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By College Baseball 360 Editor Sean Stires

We are just days away from a new year and that means we’re less than two months away from the start of the 2011 college baseball season. There was good and there was bad, and with that in mind here are 10 significant things we’ll take from college baseball in 2010…

1.  Goodbye to Rosenblatt Stadium

What can be said about Rosenblatt that hasn’t already been said? After 60 years at the top of the hill in Omaha, Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium hosted its final College World Series in 2010. The move to the new TD Ameritrade Park in 2011 is seen by progress to some, but heartbreak to many. The new park will have all the amenities that Rosenblatt lacked, and maybe the future will be even brighter at the CWS and Omaha down the road. However, wouldn’t it have been nice if the new stadium had even a hint of nostalgia? The new Yankee Stadium has oversized high-priced seats and is swelling with luxury suites, but they still managed to keep the look from the House that Ruth Built. Too bad they couldn’t do the same at TDA.  CLICK HERE to read a letter of thanks from Omaha native Paul Fiarkoski to Johnny Rosenblatt.

2. Cal Cuts Baseball

Septbember 28, 2010 could be remembered as “Black Tuesday” at Cal. That’s the day Cal-Berkley Chancellor Robert Birgeneau and Athletic Director Sandy Barbour announced the school would eliminate baseball and four other sports (rugby, gymnastics and lacrosse) at their school at the conclusion of the 2010-2011 season. The given reason was to “generate an estimated $4 million annual savings in direct and indirect costs for Cal Athletics, while limiting further growth in expenses.” The outcry was instant, and the “Save Cal Baseball” movement began.  More than $10 in pledges have poured in to save the 118 year-old baseball program and the four other sports. The future is still uncertain, but head coach Dave Esquer’s Golden Bears are ranked 33rd in Collegiate Baseball’s 2011 preseason poll.

3. Arizona State Gets Probation

Our top story from 2009 was Pat Murphy leaving ASU, but Tim Esmay still led the Sun Devils to Omaha after the departure of the controversial head coach. That won’t be possible in 2011 after the NCAA slapped the program with postseason probation due to “lack of institutional control”.  Click here for the full rundown. While Arizona State plans to appeal the postseason ban, the school has been sanctioned nine times since 1953 (in sports other than baseball). Murphy is currently working in the San Diego Padres organization, but the NCAA also ruled that if he were to return to college baseball he would not be able to make recruiting calls until December 14, 2011.

4. Garrett Wittels Chases History, And Then…

Garrett Wittels

Heading into the 2010 season nobody was talking about Florida International, and they sure weren’t talking about Garrett Wittels. However, by season’s end the sophomore infielder who hit just .246 as a freshman was the toast of college baseball. Wittels batted .413 by hitting safely in all 56 games he started in 2010 (he didn’t play in five games) while helping his team to a Sun Belt Conference title and an NCAA Regional berth. He enters 2010 on the heels of Robin Ventura’s 1987 Division I record 58-game hitting streak. Things took a turn for the surreal earlier this month though when Wittels and a group of friends were charged with raping two 17-year-old girls on Dec. 20 in the Bahamas. Wittels is free on bond as the 2011 season approaches. ESPN is scheduled to televise FIU’s season-opening series against Southeastern Louisiana, but for now the question is will Wittels be in the line-up or behind bars?

5.  South Carolina Wins The CWS

Ray Tanner

Ray Tanner’s Gamecocks became regulars at Omaha over the last decade, but they never won it all. In the 61st and final CWS at Rosenblatt, South Carolina changed that in a big way. South Carolina lost its first game, but stormed back to win six straight to claim the school’s first major championship in any sport. They also beat their biggest rival, Clemson, twice in the process. No player more embodied the Gamecocks’ team effort than soph. Michael Roth, who made his first two starts of the season on the Omaha dirt. Roth held opponents to a .167 average in 16 1/3 total innings at the CWS. It was only fitting that South Carolina won in dramatic fashion on Whit Merrifield’s walk-off single in the bottom of the 11th inning against UCLA.

6. Matt Curry’s CWS Grand Slam

Matt Curry

With two out, a full count and his team down by two runs to Florida State, TCU’s Matt Curry jacked a grand slam to centerfield to stave-off elimination. The big hit made TCU an instant CWS legend in the the most electric moment of the 61st and final series at Rosenblatt. Not bad for a senior who played his first two seasons of college ball at Howard Junior College. Of that moment, TCU head coach Jim Schlossnagle would later tell us “That’s a game and that’s a moment I think that if they were to do a history of the College World Series…it’s gonna be a very small part, but I think it would be a part.” Said Curry afterward “When I hit it, I knew it was gone, because I’ve hit home runs and I usually know when I get them. I look and I’m all fired up” CLICK HERE for more postgame reaction from Curry, Schlossnagle and FSU head coach Mike Martin.

7. TCU Beats Texas In Super Regionals

Before Curry had his shot at Omaha immortality, TCU had to beat Texas in Super Regional play. Many thought the Horned Frogs were deserving of a national seed and the chance to host a Super Regional that would come with that distinction, but that didn’t happen. Instead, for a second straight year TCU was matched with the perennial power in Austin with a trip to Omaha on the line.  TCU won games one and three by giving-up just a run in each game against the #2 national seed Longhorns to send the Horned Frogs to the program’s first CWS. CLICK HERE for more from TCU’s historic win.

8. New Mexico And Oregon Make It To NCAA Regionals

Ray Birmingham

For the game of college baseball to grow it has to prosper in places where it has not traditionally prospered. New Mexico made it to an NCAA Regional for the first time in 48 years in 2010, while Oregon made it in just its second season since resurrecting the program after a nearly 30 year extinction. The Lobos and Ducks reached the postseason with the distinctive styles of their head coaches. For UNM it was Ray Birmingham’s “Kick down the door” offensive approach, while UO did it with George Horton’s pitching laden formula. It should come as no surprise that both programs prospered under their skippers. Birmingham led New Mexico Junior College to a 2005 national championship, while Horton more famously won the 2003 CWS at Cal State Fullerton.

9. Kyle Parker’s Record-Setting Double Duty

Kyle Parker

Parker took being a two-sport college athlete to another level during the 2009-2010 season. The Clemson quarterback/outfielder became the first Division One athlete to ever throw 20 touchdown passes and hit 20 home runs in the same academic year. In fact, he was the first to even go 15/15. Parker helped the football team to a Music City Bowl win in the fall and then helped Jack Leggett’s baseball team reach the College World Series in the spring. Parker was taken by the Colorado Rockies with the 26th overall pick in the June, 2010 draft. He has signed a professional contract and will report to spring training in 2011. CLICK HERE for an exclusive podcast interview with Parker.

10. UCLA And Arizona State Get Off To Fast Starts

The Bruins and Sun Devils both ended their seasons in Omaha, and they both got their seasons off to blazing hot starts. UCLA road its pitching out of the gates to a 22-0 record that didn’t end until an April 2 loss to Stanford. Arizona State used its balance of pitching and offense to start 24-0 under new head coach Tim Esmay. Their first setback came a day after UCLA’s first defeat when they dropped a 12-inning game at Oregon. John Savage’s Bruins ended their season with a 51-17 mark and a second place finish at the CWS, while ASU finished with a 52-10 mark despite going 0-2 in Omaha.

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Spanning the country once again for college baseball nuggets during the off-season…

• Some sad news to start the Notebook this week. San Diego State head coach and MLB Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn has been diagnosed with cancer of the salivary gland. Gwynn’s cancer, which is located beneath his
  

  Tony Gwynn

  tongue, is said to have been diagnosed early. He will begin radiation and chemotherapy treatment.

• A much needed shot in the arm for college baseball  out of Lincoln, NE. The University of Nebraska announced it plans to spend $4.75 million to build an indoor baseball/softball practice facility that would be located at Haymarket Park, where the Cornhuskers play their home baseball games inside Hawks Field. The proposed 22,000 square foot facility would include indoor batting cages and pitchers mounds. It will also give Nebraska a big leg-up when it heads to the Big Ten. The news also comes just more than a week after Cal-Berkley announced it will eliminate baseball, which has been in existence since 1892, after the upcoming 2011 season. Cal is currently in the process of an estimated $321 million renovation of its football stadium. Nebraska also plans to renovated its football stadium. That proposed project will cost about $55.5 million. Both Nebraska projects are still subject to final approval by its Board of Regents.
  

  Future MLB great Steve Garvey played football & baseball at Michigan St. (courtesy MSU athletics).

• Former MLB great Steve Garvey was recently inducted into the Michigan State Athletics Hall of Fame. Garvey was a football and baseball player at MSU from 1966-1968. In those days freshmen were not eligible to play, so Garvey served as head coach Duffy Daugherty’s scout team quarterback the week before the epic 10-10 tie with #1 Notre Dame. Garvey recorded 30 tackles on the gridiron the next fall as a defensive back and then earned All-American honors on the diamond in the spring of 1968 with a .376 average, nine home runs and 38 RBIs. He belted a grand slam in his first career at-bat at MSU. Garvey left Michigan State after the LA Dodgers took him with the 13th overall pick in the 1968 draft. He went on to play in five World Series and earned 1974 NL MVP honors.

• Speaking of two sport athletes, we released our second Two-Sport Report of the fall last week. Among the notable recent performances noted there is Jacksonville State quarterback Coty Blanchard. The freshman earned All-Ohio Valley Conference honors last week for his efforts in the Gamecock’s win over Murray State. Jacksonville St. is ranked 4th in the most recent FCS national rankings. Blanchard was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles out of high school this June and plans to play shortstop at JSU next spring. The Two-Sport Report also includes updates on the likes of Clemson’s Kyle Parker, NC State’s Russell Wilson, Taiwan Easterling of Florida State, and many others.

• South Carolina head coach Ray Tanner has received a contract extension. Tanner earned the extension after leading the Gamecocks to the program’s first national championship earlier this year. The new deal runs through 2015 and will pay him $510, 000 annually.

• We also recently released a list of former college baseball players who are on the rosters of MLB Playoff teams. San Franciso Giants rookie Buster Posey is among those on the list. Each of the eight playoff teams has at least 16 former college guys on their active roster. Would you believe Kent State is tied with two other schools for the most players on the list? Click Here to see the full rundown.

• Florida and Ole Miss each released their schedules last week. The Rebels don’t have any eye-popping non-conference games, but the Gators host three games with Miami and also play four games against Florida State. The series is split with single games in Gainesville, Talahassee, Tampa, and Jacksonville. Florida and Ole Miss will also each host defending national champion South Carolina in SEC action.
  

  Cody Regis, Trevor Brown and Aaron Weimer were among UCLA players honored at Dodger Stadium (UCLA photo).

• The UCLA baseball team was recently honored at Dodger Stadium for its runner-up finish at the College World Series. The Bruins finished the 2010 season with the best record in school history at 51-17 before falling to South Carolina in the best-of-three CWS Championship Series. The Dodgers also announced the 2011 Dodgertown Classic, which will take place March 11-13 at Dodger Stadium. UCLA, USC, Georgia, and St. Mary’s (CA) will all participate.

• LSU has long been one of the most popular college baseball teams in the country, and it’s showing as well in the world of social media. According to sportsfangraph.com, LSU baseball ranks 29th in baseball social media followers. The Tiger’s combined Facebook and Twitter numbers total roughly 109,00o. The #29 ranking is tops among college baseball programs and comes in ahead of three MLB teams: the Pittsburgh Pirates, Arizona Diamondbacks and Washington Nationals. Sports Fan Graph tracks more than 84-million fans who follow teams on Facebook and more than 17-million who track teams on Twitter. The New York Yankees are the most followed baseball team with more than 4.5 million social media fans.

• Texas scrimmaged Texas State Sunday, and there were both old and new faces on the diamond for Augie Garrido’s Longhorns. Texas lost 9-0 in the 12-inning fall exhibition, but next season’s potential starting rotation pitched well. junior Taylor Jungmann, senior Cole Green and sophomore Hoby Miner combined to surrender just one hit and one walk over the first 6.0 innings. Jungmann fired two perfect innings, while Green gave-up the hit. Sophomore Keifer Nuncio and freshman Nathan Thornhill combined to give-up seven runs in the 10th and 11th innings. It is the fall, and the Longhorns had trouble trying to turn double plays in both of those innings that would have limited the Bobcat damage.

Pro Baseball Signee Prepares For Football Season…

He just signed a professional baseball contract with the Colorado Rockies, but Clemson’s Kyle Parker still as football to play this fall.  Parker helped the Clemson baseball team reach the College World Series this past year after helping the Tigers to a Music City Bowl win as the football team’s quarterback.  He is the first player in Division One history to throw 20 touchdown passes and hit 20 home runs in the same academic year.

Parker begins his second season as Clemson’s quarterback in 2010.  He will report to spring training next year.  In this exclusive interview with College Baseball 360’s Sean Stires Parker talks about his decision to sign with the Rockies, his CWS and Bowl experiences, whether or not he’ll play football again next year and more.

Parker

CLICK HERE to read the Q&A with Parker.

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#1 Pick Harper Heads List Of Signees…

It came right down to the wire, but number one overall MLB draft pick Bryce Harper signed his first professional contract with the Washington Nationals just before the deadline late Monday night.  The 17-year-old junior college player inked a five year contract worth a reported $9.9 million, including a $6.25 million signing bonus.

Bryce Harper

Harper’s deal was inked just seconds before the 12:01 am E.T. deadline early Tuesday morning.  Like Harper, last year’s top pick, Stephen Strasburg, is also represented by Scott Boras. Like Harper, Strasburg’s negotiations with the Nationals went down to the wire.

Harper is expected to be introduced to the Washington D.C. media next week during the Nationals’ next homestand. He will begin his career in the Gulf Coast League and then play in the fall Instructional League.

Seven other college players who were taken in the first round of June’s draft also inked deadline deals.  The highest of those pick is former Ole Miss pitcher Drew Pomeranz.  The lefty was taken with the #5 pick and signed with the Cleveland Indians for $2.65 million.

Other college first round signees (with their corresponding draft order) include:

7. Matt Harvey-RHP-North Carolina/New York Mets – $2.525 million signing bonus

11. Deck McGuire-RHP-Georgia Tech/Toronto Blue Jays – $2 million signing bonus

12. Yasmani Grandal-C-Miami (FL)/Cincinnati Reds – $2.99 million four-year contract

24. Gary Brown-OF-Cal State Fullerton/San Francisco Giants – $1.45 million signing bonus

25. Zack Cox-3B-Arkansas/St. Louis Cardinals – $2.99 million four-year contract

26. Kyle Parker-OF-Clemson/Colorado Rockies – $1.4 million bonus

CLICK HERE to continue reading about the college player drafted in the first round who didn’t sign as well as Kyle Parker’s unique contract.

Nine College Players Among Unsigned First Rounders…

The countdown is on for big league teams to sign players who were selected in the 2010 MLB Draft. With the deadline Monday night at midnight E.T. (officially 12:01 am Tuesday, August 17), 17 first round draft picks remain unsigned. Nine of those 17 are college baseball players.

Overall #1 draft pick Bryce Harper

Number one overall pick, Bryce Harper, played just a year at the College of Southern Nevada. The 17-year-old phenom got his GED so he could skip his senior year of high school to begin his march toward the professional ranks. He hit ,442 with 29 home runs and 89 RBIs while leading Coyotes to the Junior College World Series. He also received the Golden Spikes Award as the nation’s top amateur baseball player.

The Washington Nationals took Harper with the top pick in this year’s draft, just as they did with former San Diego State pitcher Stephen Strasburg last year. Like Strasburg, Harper is a client of mega agent Scott Boras, who is known as a tough negotiator. Harper also still has three years of college eligibility remaining, which gives him plenty of bargaining leverage.

Interestingly, Harper’s junior college coach, Tim Chambers, has already left Southern Nevada to become the head coach at UNLV.

Most of the other eight unsigned first round college players are juniors, which gives them negotiating leverage as well.  Zack Cox of Arkansas is one of the exceptions. He is a draft eligible sophomore because he is already 21 years old.  Cox was taken by St. Louis with the 25th overall pick in June.

Here’s a look at other unsigned first round college players with their corresponding draft order:

5. Drew Pomeranz-LHP-Ole Miss./Cleveland Indians

6. Barret Loux-RHP-Texas A&M/Arizona Diamondbacks

7. Matt Harvey-RHP-North Carolina/New York Mets

11. Deck McGuire-RHP-Georgia Tech/Toronto Blue Jays

12. Yasmani Grandal-C-Miami (FL)/Cincinnati Reds

24. Gary Brown-OF-Cal State Fullerton/San Francisco Giants

26. Kyle Parker-OF-Clemson/Colorado Rockies

Parker is a bit of a wild card, because he plays both football and baseball at Clemson. This past year he became the first player in Division One history to throw 20 touchdown passes and hit at least 20 home runs in the same academic year. He has three years of eligibility remaining on the football team, but just one season remaining with the baseball team.

Parker’s self-imposed deadline for the Rockies to sign him passed last month, but there is always the chance he could sign with Colorado before the deadline, continue to play football for the Tigers and then play minor league baseball next spring and summer.

Turns Down Chance To Join Rockies…

Kyle Parker

Clemson two-sport standout Kyle Parker will remain a two-sport student-athlete for at least another year.  The quarterback/outfielder for the Clemson football and baseball teams will pass on the chance to become a big league baseball player to return to school this fall.

Parker was taken by the Colorado Rockies with the 26th pick of the first round of last month’s MLB draft, but he announced Wednesday that he will return to play football at Clemson for the 2010 fall season.

“I am excited about this decision,” Parker said.  “I am ready to get back to Clemson, work out with my football teammates and coaches and get ready for the season.”

Parker had set a midnight Tuesday deadline for the Rockies to agree to the $3 million signing bonus he was looking for, but the deadline came and went without a deal.  The MLB’s actual deadline for drafted players to negotiate with teams is August 16.

CLICK HERE to continue reading.

Sitting here in the press box has been a real treat. As various media members continue to rave about last night’s titan effort by TCU, we have come to the conclusion – here in the early innings of the SC-OU rematch – that Bracket-2 has been a real yawner thus far in the College World Series. (front page photo courtesy of Oklahoma)

Reese's is donating $200 to Boystown for every CWS home run.

The second interview I had today was with the owner of the Union Pizzeria and Sports Bar, located downtown very close to where the new TD Ameritrade Ballpark is located (it is the hotel where the Clemson program is staying during the CWS). We have run into a lot of Clemson fans and I was invited to come on the Clemson radio show tomorrow morning at 8 a.m. to talk a little baseball regarding the CWS. Should be loads of fun – hope they don’t lynch me after they read some of my articles predicting that Clemson would go 2-and-out at the series.

Boy was I wrong about that, as Clemson has been one of the more impressive teams out here, although they don’t play a lot of smash ball. Kyle Parker’s triple last night was the first extra-base hit for the Tigers in Omaha, after 17 consecutive singles.

What they have done is pitch well and aggressively attacked the bases, as those singles have quickly turned into doubles or first-and-third situations with excellent run-and-hit and hit-and-run execution. Is it just me or does every player on the Clemson roster look like they are 6-3, 185 lbs. and can run like a deer?

Maybe it is just the nice uniforms they wear, as I am a fan of the purple and orange look with the pant legs running all the way down to the shoes with the no-sock look. Far and away the best looking team out here from an athlete standpoint.

With such a yawner of a game going between OU and South Carolina, it might be a good time to introduce some of the stat leaders here at the CWS (albeit from a small sample of games, with some teams playing three games and others only two).

Hits … UCLA’s Beau Amaral leads this group of athletes with six hits, while seven others are tied at five. They include Jackie Bradley Jr. (SC), John Hinson (Clemson), Sherman Johnson (FSU), Jantzen Witte (TCU), Stephen Cardullo (FSU) and Tyler Holt (FSU).

With so many Seminoles in this list of hit leaders, one wonders why FSU is out of the tournament so quick … but their achilles heel always has been found in their lack of quality pitching depth.

Runs Scored:
1.  Tyler Holt (FSU) and Jantzen Witte (TCU) – 5
3.  Sherman Johnson (FSU) and Bryan Holaday (TCU) – 4

RBI Time:
1.  Jackie Bradley, Jr. (SCarolina) – 6
2.  Matt Curry (TCU) – 5
3.  Mike McGee (FSU) – 5
4.  Taylor Featherston (TCU) – 4

Doubles: Only one player has two (Jayce Boyd, of FSU)

Home Runs: Jackie Bradley, Jr. (SC) and Mike McGee (FSU) are the only players with two, although last night’s grand slam by Matt Curry is the benchmark play of the CWS so far. I am really looking forward to Friday’s clash, a rematch between TCU & UCLA, which are most likely the two best teams still in alive in the tourney. Curry and McGee (FSU) lead the CWS in total bases with 11.

Power Arms: We might as well put the entire UCLA staff on here with Gerrit Cole and Trevor Bauer leading the way, followed by Klein and Claypool coming out of the bullpen. Cole threw an 8-inning gem versus TCU the other night with 13 Ks, while Bauer threw a gem on opening night against Florida, going 7 strong with 11 Ks.

TCU’s Matt Purke also went 7 innings with 7 Ks … I am looking forward to seeing the bulk of the TCU staff that we saw on ESPN during the Austin Super Regional.

Scouts Honor: From a scouting standpoint, the top-5 athletes that really stand out from the others include position players Jackie Bradley Jr., Kyle Parker and Matt Curry, plus pitchers Gerrit Cole and Matt Purke, both former 1st-round draft picks by the Yankees and Rangers, respectively.

Kyle Parker also was a 1st-round pick and arguably is the best overall athlete here (playing both quarterback and left field for Clemson) … But the player who has been the most fun to watch is Bradley Jr. – an incredible athlete who makes it look easy. He is a legitimate 5-tool guy that you likely will see in the big leagues within five years, as he will go through the minor-league system rather quickly barring injury. The SC centefielder has a strong average arm, with plus-plus foot speed. The clincher is that he can hit for both average and power, as he generates tremendous lift and leverage at the plate with lightning-quick handspeed to boot.

Carolina Comes Back: South Carolina finally has responded here in the bottom of the 8th inning to tie the score (1-1), but Oklahoma now has runners on first and second with one out in the top of the 9th after SC first baseman Christian Walker dropped a sky-high infield popup and closer Matt Price hit the next batter to put runners on first and second with one out … but Cameron Seitzer promptly grounded into a 4-6-3 double play to end the threat.

Either I am extremely tired or this game just lacks any pizzaz! Either way, press row agrees that Bracket #1 has produced the more entertaining ballgames.

Game Wrap: Can Oklahoma Grind Another One Out?

Cleanup hitter Tyler Ogle (.322, 36 Runs, 43 RBI) hit his 10th home run of the season to lead off the 12th inning and potentially delivering a 2-1 victory for Oklahoma, but South Carolina came back in the bottom of the inning to win 3-2 to force an all-Palmetto State final in Bracket #2.

It all unfolded after Robert Beary singled through the hole to lead off the bottom of the inning,  but Sooners closer Ryan Duke struck out Evan Marzilli.

One a 1-1 count, Beary stole second base on a slider down-and-away to put the tying run in scoring position and the winning run at the plate. Whit Merrifield popped out to third baseman Garrett Buechele for the second out, bringing up Jackie Bradley Jr. (whose 18-game hit streak was in jeopardy, after an 0-for-5 start).

With a base open, the question became, “Would OU “unintentional-intentionally” walk Bradley or go head-to-head for the win?  At 3-2, in the game’s only marquee moment, the crowd came to their feet to witness Bradley tie the score with a single just beyond the reach of a diving Cameron Seitzer, as Beary raced home.

Tie game, bottom of the 12th, runner on first base. Adrian Morales walked to put Bradley even closer to the plate (a bad sign if you ask me) and Brady Thomas singled up the middle to drive in the hero of Bracket-2 so far (Jackie Bradley Jr.).

It was a tough way to close the season for Oklahoma, but the College World Series now will see a rematch of a 2002 CWS bracket final – as Clemson and South Carolina will battle to play for the national championship. In 2002, South Carolina beat Clemson twice to eliminate the Tigers and earn the trip to the championship. It will be interesting to see if history repeats itself.

Post-Game Comments:

OKLAHOMA COACH SUNNY GALLOWAY

“Great college baseball game, that’s how it should be. … I’m proud of both teams, clearly if you are going to play your last baseball team [overcome by emotion] … you want to play a good one … these young men went out and excelled.

Q: “What did you tell your team?” … “Remember that feeling at Virginia … the sting of tonight will go away, but remember Virginia. I want them to have a good memory now. It’s all part of the process of building the tradition and restoring the program. We wanted the journey to continue, but that’s the sting. It’s been a great journey!

“We always think positive and plan that way …e very game here at the CWS is a fight. I remember yesterday thinking how important it might be to be the home team, and tonight it was really important.

Thoughts on pitcher Zach Neal: “The game that Zach pitched, he accepted his role, he never questioned it and he pitched the game of his career. … Can’t say enough about how poised he was and how well he pitched. We are blessed at Oklahoma with outstanding student-athletes and young men.

On facing Jackie Bradley: “We had a plan and stayed with the plan. We tried to pitch him away and then come back in. It looked like it got too much of the plate, but you can’t blame a pitcher, you have to give credit to the hitter. Nobody lost here today. It was a celebration of college baseball today.”

OKLAHOMA PLAYERS

Reliever Jeremy Erben: “It was a heck of a ride. Can’t imagine my senior being any better than this one. It’s been a long season, but one I will remember the rest of my life.”

Starter Zach Neal: “Virginia [super-regional appearance] was one of those days where you don’t have what you usually have. I came out and tried to attack the hitters today. I just kind of came out and left it on the field.”

Catcher Tyler Ogle: “We hadn’t really put any runs together the whole game and I just wanted to get something started. As soon as I got back into the dugout, I just wanted to go win a ballgame.  Obviously it didn’t work out like that. I think a lot of guys were pressing and trying to do too much.  We are a better team when guys stay in the zone and try not to do too much.”

South Carolina Postgame Comments:

COACH RAY TANNER

“Another great baseball game between the Gamecocks and the Sooners. … Got a great start out of Blake Cooper … we just kept scrapping and battling. It was a never-give-up day here in Omaha.  Just a great game by both teams fighting hard, you hate to have anyone lose tonight.

“This game’s hard, it is a humbling game, you have to face advertsity, you keep battling and hope it falls your way. Like I said, we lost a close one to them, I was hoping we could win a close one tonight. My situation was that Blake was going to pitch if he felt he was good enough to go. If he said he was at 75%, I wouldn’t have started him.

“We will go back and regroup and try to figure out our pitching staff and where we are at. We have played like this a lot.”

SOUTH CAROLINA PLAYERS

Jackie Bradley, Jr: “They made some great pitches. I put some good swings on some balls. I kept battling, knowing I was going to get my chance. Of course, we know who we are playing [next]. It’s a big rivalry, but it’s just another game and we are going to approach it that way.”

Starter Blake Cooper: “I felt strong all day and was able to locate my breaking ball and make some good pitches. Coach Calvy came to my room about 11:30 last night and asked me if I was good enough to go, and I said I was.”

DH Brady Thomas: “I knew the pressure was going to be on them. I got a good fastball and was lucky enough to put a good swing on it.”

Three Games On Tap For Monday…Hopefully!

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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

By The Numbers And Analysis For Each Of The Omaha Eight

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

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

CWS Bracket One

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Jim Schlossnagle

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

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

51…Wins this season-a school record.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Mike Martin

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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John Savage

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

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

48…School record wins this season.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Kevin O'Sullivan

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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The Dugout in Omaha has everything you’re looking for when it comes to officially licensed CWS hats and shirts!

CWS Bracket Two

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Tim Esmay

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Jack Leggett

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Sunny Golloway

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Ray Tanner

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Clemson Next Faces Arizona St. At CWS

Jake Smith hit his 14th HR and earned his 6th save in Alabama's 5-4 win Saturday.

Clemson is headed to the College World Series for the 12th time after holding off Alabama with an 8-6 Super Regional clinching win Monday afternoon.  The Tigers led 8-1 with the Tide batting in the bottom of theh 9th, but Alabama scored five two out runs and left the tying run at second base to end the game.

By clicking the “Clemson Super Regional” link above this page will expand to fully support the table below.

CLICK HERE for our Super Regional Central page which includes links to other Super Regionals.

Best two of three series (all times Eastern)

Gm 1 – Saturday -FINAL:   Alabama 5, Clemson 4 | Final Stats
AL Recap | CLEM Recap

Gm 2 – Sunday – FINAL: Clemson 19,  Alabama 5 |  Final Stats
CLEM Recap | AL Recap * Series tied (1-1)

Brad Miller had a HR with 4 RBIs in Sunday's 19-5 win.

Highlight: Brad Miller (4-5) HR, 4 RBIs

Monday – FINAL: Clemson 8,  Alabama 6 |  Final Stats
CLEM Recap | AL Recap

* Clemson wins series (2-1)

* Highlight: Richie Schaffer (7-hole batter) 2 HR, 3 RBIs

The Skinny

Clemson: The Tigers are in a Super Regional for the second straight year and for the fourth time in the last five seasons.  Clemson lost to Arizona State in last year’s Super Regional in Tempe, AZ.  Head coach Jack Leggett has taken five Clemson teams to the College World Series, with the last trip to Omaha in 2006.

Two-sport star Kyle Parker has achieved an unprecedented distinction this season.  He threw 20 touchdown passes while leading the football team to the Music City Bowl and he hit his 20th home run for the baseball team last weekend.  That makes him the only player in DI history to hit 20 HR and throw 20 TDs in the same academic year.  John Hinson (.341/15 HR/67 RBIs/22 SB) and Jeff Schaus (.313/15 HR/80 RBIs) wield big sticks in the Clemson line-up as well.  Schaus’ 80 RBIs rank 15th nationally.

Clemson’s 4.82 ERA is the highest of any Super Regional team.  Starters Casey Harman and Scott Weisman along with reliever Alex Frederick are all 7-2.  Harman has the pitching staff’s only complete game, while Frederick is one of four relievers with at least two saves.

Alabama: This is just the third Super Regional appearance for the Crimson Tide, with the last one coming in 2006.  Mitch Gaspard’s first season as Alabama head coach has been the definition of a roller coaster ride.  Alabama won 16 of its first 17 games too open the season, but then proceeded to lose 14 of its next 20 games.  However, the Tide is arguably the hottest team in the country right now with wins in 12 of its last 14 contests, including a 4-1 mark at the Atlanta Regional to oust #8 national seed Georgia Tech.

Nathan Kilcrease (8-2, 2.42 ERA) was the hero of the Regional.  He picked-up two wins while throwing 206 pitches last week to earn Regional MVP honors.  Jimmy Nelson (8-3, 3.92 ERA) is slated to start game one of the Super Regional.

Taylor Dugas (.393/66 Runs/19 SB) sets the table for the Tide at the top of the order.  The Louisiana native wanted to go to LSU, but now he still has a shot at Omaha while the defending champs are back on the bayou.  Josh Rutledge (.365/10 HR/69 RBIs) and Clay Jones (.329/17 HR/65 RBIs) provide steady offense as well.

Alabama’s 4.81 team ERA is the second highest of the 16 Super Regional teams, so look for a lot of offense this weekend in Clemson.

Clemson Super Regional