It looks like a major headache is in story for the University of Minnesota baseball team. The roof of the Metrodome will not be fixed until March at the earliest, which will affect hundreds of college baseball games that are scheduled to be played there this spring.

By Collegebaseball360.com Editor Sean Stires

South Carolina players received their CWS rings Saturday (courtesy South Carolina athletics).

Gamecocks received their 2010 national championship rings over the weekend. The presentation came at halftime of the South Carolina-Arkansas football game Saturday night (11/6) at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, SC. Tanner, his assistants and team received their CWS rings at the 50-yard line. Fireworks and balloons punctuated the ceremony.

Honoring “The Voice”…

Before that same South Carolina-Arkansas football game the Gamecocks paid tribute to longtime South Carolina play-by-play announcer Bob Fulton. The 89-year-old died last Wednesday at his Lexington home. Fulton retired in 1995 after 43 years calling South Carolina football, basketball and baseball. He was inducted into the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 1994.

Wonderdogs Or Torture?

Fresno State radio play-by-play man Paul Loeffler is also a lifelong San Francisco Giants fan. Just a few years ago it might have seemed that fans like Loeffler would go a lifetime without seeing a championship for either team, but all that has changed. Loeffler called FSU’s 2008 “Wonderdog” run to the CWS Championship, and now he has seen his beloved Giants win a World Series title. He has also written a good piece comparing the improbable title runs of both teams. Here’s one of his observations:  “The most powerful parallel is that the team is so much more potent than the sum of its parts. Turn these Giants into your fantasy league entry, and you’ll fall to dead last. It’s not about the eye-popping stats, it’s about the power of we over me.”  The entire piece is posted on Fresno State’s web site. CLICK HERE to read the whole thing.

The Beard Not Feared…

No doubt, San Francisco Giants closer Brian Wilson (formerly of LSU) and his beard garnered about as much attention as anyone (or anything) during the Giants’ World Series run. “Fear The Beard” signs were everywhere, as were San Francisco fans with faux beards in the stands. Wilson now has a group of college players who are using him (and his beard) for motivation. The University of Northern Colorado pitching staff has plastered Wilson’s mug on the back of their staff t-shirts. They read “Baseball NC P-Staff” on the front and “Mental Assassins” along with a screen print of Wilson’s face on the back of the shirts (pictured left, click-on photo to enlarge). There might be an influx of facial hair coming soon in Greeley, CO.

Molitor Out Front…

MLB Hall of Famer, Paul Molitor, has been enlisted to help the University of Minnesota raise funds to build a new baseball stadium. Prior to his 21-year Big League career, Molitor starred for three years as a Golden Gopher in the 1970s. He is now the chairman of  The Siebert Field Legacy Campaign, which hopes to raise $7.5 million to build a new stadium on the site of the current Siebert Field. The stadium, built in 1971, has split Minnesota home games with the Metrodome over the years, but it was not used in 2010 and all of the Gophers’ 2011 home games are slated for the

Golden Gopher great Paul Molitor is now helping raise funds for a new stadium (courtesy Minnesota Athletics).

Metrodome as well. The university says the new facility would be a “multi-use venue that will accommodate the needs of Gopher baseball, provide benefits to sports using adjacent facilities, enhance the experience of fans and visitors and serve as an important resource for amateur baseball in Minnesota.”

A New Stony Stadium…

Stony Brook is in the process of renovating it’s Joe Nathan Stadium. The first phase of the project is expected to be completed by March 2011. It includes a new FieldTurf surface, new dugouts, new bullpen, and new fences. Fundraising is currently underway for phase two of the project, which would include a new scoreboard, lights, stadium seating, and a press box. Joe Nathan Field is named for former Seawolves and current Minnesota Twins pitcher Joe Nathan. He contributed the lead gift for the facility. Stony Brook has won three America East Tournament championships since its elevation to Division One status in 2002.

Say What?

Just for some perspective, a non-BCS Conference school, Stony Brook, is building a new stadium in the northeastern part of the country in the village of Stony Brook, NY. Another cold weather school, Minnesota, is spending millions to build a new stadium as well. Meanwhile, Cal-a school that receives BCS revenue and has the benefit of great weather…not to mention the fact that it had more alums on MLB rosters than any other school at the start of last season, is eliminating its baseball program. Does that make sense? Savecalbaseball.com.

Red Sox For Rams…

Boston Red Sox season tickets are hard to come by, but the Rhode Island baseball team has a pair. URI is raffling off a pair of Red Sox season tickets for the 2011 season. The tickets (Section 24, Seats 17 and 18) have a face value of more than $8,000. Raffle tickets for a chance to win the season tix can be purchased for $100, with no limit on the number of raffle tickets an individual can buy. Proceeds will help Rhody baseball offset the costs of travel, equipment and facility upgrades. CLICK HERE for more information.

Minnesota has released its 2011 college baseball schedule. The Golden Gophers open their season February 18-20 at the third annual Big East/Big Ten Challenge against St. John’s, Connecticut and Louisville in Clearwater and St. Petersburg, FL.

The following weekend the Gophers head to Winston-Salem, NC for three games in the Wake Forest Tournament against the host Demon Deacons, Delaware State and Towson.

CLICK HERE to see the complete 2011 Minnesota schedule.

Minnesota then heads home to play eight straight games in the Metrodome in Minneapolis. The home opener is on March 3 against Washington State. Games against South Alabama, Oklahoma State and Washington State follow in the Dairy Queen Classic. After a midweek game vs. Hamline, the Golden Gophers play Butler, Gonzaga and Illinois March 11-13 in the Metrodome Tournament.

The Gophers are in California March 15-20 for two games at Sacramento State and three games at Santa Clara and then return to Minneapolis to start a 12-game Metrodome homestand. Opponents in the stretch are North Dakota State (2), Cal Poly (3), Cal-State Bakersfield (2), Purdue (3), and Kansas State (2).

The April 1-3 series vs. Purdue opens Big Ten play. Other conference home series are against Northwestern, Iowa, and Ohio State. Minnesota goes on the road in conference action to face Michigan State, Indiana, Michigan, and Penn State.

The Golden Gophers play all all 31 of their home games in the Metrodome in 2011. The program is in the process of raising funds to renovate Siebert Field, which has been in place since 1971.

A Look At Who’s Hot & Who’s Not In College Baseball

Jason Coats led TCU with 6 RBIs vs. Cal State Fullerton

Stock-Up

TCU:  The Horned Frogs went to Cal State Fullerton and took two of three games from the Titans to improve to 5-1.  They did it by out-scoring Fullerton 13-3 in their two wins.  Those wins were against All-Americans Daniel Renken and Tyler Pill.  TCU is batting .341 with a .943 team OPS, while the pitching staff has a 2.82 ERA with 47 Ks in 51 IP.

Coastal Carolina:  The Chanticleers were already ranked, and then they went and swept two games from UC Irvine last Saturday.  It wasn’t like they were facing the Anteaters’ 3rd & 4th starters either.  Coastal beat Daniel Bibona and Eric Pettis on the same day.  Bibona was 12-1 last year with a 2.63 ERA, while Pettis was 5-2 with 17 saves as Irvine’s closer.

Texas:  After losing two of three games at home to New Mexico to open the season the Longhorns swept a Stanford team that had swept Rice on opening weekend.  The vaunted Longhorn pitching staff showed why it’s considered the best in the nation in the process.  Taylor Jungmann, Cole Green, Chance Ruffin, and  Brandon Workman combined to give-up just two runs with 26 strikeouts in 21 1/3 innings during the series.

East Carolina:  Typically a 4-3 team wouldn’t be considered one whose stock is rising, but the Pirates have essentially played two Super Regionals to open the season.  They lost two of three vs. a loaded Virginia team and then then took two of three from a very good South Carolina squad.   ECU will rack-up a lot of wins by season’s end.

St. John’s:  The Red Storm is off to a 6-0 start with wins over New Orleans (3), Minnesota, Michigan, and Illinois.  They won their three games at the Big Ten/Big East Challenge by a total of four runs.  The biggest long-term question Ed Blankmeyer’s team would appear to have is pitching.   Bruce Kern and Nick Cenatiempo have both been good so far, but while it’s still early, neither has gone deep into a game yet.  In their combined four starts neither has pitched more than five innings.

Washington State:  The Cougars’ 6-0 start is their best since 1988.  They have a staff ERA of 3.74 and a batting average of .363 in those six games.   Wins over the likes of Seattle, Bethune-Cookman and Texas Tech haven’t been the stiffest of tests, but it’s been more than 20 years since they started as well against similar schedules as well.

Southeastern Louisiana:  A 3-game sweep at Mississippi State last week has earned the Lions (8-0) the program’s first ever national ranking (#29 in this week’s Collegiate Baseball Poll).   They’ve done it with good pitching and a well-rounded offense.  Tyler Watkins and Brandon Efferson have each made two starts and have totaled 14.0 and 12.0 innings, respectively.  Three relievers have also combined to post four saves for a staff with a 2.70 ERA.  Meanwhile, the team is hitting .304 and 11 different batters have at least 3 RBIs.

Tim Esmay:  One of the questions we raised coming into the season was whether Esmay could continue what Pat Murphy had done for the last 15 years.  ASU is 7-0 in Esmay’s first seven games as head coach at his alma mater.  Northern Illinois and Towson haven’t provided high-octane competition, but games vs. Cal Poly, Oregon State and Florida International this week should test the Sun Devils more.

Stock Down

UC Irvine:  In addition to the previously mentioned losses to Coastal Carolina the Anteaters also lost to North Carolina State last weekend at the Baseball By The Beach Tournament in Myrtle Beach.  They also lost 6-0 Tuesday

All-American Daniel Renken is 0-2 in his first two starts in 2010.

night at Pepperdine to fall to 4-4.  Irvine is built on pitching, but it must improve its 6.75 staff ERA.

Cal State Fullerton:  First the Titans lost to Oregon and Pepperdine on opening weekend, then they suffered two more home losses to TCU last weekend.  The four losses at Goodwin Field are half as many as they had all of last year.   Stud pitchers Daniel Renken, Tyler Pill and Noe Ramirez are a combined 1-4, while the offense has hit just .236 during the 3-4 start.

Minnesota:  The Golden Gophers’ 0-3 performance at the Big Ten/Big East Challenge was probably the shocker of the event.  They did face arguably the toughest slate of anyone in the field with losses to St. John’s (5-4), UConn (8-2) and Louisville (5-4).  Those could be the top three teams in the Big East by season’s end.  Minnesota has a solid 2.89 staff ERA, but like St. John’s their starters have not gone deep into games yet.  The offense is hitting just .273 during a 2-4 start, but the Gophers should still be alright once Big Ten play starts.

Oregon:  Yes, I did have the Ducks on the “Stock-Up” list last week after wins over Cal State Fullerton, Long Beach State and Loyola Marymount, but I also warned not to get too excited too quickly.  Sure enough, Oregon went to Hawaii and lost 3 of 4 games to the Warriors.  It’s likely to be a roller coaster ride again for the Ducks in George Horton’s second season.

Southern Mississippi:  The curse of a Cinderella going to the College World Series is the expectation(and bulls eye on the back) it brings the following year.  That appears to be what happened to the Golden Eagles after they dropped 2 of 3 home games last weekend to LeMoyne.  They also lost at home to Northwestern State on opening weekend.  USM is hitting and pitching solidly, but they’re going to get the best effort of every team they play all season.

Second Annual Event Starts Friday

Three frost-free days of baseball await teams from the Big Ten and Big East Conferences in the St. Petersburg/Clearwater, FL  area this weekend at the second annual Big Ten/Big East Baseball Challenge.   Most of the teams playing this weekend started their seasons last weekend, but a handful will play their season-openers this Friday-Sunday.

Collegebaseball360.com will provide live webcasts of 9 games at this year’s Challenge.  CLICK HERE for the video streaming schedule.  We will also provide continuous coverage of the event throughout the weekend on our Big Ten/Big East Challenge Page.  All 30 of this weekend’s match-ups can currently be found on that page.

Below are capsules for every team participating in this weekend’s event (for the second time in as many years Georgetown and Pittsburgh will not participate).  We have included results for each team from last week’s games.

Cincinnati

2009 Record:  (29-29, 13-14)

Mascot:  Bearcats

Head Coach:  Brian Cleary

Location:  Cincinnati, OH

Vitals:  .285 BA, 72 HR, .382 OBP, .965 Fld%…6.73 ERA, 1 CG, 12 SV, 376 K, 194 BB, .318 opp. BA

Thefts Are Down:  After stealing 130 and 133 bases in 2007 and 2008, respectively, the Bearcats swiped just 33 bases last year.  The only Big East team with fewer stolen bases was West Virginia with 23.

Long Gone Spina:  Cincinnati has a big hole to fill in the middle of the order with the loss of Mike Spina (.342, 23 HR, 69 RBIs).  The third baseman was taken in the 11th round of last year’s MLB Draft by the Oakland A’s.  His home run total was second in the Big East to Louisville’s Chris Dominguez (25).  Spina had an 1.121 OPS last year.

More Losses:  The Bearcats also lose Lance Durham, whose .427 average was the second-best in the conference last year.  Durham was drafted in the 14th round by Toronto last June.  His 99 hits set the UC single-season record formerly held by Boston Red Sox infielder Kevin Youklis.  Cincinnati also loses its top pitcher, Jake Geglein (6-1, 2.97 ERA, 9 SV), who signed a free agent contract with the Texas Rangers.  Geglein was the only Bearcat pitcher with either a winning record or a sub-3.00 ERA last year.

Across The Pond:  Cincinnati head coach Brian Cleary served as the pitching coach for the British National Baseball Team at the 2009 Baseball World Cup.  He served in the same role when the team won the silver medal at the 2007 European Championships.

Opening Weekend:  The Bearcats were 1-2 last weekend in a 3-game series vs. Florida Atlantic in Boca Raton, FL.  Cincy won the opener 5-3, but lost the last two games by a combined 12-0.

Connecticut

2009 Record:  (36-24, 14-13)

Mascot:  Huskies

Head Coach:  Jim Penders

Location:  Storrs, CT

Vitals:  .318 BA, 51 HR, .393 OBP, .959 Fld%…4.39 ERA, 1 CG, 14 SV, 455 K, 197 BB, .269 opp. BA

Hungry Huskies:  UConn returns eight batters from a scrappy line-up who hit .301 or better last year, including George Springer (.358, 16 HR, 57 RBIs, 1.133 OPS), Mike Nemeth (.346, 6 HR, 47 RBIs, 22 doubles), Pierre LePage (.340, 1 HR, 38 RBIs), and Mike Olt (.301, 8 HR, 40 RBIs).  LePage helped the Bourne Braves win the Cape Cod League Championship last summer.  The biggest loss is that of Pete Fatse (.354, 11 HR, 54 RBIs).  CLICK HERE to listen to a podcast interview with LePage.

Husky Hurlers:  The Huskies lose key relievers David Erickson (3.21 ERA, 12 SV), Dusty Odenbach (2-3, 3.34 ERA) and Dennis Accomando (1-1, 3.46 ERA), who combined to make 75 relief appearances last year.  They also lose John Folino whose six wins led the staff.   Top returnees to the staff include Soph. Scott Oberg, who was 4-0 with a team-best 1.78 ERA, Matt Barnes (5-3), and Elliott Glynn (5-4, 4.76 ERA).  Glynn led the team with 12 starts and also hit .266 while making 24 starts as an outfielder.

Coast To Coast:  After opening its season in Florida at the Big Ten/Big East Challenge UConn heads to California for a four-game series with Cal State Northridge followed by a game at USC.  The Huskies then play Tennessee, Marshall and Ohio State in Knoxville, TN.

Illinois

2009 Record:  (34-20, 16-8)

Mascot:  Fighting Illini

Head Coach:  Dan Hartleb

Location:  Champaign, IL

Vitals:  .316 BA, 42 HR, .394 OBP, .970 Fld%…5.32 ERA, 2 CG, 11 SV, 297 K, 201 BB, .298 opp BA

Thunder Sticks:  Illinois returns seven of its top nine hitters from a 2009 team that came-up just short of an NCAA Regional bid.  Senior catcher Aaron Johnson (.333, 10 HR, 52 RBIs) and sophomore OF Willie Argo (.355, 12 HR, 47 RBIs, 1.072 OPS) provide the biggest pop among the returnees who combined for 34 of the team’s 42 home runs last year.  Junior Pete Cappetta’s .382 average also ranked sixth among Big 10 batters in ‘09

Big Splash:  Argo homered in his first three collegiate at-bats in a March 7 loss at LSU last year.  The Illini shocked the eventual national champions by winning the other two series games in Baton Rouge.

Solid Arms:  Sophomores Bryan Roberts (5-4, 6.72 ERA) and Will Strack (6-1, 3.84 ERA) are Illinois’ top returning starters from a year ago.  Strack made 9 starts and picked-up a pair of saves as well with six relief outings.  Three other pitchers who combined for six saves and six wins return as well.

South Carolina Swing:  While Illinois doesn’t play the likes of LSU this year they start their spring trip on March 5 in Greenville, SC vs. 2009 Super Regional team East Carolina.  The Illini also plays two games vs. Big South Conference preseason favorite Coastal Carolina in Conway, SC

Opening Weekend:  After the start date to the 2010 season was pushed-up a week Illinois scheduled two home games vs. Bradley.  Those game were cancelled last weekend due to snow and freezing temperatures.

Indiana

2009 Record:  (32-27, 16-7)

Mascot:  Hoosiers

Head Coach:  Tracy Smith

Location:  Bloomington, IN

Vitals:  .321 BA, 62 HR, .402 OBP, .960 Fld%…5.15 ERA, 7 CG, 10 SV, 439 K, 216 BB, .284 opp. BA

Arnett-less:  The Hoosiers lose staff ace Eric Arnett (12-2, 2.50 ERA) who tied the IU record for wins and set a new program mark with 109 Ks, which ranked second in the Big 10.  He was named co-Big 10 Pitcher of the Year with Ohio State’s Alex Wimmers.  Arnett, who also pitched six of the staff’s seven complete games last year,  is the first Indiana pitcher to earn conference pitcher of the year honors and to be named All-American.  He was a first round pick by Milwaukee in last year’s MLB Draft.

Hoosier Holes:  Arnett is among eight Hoosier players who signed professional contracts after their 2009 Big Ten Tournament Championship seson.  Leading hitter Kipp Schutz (.392) and slugging catcher Josh Phegley (.344, 17 HR, 66 RBIs) are the top offensive losses.

Young Slugger:  Freshman All-American outfielder Alex Dickerson (.370, 14 HR, 57 RBIs, 1.044 OPS) heads a list of four returning starters who hit .314 or better last season.

On The Mound:  Senior reliever Chris Squires (2-2, 3.93 ERA, 8 SV) and weekend starter Blake Monar (5-3, 4.64 ERA) are the top returning IU pitchers.  Freshman Casey Smith and redshirt sophomore Matt Ernest are two newcomers to the Hoosier staff in 2010.  Smith is head coach Tracy Smith’s son, while Ernest has played wide receiver for the IU football team for the last two seasons.  He had seven catches for 69 yards and a TD in 2009.

Opening Weekend:  Lost their first three games at #24 San Diego by a combined 34-16 before winning the series finale 7-5.

Iowa

2009 Record:  (16-36, 4-19)

Mascot:  Hawkeyes

Head Coach:  Jack Dahm

Location:  Iowa City, IA

Vitals:  .293 BA, 40 HR, .380 OBP, .951 Fld%…6.25 ERA, 0 CG, 7 SV, 330 K, 230 BB, .312 opp. BA

Line-Up Losses: The Hawkeyes return six of their top nine batters from a year ago, but they lose both Justin Toole (.346, 15 SB) and Wes Freie (.289, 9 HR, 44 RBIs).

Key Returns:  All-Big Ten outfielder Ryan Durant (.370) is back to lead the offense.  He’s joined by Mike McQuillan (.363), team stolen base leader Kurtis Muller (19) and Sean Flanagan (.310), who played in 27 games and started just 18, but still managed 6 home runs.  Flanagan had a .696 slg % in Big Ten games.

Young Arms:  No Iowa pitcher made more than nine starts last year, but the three who each started nine games all return.  Sophomores Phil Schreiber (2-2, 4.57 ERA), Jarred Hippen (3-4, 4.87 ERA) and Nick Brown (2-4, 6.35 ERA) combined to win seven of Iowa’s 13 wins in 2009.

Big 12 Bound:  Iowa plays eight straight games vs. a pair of Big 12 teams that made the NCAA Tournament in early March.  The Hawkeyes start a four-game series at Kansas on March 5, and then head to Austin, TX to start another four-game set vs. 2009 College World Series runner-up Texas.  Each series includes a day two doubleheader.  They host another Big 12 team, Nebraska, on April 27.

Opening Weekend:  Iowa split two games in Clarksville, TN to open the season.  The Hawkeyes debuted with a 19-11 win over Illinois State and lost to Austin Peay 13-8.

Louisville

2009 Record:  (47-18, 19-7)

Mascot:  Cardinals

Head Coach:  Dan McDonnell

Location:  Louisville, KY

Vitals:  .304 BA, 85 HR, .394 OBP, .970 Fld%…4.32 ERA, 2 CG, 13 SV, 536 K, 182 BB, .261 opp. BA

Cardinals Trending Hot: Louisville enters 2010 with two straight Big East Tournament championships, and the Cardinals are fresh off their second Super Regional appearance in the last three years.  They won the BE regular season & tournament titles last year.  The program’s 135 wins over the last three seasons rank sixth in the nation.  The Cardinals have made three straight NCAA appearances, including two Super Regionals and a College World Series trip, under head coach Dan McDonnell.  Cal State Fullerton beat Louisville last year in the Fullerton Super Regional to advance to Omaha.

Loaded Line-Up:  The Cardinals return seven of eight everyday players from last year’s Super Regional squad.  All-American junior Phil Wunderlich (.367, 18 HR, 68 RBIs, 1.113 OPS) leads the group of returnees.  Seniors Andrew Clark (.350, 9 HR, 55 RBIs) and Adam Duvall (.328, 11 HR, 51 RBIs, 12 SB) are back as well.

Ready To Return:  Outfielder Stewart Ijames is back after last season with a shoulder injury.  Ijames was a Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American in 2008 after hitting .351 with 8 home runs, 11 doubles and 39 RBIs.  He led the Coastal Plain League with 12 home runs for the Thomasville HiToms last summer.

Pitching Prowess:  Louisville returns 12 of the 15 pitchers who saw action last year, but they do lose their ace, Justin Marks (11-3, 3.77 ERA, 129 K in 105 IP).  The left was taken by Oakland in the 3rd round of last year’s MLB draft. Dean Kiekhefer (6-5, 5.00 ERA),  Gabriel Shaw (3-1, 3.73 ERA, 3 SV), Tony Zych (6-2, 3.25 ERA, 2 SV) and Thomas Royse (3-2, 3.48 ERA, 2 SV) lead the group of returnees.

Gone But Not Forgotten:  The Cardinals also lose 6′4, 240 lb. Chris Dominguez (.345, 25 HR, 82 RBIs) who hit 61 home runs with a school record 218 RBIs in his three-year career (he only played three games in 2006 due to a broken forearm).  He was taken in with the 86th overall pick by San Francisco in last year’s draft.  His 25 home runs in ‘09 are a single-season school record, while his 61 career long balls are second in the Louisville record books.

Opening Week: Louisville swept a 3-game series vs. Bowling Green last weekend.  The improved to 4-0 with a 7-2 win Tuesday night over Morehead State.

Michigan

2009 Record:  (30-25, 9-15)

Mascot:  Wolverines

Head Coach:  Rich Maloney

Location:  Ann Arbor, MI

Vitals:  .294 BA, 55 HR, .387 OBP, .968 Fld%…4.82 ERA, 3 CG, 12 SV, 421 K, 205 BB, .293 BB

Out Of The Blue:  Michigan has been one of the most successful teams from the north over the last seven years, but 2009 broke that recent trend.  After winning three straight Big Ten titles from 2006-2008 Michigan didn’t even qualify for the league’s postseason tournament last year.

Dominant Duo:  Preseason All-American OF Ryan LaMarre (.344, 12 HR, 62 RBIs) and 2009 All-Big Ten first baseman Mike Dufek (.304, 17 HR, 59 RBIs, 19 doubles) head the list of seven returning Wolverines who started at least 30 games last year.  Dufek was also 1-1 on the mound with a 2.70 ERA and three saves.

Plethora Of Pitching:  The Wolverines return 11 of their 14 pitchers who saw action last year, although staff ace Chris Fetter (7-3, 3.26 ERA) is the top loss.  Fetter had all three of the pitching staff’s complete games last year, and he struckout 103 in 94 IP.  Senior LHP Eric Katzman (7-4, 3.53 ERA) returns to lead the rotation, while Matt Miller (3.70 ERA, 3 SV) and Tyler Burgoon (4-2, 4.84 ERA, 4 SV) join Dufek in the bullpen.

Carolina Challenge:  Michigan plays a 3-game series at North Carolina, which has made four straight College World Series Appearances, March 5-7.  The Wolverines also play two games vs. Coastal Carolina in Myrtle Beach March 13 & 14.

Crankin’ It: Coley Crank hit .467 (7-for-15) with four home runs and nine runs batted in at the Red Raider Invitational (Feb. 19-21). He is believed to be the first player in the modern era of Division I baseball to hit three home runs on opening day after blasting out a trio of balls against Jacksonville State (Feb. 19). Crank reached base in all four games, playing primarily as a designated hitter.  Named a Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week.

Opening Weekend:  Went 2-2 at the Red Raider Shootout in Lubbock, TX.  Won first two games vs. Jacksonville State, but lost last two games vs. Texas Tech.

Michigan State

2009 Record:  (23-31, 13-11)

Mascot:  Spartans

Head Coach:  Jake Boss, Jr.

Location:  East Lansing, MI

Vitals:  .284 BA, 30 HR, .366 OBP, .966 Fld%…5.19 ERA, 2 CG, 7 SV, 302 K, 244 BB, .294 opp. BA

Who’s The Boss:  Second year Michigan State head coach Jake Boss, Jr.’s dad, Jake Boss, Sr., is the Spartans’ volunteer assistant coach.  The elder boss has 29 years of head coaching experience was inducted into the Michigan High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1994.  He has also served as a Major League scout for the Toronto Blue Jays and L.A. Dodgers.

Sparty’s Charges:  The Spartans return the bulk of their starting position players, although they do lose their top overall hitter Eric Roof (.345, 6 HR, 41 RBIs), who led the team in nearly every offensive category.  Outfielder Eli Boike (.310, 36 RBIs, 12 SB), who led MSU with 8 home runs heads the list of returnees.  Jeff Holm (16), Jonathon Roof (11) and Brandon Eckerle (13) combined with Boike to help the Spartans steal 71 bases last year.

Two For One:  Two of three weekend starters, Soph. Tony Bucciferro (5-2, 3.55 ERA) and Jr.  A.J. Achter (3-6, 3.76 ERA), return to spearhead the pitching staff.  They do lose Nolan Moody (6-5, 4.53 ERA), who led the staff with his six wins and tossed the team’s only two complete games.

Opening Weekend: Beat Furman & Miami (OH), but lost 10-2 to Clemson in Greenville, SC.  MS.  Shortstop Jonathon Roof was named Big Ten Player of the Week. Roof went 7-for-11 at the plate over the weekend with two homers, three RBIs and four runs scored.

Minnesota

2009 Record:  (40-19, 17-6)

Mascot:  Golden Gophers

Head Coach:  John Anderson

Location:  Minneapolis, MN

Vitals:  .314 BA, 55 HR, .391 OBP, .971 Fld%…4.85 ERA, 1 CG, 18 SV, 392 K, 192 BB, .285 opp. BA

Slow And Steady:  Minnesota didn’t make a big early splash like Illinois, but the Gophers had just a pair of two-game losing streaks and one three-game skid during the regular season en-route to 40 wins in 2009.  Minnesota has won at least 40 games and gone to an NCAA Regional in two of the last three seasons.

Minnesota Milestone:  Head coach John Anderson got his 1,000th career win last May with a 7-6 win at Penn State.  Anderson is the 20th head coach to win 1,000 games with the same team and the first Big Ten coach to accomplish the feat.

Iron Men:  Senior Michael Kvasnicka (.341, 10 HR, 65 RBIs) leads trio of returning Minnesota players who started all 59 games last year.  Redshirt Soph. Nick O’Shea (.287, 11 HR, 44 RBIs) started every game last year as well, while A.J. Petterson (.353) started all but one game.  The Golden Gophers do lose Derek McCallum (.409, 18 HR, 86 RBIs), who also started every game last year and then was taken by the Minnesota Twins in the fourth round of last year’s MLB Draft.

Golden Arm:   Closer Scott Matyas (0-1, 2.22 ERA, 15 SV) is back to lead the pitching staff.  The junior finished second in the Big Ten with his 15 saves last year to Ohio State’s Jake Hale.  He struckout 45 of the 104 batters he faced in 28 1/3 innings last year.  Matyas was drafted by the Yankees last year in the 29th round, but he opted to return for his jurnio season (he redshirted in 2007). Fellow junior Seth Rosin (7-1, 4.21 ERA) is the lone returning weekend starter.

Opening Weekend: Took 2 of 3 games from Akron in Ft. Myers, FL.  The two wins were by finals of 6-0 and 1-0.  Michael Kvasnicka scored the only run of the series finale with a walk-off home run.  It was the Golden Gopher’s first walk-off HR since 2005.

Northwestern

2009 Record:  (14-35-1, 5-17)

Mascot:  Wildcats

Head Coach:  Paul Stevens

Location:  Evanston, IL

Vitals:  .264 BA, 35 HR, .333 OBP, .964 Fld%…6.39 ERA, 6 CG, 4 SV, 274 K, 182 BB, .318 opp. BA

Big League Digs:  The Wildcats will play a doubleheader vs. Wisconsin-Milwaukee in Milwaukee’s Miller Park on April 28.  The twin bill will be played after the Milwaukee Brewers play the Pittsburgh Pirates in a 12:10 pm game.

Wildcat Workhorses:  Northwestern returns it entire weekend pitching rotation from 2009.  Senior LHP Joe Muraski (3-5, 5.31 ERA) led the staff with 65 Ks in 81 1/3 IP, while posting a team-best .276 opponent batting average, junior LHP Eric Jokisch (4-7, 5.48 ERA) pitched five of the staff’s six complete games en-route to a team-leading 88 2/3 IP and sophomore RHP Eric Morton (2-7, 5.65 ERA) was the only other Wildcat to pitch more than 57 innings in ‘09.    Relievers Michael Jahns (1-1, 3.56 ERA) and Francis Brooke (2-2, 3.68 ERA) are back as well.

Long Ball Loss:  The Wildcats return most of their line-up from 2009, but they lose home run and RBI leader Tony Vercelli (.258, 11 HR, 40 RBIs).  Paul Snieder (.244, 6 HR, 25 RBIs) is the team’s top returning home run hitter, Kenneth Avila (.293) hit for the best average last year, while Chris Lashmet (.296, 5 HR, 30 RBIs) returns as well.

No Home Cookin’:  For the second straight year Northwestern will play just 15 home games.

Opening Weekend:  Northwestern went 0-4 at the Bojangles Baseball Classic in Rock Hill, SC.  The Wildcats were outscored 58-9 in their four games vs. Winthrop, Marist and George Mason (twice).

Notre Dame

2009 Record:  (36-23, 15-12)

Mascot:  Fighting Irish

Head Coach:  Dave Schrage

Location:  Notre Dame, IN

Vitals:  .309 BA, 51 HR, .392 OBP, .966 Fld%…5.36 ERA, 7 CG, 12 SV, 328 BB, 220, .286 opp. BA

Line-Up Losses:  The Irish lose their top three hitters, including their top two run producers from 2009. CF  A.J. Pollock (.365, 10 HR, 52 RBIs, 21 SB) was taken by Arizona with the 17th overall pick in last year’s MLB draft.  He was the highest Irish player drafted since 1965.  SS Jeremy Barnes (.353, 15 HR, 70 RBIs) was drafted in the 11th round by Philadelphia.  Barnes was Notre Dame’s RBI leader in 3 of his 4 years.  Meanwhile, OF Golden Tate (.329, 45 R, 13 SB), who won the Biletnikoff Award on the football field last fall, won’t play baseball this year to prepare for April’s NFL Draft.

Solid Nucleus:  Despite the significant losses Notre Dame still returns six players who hit .301 or better in 2009, including Jr. INF Mick Doyle (.327) and Sr. OF David Mills (.325), who was also 2-1 with a save as a relief pitcher.

Plenty Of Pitching:  Virtually every significant pitcher from 2009 is back this season, including the entire weekend rotation of Jr. Cole Johnson(7-3, 4.47 ERA),  Jr. Brian Dupra (6-5, 3 CG) and Sr. Eric Maust (6-3, 4.94) who has also doubled as a punter on the Irish football team.  Relievers Will Hudgins (2-0, 3.65 ERA, 3 SV), Todd Miller (1-2, 5.40 ERA, 5 SV) and Ryan Richter (5-2, 3.85 ERA) return as well.  RHP Ryan Sharpley is also back after missing all of 2009 due to injury.

Addition By Addition:  Collegiate coaching veteran Dave Dengler joins the Irish staff as the pitching coach for 2010.  As a head coach he led Linn-Blinton CC and Yavapai JC to a combined five Junior College World Series appearances, including the 1993 NJCAA National Championship (Yavapai).  Dengler was also the head coach at Portland State for four years before the program was disbanded.  In his 23 years as a college coach Dengler had 23 pitchers, including World Series MVP Curt Schilling, selected in the MLB Draft.

Opening Weekend: The Fighting Irish swept three games vs. Mississippi Valley State.  Notre Dame swept the games played in Itta Bena and Greenville, MS by a combined 39-10.  First baseman Casey Martin was named Big East Player of the Week after going 8-for-16 with two home runs and 7 RBIs.

Ohio State

2009 Record:  (42-19, 18-6)

Mascot:  Buckeyes

Head Coach:  Bob Todd

Location:  Columbus, OH

Vitals:  .328 BA, 66 HR, .400 BA, .963 Fld%…6.39 ERA, 5 CG, 21 SV, 462 K, 265 BB, .300 opp. BA

Dynamic Duo:  Reigning Big Ten Player of the Year Dan Burkhart (.354, 10 HR, 62 RBIs) and co-Big Ten Pitcher of the Year Alex Wimmers (9-2, 3.27 ERA) return to spearhead the Buckeyes in 2010.  The juniors were not only high school teammates at Cincinnati’s Archbishop Moeller high school, but also teammates back to their Little League days.  Burkhart started 57 of OSU’s 61 games last year, while serving as the battery mate for Wimmers’ May 2, 2009 no-hitter in a 6-0 win over arch-rival Michigan.

Buckeyes Back:  Including Burkhart OSU returns 8 of its top 10 hitters from last year’s NCAA Regional team.  Among them are outfielder Michael Stephens (.346, 14 HR, 63 RBIs), team batting leader Ryan Dew (.388), Zach Hurley (.346, 14 SB), Cory Kovanda (.341), and Matt Streng (.308, 8 HR).  Starting pitchers Eric Best (7-4, 5.95 ERA) and and Dean Wolosiansky (11-2, 6.04 ERA) are back as well.

There’s A Hole In The Pen:  The biggest hole to fill for the Buckeyes in 2010 will be the one left by closer Jake Hale (0-1, 1.31 ERA, 18 SV).  The All-American led the Big Ten and ranked second in the nation last year with his 18 saves.

Bad Aftertaste:  Despite the thrill of a trip to the Tallahassee NCAA Regional last year, Ohio State ended the season on a sour note with a 37-4 loss to host Florida State.  The Seminoles set NCAA Tournament records for runs, hits (38), total bases (66), and doubles (15) against a team that was playing its fourth game in three days.  33 of the FSU runs were earned.  Without those runs the OSU staff ERA would drop nearly half a run to 5.93.

Big East Challenge, Part II:  In addition to its games vs. Notre Dame, USF and Cincinnati at the Big Ten/Big East Challenge Ohio State has five more match-ups with Big East teams during the regular season.  The Buckeyes play UConn on March 14 in Knoxville, TN,  USF again in Winter Haven on March 24, two games vs. Louisville in Columbus May 4 & 5, and then welcome Pittsburgh to town for a May 18 contest.

Opening Weekend: The Buckeyes were 3-0 last weekend in Jacksonville, FL.  They out scored North Florida, Florida A&M and Richmond by a combined 40-12.  The three wins gave head coach Bob Todd 1,000 career victories.  Alex Wimmers earned Big Ten Pitcher of the Week honors he fanned 9 with one walk in 6 innings in the season-opening 4-2 win over North Florida.

Penn State

2009 Record:  (25-26, 8-16)

Mascot:  Nittany Lions

Head Coach:  Robbie Wine

Location:  State College, PA

Vitals:  .294 BA, 29 HR, .371 OBP, .964 Fld%…5.78 ERA, 1 CG, 10 SV, 339 K, 219 BB, .300 opp. BA

Staying & Going:  Penn State returns its top two hitters, but loses two of its top run producers from last year’s team.  sophomore Jordan Sternaka led the Nittany Lions in batting average (.365), home runs (6), RBIs (42), slg% (.536), and triples (3) as a true freshman.  He also tied fellow returnee Blake Lynd (.356) for the team lead with 39 runs scored.  PSU does lose coach’s son Cory Wine (.307, 5 HR, 41 RBIs) and Mike Deese (.301, 5 HR, 40 RBIs).

PSU Pitching:  The pitching staff loses its top three starters from 2009, but three top relievers return.  Sophomore Ryan Ignas (5-1, 5.31 ERA, 5 SV) led the staff in wins and saves last year, Sr. LHP David Lutz (4-2, 3.38 ERA, 3 SV) had the staff’s best ERA and Jr. Jesse Alfreno’s (1-0, 4.44 ERA, SV) 20 appearances were the team’s third-most behind Lutz (26) and Ignas (22).  Alfreno is also a cornerback on the Penn State football team.

Texas Two Step:  Penn State plays five straight games against 2009 NCAA Tournament teams in March with two games vs. Texas A&M in College Station, TX followed by a 3-game set vs. Texas State in San Marcos.

Opening Weekend: Penn State’s three scheduled games last weekend were canceled due to snow.  The Nittany Lions were to have played a neutral site game vs. Coppin State and two games at Longwood.

Purdue

2009 Record:  (25-26, 11-12)

Mascot:  Boilermakers

Head Coach:  Doug Schreiber

Location:  West Lafayette, IN

Vitals:  .316 BA, 40 RBIs, .405 OBP, .954 Fld%…5.96 ERA, 4 CG, 10 SV, 341 K, 199 BB, .301 opp. BA

Big Boiler Losses:  Purdue loses three vital cogs from last year’s team.  Brandon Haveman (.422, 20 doubles), John Cummins (.400) and slugger Dan Black (.310, 15 HR, 51 RBIs) are all gone.  Black’s 62 walks were second in the nation in 2009.

Top Returners:  Sophomore infielder Eric Charles (.371, 45 Runs) is the Boilermakers top returning hitter.  He’s joined in the line-up by David Blount (.322) and Drew Madia (.290, 6 HR, 32 RBIs), whose home run and RBI totals were both second to Black last year.

Plenty Of Pitching:  All three weekend starters, seniors Matt Bischoff (4-5, 5.54 ERA) & Matt Jansen (4-6, 6.62 ERA) and junior Matt Morgan (6-5, 4.75 ERA), are back for the Boilermakers this year.  Bischoff has received All-Big Ten recognition in each of his first three seasons.  Saves leader Kevin Cahill (3-2, 6.40 ERA, 6 SV) is back in the bullpen along with Drew Wurdack (4-1, 5.45 ERA, 2 SV)

Home Grown:  23 players on Purdue’s official web site roster are from the state of Indiana.

Out Of The Gate:  Purdue’s three games this weekend vs. Villanova, Cincinnati and Rutgers are its first three games of the 2010 season.

Rutgers

2009 Record:  (22-31, 8-19)

Mascot:  Scarlet Knights

Head Coach:  Fred Hill

Location:  Piscataway, NJ

Vitals:  .292 BA, 35 HR, 52 SB, .374 OBP, .956 Fld%…6.24 ERA, 1 CG, 10 SV, 311 K, 236 BB, .310 opp BA

King Of The Hill:  Entering his 27th season at Rutgers, Fred Hill is easily the longest tenured head coach in the Big East.  Hill became just the third person to have his jersey retired at Montclair State at a Feb. 13 ceremony.  He started his head coaching career there and guided Montclair to the 1983 NCAA Division III World Series.  Hill enters 2010 just 20 wins away from 1,000. Hill’s  brother Brian is currently an assistant coach for the NBA’s Detroit Pistons, and his son, Fred, is the head coach of the Rutgers men’s basketball team.

A Lot In The Line-Up:  The Scarlet Knights return eight position players, a DH and 10 of their top 11 hitters from last year’s team.  Michael Lang (.343, 8 HR, 38 RBIs, 10 SB and Jaren Matthews (.328, 6 HR, 28 RBIs, 10 SB) head the pack.

Mound Presence:  2009 Cape Cod All-Star Casey Gaynor (2-9, 5.54 ERA) is among the pitching staff’s top three pitchers who return.  Gaynor was the pitching staff’s workhorse, with the team’s only complete game.  Willie Beard (0-2, 2.28 ERA) thrived as the team’s closer with 8 saves as a freshman, while senior RHP Matt Giannini returns after missing 2009 due to injury.

Challenges Abound:  Rutgers makes its Big Ten/Big East Challenge debut this year, but it has a pair of challenges sandwiched around the second weekend of the season.  The Scarlet Knights open 2010 with three games vs. the Miami Hurricanes in Coral Gables, FL and then face another ACC power with three more games vs. Georgia Tech in Atlanta March 5-7.

Opening Weekend:  The Scarlet Knights lost their three games to Miami last weekend.  The Hurricanes outscored Rutgers 31-16 in the series.

St. John’s

2009 Record:  (30-22, 16-11)

Mascot:  Red Storm

Head Coach:  Ed Blankmeyer

Location:  Queens, NY

Vitals:  .349 BA, 42 HR, .422 OBP, .963 Fld%…6.20 ERA, 1 CG, 10 SV, 328 K, 235 BB, .315 opp. BA

Red, White & Blue:  Head coach Ed Blankmeyer will serve as an assistant coach this summer for the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team.  The 2010 schedule is highlighted by the V FISU World University Championships in Japan.

Red Storm Regulars:  St. John’s returns five players who made at least 34 starts and hit .331 or better.  Soph. OF Jimmy Parque (.360, 5 HR, 61 RBIs) and Jr. third baseman Greg Hopkins (.349, 7 HR, 45 RBIs).  They lose Tim Morris (.415, 12 HR) and Matt Kemp (.379, 16 SB) who were selected in the 11th and 19th rounds, respectively, in last year’s MLB Draft.

Plus Pitching:  The Red Storm returns a group of pitchers that accounted for 44 of the staff’s 52 starts last year, including Nick Cenatiempo (5-3, 7 starts), Eddie Medina (5-3, 4 starts, 1 SV), Brendan Lobban (4-2, 7 starts) and Bruce Kern (5-4, 11 starts) who had the team’s only complete game.  Senior closer Ryan Cole (2-0, 3.49 ERA, 5 SV) is back as well.

Opening Weekend: St. John’s opened its season by sweeping a 3-game series at New Orleans. The weekend was highlighted by a 31-6 win in the series finale.  The 31 runs scored are the most in a game for the Red Storm since 1954.  Paul Karmas was 4-for-7 in the game with 3 home runs and 10 RBIs.   This will be the Privateers’ last season of Division I competition as they transition to Division III in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

Seton Hall

2009 Record:  (25-24, 13-14)

Mascot:  Pirates

Head Coach:  Rob Sheppard

Location:  South Orange, NJ

Vitals:  .274 BA, 20 HR, .371 OBP, .954 Fld%…4.33 ERA, 9 CG, 5 SV, 307 K, 199 BB, .282 opp. BA

All In The Family:  Head coach Rob Sheppard’s brother, Mike Sheppard, Jr., is the head baseball coach at Seton Hall Prep.  Their father, Mike Sheppard, Sr., coached the Pirates from 1974-2003.

All In The Family II:  Seton Hall volunteer assistant Zach Porcello’s younger brothers, Rick and Jake Porcello, both played for Mike Sheppard, Jr. at Seton Hall Prep.  Rick Porcello was a first round draft pick by the Detroit Tigers in 2007.  He was 14-9 with a 3.96 ERA for the Tigers last year.   Jake Porcello is now a freshman pitcher on the Seton Hall roster.

Tale Of The Tape:  The Pirates lose their top two hitters, Matt Smedberg (.382, 2 HR, 26 RBIs) and Chris Affinito (.324, 9 HR, 50 RBIs), as well as two of their weekend starters, Sean Black (4-6, 3.99 ERA, 2 CG) and Keith Cantwell (6-3, 3.48 ERA, 5 CG), from last year’s team.   Their top returners are Sr. OF Michael Rogers (.299, HR, 23 RBIs), Jr. SS A.J. Rusbarsky (.271, 1 HR, 20 RBIs) and Jr. RHP Joe DiRocco (4-3, 4.46 ERA, 2 CG).

Opening Weekend:  Seton Hall opened the season by being swept in a 3-game series at Texas A&M.  The Aggies outscored the Pirates 30-11.

South Florida

2009 Record:  (34-25, 18-9)

Mascot:  Bulls

Head Coach:  Lelo Prado

Location:  Tampa, FL

Vitals:  .315 BA, 36 HR, .407 OBP, .968 Fld%…4.79 ERA, 8 CG, 11 SV, 402 K, 204 BB, .274 opp. BA

Big Plans:  Plans are in the works for a new baseball stadium at USF.  The stadium is part of a $30 million facilities upgrade that will benefit other sports as well.  The overall capacity of the stadium is expected to exceed 3,000 and is being designed to accommodate additional seating that will enable USF to host NCAA Regionals and Super Regionals.l The new home plate and press box area will be built on what is currently the right field foul pole area of Red McEwen Field.

Sophomore Slump:  Junior OF Ryan Lockwood will look for a big bounce-back season in 2010.  He hit .415 and was named Collegiate Baseball’s 2008 National Freshman of the Year, but slumped to just a .289 average last year.

The Champ Is Back:  Lockwood and 2009 Big East batting champion (conference games only) Junior Carlin (.384 overall/.471 Big East games)) are among five line-up regulars who return in 2010.  57 of Carlin’s hits last year were singles, which contributed to USF’s .441 ranking 8th in the 12-team Big East.

Great Expectations:  League coaches named Jr. RHP Randy Fontanez (7-3, 3.09 ERA, 6 CG) the Preseason Big East Pitcher of the Year.  Fontanez made 13 starts in 2009, while holding opponents to a .250 average.  He tossed six of the staff’s eight complete games.   USF also returns starters Derrick Stultz (5-4, 4.48 ERA) and Teddy Kauffman (3-5, 5.86 ERA) as well as reliever Kevin Quackenbush (2-2, 3.94 ERA, 6 SV).

Opening Weekend:  USF lost three games in Gainesville, FL last weekend.  The Gators outscored the Bulls 22-9.

Villanova

2009 Record:  (22-28, 6-20)

Mascot:  Wildcats

Head Coach:  Joe Godri

Location:  Villanova, PA

Vitals:  .282 BA, 23 HR, .384 OBP, .970 Fld%…6.15 ERA, 4 CG, 8 SV, 283 K, 206 BB, .308 opp. BA

Hail Szczur:  OF/C Matt Szczur (pronounced like Julius Caesar) helped lead the Villanova football team to the 2009 FCS Division I National Championship in December.  He was named both the CAA’s Offensive and Special Teams Player of the Year this for the season.  The junior ran for 810 yards and 10 touchdowns, passed for 22 yards and 2 TDs, averaged 27.2 yards on 30 kickoff returns, and had 51 catches for 610 yards and 4 more TDs in 2009.  Szczur missed his freshman baseball season due to injury, but he led the Wildcats with a .346 average and 18 stolen bases last year.  More Experience:  Szczur is one of five returning position playing starters for VU, including Jr. INF David Koczirka (.340, HR, 39 RBIs) 12 of 14 pitchers who saw action for the Wildcats last year are back as well.  The group combined to make all 50 starts in 2009.  Senior RHP Brian Streilein (5-8, 5.46 ERA, 2 CG) leads the rotation, while Jr. LHP Mike Francisco (1-2, 4.24 ERA, 4 SV) leads the relief corps.

Challenge Debut:  Villanova opened the 2009 season by playing eventual national champion LSU in the first games in the new Alex Box Stadium, making this year the team’s debut in the Big Ten/Big East Challenge.

Opening Weekend: The Wildcats opened the 2010 season by sweeping a 3-game series at Norfolk State.  They outscored the Spartans by a combined 30-6.  Brian Streilein earned Big East Pitcher of the Week recognition by pitching 6 2/3 scoreless innings with 12 strikeouts in the season-opening 13-2 win.  Ten Wildcats had at least one hit in the game.

West Virginia

2009 Record:  (37-18, 17-10)

Mascot:  Mountaineers

Head Coach:  Greg Van Zant

Location:  Morgantown, WV

Vitals:  .360 BA, 68 HR, .443 OBP, .966 Fld%…5.40 ERA, 7 CG, 10 SV, 375 K, 199 BB, .300 opp. BA

Dinging It:  The Mountaineers led the Big East in batting average (.360), slugging percentage (.564), on-base percentage (.443), and runs scored (525) in 2009.

.400 Or Bust:  Two of the top three hitters in the Big East return to lead the West Virginia offense this year.  Dan DiBartolomeo’s .439 overall average led the conference, while Jedd Gyorko’s .421 avg. was third.  Gyorko is a 2009 Cape Cod League All-Star who was the 2008 Big East Freshman of the Year.  Big East coaches voted him the 2010 Preseason Player of the Year.  Line-Up Losses:  WVU loses its top two home run hitters in Justin Parks and Austin Markel who hit 12 and 15 HR, respectively last year.

Mound Men:  Weekend starters Jr. RHP Jarryd Summers (7-3, 3.06 ERA, 2 CG) andLHP Jonathon Jones (6-2, 6.57 ERA) are joined by workhorse closer Chris Enourato (6-2, 3.66 ERA, 6 SV) as the top returnees on the pitching staff.  Enourato made 20 relief appearances last year and averaged more than two innings per outing.  The senior has been named to the NCBWA’s Preseason Stopper of the Year watch list.

Phantom Starts:  WVU pitchers Jarryd Summers, Jonathon Jones and Billy Gross were credited with a combined 15 “starts” on the offensive scorecard last season, but none of them had an at-bat or any offensive stat during the year.  Head coach Greg Van Zant’s custom is to substitute his DH for the pitcher when that spot in the batting order is due at the plate for the first time in a game.

Opening Weekend:  The Mountaineers lost three games in Conway, SC to Coastal Carolina, Kentucky and Virginia Tech.  They were outscored 24-5 in the trio of losses.

Ten Questions On The Eve Of The College Baseball Season

A new college baseball season is about to begin.  It’s a season that is started a week earlier than it was originally slated to begin, and one school (James Madison) has already canceled its season opener, because (spoiler) it snows in roughly two-thirds of the country in mid-February.

Anyway, from time to time different thoughts pop into my head and I have managed to corral a few of them here.  So, here are Ten College Baseball Questions For 2010… (in no particular order)…

1.  Can LSU Repeat? The odds say it’s not going to happen.  Oregon State (2006-2007), LSU (1996-1997) and Stanford (1987-1988) are the only teams to win back-to-back crowns since Rod Dedeaux’s USC Trojans ended a streak of five straight titles from 1970-1974.  Paul Mainieri’s Tigers have a lot of key elements returning, like Blake Dean’s bat and Anthony Ranaudo & Matty Ott’s arms, but the odds just aren’t in their favor.  On the other hand…

Russell Moldenhauer (Texas Photo)

2.  Can Texas Be Stopped? The odds (along with a sick pitching staff and a lot of returning everyday players) would seem to be in Augie Garrido’s favor.  The Longhorns return three starters, Taylor Jungmann, Cole Green and Chance Ruffin who could all be just about anyone’s number one starter.  The trio combined to win 26 games last year.  Cameron Rupp, Kevin Keyes and Omaha long ball ace Russell Moldenhauer are also back to lead the offense.  With all that back the biggest question right now seem to be can they stay number one from now until season’s end?

3.  Would An LSU vs. Texas Championship Re-Match Be Good For College Baseball? It would be good for TV ratings, but I don’t know that it would actually be good for the game as a whole.  Does anyone who’s not a Yankees fan think that the cash cow’s 27th title is good for any other MLB team other than the one in the Bronx with the new stadium and overpriced (and often empty) seats?  Texas and LSU at the College World Series is good for college baseball, because it gets casual fans a little more interested.  But when it comes time for all the marbles David vs. Goliath  is just more fun.

4.  Speaking Of David…Who Will Be This Year’s Cinderella? Fresno State was the ultimate Cinderella two years ago, but Mike Batesole’s great-great-great grand children will be playing before we see that kind of run again.  But that doesn’t mean there won’t be more Cinderellas.  They’re quite common when it comes to the CWS.  Fresno State, Southern Mississippi, Louisville, Southwest Missouri State, Notre Dame, and San Jose State all made it to Omaha in the last decade in what was either their first appearance or their first trip after a long CWS drought.  The odds say there’ll be a Cinderella, but the waiting is the hardest (and most fun) part.

Bryce Brentz (MTSU photo)

5.  Will Bryce Brentz Win the NCAA’s Triple Crown? The Middle Tennessee State slugger just about did it last year.  He led the nation with his .465 batting average, and he tied Alabama’s Kent Matthes for the home run title with 28.  Brentz also topped the charts with his .930 slugging percentage, but he missed the Triple Crown with “just” 73 RBIs.  That technically tied for 31st nationally, but Brentz was just 14 RBIs behind NCAA leader Paul Goldschmidt of Texas State.  Logical thinking would say Brentz, now a junior, doesn’t have a chance, but logic never pitched to Brentz.

6.  Can Arizona State Overcome The Loss Of Pat Murphy? Love him or hate him, it’s hard to argue with the success that Murphy had in his 15 years in the ASU dugout.   But it’s not like ASU had never won prior to Murph’s arrival.  He led his team to Omaha four times, but the program has 21 CWS appearances since 1964 thanks to Bob Winkles and Jim Brock.  Now it’s Tim Esmay’s turn to guide the cruise ship Sun Devil.  Esmay, a former Utah head coach, himself played for Brock in Omaha twice, and he was also on Murphy’s staff for the last five seasons.  He also has a lot of experience sitting with him in the dugout.  Ken Knutson is in his first year as an assistant on the ASU staff after 17 seasons as the Washington Huskies’ head coach.  ASU’s line-up is loaded again, and there’s plenty of pitching too.  For now anyway the good ship ASU doesn’t show any signs of running aground.

Jarrett Parker (UVA photo)

7.  Is Virginia The Next National Power Or A One-Hit Wonder? The Cavaliers can hardly be considered a Cinderella.  Yes, last year was their first-ever College World Series trip, but they are from the ACC and they won their conference tournament last year.  Glass slippers aside, it would be easy to write-off UVA as a team that got hot and made a big run.  However, last year’s CWS squad included 23 underclassmen and set 11 school records…and the most prominent components-like Danny Hultzen, Jarrett Parker and Kevin Arico to name a few-are all back this year.  Who saw North Carolina coming prior four years ago?  Mike Fox’s Tar Heels hadn’t been to Omaha since 1989 prior to 2006 & now they’ve gone four straight times.  Cavalier head coach Brian O’Connor has now guided the Cavs to six straight NCAA berths, and he has been a guy whose destiny has always seemed to be Omaha.  He grew-up in the shadow of Rosenblatt Stadium in Council Bluffs, NE, pitched in the ’91 CWS for Creighton, helped Notre Dame get to Omaha in 2002 as the Irish pitching coach, and finally took his own team to the promised land last year…not to mention the fact that his mug is one of the players on the famed “Road To Omaha” statue outside Rosenblatt.  So, if you’re asked what lies in the shadow of the statue the safe answer might be “O’Connor’s Cavaliers”.

8.  Is A Northern Team Ready To Make A Real National Statement? Michigan and Notre Dame flirted with it last decade.  St. John’s has had its moments, and Ohio State and Minnesota have each had some success, but it all comes down to pitching.  Or more specifically, pitching depth.  The biggest difference in teams in the good southern teams and the good northern teams is pitching depth.  There are guys coming out of the bullpen in the ACC and SEC who could be starters on most Big Ten and Big East teams.  Just look at last year’s save numbers in those conferences:  157 in the SEC & 160 saves in the ACC compared to 110 and 121 in the Big Ten and Big East, respectively.  But save totals don’t even tell half the story.

When it comes to playing in an NCAA Regional winning the first game is important, but for a northern team winning the first two games of a regional is critical.  The team that starts 2-0 at a regional is at least one starting pitcher ahead of each opponent it plays the rest of the weekend.  Look at Minnesota last year:  They lost their regional opener to Baylor, then out-slugged Southern 11-8 and Baylor 15-12 atfter that before falling 10-3 to LSU.  They played respectably, but they gave-up 10 runs a game over their last three contests, while LSU gave-up 3 runs with its third starter on the mound.   Ohio State lost 24-8 to Georgia to its regional opener last year, then won 6-4 and 13-6 in elimination games before getting trounced 37-6 by Florida State in game four (game 3 for FSU).  OSU’s starting pitcher gave-up 7 runs without getting an out in that game.  But what about Michigan in 2007?  The Wolverines won the first two games of their regional, lost game three, but then beat Vanderbilt in the deciding game four to advance to a Super Regional.  In 2002 Notre Dame used just five pitchers while going 3-0 at their Regional en-route to being the only northern team to advance to Omaha since the ’80s.  The Irish also used just two pitchers in their two Super Regional wins over Florida State the following week.   It’s no coincidence that in recent years only teams from the south have come back  to win a Regional after losing one of their first two games.

ECU's Kyle Roller (ECU photo)

9.  Is Conference USA The Most Underrated Baseball Conference In The Country? Quick question…what three conferences have sent at least one team to the College World Series in each of the last five seasons?  If you said the SEC, Pac 10 and Conference USA you get the gold star for the day (but remember to raise your hand before blurting out the answer next time).  Rice, Tulane and last year’s darling Southern Mississippi have all gone to Omaha in that stretch.  Terry Rooney left LSU after a trip to the 2008 CWS in part because C-USA had earned a reputation as a three bid league.  But Conference USA didn’t just get three bids last year.  Rice, Southern Miss. and East Carolina all advanced to Super Regionals, and ECU and USM did it by beating South Carolina and Georgia Tech, respectively, in Regional action.  USM then beat Florida on the road to advance to Omaha, Rice lost to eventual National Champ LSU in its Regional while ECU fell to a North Carolina team that made a fourth straight CWS appearance.  C-USA has arrived, and based on the talent the aforementioned ’09 Super Regional teams have back, the conference doesn’t appear to be going anywhere anytime soon.

10.  Will The Season Just Start Already? Really, aren’t you tired of waiting?  Oops, that’s another question, we don’t have room for eleven.  Is it here yet?  That’s another questions too…

More Games To Be Televised This Season

CHICAGO, IL – The Big Ten Network has nearly doubled its coverage plans for the Big Ten’s baseball and softball seasons. The network will produce at least 102 baseball and softball games for the Big Ten Network or www.BigTenNetwork.com this spring.

The network will nationally televise up to 33 Big Ten baseball games, including the entire Big Ten Baseball Tournament, and stream an additional 20 games for www.BigTenNetwork.com. Twenty Two Big Ten softball games will be televised this spring, plus an additional 29 games for the internet. A selected number of streamed games will be televised on delay through the network’s Student U initiative.

Every telecast will be produced in high definition.

“We’re thrilled to expand our coverage of Big Ten baseball and softball this spring through our streaming initiative and to provide these student-athletes with a national and international stage for their talents,” Big Ten Network president Mark Silverman said.

The network’s live baseball coverage begins with the Penn State-Illinois series in Champaign.  Game one of the series is slated for 7 PM ET on Friday, April 2, and will be streamed live at www.BigTenNetwork.com.  The network’s first telecast of the season will be at 7 PM ET on Friday, April 9, as Michigan hosts Purdue.

Forty-four games on the Big Ten Network baseball schedule will be conference matchups, including the entire Big Ten Baseball Tournament, played Wednesday, May 26, through Saturday, May 29. The 2010 tournament will be played at Bill Davis Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.

Ohio State finished atop the 2009 Big Ten regular season baseball standings with an 18-6 conference record, but Indiana took home the tournament title.  The Buckeyes and Hoosiers were joined in last year’s NCAA Tournament by Minnesota.

The Big Ten Network’s live softball coverage begins with the Illinois State-Iowa game in Iowa City.  First pitch is scheduled for 5 PM ET on Wednesday, March 24, and the game will be streamed live. The network’s first live softball telecast of the year is set for 1 PM ET on Saturday, April 3, as Michigan State takes on Minnesota in East Lansing.

The Big Ten features three teams listed in the USA Softball preseason top 25, including No. 3 Michigan, No. 16 Ohio State and No. 17 Northwestern.  The Wolverines won the Big Ten in 2009 with a 17-3 conference mark and a season record of 47-12. Overall, six Big Ten teams earned NCAA Tournament bids in 2009, including Illinois, Iowa, Northwestern, Ohio State, Purdue and Women’s College World Series participant, Michigan.

2010 Big Ten Network Baseball Schedule

April 2 Penn State at Illinois Champaign, Ill. 7 PM BTN.com
April 3 Penn State at Illinois Champaign, Ill. 4 PM BTN.com
April 4 Penn State at Illinois Champaign, Ill. 1 PM BTN.com
April 7 Central Michigan at Michigan Ann Arbor, Mich. 3 PM BTN.com
April 9 Indiana at Ohio State Columbus, Ohio 6:30 PM BTN.com
April 9 Illinois at Iowa Iowa City, Iowa 7 PM BTN.com
April 9 Purdue at Michigan Ann Arbor, Mich. 7 PM Big Ten Network
April 10 Purdue at Michigan Ann Arbor, Mich. 1 PM Big Ten Network
April 10 Indiana at Ohio State Columbus, Ohio 1 PM BTN.com
April 10 Illinois at Iowa Iowa City, Iowa 2 PM BTN.com
April 11 Purdue at Michigan Ann Arbor, Mich. 12 PM Big Ten Network
April 11 Indiana at Ohio State Columbus, Ohio 1 PM BTN.com
April 11 Illinois at Iowa Iowa City, Iowa 2 PM BTN.com
April 13 Toledo at Michigan Ann Arbor, Mich. 3 PM BTN.com
April 16 Michigan at Illinois Champaign, Ill. 7 PM BTN.com
April 17 Ohio State at Michigan State East Lansing, Mich. 1 PM Big Ten Network
April 17 Michigan at Illinois Champaign, Ill. 4 PM BTN.com
April 18 Michigan at Illinois Champaign, Ill. 2 PM BTN.com
April 20 Notre Dame at Michigan Ann Arbor, Mich. 6:30 PM BTN.com
April 23 Indiana at Minnesota Minneapolis, Minn. 7 PM Big Ten Network
April 24 Indiana at Minnesota Minneapolis, Minn. 7 PM Big Ten Network
April 25 Indiana at Minnesota Minneapolis, Minn. 2 PM Big Ten Network
April 27 Bradley at Illinois Champaign, Ill. 7 PM BTN.com
April 30 Northwestern at Illinois Champaign, Ill. 7 PM Big Ten Network
May 1 Northwestern at Illinois Champaign, Ill. 4 PM Big Ten Network
May 2 Northwestern at Illinois Champaign, Ill. 4 PM Big Ten Network
May 4 Louisville at Ohio State Columbus, Ohio 7 PM Big Ten Network
May 7 Illinois at Ohio State Columbus, Ohio 6:30 PM BTN.com
May 7 Iowa at Penn State State College, Pa. 7 PM Big Ten Network
May 8 Illinois at Ohio State Columbus, Ohio 1 PM BTN.com
May 8 Iowa at Penn State State College, Pa. 4 PM Big Ten Network
May 9 Iowa at Penn State State College, Pa. 11 AM Big Ten Network
May 9 Illinois at Ohio State Columbus, Ohio 1 PM BTN.com
May 12 Ball State at Ohio State Columbus, Ohio 6 PM BTN.com
May 14 Indiana at Michigan State East Lansing, Mich. 2 PM Big Ten Network
May 15 Indiana at Michigan State East Lansing, Mich. 12 PM Big Ten Network
May 15 Purdue at Illinois Champaign, Ill. 1 PM Big Ten Network
May 16 Indiana at Michigan State East Lansing, Mich. 1 PM Big Ten Network
May 20 Minnesota at Ohio State Columbus, Ohio 7 PM Big Ten Network
May 21 Minnesota at Ohio State Columbus, Ohio 7 PM Big Ten Network
May 22 Minnesota at Ohio State Columbus, Ohio 1 PM Big Ten Network

Big Ten Baseball Tournament (Columbus, Ohio)

May 26 Big Ten Tournament Game 1 TBD Big Ten Network

May 26 Big Ten Tournament Game 2 TBD Big Ten Network

May 27 Big Ten Tournament Game 3 TBD Big Ten Network

May 27 Big Ten Tournament Game 4 TBD Big Ten Network

May 27 Big Ten Tournament Game 5 TBD Big Ten Network

May 28 Big Ten Tournament Game 6 TBD Big Ten Network

May 28 Big Ten Tournament Game 7 TBD Big Ten Network

May 28 Big Ten Baseball Tournament Semifinals TBD Big Ten Network

May 29 Big Ten Baseball Tournament Semifinals TBD Big Ten Network

May 29 Big Ten Baseball Championship TBD Big Ten Network

May 30 Big Ten Baseball Championship (if necessary) TBD Big Ten Network

All Times Eastern

Collegebaseball360.com To Stream Nine Games Live

ST. PETERSBURG, FL – Collegebaseball360.com, the fastest-growing college baseball website on the internet, will be providing live video webcasts for nine of the 30 scheduled games of the 2010 Big Ten/BIG EAST Baseball Challenge, hosted by the St. Petersburg/Clearwater Sports Commission Feb. 26-28, Scott Lowe, CEO of event manager API Sports announced today, The webcasts commence with one of the Challenge’s opening contests, Rutgers vs. Iowa, Friday, Feb. 26 at 10 a.m. at Al Lang Stadium in St. Pete.

“Last year we teamed up with the participating schools’ sports information directors to provide links to their live in-game statistics on our website at www.BigTenBIGEASTChallenge.com,” said API CEO Scott Lowe. “The amount of traffic generated that weekend indicated that there was tremendous interest in the event, so we decided to team up with CollegeBaseball360.com to provide live streaming action in 2010. We are very excited by the partnership and see this as a natural evolution as the Challenge continues to grow.”

In addition to the Rutgers-Iowa clash, other games available on the opening Friday include Cincinnati vs. Penn State at 1 p.m. from Al Lang Stadium as well as St. John’s vs. Minnesota (4 p.m.) and Louisville vs. Michigan (7:30 p.m.) from Dunedin Stadium. The Saturday Feb. 27 webcast slate features Villanova vs. Indiana (10 a.m. from Al Lang), Purdue vs. Cincinnati (4 p.m. from Jack Russell) and Ohio State vs. Notre Dame (4 p.m. from Bright House Field). Challenge webcasts wrap up with Northwestern vs. Seton Hall at 10 a.m. and Michigan State vs. West Virginia at 1 p.m. Sunday from Al Lang.  In addition, interviews with players and coaches and other interesting features will be provided from the 2010 Big Ten/BIG EAST Challenge.

Award-winning broadcaster Sean Stires will handle the bulk of the play by play duties during the 2010 Big Ten/Big East Challenge.  Tampa Bay Rays Broadcasting Coordinator Sean Houston will pitch-in with play by play duties at the Challenge as well.

The 2010 Challenge gets under way on Friday, Feb. 26, 2010, with 10 a.m. starts at the Naimoli Complex, Jack Russell and Al Lang. Naimoli hosts 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. games on Friday and Saturday, with Jack Russell and Al Lang offering starts at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. those days. St. John’s takes on Minnesota at 4 p.m. Friday at Dunedin Stadium, followed by a matchup of traditional NCAA Tournament contenders when Michigan faces Louisville at 7:30 p.m. Saturday’s doubleheader at Bright House Field features Notre Dame against Ohio State at 4 p.m., with USF taking on Illinois in the nightcap at 7:30 p.m.  Sunday there will be 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. games at Jack Russell, Al Laing and Naimoli.

2010 Big Ten/BIG EAST Baseball Challenge Webcast Schedule

Friday Feb. 26

10 am      Rutgers vs. Iowa                             Al Lang Stadium

1 pm        Cincinnati vs. Penn State                Al Lang Stadium

4 pm        St. John’s vs. Minnesota                 Dunedin Stadium

7:30pm    Louisville vs. Michigan                   Dunedin Stadium

Saturday Feb. 27

10 am      Villanova vs. Indiana                      Al Lang Stadium

1 pm        Purdue vs. Cincinnati                      Jack Russell Stadium

4 pm        Ohio State vs. Notre Dame            Bright House Field

Sunday Feb. 28

10 am      Northwestern vs. Seton Hall           Al Lang Stadium

1 pm        Michigan State vs. West Virginia   Al Lang Stadium