A Look At Teams 1-10…

Florida's Kevin O'Sullivan with ESPN's Kyle Peterson at the CWS

With the start of the season rapidly approaching, here’s a look at some of the top teams in the country heading into the 2012 college baseball season.

Our rankings are based on a “composite formula” that combines not only the existing weekly preseason national polls, but also other factors like strength of schedule and preseason conference polls. Other criteria will continually be added throughout the season to our composite rankings.

Here is a look at the top 10 teams heading into the season.

( ) Stats in parenthesis are from the 2011 season.

* After a statistic denotes team leader in that statistical category.

Top 10 By Conference: SEC: 4, ACC: 2, Big 12: 2, Pac-12: 1, Conference USA: 1

CLICK HERE to see the entire CB360 2012 Preseason Composite National Rankings

CLICK HERE to see capsules for teams 11-20

CLICK HERE to see capsules for teams 21-30

1. Florida

2011 Record: 53-19

In 2010, Kevin O’Sullivan led Florida to its first College World Series since 2005’s national runner-up appearance, but the Gators were two and ‘que in Rosenblatt Stadium’s swan song. Last year, virtually the same team stormed all the way to the CWS Championship Series, only to fall to SEC Eastern Division rival South Carolina.

The question O’Sullivan has this year is – Can that same core of players take things one step farther?

While the two-time defending champion Gamecocks have considerable losses to deal with (see below), the Gators return almost everyone from last year’s 53 win team.

Starting pitchers Hudson Randall (11-3*, 2.17 ERA, 124 1/3 IP*, 2 CG*), Karsten Whitson (8-1, 2.40 ERA, 97 1/3 IP, 92 K*) and two-way player Brian Johnson (8-1, 2.40 ERA/.307 BA, 5 HR, 29 RBIs) combined to pitch nearly half of the team’s 644 innings last year. A slew of heavy duty arms will back them up in the bullpen.

The line-up is led by catcher Mike Zunino (.371*, 19 HR*, 23 Doubles*, 67 RBIs, 75 Runs*, 1.116 OPS*) and senior Preston Tucker (.308, 15 HR, 74 RBIs*, 23 Doubles*). Daniel Pigott (.331, 5 HR, 40 RBIs, 15 SB*), Nolan Fontana (.289, 5 HR, 49 RBIs), Austin Maddox (.280, 6 HR, 35 RBIs/0.67 ERA, 21 App., 5 SV*), Tyler Thompson (.264, 27 Starts), and Vickash Ramjit (.382, 19 Starts) all fortify the best top to bottom everyday lineup in the country heading into the season. Tucker told us anything short of a national championship this year would be a disappointment and it’s hard to disagree.

The Gators challenge themselves right away when they host a three-game series vs. Cal State Fullerton to open the season.

CLICK HERE to listen to a podcast interview with Gator Preston Tucker.

2. South Carolina

2011 Record:  55-14

Ray Tanner’s Gamecocks won a second straight national title last year after returning a slew of talent from the 2010 championship squad. This year will be different though. South Carolina loses several key players from the back-to-back championship teams – including position players Jackie Bradley, Jr. (.247, 6 HR, 27 RBIs), Scott Wingo (.338, 4 HR, 31 RBIs), Brady Thomas (.316, 4 HR, 43 RBIs), Robert Beary (.289, 3 HR, 35 RBIs), Adrian Morales (.281, 3 HR, 40 RBIs), and relievers John Taylor (8-1, 1.14 ERA, 50 App., *) and Jose Mata (3-0, 1.76 ERA). The two pitchers combined to make 73 appearances (50 by Taylor) en-route to the team’s second crown last year.

While the losses are formidable, South Carolina does return arguably the most important pitcher in the country, Michael Roth (14-3*, 1.06 ERA, CG*, 145 IP*, 112 K*), over the last two seasons. Sophomore closer Matt Price (7-3, 1.83 ERA, 20 SV*, 59 IP, 70 K*), Forrest Koumas (6-1, 2.96 ERA) and Colby Holmes (7-3, 3.69 ERA) fortify a solid pitching staff.

Infield cornerstone Christian Walker (.358*, 10 HR*, 62 RBIs*, 21 Doubles*, 64 Runs*, .992 OPS*) and  Evan Marzilli (.291, 3 HR, 31 RBIs) are also back for a shot at another run at Omaha.

South Carolina is the only SEC team to reach the NCAA Tournament and also record 40 or more wins in each of the last 12 seasons. The Gamecocks have 577 overall wins, including 222 in SEC play (the most of any team in the conference) during that stretch.

3. Stanford

2011 Record: 35-22

You would be hard pressed to find a team that played a tougher schedule than Stanford last year. You would be even harder pressed to find a pitcher who had tougher head-to-head match-ups in 2011 than Cardinal ace Mark Appel (6-7, 3.02 ERA, 2 CG*, 110 1/3 IP*). Stanford opened its season with series at Rice, at Vanderbilt and at Texas, making the likes of Sonny Gray and Taylor Jungmann Appel’s counterparts on those nights. That’s not to mention match-ups with Sam Gaviglio, Gerrit Cole, Brady Rodgers, Kurt Heyer, and Erik Johnson in Pac-10 play.

The long and short of it is, while Appel won just six times for a 35 win Stanford team, both were battle tested when the NCAA Tournament rolled around as the Cardinal won the Fullerton Regional before falling to North Carolina in Super Regional play.

Appel leads a pitching staff that includes Dean McArdle (7-4*, 4.21 ERA), A.J. Vanegas (1-0, 3.35 ERA, 23 App.) and Brett Mooneyham, who missed all of last season due to injury. The lefty made 28 starts in his first two seasons in 2009 & ’10.

The everyday lineup is stocked with the likes of Stephen Piscotty (.364*, 3 HR, 40 RBIs, 13 Doubles), Brian Ragira (.329, 4 HR, 46 RBIs*, 5 Triples*), Tyler Gaffney (.327, 3 HR, 35 RBIs, 5 Triples*, 10 Doubles, 42 Runs*), Austin Wilson (.311, 5 HR*, 30 RBIs), Lonnie Kauppila (.298, 10 Doubles, 25 RBIs), Kenny Diekroeger (.293, 2 HR, 31 RBIs, 31 Runs), and Jake Stewart (.287, 19 RBIs, 15 Doubles*, 8 SB*, 32 Runs).

By the way, Texas, Rice and Vandy all visit Sunken Diamond this year.

4. North Carolina

2011 Record: 51-16

The good news for Mike Fox and his Tar Heels last year was, after being eliminated in the Regional round in 2010 (on the heels of four straight CWS appearances from 2006-2009), they got back to Omaha in 2011. The bad news was, it was one of their shortest CWS trips. North Carolina was just 1-2 at TD Ameritrade Park last year, with a win over Texas sandwiched between losses to Vanderbilt.

The good news for Fox this year is he returns the bulk of last year’s team. Colin Moran (.335*, 9*, 71 RBIs*, 20 Doubles*, .982 OPS*), Tommy Coyle (.311, 2 HR, 36 RBIs, 57 Runs*, 16 Doubles, 18 SB*), Jacob Stallings (.292, 4 HR, 43 RBIs), Chaz Frank (.278, 35 RBIs, 10 SB). Coyle and Stallings were two of just three Tar Heels to start all 67 games last year. The biggest blow to the lineup and infield is the loss of shortstop Levi Michael (.289, 5 HR, 48 RBIs).

The pitching staff loses ace Patrick Johnson (13-2*, 2.47 ERA, 113 IP*, 125 K*), but there are more than enough returning arms to pick-up the slack. Among them Kent Emanuel (9-1, 2.33 ERA*, 104 1/3 IP), Chris Munnelly (6-5, 4.09 ERA, 10 Starts, 1 SV), Tate Parrish (2.20 ERA, 32 App., 16 1/3 IP, 15 K), Andrew Smith (3-1, 2.77 ERA, 24 App., 26 IP, 27 K), Shane Taylor (2-3, 3.00 ERA, 36 IP, 38 K), R.C. Orlan (2-0, 3.79 ERA, 32 App., 19 IP, 24 K), and Michael Morlin (4-2, 4.64 ERA, 32 App., 6 Starts, 10 SV*, 64 IP, 66 K).

5. Texas A&M

2011 Record: 47-22

Like its arch rival, Texas, Texas A&M is coming-off a trip to the College World Series. It was the program’s first appearance under head coach Rob Childress and its first since 1999. Unlike Texas, this will be A&M’s last season in the Big 12, as the Aggies move to the SEC (along with Missouri) next season.

Kind of makes the April 27-29 series (first game in College Station with the second two in Austin) must see college baseball.

Regardless of next year’s conference address, Childress has the cupboard stocked with returning talent this year. Most notably, reigning Big 12 Player of the Year Tyler Naquin (.381*, 68 Runs*, 44 RBIs, 7 triples*, 23 doubles*, .987 OPS*). The Aggie leadoff man is joined by Jacob House (.301, 3 HR, 52 RBIs*), Matt Juengel (.308, 7 HR*, 50 RBIs), and 2011 Freshman All-American Krey Bratsen (.332, 36 RBIs, 19 sac bunts*, 31 SB*).

Childress has plenty of pitching back too, with Michael Wacha (9-4, 2.29 ERA, 2 CG, 129 2/3 IP*, 123 K*) and versatile Ross Stripling (14-2*, 2.29 ERA, 4 CG*, 4 SV, 125 2/3 IP) at the front of the weekend rotation. Those two combine to give the Aggies one of the top Friday-Saturday duos in the country.

6. Rice

2011 Record: 42-21

Time marches on as Ray Graham prepares for his 21^st season at the helm at Rice. The veteran has averaged an amazing 45 wins in his two decades at the helm. If he hits that number this year and next, he will move past 1,000 career victories.

Graham enters 2011 looking to replace, arguably, the best player in Rice history – Anthony Rendon (.327*, 6 HR, 20 Doubles*, 1.043 OPS*). The third baseman’s home runs dropped last year thanks to BBCOR, but he still hit 52 HR in his three seasons in an Owl uniform. He was the sixth overall pick and the first college position player selected in last year’s MLB Draft (Washington Nationals).

As good as Rendon is, the one thing Rice did not do while he was there is go to the College World Series. The Owls were the No. 8 national seed and hosted an NCAA Regional last year, but they went just 1-2 and saw Cinderella Cal advance all the way to the CWS out of their Regional.

Rice has both plenty of offense and pitching returning this year. Michael Ratterree (.327*, 6 HR*, 53 RBIs*, 20 Doubles*), Craig Manuel (.309, 35 RBIs, 26 Runs) and Shane  Hoelscher (.281, 3 HR, 37 RBIs, 13 Doubles, 30 Runs) are among the top position players back.

Austin Kubitza (6-5, 2.34 ERA*, 100 IP*, 102 K*) heads the weekend rotation, while Matthew Reckling (4-1, 3.10 ERA, 78 1/3 IP, 96 K), Tyler Duffey (8-2*, 2.52 ERA, 30 App., 60 2/3 IP, 76 K), and John Simms (3-2, 3.32 ERA, 62 1/3 IP, 63 K, 23 App.) all return as well. Reckling is the grandson of Rice alum T.R. Reckling, for whom Rice’s home stadium, Reckling Park, is named.

7. Texas

2011 Record: 49-19

After failing to advance to the College World Series from 2006-2008, Augie Garrido’s Longhorns have righted the ship with trips to Omaha two of the last three seasons. Last year’s Omaha appearance was historically short though. Texas was two-and-out for just the second time in its 25 CWS appearances since 1966 last year with losses to Florida and North Carolina.

Gone from last year’s team is first round draftee Taylor Jungmann (13-3, 1.60 ERA, 5 CG, 141 IP*, 126 K*), whose only three losses of the season came in consecutive weeks in NCAA play. Cole Green (8-4, 3.14 ERA, 106 IP, 104 K) is gone as well, leaving Garrido with nearly 250 innings pitched to replace. It’s Texas though, so arms won’t be a problem.  National Freshman of the Year Corey Knebel (3-2, 1.13 ERA, 19 SV*, 55 2/3 IP, 61 K), Sam Stafford (6-2, 1.77 ERA) and Hoby Milner (7-4, 2.45 ERA) are back along with a host of other options.

Erich Weiss (.348*, 4 HR, 7 triples*, 12 doubles, 45 RBIs*, 1.003 OPS*) was the Longhorns’ top bat as a freshman last year, but he’ll need others to step-up around him with the losses of veterans Brandon Loy (.342, 30 RBIs) and Tant Shepherd (.303, 5 HR*, 41 RBIs).

8. Arkansas

2011 Record:

If Arkansas head coach Dave Van Horn knows nothing else about the 2012 season, he knows this – his Razorbacks will not have to go through Arizona State in Tempe in the NCAA Tournament. After both teams went to the 2009 College World Series, they squared-off in a 2010 Super Regional, with ASU again advancing to Omaha. Arkansas then bowed-out to the Sun Devils in Tempe in the Regional final last year. However, there is no way the two will meet in the postseason this year, because Arizona State is ineligible due to NCAA probation.

Freshman All-American Dominic Ficociello (.335*, 4 HR, 50 RBIs*, 15 Doubles) is back to lead a lineup that returns five position players from a team that won a tight race in the SEC Western Division. Only two games in the loss column separated first place from last place in the division. Bo Bigham (.291, 2 HR, 20 RBIs, 17 SB), Matt Reynolds (.243, 3 HR, 22 RBIs, 16 SB) and Tim Carver (.232, HR, 13 RBIs, 30 Runs, 24 SB*) are among those who will need to step-up to replace the power and production of James McCann (.306, 6 HR, 38 RBIs, 14 Doubles) and Kyle Robinson (.291, 10 HR*, 49 RBIs).

The Razorbacks will rely on a pitching staff whose 3.20 ERA in 2011 was the program’s best since 1982. All-SEC pitcher D.J. Baxendale (10-2*, 1.58 ERA*, CG, 3 SV, 81/3 IP*, 77 K*) is at the front of the weekend rotation and is among 10 returning Hog pitchers. Freshman All-Americans Barrett Astin (5-2, 2.72 ERA, 3 SV, 27 App.*) and Nolan Sanburn (2-4, 3.62 ERA, 8 SV) combined for 92 IP and 92 Ks last year.

9. Georgia Tech

2011 Record:

The Yellow Jackets hosted an NCAA Regional for the ninth time in 12 years in 2011, but failed to advance after being upset in the first round by Austin Peay and ultimately seeing Mississippi State advance to Super Regional play.

Danny Hall enters his 19^th season at Georgia Tech just 13 wins away from 1,000 in his career. He is also looking to take his team back to the College World Series for the first time since 2006.

Hall loses his top overall bat in Matt Skole (.348*, 10 HR, 58 RBIs*, .990 OPS*), but he has more than enough returning offense back in 2011 with Jake Davies (.347, 5 HR, 35 RBIs, 13 Doubles), Freshman All-American Kyle Wren (.340, 32 RBIs, 11 Doubles, 7 Triples*, 57 Runs*, 16 SB), Sam Dove (.310, 18 RBIs, 30 Runs), Brandon Thomas (.307, 3 HR, 29 RBIs, 29 Runs, 12 Doubles, 19 SB*), Daniel Palka (.297, 12 HR*, 52 RBIs, 18 Doubles, 41 Runs), Mott Hyde (.275, 4 HR, 47 RBIs, 39 Runs, 13 Doubles), and Zane Evans (.270, 5 HR, 46 RBIs, 34 Runs, 14 Doubles) all returning.

Mark Pope (11-4*, 1.74 ERA, 5 CG*, 113 2/3 IP*) is the biggest pitching loss, but the ’11 staff is still deep with Buck Farmer (11-3*, 2.91 ERA, 2 CG, 108 1/3 IP, 106 K*), Matthew Grimes (7-4, 4.15 ERA, 73 2/3 IP, 77 K), DeAndre Smelter (2-1, 0.52 ERA), Luke Bard (2-2, 2.72 ERA, 8 SV*, 25 App.*, 49 2/3 IP, 46 K), Dusty Isaacs (1-1, 2.72 ERA, 36 1/3 IP, 40 K, 25 App.*), and Devin Stanton (1-0, 3.38 ERA, 18 App.) all back looking for a deep NCAA run.

10. LSU

2011 Record: 36-20

Since winning the 2009 national championship, LSU was eliminated in NCAA Regional play in 2010 and just missed the NCAA field in 2011. Paul Mainieri’s young squad struggled to find consistency last year, but last year’s youngsters are all SEC-seasoned veterans now for a team that many considered a 2012 CWS favorite as soon as the 2011 season ended.

The biggest place where inexperience showed last year was in the weekend pitching rotation, where freshmen Kevin Gausman (5-6, 3.51 ERA, 89 2/3 IP*, 86 K*) and Kurt McCune (7-3*, 89 2/3 IP*, 3.31 ERA*) ate the bulk of the innings. Fellow Freshman Ryan Eades (4-1, 4.81 ERA, 6 starts, 18 App.) emerged and joined his classmates in the weekend rotation by season’s end, going 3-0 in his last three starts of the season. That included a win over eventual Super Regional team Mississippi State. Eades also went on to earn Cape Cod Pitcher of the Year honors last summer. Those three give Mainieri what he thinks is the best weekend rotation in the nation entering the season.

The Tigers must fill the void left by closer Matty Ott (1-3, 2.60 ERA, 6 SV*). Sophomore Nick Rumbelow (2-0, 4.85 ERA, 10 App.), All-American juco transfer Nick Goody and freshman Aaron Nola (the younger brother of Austin Nola) have been competing for that spot. The two who fall short in that battle will start the season as set-up men.

Mikie Mahtook (.383*, 61 Runs*, 12 doubles, 5 triples*, 14 HR*, 56 RBIs*), who hit 14 of the team’s 34 home runs last year, is gone. JaCoby Jones (.338, 4 HR, 32 RBIs, 11 Doubles, 12 SB) will take over for him in centerfield, while Raph Rhymes (.360, 3 HR, 42 RBIs, 43 Runs, 18 Doubles)), Mason Katz (.337, 4 HR, 53 RBIs, 40 Runs, 21 Doubles*), and Austin Nola (.296, 2 HR, 42 RBIs, 13 Doubles, 40 Runs) are all back in the everyday lineup.

CLICK HERE to listen to a podcast interview with LSU head coach Paul Mainieri.

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The Florida Gators are a clear #1 in the initial College Baseball 360 Composite Top-50, a preliminary preseason look at the top teams in college baseball, based on the various national polls that already have been released.

The formula for the current CB360 Composite National Rankings (CNR) includes five ingredients: preseason rankings by USA Today/ESPN (coaches), NCBWA (writers), Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball magazine, and College Baseball Lineup. Prior to opening day (Feb. 17), the CNR will be adjusted slightly after adding the Perfect Game preseason rankings and small bonus/penalty factors for projected strength-of-schedule and preseason conference polls (look for the final preseason CNR sometime next week, prior to opening day). This update also will serve to create a preseason projection of the 2012 NCAA field-of-64 (including automatic qualifiers that fall outside the CNR top-50).

Florida received 99.86 points on the CNR 100-point scale, after checking in at #1 in all five polls. The Gators received 17-of-31 first-place votes in the coaches poll (South Carolina had 12; Stanford and Texas A&M one each) while earning 497 out of 500 maximum points from Collegiate Baseball – thus accounting for Florida’s CNR point total being shy of 100.

Here’s a quick look at the current CB360 top-50 (information on the CNR formula is included at the bottom of this page):

CLICK HERE to see capsules for teams 1-10

CLICK HERE to see capsules for teams 11-20

CLICK HERE to see capsules for teams 21-30

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College Baseball 360 Composite Top-50
(preliminary preseason Composite National Rankings, as of Feb. 10, 2012 … a final preseason top-50 will be released prior to Feb. 17 opening day and will include a projected NCAA field-of-64, based on the CNR) 

1. Florida … 99.86
2. South Carolina … 98.63
3. Stanford … 97.10
4. North Carolina … 95.36
5. Texas A&M … 95.15
6. Rice … 93.93
7. Texas … 92.95
8. Arkansas … 92.34
9. Georgia Tech … 90.36
10. LSU … 88.71
11. Vanderbilt … 87.36
12. TCU … 86.90
13. Florida State … 86.77
14. Arizona … 85.05
15. Miami … 84.11
16. Oklahoma … 82.18
17. UCLA … 81.76
18. Clemson … 80.85
19. Georgia … 79.44
20. Cal State Fullerton … 79.37
21. Arizona State … 74.96
22. California … 71.24
23. St. John’s … 70.18
24. Oregon State … 70.04
25. Louisville … 70.02
26. UC Irvine … 68.48
27. Virginia … 68.24
28. Stetson … 65.32
29. Central Florida … 61.07
30. Baylor … 57.39
31. Southern Mississippi … 56.92
32. Mississippi … 56.89
33. Dallas Baptist … 56.64
34. College of Charleston … 54.77
35. Oregon … 52.37
36. East Carolina … 51.55
37. Mississippi State … 50.55
38. Missouri State … 49.73
39. Georgia Southern … 49.53
40. Wichita State … 48.07
41. USC … 47.92
42. Charlotte … 47.3
43. Coastal Carolina … 47.18
44. Jacksonville … 46.35
45. Connecticut … 46.20
46. Texas State … 46.03
47. Florida International … 45.22
48. Fresno State … 45.02
48. Kent State … 45.02
50. Oklahoma State … 44.79

Teams receive points based on their standings in each poll/rating/projection (60 pts for #1; 59 for #2, etc.). For polls involving voting points (coaches and CB) and the various RPI-type ratings, the CNR adjusts to reward teams that have larger margins in the voting/point totals (whereas two teams with nearly the same voting-point total will be closer in the CNR allotment for that poll). Note that strength-of-schedule typically is factored into RPI formulations … thus the actual SOS numbers only are used early in the season (SOS are not used in the CNR when RPI already are in the mix). For the NCAA field projections, teams are awarded CNR points based on their respective seedings, “last in” and “last out,” etc.

The polls/ratings/projections are averaged, with 40 points typically then added to each total in order to yield the 100-point benchmark. Early in the season (projected SOS) and late in the season (final-10 games), a maximum bonus/penalty of 0.5 points is factored into the formula (in that case, 39.5, rather than 40, is added to the poll/rating/projection avg.).

Here are links to the five criteria currently used in the CNR, as of Feb. 10, 2012 (several more to be added prior to 2012 opening day):
• National Coaches Poll (USA Today/ESPN)
• National Collegiate Baseball Writers poll
• Baseball America poll
• Colllegiate Baseball magazine rankings
• College Baseball Lineup rankings

Gamecocks Repeat As National Champs…

CWS Championship Game: South Carolina 5-10-0 def. Florida 2-6-1
Final Stats | SC Recap | FL Recap

Head coach Ray Tanner talks with the media Tuesday after his team won a second straight national title.

The South Carolina baseball team beat Florida 5-2 on Tuesday in Omaha to win a second straight national championship at the College World Series. If you want a recap you can click one of the above links, but in the meantime here’s the Cliff’s Notes version on how the Gamecocks marched through Omaha with five wins and no losses over the last 11 days.

Lean-in close and I’ll tell you how:  They’re just that good.

It’s just that simple. Ray Tanner‘s Gamecocks have now won a record 16 consecutive NCAA Tournament games. They haven’t always made it look easy, but they just get the job done every time they hit the field.

If the Gamecocks were an automobile they would be a Ford pick-up. Just pile-in and get from point A to point B. No frills, no spills just get the job done.

South Carolina (55-14) didn’t even bat .300 as a team this year (a lot of teams didn’t, there are new bat standards that dropped run production this year if you hadn’t heard). Their 46 home runs weren’t even close to one a game (Peter Mooney‘s 6th inning home run was South Carolina’s only HR at the College World Series), they don’t steal a lot of bases (41), and their “small ball” percentage (67 sac bunts) isn’t off the charts either.

Gamecocks ace Michael Roth has dominated in Omaha for the last two years.

The two-time champs put three runs on the board in the third inning in Tuesday’s deciding game in dizzyingly unspectacular fashion: Double, sac bunt, walk, sac fly, error, infield single. Just like that it was 3-0, and it might as well have been 9-0 with Michael Roth on the mound for USC.

Ah, Michael Roth. The South Carolina lefty is the epitome of both a very good college baseball player and of why the SEC is just better than every other conference all at once.

Remember last year when Roth made his first two starts of the season in Omaha after exclusively coming out of the bullpen 37 times prior? His only starts were a necessity after South Carolina lost its 2010 College World Series opener to Oklahoma and then fought its way out of the loser’s bracket to reach the CWS Finals.

Roth first faced his school’s biggest rival, Clemson, on the games grandest stage and fired a complete game to stave-off elimination and eventually advance to the finals. He started again in the deciding championship game, which the Gamecocks won 2-1 in 11 innings.

Roth’s numbers in those two starts: 14.0 innings, 9 hits, 2 runs, 3 BB, and 7 Ks. That’s from a guy who was a set-up man all season. That’s why the SEC is just better than any other conference. Arms like Roth’s are pitching the 7th and 8th innings in the SEC when they could be starters in any other conference. Roth now has a 1.17 ERA in 38 1/3 career innings at the CWS.

It wasn’t over for Roth there though. With 2010 ace Blake Cooper gone, Roth didn’t just join the SC weekend rotation this year-he fronted it…and then some. The dude had a 13-3 record and a sick 0.97 ERA entering Tuesday’s game, so surely the junior was an early round draft pick earlier this month, right?

Wrong.

Roth didn’t get selected until the 40th round when Cleveland made him the 938th overall pick in the draft. Meanwhile, Virginia’s Danny Hulzten and Florida’s Karsten Whitson, whom Roth matched-up against in his last two CWS starts, were first round picks this year and last year, respectively.

He’s the Jason Bourne of college baseball (the Matt Damon Bourne, not the one with the guy from The Hurt Locker). He just keeps showing-up and keeps on winning.

And so does South Carolina.

Scott Wingo receives his 2011 CWS Most Outstanding Player trophy.

Just as big a reason for their success (in addition to the steady hand of head coach Ray Tanner) is the Gamecocks’ defense. The closet thing that comes to mind to describe their defensive style is the Amoeba defense Jerry Tarkanian‘s UNLV basketball team used in the late ’80s and early ’90s.

South Carolina just suffocates opponents with defense. Second baseman (and CWS Most Outstanding Player) Scott Wingo ranging left on the grass (when he’s not rapping clutch hits), shortstop Peter Mooney charging in on a chopper, Adrian Morales guarding the hot corner, Christian Walker (broken wrist and all these last two games) scooping it all up, and then there’s Jackie Bradley, Jr. running balls down from centerfield.

That’s maybe the most remarkable thing about how South Carolina is where it stands right now. Bradley, the team’s verified superstar (the #40 overall MLB Draft pick by the Boston Red Sox), hadn’t even played since late April after requiring surgery on a tendon in his wrist, but the Gamecocks got back to Omaha (with five straight NCAA wins) without him.

The Most Outstanding Player Trophy is a replica of the Road To Omaha statue.

Bradley played in all five South Carolina wins in Omaha, but he was just another cog in the machinery-the Armour All on the tires of that big shiny pick-up truck.

In the words of the South Carolina players, they “battle”. It’s a word that came-up over and over in post game press conferences during the CWS. Roth even made fun of it at one point, saying they had worn it out, but that’s what the Gamecocks did. Roth and Tanner both said after Tuesday’s clincher that their team wasn’t the most talented, but their ability to battle is what got them where they are:

Two straight national championships, 16 straight NCAA Tournament wins and 11 straight wins at the College World Series.

In all, 11 Gamecocks were drafted earlier this month. Some may return next year, most will be gone.They’ll ride the buses in the minors once they sign their pro contracts, but odds are most of them will be lucky to get a cup of coffee in the Big Leagues.

Just like this year, South Carolina likely won’t be number one when the preseason polls come out in 2012, but don’t bet against them to make it back to Omaha for a chance at a three-peat.

They’re just that good.

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Jackie Bradley, Jr. fires the ball into the outfield bleachers after making the catch to record the last out of the 2011 CWS.

Michael Roth and teammates hold the national championship trophy.

CWS MOP Scott Wingo

Click Here to see more Kirk Markus photos on the CB360 Shutterfly page!

Florida head coach Kevin O’Sullivan discusses his team’s win over Vanderbilt that advanced the Gators to the 2011 CWS Finals.

Arkansas is the latest SEC school to release its 2011 college baseball schedule. The Razorbacks open their season with an 11-game homestand that includes games against Delaware State (3), Utah (3), McNeese State (2), and Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

CLICK HERE to see the complete 2011 Arkansas baseball schedule.

The March 18-20 series at Auburn opens SEC play. Other conference road series are at Alabama, Kentucky, Georgia, and defending national champion South Carlina. SEC road series are at Vanderbilt, LSU, Mississippi State, Florida, and Ole Miss.

Arkansas also hosts a notable midweek game against 2010 College World Series participant Oklahoma on March 29. The game against the Sooners along with SEC games against Florida and South Carolina gives the Razorbacks seven games against 2010 CWS teams.

The SEC Baseball Tournament is May 25-29 in Hoover, AL.

Give a unique gift this Christmas from Dugouthats.com.  The Dugout in Omaha has officially licensed 2010 College World Series memorabilia that would make the perfect gift this holiday season (click on the image to left to enlarge).

From t-shirts and caps to limited edition prints commemorating the last CWS ever played at historic Rosenblatt Stadium. Dugouthats.com also always  hats of your favorite college teams like LSU, Texas, Cal State Fullerton, Long Beach State, UCLA, South Carolina, Miami and more.

By Collegebaseball360.com Editor Sean Stires

Gobble, Gobble…

To kick-off this week’s Notebook, we first want to wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving! No matter where you are or what you are doing this week and throughout the holidays, do it safely! Also, with the end of the year fast approaching and football winding down, be sure to look for more pre-season college baseball information coming soon. The start of the 2011 college baseball season is now less than three months away!

TD Ameritrade Park will be the new home of the CWS in 2011.

New Stadium, Higher Prices…

With the hoopla of the last College World Series played at Rosenblatt Stadium, the emphasis is now on the CWS’ move to downtown Omaha and TD Ameritrade Park. While ticket prices won’t have the same kind of hike in price that Yankee Stadium had when the new palace in the Bronx went up last year, CWS season ticket holders will pay more to watch the first series in the new building. Multiple Omaha media outlets have reported that College World Series of Omaha, Inc. has informed season ticket holders that ticket prices will be higher next year.

The price of a 2011 season ticket package at TDA will reportedly go for $374-up from $293 this year. A general admission book of 10 tickets will also go from the $70 price over the last three years to $80. Individual reserved seats will see a slight bump in price as well from $22 to $28. The new stadium also will not have box seats like Rosenblatt did. Some 2,800 season ticket holders who have the rights to buy roughly 14,600 tickets will receive renewal notices the first week of December. They have until February 1 to return their orders.

Tar Heel Gone…

Brian Goodwin

North Carolina has suspended Brian Goodwin for the 2011 spring semester for a violation of university policy . Goodwin earned Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American honors last season by batting .291 with seven home runs and team-highs of eight triples and 63 RBIs. UNC has not disclosed what rule Goodwin broke, but does say that his suspension is not related to the NCAA investigation into the Tar Heel football program.

Gone Batty…

Most of the emphasis on the new bat regulations for the upcoming 2011 season has been on college baseball, but high school baseball players will face some changes as well. Composite bats will still be allowed in 2011 for high schoolers, but the list of allowable composites is short. CLICK HERE for the list of composite bats that meet the ball exit speed ratio (BESR) for high schools (excluding California) for the upcoming season. The National Federation of State High School Associations will follow college baseball’s lead and completely ban composite bats in 2012.

Speaking Of Bats…

Black Friday will be upon us soon, but if you are looking for baseball, softball or football gear for your athlete there’s no need to fight the crowds during the Holiday Season. Baseball Express is one of College Baseball 360’s top sponsors, and they have special Baseball Internet Specials for you right now. Just click the link and enter the coupon code AFSSPD2 to receive 15% off baseball orders of $99 or more from Nov. 23-28. The softball code is AFSSPD3 and the football code is AFSSPD3.

The Conference Shuffle…

The biggest announcements regarding conference realignments this came out of the Big 12, Big Ten and Pac 10, but the situation remains very fluid. Texas State, UT-San Antonio and Denver are set to join the WAC for the 2012-2013 academic year. Denver is the only one of the three that plays neither Division One baseball nor football, while TSU and UTSA will both move from the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) to the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS or DI) next year. Meanwhile, Hawaii could be ready to follow Boise State and Fresno State to the Mountain West Conference, but that move may not include baseball. There’s a good chance Hawaii will be a football only member of the MWC, with the rest of its sports possibly joining the Big West. At least one recent report says 16 of Hawaii’s 18 teams would prefer the Big West, which would mean much shorter travel times and costs for the lower-revenue generating sports.

New Name, Same Stage…

One of college baseball’s premiere early season events has a new name. What used to be the Whataburger Classic in Corpus Christi, TX is now the Kleberg Bank College Classic. Kleberg recently signed a five-year naming rights contract for the event, which will still be played at Whataburger Field-the home of the minor league Corpus Christi Hooks. Last year’s event saw Oklahoma and UCLA both go to the College World Series. This year’s field includes Oregon State, Indiana, UConn, and Texas A&M Corpus Christi.

Auf Deutsch Bitte…

Greg Frady (10) led Germany to a third place finish at the European Championships.

Georgia State baseball coach Greg Frady has been named the European Baseball Coach of the Year. Frady was honored for leading the German National Team to a third-place finish at this year’s European Baseball Championship. It’s the highest finish for the Germans and their first medal in the history of the event. Frady has led his Georgia State Panthers to 73 wins over the last two seasons, including a 2009 NCAA Regional bid.

Three For The SEC…

National letter of intent signings continue to be announced by college baseball teams across the country. It’s a big enough feather in the cap of any high school to send just one player to the Division One ranks, but Lake Wales High School in Lake Wales, FL has a full plume this Thanksgiving. The Highlanders had three players recently sign baseball NLIs with SEC schools. Colton Davis and Jarred Smith will continue to be teammates next year after signing with Auburn, while Justin Shafer signed to play at Florida. Davis and Shafer both turned down DI football offers to play baseball. Lake Wales has a population of roughly 12,000.

Players are timed in the 60-yard dash at Arizona's scout day.

And At The Next Level…

All 30 MLB teams were represented by more than 70 scouts at the University of Arizona’s scout day over the weekend. Scouts put draft eligible Wildcats through their paces in things like the 60-yard dash, a half dozen rounds of batting practice and positional throwing (including pitchers). Senior outfielder Bobby Rinard turned-in the top 60 time at 6.5 seconds. The workout was the last such event for the scouts before the holidays.

Wearing It Out…

We received a question in our mail bag this week about the record for home runs in consecutive at-bats by a DI baseball player. The email cited former Sam Houston State player Tommy Cliffe, who homered in five straight at-bats in 1999. The e-mailer wanted to know if that might be the NCAA record. Turns out, Florida State’s Marshall McDougall did Cliffe one better in that same season. After singling in his first at-bat, McDougall went on to go yard in his next six trips to the plate in his historic 16 RBI day in the Seminole’s 26-2 win over Maryland on May 9, 1999. Have a question for us? Make sure  to drop us a line by clicking here.

V Is For Verlander…

Old Dominion recently retired the jersey of  Justin Verlander. The current Detroit Tiger set the ODU and Colonial Athletic Association record with 427 strikeouts in 335 2/3 innings in his three-year career from 2002-2004. Verlander was the second overall pick in the 2004 MLB Draft by Detroit after winning 21 games for his alma mater. He also helped Team USA to a silver medal finish at the 2003 Pan Am Games.

Keep Growing College Baseball…

Three more schools have made recent additions and/or renovations to their college baseball facilities. Lamar just finished the H.D. “Tex” and Emma Strait Baseball Training Facility. It’s a 9,600 square foot indoor practice center. Butler has made several tweaks to Bulldog Park, with a new turf halo around home plate, new laser-graded infield sod, new netting, and a still to be completed fan patio area down the left field line. Columbia also just dedicated its new Robertson Field at Satow Stadium. The digs include new chairback seating, a new home dugout and a state-of-the-art scoreboard.

Give a unique gift this Christmas from Dugouthats.com.  The Dugout in Omaha has officially licensed 2010 College World Series memorabilia that would make the perfect gift this holiday season (click on the image to left to enlarge).

From t-shirts and caps to limited edition prints commemorating the last CWS ever played at historic Rosenblatt Stadium. Dugouthats.com also always  hats of your favorite college teams like LSU, Texas, Cal State Fullerton, Long Beach State, UCLA, South Carolina, Miami and more.

Three Games On Tap For Monday…Hopefully!

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

CB360 CWS Scoreboard

Monday Schedule

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

By Collegebaseball360.com Editor Sean Stires

Sunday’s CB360 CWS Blog

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  Rauol Torrez

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

CB360 Clemson/ASU Postgame Video

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

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

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

  Stephen Cardullo

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

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

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

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

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

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

CB360 Florida/Florida State Postgame Video

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

UCLA/TCU Postgame Video Interviews

Notes & Thoughts From Saturday…

I will be checking in throughout the day and into tonight with notes and quotes and happenings from Saturday’s action.  The first game of the day is TCU vs. Florida State, with UCLA facing Florida in the night cap.  Don’t forget you can follow results with recaps and more throughout the series on our CWS Scoreboard page.

Game 1 Final- TCU 8-11-2, Florida State 1-4-0 WP-Matt Purke (15-0), LP-Sean Gilmartin (9-8)
Postgame Video

Game 2 Final - UCLA 11-18-2, Florida 3-6-1 WP-Trevor Bauer (11-3), LP-Alex Panteliodis (11-3)
Postgame Video

• It’s a fairly overcast day in Omaha as we get ready for the start of the TCU-Florida State game.  The clouds mixed with a nice breeze make it pretty comfortable for fans who are used to sun and sweltering humidity at this time of year.

• Saw a lot of LSU t-shirts and tailgate canopies and the like on the streets and in the parking lot when I was making my way into the stadium today.  I don’t know if they actually made their way here from Louisiana or if they’re just local LSU fans…which there are a lot of here in Omaha.

• TCU’s Jim Schlossnagle has been named the NCBWA’s National Coach of the Year.  Schlossnagle’s Horned
  

  Jim Schlossnagle

  Frogs (51-12) have already set a school record for wins in a season, while reaching the CWS for the first time in program history.

• The NCBWA also named Texas pitcher Chance Ruffin the National Stopper of the Year.  Ruffin’s 1.11 ERA ranks second in the nation.  He was 6-1 with 14 saves this season before Texas was eliminated by TCU in last week’s Super Regional in Austin.

• One more announcement today from the NCBWA: Drew Pomeranz of Ole Miss, Miami’s Yasmani Grandal and Anthony Rendon of Rice are the three finalists for the Dick Howser Trophy.  The winner will be announced at a ceremony on July 2 in Lubbock, TX.

• TCU is not only making its first CWS appearance, it’s also its first ever game vs. Florida State.  In fact, any meeting with the other two teams in its bracket, Florida and UCLA, will also be TCU’s first game against those schools.

• Longtime official scorer Lou Spry is working his overall 600th CWS game today in some capacity.
  

  CWS Scorer Lou Spry

• The Horned Frogs can flat-out hit.  TCU scored five runs on six hits in the first inning off FSU starter Sean Gilmartin, who was not fooling anyone.  The lowest batting average by TCU’s starting nine is Aaron Schultz’s .303.  They were hitting ropes off Gilmartin in the three innings he worked.  Even Bryan Holaday’s 2nd inning infield single was a liner that hit Gilmartin.  The lefty was uninjured.

• Schlossnagle got bold in the third inning and it paid off…at least a little.  With runners at second and third with one out TCU 9-hole batter Brance Rivera plated Jantzen Witte with a squeeze bunt, but the play didn’t end there.  Taylor Featherston, who was at second base, never broke stride and tried to score from second base.  He was thrown out at the plate to finish a 1-3-2 double play on the throw home by first baseman Jayce Boyd.

• Matt Purke was just electric.  The freshman did walk four to tie a season-high, but he was untouchable when he wanted (and needed) to be.  His final line: 7 IP, 4 H, 1 UER, 7 K, 4 BB, 116 pitches, 66 strikes.

• TCU had four sac bunts in its win over Florida State.  The Horned Frogs kept bunting, even in the late innings when they were up 6-1.  Jason Coats said after the game that it’s “near automatic” for them to bunt with runners at first and second and no outs.  They now have 61 sac bunts this season.

• Local authorities have put-up a temporary chain link fence around the Rosenblatt Stadium and parking lot perimeter.  There are just a handful of gates where fans can go in and out.

• Florida and UCLA’s first round Saturday match-up was a rematch from the Women’s College World Series first round.  The UCLA softball team beat Florida 16-3 en-route to winning the program’s 12th softball national championship.

• From CB360 co-editor Pete LaFleur on our Twitter feed today:  “Do we really need to be reminded constantly about the differences between college and pro baseball?”  I didn’t get to hear exactly what he was talking about, but it’s not the first time ESPN has done this.  Yes, there are subtle differences.  Yes, the bat goes “PING”, but it’s still baseball!

• Erin Andrews isn’t Dancing With The Stars anymore.  She’s back doing sideline reporting at the CWS for game two (Kyle Peterson had game one).  This could end-up being her last event for ESPN, because her contract is up at the end of the month.

• In both of Saturday’s games the first two batters reached base safely for all four teams in the first inning.  The lead-off man scored for each of the four teams.

• Holy den Dekker!  Florida center fielder Matt den Dekker made a
  

  Matt den Dekker

  sensational over the shoulder and sliding catch to rob Bruin right fielder Brett Krill of extra bases in the bottom of the fourth inning.  If you didn’t see it watch Sports Center Saturday night and Sunday morning.  It’s a web gem.

• When Trevor Bauer struckout Jonathon Pigott to start the bottom of the 7th it was his 10th of the night as well as his third straight at that point, but it was also his 151st strike out of the season.  The total breaks an 18 year old school record.

• Bauer finished his night with 11 strike outs and two walks in 7 IP.  He also
  

  Trevor Bauer

  balked twice to become the fifth pitcher in CWS history to balk twice in the same game.

• I’ve been extremely impressed with UCLA’s offense.  I never would have thought that the team that would have double digit hits and runs on day one would be the Bruins…especially with 3-hole hitter Tyler Rahamatulla out with the broken wrist.  The Bruins hit the ball hard all night and scored at least a run in all but the second inning.

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

The Florida State Seminoles – which will take on TCU in the opening game of the 2010 College World Series (Saturday at 1 CT) – have compiled a 195-63 record (.756) spanning the past four seasons (2007-10) and rank fourth on CB360’s exclusive Senior Class Salute. This offering is modeled after a similar feature on sister site CollegeSoccer360.com (see links below): (front page photo courtesy of Florida State)

Shortstop Stephen Cardullo has appeared in 180 games during his four-year FSU career (photo courtesy of Florida State).

(Note: the Senior-Class Salute will be a regular CB360 feature throughout the 2010 NCAAs and in future seasons … CB360 also will be developing lists for top junior classes based on career wins and top combined records over the past two seasons).

Two members of the 2010 Florida State team – shortstop Stephen Cardullo (Coral Springs, Fla.) and corner outfielder Ohmed Danesh (Orlando, Fla.) – have been members of the Seminoles program during each of the past four seasons, playing lead roles in the 195 victory total. Cardullo (180 career games played) has been a starter over the past two seasons and earned All-America honors as a junior, while Danesh has appeared in 90% of FSU’s games (231 of 258) during his four-year career.

Outfielder Ohmed Danesh has appeared in 90% of FSU's games (231 of 258) during his four seasons with the Seminoles (photo courtesy of Florida State).

Florida State trails only Coastal Carolina (202-53), fellow CWS entrant Arizona State (201-50; .801) and North Carolina (197-70)  among programs with the most wins over the past four seasons (FSU can tie UNC with two wins in Omaha over the next few days). The Seminoles’ next opponent, TCU (183-66), has compiled the 8th-most wins spanning the past four seasons and could climb as high as fifth on that list, sitting right behind Virginia (184), Louisville (185), Texas (185) and Rice (186).

With one win at the 2010 CWS, Arizona State can tie Coastal Carolina as the winningest D-1 baseball programs over the past four seasons (ASU already has the top winning pct. on this list, with an .801 to .792 margin on Coastal).

Six of the eight College World Series teams are included on the list below: ASU, FSU, TCU, (12) South Carolina (174-81; .682) … (19) Oklahoma (162-86-1; .653) … and (23) Clemson (159-95-1; .626). Florida has compiled a four-year record of 152-91 (.626) while the final 2010 CWS team, UCLA, has gone 141-98 (.590) from 2007-10.

The 28 teams on this list include six from the ACC, five SEC, plus three Big 12 programs and three from Conference USA, along with two each from the BIG EAST and Big West, and one each from the Atlantic-10, Big South, Missouri Valley, Mountain West, Pacific-10, Southern Conf. and the Summit League.

Three teams on this list – Wichita State (#15), Charlote (#18) and East Carolina (#20) – failed to reach the 2010 NCAAs.

There have been 76 different teams over the past four years (2007-10) that have posted at least one season with 40-plus wins.

Winningest Senior Classes in 2010 College Baseball Season (2007-10)
(prior to 2010 NCAA College World Series)
(research courtesy of CollegeBaseball360.com; please credit accordingly)
* – 2010 College World Series teams

Place	Team	Won	Loss	Tie	Pct.	'10 W	'10 L	'10 T	'09 W	'09 L	'09 T	'08 W	'08 L	'08 T	'07 W	'07 L	'07 T
(1)	Coastal Carolina	202	53	0	.792	55	10	0	47	16	0	50	14	0	50	13	0
(2)	Arizona State*	201	50	0	.801	52	8	0	51	14	0	49	13	0	49	15	0
(3)	North Carolina	197	70	0	.738	38	22	0	48	18	0	54	14	0	57	16	0
(4)	Florida State*	195	63	0	.756	47	18	0	45	18	0	54	14	0	49	13	0
(5)	Rice	186	70	0	.727	40	23	0	43	18	0	47	15	0	56	14	0
(6)	Texas	185	68	1	.730	50	13	0	50	16	1	39	22	0	46	17	0
(6)	Louisville	185	77	0	.706	50	14	0	47	18	0	41	21	0	47	24	0
(8)	Virginia	184	68	1	.729	51	14	0	49	15	1	39	23	0	45	16	0
(9)	TCU*	183	63	0	.744	51	12	0	40	18	0	44	19	0	48	14	0
(10)	Vanderbilt	178	82	0	.685	46	20	0	37	27	0	41	22	0	54	13	0
(11)	LSU	175	84	2	.674	41	22	0	56	17	0	49	19	1	29	26	1
(12)	South Carolina*	174	81	0	.682	48	15	0	40	23	0	40	23	0	46	20	0
(12)	Texas A&M	174	83	1	.676	43	21	1	37	24	0	46	19	0	48	19	0
(14)	UC Irvine	173	71	1	.708	39	21	0	45	15	0	42	18	0	47	17	1
(15)	Cal State Fulleton	172	81	0	.680	46	18	0	47	16	0	41	22	0	38	25	0
(15)	Wichita State	172	85	0	.669	41	19	0	30	27	0	48	17	0	53	22	0
(17)	Miami	171	77	0	.690	43	20	0	38	22	0	53	11	0	37	24	0
(18)	Charlotte	164	67	0	.710	39	17	0	33	22	0	43	16	0	49	12	0
(19)	Oklahoma*	162	86	1	.653	49	16	0	43	20	0	36	26	1	34	24	0
(19)	Mississippi	162	95	0	.630	39	24	0	44	20	0	39	26	0	40	25	0
(22)	Arkansas	161	90	0	.641	43	21	0	41	24	0	34	24	0	43	21	0
(22)	East Carolina	160	91	0	.638	32	27	0	46	20	0	42	21	0	40	23	0
(23)	Clemson*	159	95	1	.626	43	23	0	44	22	0	31	27	1	41	23	0
(24)	Georgia Tech	158	80	1	.663	47	15	0	38	19	1	41	21	0	32	25	0
(25)	Oral Roberts	157	73	0	.683	36	27	0	33	15	0	48	14	0	40	17	0
(25)	Southern Miss.	157	95	0	.623	36	24	0	40	26	0	42	22	0	39	23	0
(25)	Coll. of Charleston	157	80	0	.663	44	19	0	35	22	0	39	20	0	39	19	0
(28)	St. John's	156	77	0	.670	43	20	0	30	22	0	42	16	0	41	19	0

CLICK HERE to see similar Senior Class Salute on sister site CollegeSoccer360.com
(… here’s another sample of a Senior-Class Salute from CS360 … and here’s another)