pick by San Diego in the 2010 draft. The decision to go to college worked out for Cole, who later became the number-one overall pick in the 2011 draft.

Justin Jones

California doesn’t have one or two players with eye-popping numbers to watch like the rest of the teams in the field. With six straight NCAA Tourney wins, the Golden Bears are the only non No. 1 regional seed that advanced to Omaha this year. What they do have though is “mojo” and a group of players who have refused to see their season, let alone program, end. Tony Renda (.335, 3 HR, 42 RBIs) is the Pac-10 Player of the Year. He is one of four Cal players to start all 58 games this season. Roommate Chadd Krist (.304, 2 HR, 43 RBIs) joins Renda with the superstition of eating an apple before every game. Sophomore pitcher Justin Jones (9-6, 2.93 ERA) could be the Cal player to watch for a multitude of reasons. First, the lefty has a head of shaggy hair that would make Foo Fighters front man Dave Grohl jealous. Second, he wore a sling in the dugout in the Super Regional clincher after holding his arm midway through his game-one start. And finally (and probably most importantly), the fact that Jones is even still at Cal is a story in itself. The 2010 Freshman All-American thought about transferring when Cal announced it was eliminating the baseball program on Sept. 28, 2010. However, his decision to stay, along with the performances of fellow starter Erik Johnson (7-4, 2.91 ERA, 100 Ks) and the rest of his teammates, have helped propel the Golden Bears to a place they haven’t been in nearly 20 years (in Omaha for the CWS).

These are just some of the top players we’ll see over the next couple of weeks. One of the best things about the College World Series is the players who will burst out of the shadows to become stars with the flick of a bat, the twirl of a seam and the blink of an eye. Don’t believe me? Just ask Michael Roth!

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How Much Longer Will Cinderella’s Slipper Fit?

Cal head coach David Esquer

“I gave them the option. I said if you need a day or two to collect yourself, talk to your parents, or come to our office to talk to [the coaches], I’m okay with it,” said Cal head coach David Esquer. “They said, ‘We’re practicing today.’ ”

Eight-and-a-half months later, the team not only will return in 2012, but their magical 2011 season will continue all the way to the College World Series.

No. 3 regional seed California (37-21) continued to roll through the NCAA Baseball Tournament with a 6-2 victory over fellow Cinderella Dallas Baptist (42-20) to sweep the best-of-three Super Regional series Sunday night in Santa Clara.

For the second straight night, Cal used its dominant pitching to put away the high-powered Dallas Baptist offense and advance to Omaha for the first time since 1992 (the sixth CWS appearance in the program’s history).

Esquer and his players seemed to be experiencing a mix of emotions in the postgame news conference. They at times appeared overwhelmed by what this team has gone through since September but they also displayed pride for their team and school and shock that – after the program almost being cut – they are one of eight schools still playing for a national championship, beginning this weekend in Omaha.

The team began fall workouts days after the school announced the program would be cut, and Esquer said his team never let that news affect its on-field performance.

“I said here they are getting some really difficult news that they aren’t happy with, but they aren’t going to back away one inch from their commitment to their team and this program.”

Cal players say going through that situation bonded the team more than ever.

Pac 10 Player of the Year Tony Renda

That’s how Cal second basemen and Pac-10 Player of the Year Tony Renda feels. “It definitely brought us closer together,” Renda said after the Super Regional clincher. “Going out to that practice was a team decision. That’s what we love to do, we love to play baseball and we love to be around each other. There’s not a single person on this team I wouldn’t stand up for. I love them like my brothers. This whole year has brought us closer together and it’s a huge part of why we’re here today.”

The program ultimately was spared the budget axe because alumni, former players and fans came together to raise enough funds to keep the program going in the years to come.

Cal players were able to thank those who helped save the program by winning the Super Regional series in front of their fans.

“The only reason we’re around is because of the people who back us, put their hard-earned money behind us and behind this program and supported us through it. I’m forever grateful that they came through for us,” said Renda.

After losing the first game in the Houston Regional, the Bears now have won six straight tournament games, including a come-from-behind, 9-8 win over Baylor to advance to the Super Regional. In that game, the Bears scored twice in the 8th and four more in the bottom of the 9th and were down to their last strike before pulling out the victory.

The six-game winning streak is the team’s longest since a seven-game streak in late March.

Renda was 3-for-5 with an RBI in Sunday’s clincher, after going hitless in Cal’s game-1 win. He said getting back to his pregame rituals was the key to Sunday’s success.

“Chadd [Krist] and I are roommates and we usually eat an apple before every game,” Renda said. “We forgot to eat our apple yesterday, that’s why we were hitless. We did everything else the same – that’s why we still won. We had our apples today for sure.”

The apple paid off for Krist as well. He was 2-for-4 with a home and 3 RBIs in the clincher.

DBU scored only two runs on seven hits in the series. They hit a lowly .117 (7-for-60) in the two games – thanks to the pitching of Cal starters Justin Jones and Erik Johnson, along with the Golden Bears bullpen.

“They’ve got good arms and they execute the pitches well,” said Patriot head coach Dan Heefner. “We definitely didn’t show what we’ve done most of the year, even against quality arms like that.”

Landon Anderson was the only DBU player with more than one hit in the two games (2-for-7). The Patriots; top hitter Jason Krizan (.419 average entering the series) finished the series 1-for-6.

“I told our guys afterwards that it’s tough to watch a team dogpile at the end of a game, but that also means you put yourself in a pretty special position,” said Heefner. “What that means for our program, time will tell, but it definitely took us to a whole new level.”

The Patriots, an independent, were making their second NCAA Tournament appearance in school history (2008). It was the school’s first Super Regional appearance. DBU baseball made its debut on the Division I level in 2006.

Cal now heads to Omaha as the Cinderella of the CWS. The Bears are the fifth teams since 2007 to reach Omaha after being seeded third of fourth in the Regional round. Fresno State’s “Wonderdog Team” became the first number-four regional seed to win a national championship, in 2008 (since the 64-team format began, in 1999).

The story of the 2011 Cal team has gone from a sad college baseball story to a good college baseball story … and  it simply is a great sports story.

The question now is how much longer will this unbelievable story last?

CLICK HERE to visit the College Baseball 360 YouTube channel for more Cal Super Regional videos.

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Rivals Both Headed To Regionals…

Stanford once again utilized its great pitching to take the first two games in the series up in Berkeley by scores of 3-2 on Friday and 4-2 on Saturday. The Stanford bats woke up in the third game, part of a Saturday doubleheader, and the boys in red and white were leading 7-1 in the bottom of the fourth when foul weather set in and ended the game for good.

With the series victory, Stanford finished the season on a high note by beating two top-25 Pac-10 teams in back to back weeks (Arizona and Cal). Cal, on the other hand, hobbled across the finish line with three consecutive series losses in the Pac-10, albeit against three of the better teams in the conference (Oregon State, UCLA and Stanford).

Once again, pitchers Mark Appel, Jordan Pries and Chris Reed all pitched very well, and for the second week in a row, the Cardinal didn’t need much offense to have a winning weekend.

Appel went seven and one-third innings while only giving up one earned run and walking nobody in Friday’s 3-2 win. Reed gave up a hit and a walk, but he closed out the final one and two-thirds innings with the game on the line to seal the victory, which helped Appel’s record to 5-6 and earned Reed his seventh save of the year.

The story was the same in the first game of the scheduled doubleheader on Saturday, but this time Pries was the winner, as he went seven and one-third innings, giving up two unearned runs, one walk and just six hits. Reed closed out the game after he came in during the 8th with a 4-2 lead, runners on the corners and one out. Reed got a fielder’s choice groundout on a dramatic play at the plate and a flyout to rightfield to squash the Bears’ rally, and got a double play in the ninth to end the game.

Despite the losses, Cal’s pitching staff did well over the weekend also, with Erik Johnson striking out 11 Stanford hitters in Friday’s game, and Justin Jones settling down after giving up four runs in the first four innings to finish eight full innings with the Bears down just 4-2 before Reed closed things out for the Cardinal.

Despite the Bears’ solid arms, the offense is a major concern for the boys in blue and gold. Cal has scored just 33 runs in its last 14 Pac-10 games, an average of just 2.3 runs a game. They have been facing off against some excellent teams in that time span – Arizona State, Oregon, Oregon State, UCLA and Stanford – but the offensive struggles will most likely mean an early exit for the Bears unless they can turn things around in the batting cages before the NCAA regionals.

Stanford’s offense didn’t score a ton of runs either – just enough to get the victories – but a couple key cogs in the Cardinal offense had good weekend. Sophomore Tyler Gaffney extended his hitting streak to 17 games this weekend with consecutive 2-for-4, one run, one RBI days at the plate. Fellow sophomore Stephen Piscotty went 2-for-4 with an RBI on Saturday and had a double, a single, and a walk in the second half of the doubleheader before the game was called due to rain.

Senior catcher Zach Jones went 3-for-5 on Saturday and scored three runs in two games (he also had a double and a single in the rainout game) to raise his batting average to .268 this year. This was a particularly impressive feat because Jones was hitting .130 through 16 games, but Jones has finished the regular season by hitting .323 in the last 36 games, and he leads the team in extra-base hits with 31.

Both these teams will be interesting to watch in the regionals – the Pac-10 has been strong this year, and the Cardinal and the Bears both have some nice pieces going into the postseason, both teams have a tough draw with Stanford heading down to Cal State Fullerton and Cal traveling to Rice, but with a little bit of luck, and the offense,
defense and pitching to syncing up, the Bay Area rivals could find themselves advancing to a Super Regional.

Click the image to enlarge!

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Both The Good & The Bad…

It’s no surprise that offense has been down, while pitching numbers have been better so far this season. However, nobody predicted James Madison would erupt for 91 runs with those new bats in a four-game sweep of Bucknell to open the season. Jake Lowery and David Herbek have combined to lead not only the Dukes, but also the nation with 14 and 12 home runs, respectively, while also sitting among the nation’s Division One leaders in sever other offensive categories.

Following is a look at some other surprises, both good and bad, to this point in the season.

Pleasant Surprises…

Danny Hultzen is 6-0 with a 1.36 ERA in 2011

Virginia was supposed to be good this year, but Brian O’Connor’s Cavaliers have been flat-out great so far. UVA debuted at #15 in our Preseason Composite National Rankings, but is 29-2 overall and 11-1 in ACC play heading into this weekend’s showdown with Georgia Tech. The Cavs lost just one game in the month of March-their series finale against Florida State. They’ve done anything but mash the ball out of the yard en-route to their 29 victories. Keith Werman has nearly twice as many sac bunts (13) as his team has home runs (7), while they still average 7.3 runs a game with a .300 team batting average. Danny Hultzen (6-0, 1.36 ERA) is second in the nation with 78 strikeouts for a pitching staff that’s so deep that midweek starter Will Roberts, who pitched a perfect game last week, is riding a 21-inning scoreless streak. Virginia has a 1.93 team ERA with 333 strikeouts and just 64 walks this season.

Fresno State was a team that many thought deserved an NCAA bid in 2010, but the Bulldogs (38-25) just missed the field of 64 after Hawaii ended their reign of four straight WAC Tournament titles. Offense wasn’t a problem for Mike Batesole’s squad, but the pitching staff ended the season with a 6.05 ERA. Things have been much different for the 2011 edition of the Bulldogs (20-3). Greg Gonzalez (6-0, 1.36 ERA) fronts a pitching staff that sports a 2.50 ERA. The senior led the staff with 73 strikeouts last year, but he already has 52 Ks with just 9 BB in 46 1/3 IP in 2011. Charlie Robertson has slammed the door at the end of games with 9

Fresno State's Charlie Robertson is among the DI leaders with 9 saves.

saves in 10 appearances. He is yet to surrender an earned run in 16 1/3 IP this year. Like everyone, Fresno State’s offense is still adjusting to the new bats. Most notably Jordan Ribera, who hit .343 and led the nation with 27 home runs last year. He is batting just .244 with one HR and 7 RBIs in 23 starts in ’11. Dusty Robinson has picked-up the slack though, with a .321 BA, 6 HR and 19 RBIs.

Georgia was just 16-37 last year with a dismal 5-23 record in the SEC. Outfielder Zach Cone (.363, 10 HR, 53 RBIs) was practically the entire offense for Dave Perno’s Bulldogs, while the pitching staff had a bloated 8.51 ERA with no complete games. The Bulldogs (15-14, 6-3) are one win from matching last year’s overall win total, while a series win over LSU and a sweep of Mississippi State has already exceeded last year’s conference win total. Georgia also boasts wins over UCLA, Florida State and South Carolina. There’s still work to be done, but where UGA is now is a far cry from a season that started by being swept in a 3-game series at Stetson.

Cal State Bakersfield is well on its way to eclipsing last year’s win total. The Roadrunners are off and running to a 20-7 start after finishing with a 26-30 record in 2010. Bill Kernan’s squad hasn’t shied away from tough competition either. The DI independent has wins over top 10 opponents Arizona State and defending national champion South Carolina along with series wins over Washington and Ohio State. Ryan McIntyre (.363, 10

Tommy Hoenshell has helped spearhead Bakersfield's pitching staff.

doubles, 4 triples, .966 OPS) leads an offense that has five regulars hitting above .300, but it’s pitching that’s really fueled Bakersfield so far. Tommy Hoenshell (5-3, 1.97 ERA) has two complete games and leads the nation with 64.0 IP, Jonathon Montoya (5-1, 3.06 ERA) is tied for the DI lead with four complete games and closer Martin Medina (1-1, 2.45 ERA, 5 saves) has 19 strikeouts in 14 2/3 innings to date.

Cal may or may not be reinstated beyond this season, but the Golden Bears are doing everything they can to make 2011 memorable. Dave Esquer has his team off to a 19-7 record, including 5-1 in the Pac-10, in what could be the program’s swan song. The pitching was expected to be good in 2011, but so far it’s been flat-out great. Justin Jones and Erik Johnson are each 4-1 with respective 2.47 and 2.08 ERAs, while Kevin Miller (3-2, 0.63 ERA, 1 save) has been nearly lights-out in a swing role. The senior has made three relief appearances and five starts, with a team-high 53 strikeouts and just 7 BB in 43.0 IP. Cal has a balanced offensive attack. Six regulars are batting between .317 and Austin Booker’s team-best .346, while eight players have accounted for the team’s 12 home runs.

Central Florida’s sites have been set on Omaha since Terry Rooney left his job as an LSU assistant to take over in Orlando. Now in his third year, Rooney has a team that’s starting to make some noise. The Knights (20-9) opened Conference USA with the program’s first ever series win over Rice only to be swept last weekend by Southern Mississippi.  However, UCF responded by toppling Florida 4-3 Tuesday night in Gainesville. D.J. Hicks (.347, 6 HR,

UCF's D.J. Hicks is among the top overall Conference USA hitters this season.

1.008 OPS) leads an offense that has seven starters batting above .300. Freshman Ben Lively (5-0, 1.88 ERA) has been UCF’s top weekend starter, while relievers Nick Cicio (1.08 ERA) and Joe Rogers (2.04 ERA) have each made 11 appearances out of the Knight’s bullpen, combining for 8 saves and 42 Ks with 5 BB in 44.0 IP.

Stetson (22-7) is another Florida school that’s exceeded most expectations so far. The Hatters need just five wins to match the win total of last year’s team that finished 27-31. Head coach Pete Dunn’s 32nd edition of the Hatters is also just five wins away from matching its 14 Atlantic Sun Conference win total from 2010. Robert Crews (.378, 3 HR), Nick Rickles (.345, 10 doubles, 3 HR, 28 RBIs) and Mark Jones (.343) have provided the bulk of the offense, while relievers Robbie Powell (4-0, 1.05 ERA) and Jake Boyd (2-0, 2.45 ERA) have combined for 8 saves in 31 appearances. The pitching staff has notched 232 strikeouts with 94 walks so far this season.

Head-scratching Surprises…

Connecticut was the darling of the north heading into the 2011 season. The Huskies brought back most of their line-up and pitching from last year’s team that won a school record 48 games and hosted an NCAA Regional. Most is the key word. UConn struggled to an 8-9-1 start to the new campaign without table setter Pierre LePage (.327, 63 R, 29 SB) and top run producer Mike Olt (.318, 23 HR, 76 RBIs), who were both drafted last June. The Huskies (15-10-1) have won seven of their last eight and look like they are back on the right track after sweeping St. John’s last weekend. Ace pitcher Matt Barnes (5-2, 1.00 ERA, 2 CG) has been as dominant as advertised. After starting the season in the Saturday starting role, he’s now the Friday night man. The UConn staff currently sports a 2.78 ERA, which should go a long way toward curing what ails Jim Penders‘ team now that Big East play is here.

UCLA road its pitching and a scrappy offense to a national runner-up finish in Omaha last year. The Bruins might have to lean on the arms of Trevor Bauer and Gerrit Cole even more this year. UCLA hit .304 as a team and averaged 6.8 runs a game last year, but those numbers are down to .244 and 4.0 through 24 games this year. John Savage’s Bruins (14-10) weren’t a team built on power to begin with (Dean Espy’s 9 HR led the club last year), but they have just four home runs to date in ’11. Seven different Bruin regulars batted .308 or better last year, but Cody Keefer’s .293 currently leads the team. Bauer (5-1, 1.46 ERA), who leads the nation with 82 Ks, and Cole (3-2, 2.06 ERA, 57 K) and the staff have been overpowering, with a 2.06 staff ERA and 259 strikeouts vs. just 74 walks in 218 2/3 innings this season. But consider this: After a 22-game win streak to start the season, UCLA didn’t lose its first game until April 2 last year. They lost 17 times in 68 games last year, but they have already lost 10 games this season.

San Diego has been to the NCAA Tournament in four of the last five seasons, but the Toreros will have a tough time getting back this year. San Diego (7-19) is off to one of the worst starts in Rich Hill’s 13-year tenure. USD currently sports a .256 team batting average, .325 on-base percentage and 4.82 ERA. The holes in the weekend pitching rotation left by Kyle Blair (8-4, 2.84 ERA) and Sammy Solis (9-2, 3.42 ERA) have been tough to fill on the mound, while the bats of Chris Engall (.416) and James Meador (.391) have left a big offensive void as well. To its credit, San Diego has played a tough schedule, with losses to the likes of Vanderbilt, Oklahoma, Cal, Coastal Carolina, and Fresno State.

New Mexico had its best season in nearly 50 years in 2010, but things have been different this year. After earning the program’s first NCAA bid since 1962, the 2011 Lobos are off to a 9-20 start, including eight straight losses to start the campaign. However, Ray Birmingham’s squad returned just one position starter and six pitchers from last year’s team that went 38-22. Birmingham’s teams have always been offensive minded, but it’s hitting a whopping 80 points below last year’s .346 team batting average, while reaching base at a .342 clip (down nearly 70 points). The lack of offense, combined with a 6.05 staff ERA has been a recipe for  misfortune so far. Give Birmingham credit though. He knew what kind of turnover he would be facing this year, but still scheduled the likes of Arizona State, Oklahoma State, Arizona, and Oklahoma. The first of two conference series against TCU is this weekend.

Oregon is off to just a 14-12 start after an NCAA berth in just the second year of existence in the program’s return. The 40-24 record and that postseason appearance brought high expectations and a top 10 ranking coming into 2011. Like UCLA, George Horton’s offense is know for its small ball approach, but the Ducks are waddling to the tune of a dismal .229 team batting average and a .310 slugging percentage. Aaron Jones (.310) and Danny Pulfer (.301) are the only Ducks batting above .300, while K.C. Serna, who hit a team-best .348 in ’10, is struggling at .194 this season. Oregon scored just three runs in last week’s sweep at the hands of Arizona State to open Pac-10 play, making this weekend’s home series against Washington huge.

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Players Keeping Pace as Midseason Pressure Approaches …

CollegeBaseball360.com has announced its fourth group of Primetime Performers, for action during the second week of March. Virginia junior rightfielder Dan Grovatt (Tabernacle, Fla.) has been named the CB360 Primetime Player of the Week while Kansas senior righthanded closer Brett Bochy (Poway, Calif.) is the CB360 Primetime Pitcher of the Week.

360Lexy

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Grovatt (pictured at left) and Bochy (right)lead the way for a Primetime Performer Honor Roll that includes 19 other players who delivered timely performances in pressure-packed situations during the past week. (front-page photo courtesy of Virginia)

Grovatt (pictured above; UVa photo) – batting .424 for the season – played a central role in college baseball’s biggest series of the season thus far, as the Cavaliers (#2 in the CB360 Composite National Rankings) took 2-of-3 at #4 Florida State (5-0/9-8/8-9). Living up to his responsibility as the Cavs’ 3-hole hitter, Grovatt hit 8-for-14 (.571) during the FSU series and smacked three home runs while directly factoring into seven of the team’s runs spanning the three games (5 RBI, 5R). He helped deliver the first series win vs. Florida State in the history of Virginia baseball. Grovatt’s four hits and first career multi-HR game helped carry the Cavs to victory in the opener.

One day later, in the series clincher, Grovatt was the relief pitcher of record (1IP-R-H-K) while also playing a role (H-R) in UVa’s stunning six-run rally in the top of the 9th. He added a home run in the tight series finale – and earlier in the week helped beat a William & Mary team that was fresh off an upset vs. North Carolina.

Bochy (pictured below) – who has a year of eligibility remaining after this season – saved both of KU’s wins at top-ranked LSU (11-9, 8-4), in front of a raucous and expansive crowd at Alex Box Stadium. The son of San Francisco Giants  manager Bruce Bochy logged a total of 3.2 shutout innings and retired 11-of-13 batters he faced, with five strikeouts and no hits allowed (2 BB). His season numbers include a 0.87 ERA in 10.1 innings, with 19 Ks, four walks and only two hits allowed.

Similar to the weekly awards presented on sister site CollegeSoccer360.com, the CB360 Primetime Performer honors various players based on any/all of the following “primetime” criteria…not solely based on raw stats.

Primetime Performer Award Criteria
• Must have been playing for or against a CB360 top-50 team (in the Composite National Rankings)  or performed a high level in a game that could be key to a team’s conference/NCAA postseason qualification.
• Involved in clutch performances, such as late game-winning hits, noteworthy comebacks, game-changing plays, team leadership, etc.
• Performing 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.
• Overcoming adversity or extreme circumstances (for the team and/or individual).
• Any accomplishment that is rare, historic, record-setting, etc., on a national level.

(top row, from left) UCLA’s Trevor Bauer, Pepperdine’s Cole Cook, BC’s Pat Dean, Louisville’s Neil Holland, Virginia’s Danny Hultzen, (bottom row, from left) Liberty’s P.J. Jimenez and Cal’s Erik Johnson.

The other 19 members of the CB360 Primetime Performer Weekly Honor Roll include UCLA so. righthander Trevor Bauer (Valencia, Calif.), Pepperdine jr. RHP Cole Cook (Los Aneles, Calif.), Boston College jr. LHP Pat Dean (Naugatuck, Conn.), Louisvile jr. RHP Neil Holland (Owensboro, Ky.), UVa so. LHP Danny Hultzen (Bethesda, Md.), Liberty sr. 2B P.J. Jimenez (Yucaipa, Calif.), Cal so. RHP Eric Johnson (Los Altos, Calif.), Duke jr. SS Jake Lemmerman (Newport Beach, Calif.), Kansas jr. RF Casey Lytle (Phoenix, Ariz.), Florida State sr. LF/RHP Mike McGee (Port St. Lucie, Fla.), Illinois jr. DH Casey McMurray (Willow Springs, Ill.), Northridge jr. CF Drew Muren (Ramona, Calif.), South Dakota St. jr. RHP Alex Oberle (San Jose, Calif.), Cal fr. 3B Tony Renda (Hillsborough, Calif.), Evansville fr. SS Eric Stamets (Dublin, Ohio), Long Beach so. 3B Joey Terdoslavich (Sarasota, Fla.), Charleston Southern RHP/RF  Tyler Thornburg (Atlanta, Ga.), The Citadel jr. RHP Asher Wojciechowski (Sturgis, Mich.) and BYU so. 1B Alex Wolff (Orem, Utah).

(from left) Duke’s Jake Lemmerman, KU’s Casey Lytle, Florida State’s Mike McGee, Illinois’ Casey McMurray, Northridge’s Drew Muren and South Dakota State’s Alex Oberle.

The 21 honorees include eight pitchers (seven RHPs), three two-way players (RF/LHP, LF/RHP, RHP/RF), two shortstops, two third basemen, a first baseman, a second baseman, one player from each outfield spot, and a DH. The selections feature 11 juniors, five sophomores, three seniors and the freshmen Renda and Stamets. Roughly 40% of the honorees (9) hail from California – five of them playing at in-state schools (UCLA, Pepperdine, Cal 2 and Northridge), but others coming from throughout the country (Kansas, Liberty, Duke and South Dakota State). The other players include two from Florida and one each from Arizona, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio and Utah.’

(from left) Cal’s Tony Renda, Evansville’s Eric Stamets, Long Beach’s Joey Terdoslavich, Charleston Southern’s Tyler Thornburg, The Citadel’s Asher Wojciechowski and BYU’a Alex Wolff.

Primetime Performer Weekly Honor Roll #4 (March 8-14)

(presented by CollegeBaseball360.com)
“It’s not so much what you do, as it is when you do it.”

Player (Pos.) … School … Yr. … Hometown … Stats & Notes
Trevor Bauer (RHP) … UCLA … So. . … Valencia, CA
Took shutout into 9th and racked up 18 Ks, as Bruins beat #44 Mississippi in Corpus Christi (8+IP-3H-2BB)

*Brettt Bochy (RHP) … Kansas … Sr. … Poway, CA
Saved both of KU’s victories while retiring 11-of-13 batters faced, in series at #1 LSU (3.2IP-2BB-5K)

Cole Cook (RHP) … Pepperdine … Jr. … Los Angeles, CA
Set series tone with complete-game 9-3 win vs. #12 East Carolina (2 earned runs, 8H-3BB-8K)

Pat Dean (LHP) … Boston College … Jr. …  Naugatuck, CT
Struck out nine in big win at #21 Miami (8IP-6H-BB)

*Dan Grovatt (RF/LHPF) … Virginia … Jr. … Tabernacle, NJ
3-hole hitter who paced Virginia offense in series win (5-0/9-8/8-9) at #4 Florida St. (3HR-5 RBI-5 R)

Neil Holland (RHP) … Louisville … Jr. … Owensboro, KY
Picked up a win and 2 saves (4IP-R-H-BB-6K) spanning midweek game with Indian (9-7) and series at #18 Ol’Miss (6-1/12; 10-8)

Danny Hultzen (LHP) … Virginia … So. … Bethesda, MD
Made game-1 statement with 6.0 shuttout inning at #4 Florida State (2H-6K; UVa won 5-0)

P.J. Jimenez (2B) … Liberty … Sr. …  Yucaipa, CA
2-hole hitter went 5-for-10 to spark pair of wins (9-1/14-9) over #34 St. John’s ( RBI, 6R, HR, BB)

Erik Johnson (RHP) … California … So. … Los Altos, CA
Won 8-6 opener at #23 Rice (6IP-2H-BB-6K), leading Bears to split of 4-game series

Jake Lemmerman (SS) … Duke … Jr. … Newport Beach, CA
Leadoff batter who hit 4-for-9 in pair of wins (15-11/5-3) at #11 UNC (4RBI-4R-HR-2B-BB-SB)

Casey Lytle (RF) … Kansas … Jr. … Phoenix, AZ
Smacked 4 doubles while leading offense in series win at #1 LSU (5-for-9, 4 RBI, 5R, 2 BB; 11-9 & 8-4 wins)

Mike McGee (LF/RHP) … Florida State … Sr. … Port St. Lucie, FL
Two-way talent who paced team’s midweek 1-hitter vs. Jacksonville (6IP-4BB-9K; FSU won 2-0), then had strong series vs. #2 Virginia (4-RBI-3R-HR-2 2B), including key role in 9-8 win (2-5/3RBI-HR-2B; 1.2IP-2K)

Casey McMurray (DH) … Illinois … Jr. … Willow Springs, IL
Drove in 5 runs to lead upset win at #5 Coastal Carolina (HR-2B;also homered in loss vs. CC)

Drew Muren (CF) … CS Northridge … Jr. … Ramona, CA
His grand slam sparked 5-3 win over #12 East Carolina (also 6-16 in series win over LMU, 6RBI-5R-HR-2B-2BB-2SB)

Alex Oberle (RHP) … South Dakota State … Jr. … San Jose, CA
Posted impressive win at #16 Arkansas (6.2IP-R-3H-3BB-3K)

Tony Renda (3B) … California … Fr. … Hillsborough, CA
Led Bear offense during pair of wins (8-6/6-4) at #23 Rice (4-6, 5BI, 3R, HR, 3B, 2 BB)

Eric Stamets (SS) … Evansville … Fr. … Dublin, OH
2-hole hitter who delivered in clutch during 8-4 win at #19 Kentucky (2-5, 2 RBI, 2R, 2 2B, 2 BB, 2 SB)

Joey Terdoslavich (3B) … Long Beach State …  So. … Sarasota, FL
Hit 6-for-8 in pair of wins (7-4/7-3) over #33 Wichita St. (4RBI, 2R, 2B)

Tyler Thornburg (RHP/RF) … Charleston Southern … Jr. … Atlanta, GA
Complate-game win at #10 Florida (6-3;  7H-3BB-11K; also sac. fly and 2 other hits in series)

Asher Wojciechowski (RHP) … The Citadel … Jr. …  Sturgis, MI
His win in opener (4-0) headlined sweep of #36 Western Carolina (8IP-6H-14 Ks; 138 pitches/92 strikes)

Alex Wolff (1B) … BYU … So. …  Orem, UT
3-hole hitter came through in pair of wins (10-4/16-4) vs. # Washington (4-9, 11 RBI, 6R, 3 HR, 2B)

* – Grovatt is the CB360 Primetime Player of the Week and Bochy the Primetime Pitcher of the Week … note that rankings above refer to the CB360 top-50 … class years are based on academic standing (some players may have an extra year of eligibility)