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Florida Senior Ready For Run At Title…

Preston Tucker at the plate during the 2011 College World Series

Florida has been to the College World Series in each of the past two seasons. Preston Tucker has been there for each of those trips and is back for a chance to win a national championship in 2012.

The senior was drafted in the 16th round by the Colorado Rockies last year, but opted to return to Gainesville instead of turning pro. His return means the Gators return almost everyone from a team that was the national runner-up in Omaha in 2011.

Despite the arrival of BBCOR bats to college baseball, Tucker still had a monster bat last year, batting .308 with 15 home runs, a team-high 74 RBIs, 23 doubles, and a .926 OPS.

In this exclusive interview with College Baseball 360 editor Sean Stires, Tucker discusses his decision to return for his final year at Florida, the reason for his personal success at the plate with the new bats, his teammates, coaches, his team’s chances to win a national championship and more.

Press the “Play” button below to listen to the podcast interview.

Tucker

 

 

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Switch Could Mean More Northern Exposure…

OpEd By College Baseball 360 Editor Sean Stires

(July 19, 2011)

We could be playing college baseball right now.

If the college baseball season started in late March instead of February the College World Series would have started this past Saturday  instead of its traditional Father’s Day weekend.

If Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delaney had his way that’s exactly how things would go. Delaney has been joined by others to push back the start of the college baseball season by at least a month to help level the playing field for northern teams, and it’s actually one of the best ideas he has had.

Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delaney

Delaney wants to see more northern representation at the College World Series. His other ideas to help that cause include placing less emphasis on RPI when it comes to NCAA Tournament selections and expanding the CWS field from eight to 10 teams, with the additional two teams being from the northern part of the country.

If my support for his ideas was measured in fastballs, Delaney would get a 95 (mph) for the schedule, an 88 for the RPI and a crafty lefty’s 67 for his plan to rubber stamp two teams from the north for the College World Series.

Let’s take them one at a time.

A Summer Schedule

Roughly half of the 300 Division One college baseball teams come from the northern part of the country, yet college baseball began its season on February 18 in 2011.

Who plays baseball in February?

Major League Baseball pitchers and catchers are just beginning to report when college baseball is cranking-up its schedule in late February. Where are the MLB guys reporting? Florida and Arizona. You know, where it’s actually warm in February!

That’s exactly where northern teams have to go, again and again, until the snow and ice thaws at the start of the season. It doesn’t take much to figure out that Michigan State, Ohio State, Connecticut, et. al have to go on the road more than their counterparts at places like Florida State, Arizona State and UCLA if they want to play in late February and early March.

Do you think folks in  Tallahassee and Tempe could even identify a snow blower if I walked down the street with one (maybe the retirees who’ve transplanted themselves, but that’s another story)? I’m not talking about the snow plows that clear the streets, I’m talking about the ones my neighbors use to clear their driveways in February and March after that white stuff hits the ground…again and again.

There are plenty of schools in smaller conferences like the Ivy League and America East Conference (to name just a couple) that have foregone even playing the first couple weeks of the season, because it just doesn’t fit into the budget.

Delaney’s idea to push back the start of the college baseball season by at least a month just makes sense, and he’s not the only one who’s floated the idea.

Sunny Golloway

Oklahoma head coach, Sunny Golloway, has vocally floated the idea of shifting the season into the summer as well. Golloway, who is one year removed from taking the Sooners to Omaha, thinks college baseball currently gets lost in the shadow of March Madness with its current start date. He also thinks there would be a better chance to get college baseball more TV exposure by pushing the season further into the summer months.

There are a few obstacles to this idea. The increased cost to schools to house and feed their student athletes while most other students are gone for the summer is one reason.

Another obstacle would be the actual scheduling of games. It’s easy for the Big Ten and other northern conferences to say they want to push back the start of the season to ease their travel woes, but starting the season in late March doesn’t give SEC and ACC schools any incentive to actually go to Columbus or Ann Arbor.  Delaney could get his wish for warmer weather in Ann Arbor to start the season, but that won’t make Texas or Florida want to go there to play.

Probably the biggest obstacle to the schedule shift though is…drum roll…TELEVISION. Nobody wants to hear it, but ESPN and Omaha both want the College World Series exactly where it is- in mid June.

Think about it, as it is the CWS fits perfectly into an open window for programming on ESPN, and more and more television drives the bus when it comes to sports (how about that 8:40 p.m. ET first pitch for last week’s All-Star game).

Less RPI Emphasis At Selection Time

Delaney’s biggest argument here is that because of their location, northern teams don’t have the inherent advantage that teams in the south have to play strong competition and build RPI during conference play. Northern schools aren’t the only ones who say the RPI formula favors southern schools though. Schools on the west coast, which obviously have the advantage of warmer weather, say the current system puts them at a disadvantage as well.

The NCAA did seem to make a step toward placing less importance on RPI this year though with the at-large selection of St. John’s rather than LSU, despite an RPI gap of about 30 spots.

It’s hard to have sympathy for Big Ten schools though who don’t even try to build early season RPI by playing a challenging early season schedule.

Michigan State and Illinois tied for the Big Ten regular season crown, while Purdue finished third in the regular season standings. Michigan State’s games against Clemson and Boston College and Purdue’s game at Vanderbilt were the only regular season games among those three teams in 2011 against schools from conferences that sent teams to Omaha (in fairness to Illinois, they did play three games at LSU two years ago).

Contrast that to Stanford, which went into the season knowing it would have to play conference series vs. UCLA and Arizona State (both 2010 CWS teams). The Cardinal started its 2011 season with three game series at Rice, at Vanderbilt and at Texas.

Or how about New Mexico? The Lobos played a total of 12 road games this past season at Arizona State, Arizona, Oklahoma State, and Oklahoma. Big Ten schools could make those same trips (and get paid in the process) if they wanted to.

Those Lobos come from the same Mountain West Conference that Delaney has continually stiff-armed when the conversation of a Division One college football playoff comes up.

That’s right, while Delaney has pounded the pulpit to get more exposure (and the TV money that comes with it) for his Big Ten brethren, he has also stood in the way as the biggest road block to breaking-up the BCS football system (and the money that it funnels into his conference).

Add Two Northern Teams To The CWS

This is the absolute worst idea of the bunch. Prior to the 1980s, NCAA Tournament Regionals were exactly that-“regional”. That’s why teams like Minnesota, Michigan and Maine were regulars in Omaha, because they were playing other northern teams, so they were guaranteed that one of them would make it. That’s what Delaney wants to go back to.

Four Regionals and two Super Regionals would be dedicated to northern schools under Delaney’s proposal, thus guaranteeing two teams from the upper part of the country a clear road to Omaha.

Delaney’s north-south line would be drawn between Oklahoma and Kansas, though I’m not really sure how teams on the west coast would fit into the equation. But that’s part of the problem.

Under the Delaney plan, a school like Virginia would be a “northern” team even though they play in what’s considered a “southern conference” (the ACC). Seems like the Cavaliers have done alright over the last three years with two trips to Omaha and another Super Regional under their belt.

Oregon State, Wichita State, Nebraska, and Notre Dame are other schools north of that line that have all been welcomed to Omaha. Connecticut came within spitting distance of the CWS this year as well by winning the Clemson Regional before falling to eventual national champion South Carolina in Super Regional play.

Maybe pitting UConn against Virginia would have been the more “fair” thing to do (for the Huskies anyway), but that’s still a net of one northern team at the CWS.

Solutions

Hey, we’re equal opportunity here, we don’t just rip apart ideas without having other options. We have beaten this drum in different ways over the last couple of years, but we’ll keep beating it anyway. For change to happen guys like Delaney have to think outside the box in other ways. Rather than asking college baseball to drastically change its landscape, Delaney must first be willing to till his own immediate terrain.

If You Build It…

Assuming the college baseball calender/schedule is going to stay the same (which it is for the foreseeable future) then Delaney and the Big Ten (and possibly his counterparts in the Big East) have to step up to the plate in a big way to make something happen.

Build a domed stadium.

That’s right, build a 15-20,000 seat retractable roof stadium near Chicago and play college baseball in it from mid-February right on through the month of March (and for as long as the thermometer dictates).

Chicago could be the backdrop if the Big Ten shelled out the money for a retractable roof stadium.

The Big Ten could take that BCS money that Delaney doesn’t want to relinquish and sink it right into the college baseball programs he wants to help. He would have the most unique structure in college baseball.

The conference could host multiple Big Ten series in the same weekend in the building. Minnesota vs. Northwestern at Noon Friday-Sunday and Michigan-Illinois at 7 p.m. those same days. The Big Ten could lease the place to Horizon League, Summit League and MAC teams for mid-week and conference series as well. Even schools like St. Louis (Atlantic 10) and Eastern Illinois (Ohio Valley) could get in on the action.

The one of a kind building could also be used for conference post season tournaments (to include the Big Ten as well as potentially the other aforementioned leagues) as well as a potential Regional or Super Regional host site.

Delaney has also floated the idea of a northern answer to the College World Series, and the new building could host the event if it ever comes to fruition.

While we’re at it…

Challenge Yourself…

The Big Ten (which of course is now really 12) has taken part in the Big Ten/Big East Challenge for the last three seasons in Florida. It was a good idea, because teams from both northern conferences got to start the season on equal footing (and in the sunshine to boot) against each other. It was also great for pro scouts, because they could see nearly every big prospect from those conferences by making just one trip.

But maybe it’s time to take it up a notch. If a retractable roof stadium is in play, then think big. Ditch the games against Big East schools and crank-up the Big Ten/Pac-12, ACC, Big 12, and SEC Challenges (not all at the same time, but in varying seasons).

The season could start with Arizona State, Stanford and Oregon making the trip to Chicago to play three games in three days against Michigan, Minnesota and Illinois. At the same time, Illinois, Purdue and Ohio State would be in the San Francisco Bay or Los Angeles area playing games against Cal, UCLA and Oregon State. The rest of the teams from the two conferences could play their “Challenge” games the following weekend.

Such an event reduces travel, keeps scouts interested, creates early season college baseball publicity, and builds RPI.

The draw wouldn’t be exclusive to Big Ten teams though. How about an event similar to the Houston College Classic, which is held annually at Minute Maid Park? Invite teams from all corners of the country to take part in the domed event. Considering it would be in Chicago, it would be easily accessible for most schools.

But don’t stop there…

Lights, Camera…

In case you hadn’t heard, the Big Ten has this thing called…(wait for it)…The Big Ten Network. On this network they televise Big Ten sporting events, including…(wait)…Big Ten baseball games!

The Big Ten could televise all of the previously mentioned games on its own TV network-further promoting its own product.

Cha-ching!

A New Format

The idea to add two more teams to the College World Series is just too drastic. If we’re going to guarantee two northern teams (regardless of merit) two slots at college baseball’s biggest event we might as well just have Michael Roth and Preston Tucker go hand out ribbons at youth soccer games and call it a day.

Rather than reworking the entire NCAA Tournament format to meet the needs of a few, there is a better compromise.

Augie Garrido

A plan to rework the NCAA Baseball Tournament’s format has been floated recently, and it’s gaining traction. Texas head coach Augie Garrido is among those who favor the change, which would keep the tournament field at 64 teams, while giving more people in different parts of the country the chance to go to the games.

It goes something like this:

Round One: The 64 teams in the NCAA Tournament would play at 32 different locations. Two teams at each site would play a best-two-of-three series (like the current Super Regional format). The winners would move on to the second round.

Round Two: The remaining 32 teams would again play a best-two-of-three series in 16 different locales. The winners would move to round three.

Round Three: The remaining 16 teams would play a best-two-of-three series. The eight winners would advance to the College World Series.

Under this format 32 different teams would have the chance to host a first round series, compared to the current 16 teams that get to host. Second and third round match-ups would be predetermined by seeding, so first round upsets would give more teams the opportunity to host in the next two rounds-meaning northern teams would have a much greater chance to host an NCAA event than they presently do.

Connecticut, Ohio State, Michigan, and Notre Dame (northern schools who also play in “northern conferences”) are among the select truly “northern” teams that have hosted even a Regional over the last decade.

The landscape of college baseball has changed drastically since Michigan last represented the Big Ten in Omaha in 1984. If Delaney and the Big Ten want to think big, it’s time to think big and step-up to actually make things happen.

Florida’s Preston Tucker discusses his home run and his team’s key winners-bracket win over Vanderbilt at the 2011 College World Series.

Play Begins With Suspended Game, Ends With Gamecock Win …

Click image to enlarge!

If you’re going to the College World Series, your one stop for the most officially licensed 2011 College World Series apparel is the all new Dugout, located right across the street from the Road To Omaha statue outside TD Ameritrade Stadium. If you can’t make it to Omaha, simply follow this link to Dugouthats.com. You’ll save 20% on your order when you enter the coupon code CB360!

Game 6: Florida 3-5-1 def. Vanderbilt 1-4-2
Final Stats | FL Recap | Vandy Recap

After a 14-hour delay that started shortly after 8:00 p.m. local time, Florida and Vanderbilt resumed their game minutes after 10:00 a.m. Tuesday morning at TD Ameritrade Park.

Preston Tuckers 4th-inning home run was all the offense Florida needed in the Monday/Tuesday game.

The game picked up with two outs and nobody on, with Vanderbilt batting in the bottom of the sixth and Florida leading 3-1. Steven Rodriguez – who had entered the game in relief of Karsten Whitsen in the fifth inning Monday night – promptely struck out Jason Esposito to end the inning. Rodriguez (4-2) ultimately earned the win, after striking out six of the 10 batters he faced for a new career-high K total.

Reliever Will Clinard opened the seventh inning on the hill for the Commodores in relief of starter Grayson Garvin, who fanned nine batters in six innings but allowed three earned runs on Preston Tucker‘s 4th-inning home run that cleared the rightfield bullpen. Garvin (13-2) suffered the loss. Tucker’s 15th long ball of the season is onlythe second home run through six games of the 2011 CWS (Vanderbilt’s Connor Harrell homered Saturday for the other).

The teams combined to strike out 23 times (12 by Commodore batters and 11 for the Gators).

SEC player of the year Mike Zunino of Florida went 1-for-3 with a run scored, against the SEC pitcher of the year Garvin. Zunino was on base when Tucker homered.

A total of 19 batters came to the plate Tuesday morning to face Clinard, fellow Vanderbilt reliever Corey Williams and Florida’s Rodriguez. Only two of those 19 reached base, on a pair of walks (one for each team).

Attendance for this game was 20,182, for a six-game total of 132,748 (avg, of 22,125). Fans were allowed into the final three innings of the game Tuesday morning without a ticket.

CLICK HERE to read more about this game and the North Carolina-Texas game in our Day-3 Notebook.

– Quotable –

“It was actually a slider that I hung. Good Hitters, that’s what they do. He should have hit that where he hit it. It was kid of a tail of one pitch. I actually thought I pitched better yesterday than I pitched in about a month, but it was one swing.” – Vanderbilt starter Grayson Garvin, talking about the pitch Florida’s Preston Tucker hit for the Gators’ only offense in the game.

“He doesn’t pitch like a freshman. He’s a big, strong kid. He throws a big, heavy ball like he’s throwing bowling balls to the plate and he keeps coming. … You know, he’s a first-rounder [2010 MLB draft]. You’re not supposed to keep kids like that, and they did. That’s why Florida’s pretty good.” – Commodore head coach Tim Corbin on Florida freshman pitcher Karsten Whitson, who turned down first-round draft pick money to attend Florida.

Visit Dugouthats.com for everything CWS!

Game 7: Cal 7-9-1 elim. Texas A&M 3-10-2
Final Stats | Cal Recap | A&M Recap

The team that itself was eliminated for a time last fall staved off elimination at the 2011 College World Series, when Cal beat Texas A&M 7-3 Tuesday afternoon in Omaha.

The Golden Bear program was (infamously) set to be cut due to school budgetary restraints last September, but thanks to fundraising efforts it was spared this past spring. Tough times have brought the team together in its miraculous run to the CWS.

Meanwhile, Texas A&M went 0-2 and was eliminated in its first trip to Omaha since 1999.

Texas A&M scored first on Adam Smith‘s solo home run in the 4th inning over the left field, his seventh homer of the year. Aggies starter Michael Wacha didn’t allow a hit until the top of the 5th, when Darrel Matthews singled following an error that allowed Ben Bunting to reach safely to start the inning. An RBI single by Derek Campbell, a sac bunt by leadoff man Austin Booker and a sac fly by Tony Renda gave Cal a 3-1 lead and their first lead of any kind in two games in Omaha.

Wacha (9-4) surrendered seven runs, four earned, on nine hits in 6.2 innings. He walked two and struck out five in the loss.

The Golden Bears scored three more times in the 6th and added another run in the 7th to take a 7-1 lead before A&M pushed across two runs in the bottom of the frame to make it 7-3. Through seven games, Cal and Florida are the only teams to score runs in three consecutive innings.

Golden Bears starter Kyle Porter (6-0) allowed three earned runs in six innings. He struck out four and walked two.

Six different Cal players had at least one RBI in the game, with second baseman Derek Campbell leading the way with two.

Cal has won five straight NCAA Tournament elimination games this year, including four straight at the Rice Regional.

The win is Cal’s first at the College World Series since 1980. The team is playing in its first CWS since 1992.

The Golden Bears next will face the loser of the Virginia-South Carolina game, on Thursday night.

Cal head coach David Esquer was named the NCBWA’s National Coach of the Year prior to the game today.

– Quotable –

“I’m not disappointed in anybody. I’m disappointed for our guys that they didn’t play hard. There’s not a guy in our dugout that doesn’t wish we hadn’t played better collectively. Dave Esquer‘s done an amzing job this year. He’s talking about his team and the things he’s gone through. He definitely deserves coach-of-the-year nomination for being the rock in the storm.” – Texas A&M head coach Rob Childress

David Esquer

“I’m happy our guys kind of grinded it out, because that’s kind of how we do it. We don’t do it easy. … I thought we were a little too excited trying to make something happen that really wasn’t there and didn’t let the game come to us. … The whole day’s been amazing. You can’t be a good coach without good players – if our players can come out here and perform like they did today under elimination circumstances. Thankfully for us, one of our rallying clauses is to try to be as loose as possible and that serves us well in big moments.” – Cal head coach Dave Esquer

Game 8: South Carolina 7-13-0 def. Virginia 1-5-3
Final Stats | SC Recap | VA Recap

In a matchup of this year’s No. 1 national seed and the defending national champion, it was the champ that reigned supreme as South Carolina rolled past Virginia 7-1 Tuesday night in Omaha.

Star outfielder Jackie Bradley, Jr. was in the lineup for only the second time in the past two months. He batted from the cleanup spot, after batting 9th in South Carolina’s win over Texas A&M on Sunday, and got the scoring started with a 1st-inning RBI double. It was the first of three Gamecocks runs in the frame. Bradley finished the game with two hits and an RBI.

Jackie Bradley, Jr.

South Carolina added another run in the 3rd, two more in the 4th  and a run in the 7th on an RBI single by Christian Walker. The first baseman batted 2-for-5 and led his team with two RBIs.

South Carolina’s 3-4-5-6 batters combined to hit above .500 (10-for-19) with four runs scored and five RBIs. The team reached base in every inning but the 6th. Scott Wingo was the only Gamecocks starter without a hit or walk.

Virginia scored its only run when John Hicks hit a solo homer to left field in the bottom of the 4th. It’s the eighth homer of the year for the catcher but only the fourth home run hit through eight games in this CWS.

South Carolina starter Colby Holmes (7-3) struck out seven in 4.1 innings to match his career high. Sidearm reliever John Taylor (7-1) set a career high with his 4.1-inning outing. His previous high was a 4.0-inning effort against Mississippi State on April 24. Holmes (19) and Taylor (13) combined to face only 32 batters – six over the minimum.

Virginia starter Will Roberts (11-2) was touched for all six runs in only 3.1 innings. A pair of Cavaliers errors led to three unearned runs.

South Carolina played stellar defense all night. The Gamecocks have committed only one error in their two CWS games.

Florida State (12) and Georgia Tech (10; 9) are the only teams to score more than seven runs against Virginia this season.

Virginia has a rematch with California in Thursday night’s elimination game. South Carolina faces the winner of that game on Friday.

Tonight’s game marked the first time the two programs have met in the CWS.

South Carolina’s win makes the SEC 5-1 during the 2011 CWS. Florida is 2-0 as well, while Vanderbilt (1-1) suffered its first loss earlier today.

The start of the game was delayed 68 minutes by rain.

The loss is jonly the 11th of the year for Virginia (55-11), which owns an .833 winning percentage. South Carolina (52-14) has won 13 straight NCAA Tournament games (sharing a record with three other programs), dating back to the 2010 College World Series championship run in Omaha.

Attendance for the game was 22,027, for an eight-game total of 172,916 and an average of 21,615 fans per game. Both the average and total attendance are “slightly ahead” of the same point last year, according to the NCAA.

Rain/Heavy Winds Halt Play In Florida/Vandy Game…

Click image to enlarge!

If you’re going to the College World Series, your one stop for the most officially licensed 2011 College World Series apparel is the all new Dugout, located right across the street from the Road To Omaha statue outside TD Ameritrade Stadium.

The Dugout has all the hats, t-shirts, and special CWS memorabilia as well as the same game caps worn by the top college baseball teams.

If you can’t make it to Omaha, simply follow this link to Dugouthats.com. You’ll save 20% on your order when you enter the coupon code CB360!

Game 5: North Carolina 3-9-0 def. Texas 0-4-1
Final Stats | TX Recap | UNC Recap

UNC head coach Mike Fox (right) hits grounders during batting practice on Monday.

North Carolina catcher Jacob Stallings got the scoring started against Texas with his 2-out, 2-run single in the 3rd inning and Ben Bunting drove in UNC’s other run with an RBI double in the top of the 9th.

Stallings is the son of Vanderbilt men’s basketball coach Kevin Stallings. Coincidentally, the elder Stallings once worked for current Tar Heels basketball coach Roy Williams when Stallings was an assistant at Kansas. Williams was in attendance and in the stands for the game.

The game was the first meeting between Texas and North Carolina at the College World Series.

Freshman Kent Emanuel tossed a four-hit shutout for the Tar Heels for the first complete game of the 2011 CWS at TD Ameritrade Park. Emanuel walked only one and struck out five. His shutout is the first at the CWS since former Tar Heel (and current UNC assistant coach) Robert Woodard in 2006. It’s also the first shutout for a freshman in Omaha since LSU’s Brett Laxton beat Wichita State in the 1993 national championship game.

This is the fourth time the Longhorns have gone 0-2 in Omaha. The previous time was in 2000, with losses to Florida State and LSU. Texas had not been shut out at the CWS since a 1992 loss to eventual national champion Pepperdine.

North Carolina centerfielder Ben Bunting hit 4-for-5 in the win. He now is hitting 11-for-22 in six career CWS games.

Texas leadoff man Tant Sheppard had a 10-pitch at-bat before flying out to left field to start the bottom of the 1st against Emanuel. Sheppard later singled on the first pitch with two outs in the 6th inning.

UNC head coach Mike Fox moved shortstop Levi Michael down in the order from the two-hole to seventh. Michael was mired in a 4-for-24 slump. He went 1-for-4 in the game, with a single in his first at-bat.

Texas scored a run in only two of 18 innings during the CWS.

Attendance for the game was 19,630 for a five-game total of 112,566 and an average of 22,513, which is 8,772 ahead of the 2010 total at the same point.

Game 6: Florida 3-5-1 def. Vanderbilt 1-4-2
Final Stats | FL Recap | Vandy Recap

Heavy winds and rain stopped play shortly after 8 p.m. central time in game 6 of the 2011 College World Series, with Florida leading Vanderbilt 3-1 in the bottom of the 6th. The game resumed Tuesday morning at 10:06 a.m.

Before the rains came …

Vanderbilt starter Grayson Garvin cruised through the first three innings, but the Gators took a bite out of the SEC pitcher of the year in the 4th inning. Nolan Fontana started the rally with a walk, followed by an infield single by Mike Zunino. Preston Tucker then connected on his 15th home run of the season, a laser shot over the rightfield bullpen to give Florida a 3-0 lead. Garvin had allowed only one baserunner (on an error) through the first three frames, but four straight Gators reached safely (three on hits) in the 4th.

At that point in the game, all four runs Garvin had allowed to the Gators this year were via home runs.The only run he allowed in a May 14 meeting with Florida was a solo home run by Bryson Smith.

Florida starter Karsten Whitsen left the game with one out in the 5th, after giving up an RBI single to Anthony Gomez. With two on base, Gator lefty Steven Rodriguez came out of the bullpen to strike out first baseman Aaron Westlake to end the inning with Florida leading 3-1.

Vanderbilt head coach Tim Corbin and Florida skipper Kevin O’Sullivan were assistant coached together at Clemson prior to their current positions. They were on staff together on Jack Leggett‘s 2000 and 2002 CWS teams.

During the rain delay, the stadium grounds crew danced on the warning track to the Village People’s “Y-M-C-A” and then simulated a baseball game on the infield tarp.

CLICK HERE to read more about the conclusion of this game in the Day-4 Notebook.

Talent Heavy Field Ready To Play On Big Stage …

Danny Hultzen

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

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

Taylor Jungmann

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

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

Tyler Naquin

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

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

Colin Moran

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

Jackie Bradley, Jr.

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

Catcher Mike Zunino on a play at the 2010 CWS.

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

Justin Jones

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

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

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Our look at some of the top college baseball players in Division One baseball continues as head to the outfielders. Our previous lists have looked mainly at the top 11 at each position (plus a few others to watch), but sheer numbers dictate that we include more outfielders.

1. Alex Dickerson – Indiana

It’s a long way from San Diego to Bloomington, IN, but Dickerson has blazed a trail from his California roots in his first two seasons at Indiana. He earned Big Ten Freshman of the Year and Freshman All-American honors in 2009 after batting .370 with 57 RBIs and an IU freshman record 14 home runs as his team’s primary clean-up batter. His efforts helped the Hoosiers claim their first NCAA Regional bid since 1996. Dickerson then went on to win the Big Ten Triple Crown in 2010, batting .419 with 24 HR and 75 RBIs. He earned All-American accolades and was the unanimous pick for Big Ten Player of the Year, to become the first Big Ten player to receive Freshman of the Year and Player of the Year honors in back-to-back seasons. Dickerson played for the Wareham Gatemen in the Cape Cod League in the summer of 2009 and then starred for the USA Collegiate National Team in 2010.

2. George Springer – Connecticut

Springer’s name became nearly synonymous with UConn baseball in 2010. The sophomore centerfielder batted .337 with 18 home runs, 16 doubles, 62 RBIs, and a team-best 33 stolen bases. His efforts helped the Huskies to a program record 48 wins and their first NCAA Regional berth since 1994.  He scored a team-high 84 runs, thanks in part to team-highs of 60 BB and 14 HBP and .491 on-base percentage. Springer’s 1.149 OPS also led his team. In 2009,  the New Britain, CT native became the first UConn player ever to earn the Big East Rookie of the Year award after batting .358 and smacking 16 HR. Like Dickerson, Springer played for the Wareham Gatemen in the Cape Cod League after his freshman season and then played for the USA Collegiate National Team in the summer of 2010.

3. Jackie Bradley, Jr.- South Carolina

The 5’10, 180 pound centerfielder has the frame, tilt and glide that scouts love. It also doesn’t hurt that he was named the Most Outstanding Player at the College World Series after helping South Carolina win the national championship in 2010. Bradley took the Gamecock’s triple crown last year when he batted .368 with 13 HR and 60 RBIs (he shared the HR lead with Whit Merrifield). The Prince George, VA native struckout just 37 times with 41 walks in 242 at-bats and sported a 1.060 OPS. He earned Freshman All-American honors in 2009 after hitting .349 with 11 HR and 47 RBIs. Bradley played for the Hyannis Mets in the Cape Cod League in ’09 and then teamed with Dickerson and Springer last summer in the USA Collegiate National Team outfield.

4. Mikie Mahtook – LSU

Now a junior, Mahtook has been a key member of the LSU line-up in his first two years in Baton Rouge. Mahtook batted .316 with seven home runs, eight doubles, three triples, 38 RBIs, and 41 runs while starting 49 games to help the Tigers to the 2009 national championship. He batted .455 (10-for-22) to earn SEC Tournament MVP honors as a prelude to his 11th inning game-winning hit in game one of the College World Series Finals en-route to the national title. Mahtook moved to right field in 2010 and produced even more at the plate. He hit .335 with 14 HR, 19 doubles, 50 RBIs, 68 runs and 22 stolen bases. His 19 doubles ranked second in the SEC to help him to a 1.056 OPS. The Lafayette, LA native even hit for the cycle in an Apr. 6 game against Alcorn St. The 2008 39th round draft choice of the Florida Marlins was also a member of the 2010 USA Collegiate National Team. Talk about a crowded outfield!

5. Nick Martini – Kansas State

With the success of teams like Texas and Oklahoma last year, it may surprise some to hear that Martini in the reigning Big 12 Player of the Year. Martini has been a big straw that stirs the drink in K-State’s unprecedented success in his two years in Manhattan. He hit .336 with four home runs, a team-best 17 doubles, 19 stolen bases, and 50 RBIs to earn Freshman All-American honors in 2009. He also tied a school record by playing in all 62 KSU games that year. Martini took his game to another level last year, batting a Big 12 best .416 with four HR, 17 doubles, 19 stolen bases and 59 RBIs. He had a 1.086 OPS with 41 BB and just 21 K in 231 at-bats while earning Second Team All-American honors Martini has helped Kansas State to the only two NCAA Tournament appearances in program history in his two years in a Wildcat uniform.

6. Jeremy Baltz – St. John’s

Baltz had, arguably, the best overall year by a true freshman since the original bat restrictions went into place more than a decade ago. The Red Storm slugger took his team triple crown, batting .396 with 24 home runs and 85 RBIs in 2010. He also had 16 doubles and a triple for a 1.250 OPS to earn not only Freshman All-American but also National Freshman of the Year honors. His 24 HR tied for 7th in the nation, while his 85 RBIs tied for 6th. Baltz hit safely in all but 10 of his team’s 63 games in 2010. His regular season exclamation point was a 4-for-5, four home run & seven RBI performance against Louisville on May 18. After helping fourth seeded St. John’s win the Big East Tournament, it speaks volumes that Baltz was named the Charlottesville NCAA Regional MVP despite the fact that his team lost to Virginia in the Regional final. His two HR and four RBIs against the Cavs on June 6 forced a winner take all game won by UVA the next day.

7. Taylor Dugas – Alabama

Dugas earned Freshman All-American honors in 2009 after batting .352 with two home runs, 27 RBIs, 13 stolen bases, 61 runs, and a .423 on-base percentage. He also led the 37-win Crimson Tide with 83 hits. Alabama’s primary lead-off man scored the first run of the Mitch Gaspard era in the 2010 season opener. He went on to lead his team with a .393 average, .525 OBP, 70 runs, 19 stolen bases, and 59 walks. In fact, his 59 BB with just 21 K in 243 at-bats gave him a 2.8 strikeout to walk ratio. Dugas’ efforts earned him First Team All-SEC and All-American honors, while Alabama advanced to a Super Regional. He played for the Harwich Mariners in the Cape Cod League last summer.

8. Steve Selsky – Arizona

Selsky comes from an athletic family. His father (also Steve Selsky) was a Major Leaguer, his mother was an Olympic volleyball player, and he has two sisters (including his twin sister Sam) who are Division One volleyball players. Selsky was named a Freshman All-American in 2009 after batting .319 with seven home runs, eight doubles, 21 RBIs, and a .927 OPS. His playing time and production increased last year. Selsky led the Wildcats with a .370 average with nine HR, 17 doubles, 11 stolen bases, and team-highs of 52 RBIs and 57 runs. He also raised his OPS to 1.057. He had a good summer playing for Orleans in the Cape Cod League, batting.273 with four HR and 18 RBIs in 37 games.

9. Tyler Pill – Cal State Fullerton

Pill has thrived as a two-way player in his two seasons in Fullerton. He and teammate (and fellow two-way player) Noe Ramirez were named Co-Big West Freshmen of the Year in 2009. Pill earned Freshman All-American accolades after going 11-3 with 102 IP while batting .269 to help the Titans reach the College World Series. He was limited to nine starts on the mound in 2010 due to a tired arm, but he still finished 4-4 with a 3.36 ERA. Meanwhile, his offensive game took-off, batting .354 with seven home runs, 42 RBIs and 10 stolen bases. Pill also hit an amazing .524 (11-for-21) in the five games he hit for him self as the starting pitcher.

10. Preston Tucker – Florida

Tucker shared SEC Freshman of the Year honors with LSU pitcher Matty Ott in 2009, but he earned Freshman All-American honors and became the first Florida Player to be named the NCBWA National Freshman Hitter of the Year. He batted .364 with 15 home runs and 85 RBIs that season. His overall run production dropped in 2010, but Tucker still hit .331 with 11 HR, 17 doubles, 49 RBIs, and 50 runs to help the Gators reach the College World Series. He earned second team All-SEC accolades and was also named to the SEC’s All-Defensive Team. Tucker spent last summer with Orleans in the Cape Cod League. The 6’0 junior played a good deal at first base last year, but he’s expected to play mostly in right field in 2011.

11. Chad Oberacker – Tennessee Tech

Oberacker didn’t have gaudy home run numbers like his former Golden Eagle teammate, A.J. Kirby-Jones (26 HR), but he did have monster overall numbers in 2010. His .354 batting average led his team in his 2009 sophomore season, but his .452 average was third in the nation last year. Oberacker also finished among the DI national leaders in RBIs (70), doubles (29), slugging percentage (.690), and on-base percentage (.527). He had six home runs, five triples, 14 stolen bases, 67 runs, 108 hits, and a 1.217 OPS in ’10. He was also disciplined at the plate, with 34 walks and just 23 strikeouts in 239 at-bats. Oberacker is also a pitcher who has performed as both a starter and reliever over his first three seasons. He is back for his senior season after being drafted in the 19th round last year by the St. Louis Cardinals.

12. Dusty Robinson – Fresno State

Robinson was named a Freshman All-American in 2009 when he batted .319 with 15 home runs, 12 doubles, 52 runs, and 45 RBIs, while making 52 starts in the outfield for the defending national champions. He turned-in another top notch season last year, batting .308 with 16 HR, 11 doubles, and 60 RBIs to earn All-WAC honors for a second straight year. Robinson also sported a .588 slugging percentage and started all 63 Bulldog games in the outfield. His production was overshadowed a bit by the emergence of teammate Jordan Ribera and his 27 home runs in ’10, but Robinson brings 31 career HR and 105 RBIs back with him for his junior season.

13. Jeff Schaus – Clemson

Schaus was consistent in his first two years at Clemson. He sported a .317 average with 16 home runs and 81 RBIs over his first two seasons with the Tigers in 2008 & 2009. The bulk of his RBI total came when he drove-in 51 runs in an All-ACC sophomore campaign. His batting average stayed steady in 2010, but his run production jumped. Schaus batted .320 last year with 15 HR, 14 doubles and a team-leading 87 RBIs to help Clemson reach the College World Series. He had a .542 slugging percentage and was the only Tiger to start all 70 of his team’s games. The 6’1 son of parents who both played college basketball at Canisius has started 193 games in his first three years at Clemson. He’s back for his senior year after being drafted in the 27th round last year by the Cleveland Indians.

14. Jason Coats – TCU

Coats was one of his team’s top all-around players on TCU’s College World Series team last year, and some of his best play came in the postseason. Coats batted a team-best .361 with 13 home runs, 23 doubles, four triples, 68 runs, and 69 RBIs while starting 66 of TCU’s 68 games in left field. His 69 RBIs were also a team-high. Coats’ bat got hot when the stakes were high at the end of the season as well. He hit .433 (13-for-30) in a seven-game hitting streak that started with the Mountain West Conference Tournament opener and ended after the Horned Frogs’ game one Super Regional win over Texas. He also had a three homer game earlier in the season against Houston. The Plano, TX native has a .343 career batting average heading into his junior season.

15. Zach Cone – Georgia

Cone was one of the few bright spots for a Georgia team that finished with a disappointing 16-37 overall record, including 5-23 in the SEC in 2010. After making just 20 starts as a freshman in 2009, Cone was Georgia’s triple crown winner in 2010. The Bulldog’s primary centerfielder topped his team with a .363 average, 10 home runs and 53 RBIs. He was also tops with seven triples, 45 runs, 133 total bases, and a .627 slugging percentage. His 13 stolen bases were second on the Georgia roster, but he was perfect in all 13 attempts. He also led the SEC with nine outfield assists. Cone played for Cotuit in the Cape Cod League over the summer. His brother, Kevin Cone, plays football at Georgia Tech, while his father, Ronny Cone, played football there as well. Cone was a third round draft choice by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in 2008.

16. Drew Maggi – Arizona State

Maggi has already been drafted twice by Major League teams. He was a 47th round pick out of high school and a 15th round selection by the Pittsburgh Pirates last year. He looks for an even higher draft slot this year after batting .326 with five home runs, 10 doubles, three triples, 41 RBIs, and a team-high 36 stolen bases to earn All-Pac-10 honors in 2010. His game-winning Super Regional home run against Arkansas sent ASU to the College World Series for a second straight year, while he was the only Sun Devil to start all 62 of his team’s games last year. Maggi also broke Barry Bonds‘ ASU freshman record when he stole 21 bases in 2009. He is versatile enough to play shortstop, but a crowded infield will likely keep him in the outfield this year. He and his brother, Beau Maggi, are the sixth set of brothers to play at the same time at Arizona State.

17. Johnny Ruettiger – Arizona State

Reuttiger has emerged from the novelty of being “Rudy” Ruettiger’s nephew to being one of the top college baseball outfielders in the country. He hit .360, while making just 29 starts in his freshman season in 2009, but most of those starts came down the stretch and into the College World Series. Ruettiger then batted .351 with four home runs, seven doubles, seven triples, 49 runs, 35 RBIs, and 10 stolen bases in 2010. He sported a solid .452 on-base percentage that was helped by 30 BB, compared to just 26 strikeouts in 191 at-bats. The Joliet, IL native, whose father, John Ruettiger, once wrestled for Nebraska, also committed no errors while making 54 starts in another CWS appearance. Ruettiger’s stock rose even higher after leading the Cape Cod League with a .369 average over the summer. He stole 11 bases and struckout just nine times in 111 at-bats for Hyannis.

18. Stewart Ijames – Louisville

The man with the silent “j” in his name missed all of 2009 with a shoulder injury, but he came back with a big year in 2010. Ijames was a Freshman All-American in 2008 after batting .351 with eight home runs, 11 doubles and 39 RBIs. He bounced-back last year to hit .324 with 14 home runs, 11 doubles, 47 runs, and 63 RBIs to help the Cardinals win the Big East regular season title and eventual NCAA Regional berth. The 6’1 junior was a 46th round draft pick of the Milwaukee Brewers out of high school in 2007. He was taken in the 29th round by the New York Yankees last year. Ijames played for Hyannis in the Cape Cod League last summer.

19. Mike McGee – Florida State

McGee has played at a high level for Mike Martin’s Seminoles since his Freshman All-American season in 2008. He batted .344 with six home runs and 34 RBIs, while going 7-1 on the mound that season. His offensive numbers jumped to .378/19/78 in 2009 to go with a 6-2 record. He batted .328/17/78 with a 4-1 record and 13 saves last year to help Florida State reach the College World Series. McGee was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 37th round in 2007 and was picked in the 41st round by the Arizona Diamondbacks last year. He opted to return for his senior season, in part because most pro scouts see him as a pitcher, while he would like to remain an everyday player.

20. Daniel Bowman – Coastal Carolina

Bowman earned Freshman All-American honors in 2009 after batting .333 with 13 home runs, 14 doubles, 53 runs, and 54 RBIs. His batting average dipped to .279 last year, but his other numbers were nearly identical with 15 HR, 13 doubles, 53 runs, and 53 RBIs. He was one of just two Chanticleers to start all 65 games for a team that reached the Super Regionals. The 6’1 Bridgewater, VA native was named Big South Tournament MVP after pounding three home runs with nine RBIs in the tourney. He led the Chants with 17 RBIs during the postseason. Bowman has also been stellar in the field, with no errors in 254 chances in his first two seasons. He played for Bourne in the Cape Cod League and reached the finals of the Cape All-Star home run derby at Fenway Park.

21. Andy Mee – Florida Atlantic

Mee might fly a little below the radar for the Owls at FAU, but he is not only a good outfielder, but also one of the top two-way players in the country. After spending two years at Santa Fe College, Mee led his team with a .378 batting average and also tied for the Sun Belt Conference lead with 11 saves in 2010. Mee added eight home runs, 17 doubles, five triples, 55 RBIs, and 55 runs at the plate as well as a 2.96 ERA in 21 relief appearances and 24 1/3 innings on the mound. Mee also had a very good summer for the Mat-Su Miners of the Alaska League, batting .353 with a league-high 37 RBIs.

22. Kyle Gaedele – Valparaiso

Gaedele plays for a small school in the Horizon League, but his 6’4, 220 pound frame is the build that scouts love. He batted .373 with seven home runs, eight triples, 19 doubles, 17 stolen bases, and 63 RBIs for the Crusaders in 2010. The Arlington Heights, IL native was drafted in the 32nd round by the Tampa Bay Rays out of high school, but he opted to play at Valpo for former Big Leaguer Tracy Woodson instead (Woodson was a member of the L.A. Dodgers‘ 1988 championship team). A junior, Gaedele looks to go higher in this year’s draft after the summer he had for the Madison Mallards in the Northwoods League. He broke four franchise records, including nine HR, and led the league in three offensive categories, including 56 runs scored. Baseball America ranked him as the #2 prospect in the league.

23. Jabari Henry – Florida International

The bulk of the spotlight at FIU was on Garrett Wittels and his pursuit of history in 2010, but Henry had a very good season as well. Henry was named Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year and a Freshman All-American after batting .315 with 12 home runs, 10 doubles, 51 RBIs, and 47 runs. He had a .606 slugging percentage and had solidplate discipline, with 32 BB and 36 Ks in 165 at-bats in ’10. An injury ended his season early in the Gainesville NCAA Regional, but he homered off Texas A&M’s Barret Loux (#6 overall MLB draft pick) in his only at-bat. Henry was drafted in the 39th round by the Texas Rangers in the 2009 draft.

24. Willie Argo – Illinois

How versatile is Argo? As a freshman in 2009 (when he hit three homers in his first college game at LSU), Argo hit .355 with 47 RBIS, 46 runs, a 1.072 OPS, 11 doubles, and a team-high 12 home runs as a middle of the order batter for the Illini. He also stole 10 bases that year while earning Freshman All-American honors. Argo’s power numbers went down last year, but he hit .318 with 33 RBIs, 46 runs, six triples, four homers, and a school-record 41 stolen bases (7th in the nation) as Illinois’ leadoff man. Many consider Argo an “athlete” who is still developing as a baseball player. The Davenport, IA native earned 13 total varsity letters in four sports (football, baseball, wrestling, and track) in high school. Argo was drafted in the 49th round by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2008. He figures to go much higher this year. He also once hit a home run off the famed Lamade Statue in centerfield at the 2001 Little League World Series.

25. Logan Vick – Baylor

Vick earned Freshman All-American status after batting .329 with 10 home runs, 17 doubles, 27 RBIs, and a team-high 59 runs in 2010. His 29 extra base hits and .473 on-base percentage are the best ever by a Baylor freshman, while his 59 walks (which were 12 more than his next two teammates combined) are a single-season program record. Vick thrived in the postseason as well. He reached base in all six plate appearances in Baylor’s Big 12 Tournament opener and wound-up on the All-Tournament Team. Vick also homered twice in the Ft. Worth NCAA Regional to help the Bears reach the championship round before falling to host TCU.

26. Brian Barnett – Nevada

Barnett made an immediate impact in his first season as a Division One player after spending his first two seasons in the juco ranks at Western Nevada College. He batted .348 last year, while leading the Wolfpack in HR (18), RBIs (71), and slugging percentage (.701). He also had 21 doubles, nine stolen bases, scored 52 runs, and had an 1.103 OPS. Barnett totaled 21 home runs and 96 RBIs in his two junior college seasons. He helped Western Nevada to a third-place finish at the 2009 Junior College World Series.

27. Brandon Meredith – San Diego State

It’s hard enough for a Major Leaguer to homer at San Diego’s Petco Park, let alone a high school player. That didn’t stop Meredith from becoming the first prep player to go yard at Petco when it did it in 2008. He kept it going when he got to SDSU, batting .309 with seven home runs, 17 doubles, and 44 RBIs. His 63 starts in his 2009 freshman season were the most of any player on an Aztec team that advanced to the Irvine NCAA Regional. A 15th round draft pick by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2008, Meredith led San Diego State with his .383 average last year. He also hit seven HR with 11 doubles, 54 RBIs and a 1.026 OPS.

28. Cohl Walla – Texas

Walla didn’t have to go far when it came time to go to college. The 6’3 outfielder went to Lake Travis High School just outside Austin, where he won a 2007 state championship. He was even on the receiving end of 12 touchdown passes from current Texas quarterback Garrett Gilbert when the two were high school teammates in 2007. Walla made a name for himself on the Disch-Falk diamond in 2010. His .316 average was the third-best for the Super Regional Longhorns. He had eight home runs with 12 doubles, 41 runs, 40 RBIs, and 14 stolen bases during his freshman campaign. Walla was a 49th round draft choice of the Washington Nationals in 2009.

29. Bobby Crocker – Cal Poly

Crocker has earned All-Big West recognition in each of his first two seasons at Cal Poly. He batted .323 with 24 RBIs and 10 stolen bases as a freshman in 2009. He hit .447 (17-for-48) over the Mustang’s last 12 games to help them reach the Tempe NCAA Regional for the program’s first-ever NCAA bid. The 6’3 Aromas, CA native then led the Mustangs with his .353 average and 49 RBIs last year, to go along with 15 doubles, 42 runs and a team-best 18 stolen bases. Crocker was drafted in the 38th round by the Oakland A’s in 2008.

30. Chris Benson – Utah Valley

Benson batted .408 last year, but he didn’t even lead his team in that category. Jace Brinkerhoff’s .456 average led the Wolverines, but Benson led his team in most other categories, including slugging percentage (.744), triples (11), total bases (195), and a nation-leading 89 RBIs. His 107 hits were the second-most in school history behind Brinkerhoff’s 118. Benson also had a school record 24-game hitting streak during the season. His freshman season was in 2006, but his sophomore year didn’t come until 2009 after he completed his LDS mission. He hit for the cycle in a game in that first year back. Utah Valley won 42 games last year, but stayed home in June because the Great West Conference does not receive an automatic NCAA bid.

Others To Watch…

Beau Amaral – UCLA

Patrick Biondi – Michigan

Kevin Brown – Bryant

Garrett Custons – Air Force

Josh Elander – TCU

Tyler Gaffney – Stanford

Brett Krill – UCLA

Drew Martinez – Memphis

Mark Micowski – Georgia State

Stephen Piscotty – Stanford

Brance Rivera – TCU

Matt Smith – Mississippi

Max White – Oklahoma

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Top 11 First basemen To Watch In 2011

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We started our position-by-position look at some of the top players with catchers earlier this week. Now we’re going to the middle of the infield with the shortstops. Here’s our look at some of the top men up the middle to watch heading into the 2011 college baseball season…

1. Garrett Wittels – Florida International

Heading into the new season it will be hard not to watch Wittels as he pursues college baseball immortality. The FIU junior slowly gained attention last year as he collected hit after hit in game after game, taking his hitting streak to 56 games to end the 2010 season. He hit .413 over the course of that streak and needs hits in his team’s first three games of the season against Southeastern Louisiana to break former Oklahoma State 3B Robin Ventura’s 1987 record 58-game streak. The junior’s other numbers last year looked like this: 100 hits, 60 RBIs, 21 doubles, and just 19 strikeouts compared to 22 walks.

2. B.A. Vollmuth – Southern Mississippi

As a freshman in 2009, Vollmuth’s offensive numbers (.237, 8 HR, 28 RBIs) were far from eye-popping. Vollmuth started just 25 games during that freshman season, but 23 of those starts came during USM’s Cinderella run to the College World Series. Vollmuth used that run and a trip to Cape Cod that summer to springboard to a monster 2010 sophomore campaign, when he batted .386 with 20 home runs, 17 doubles, 72 runs, and 76 RBIs – all team-highs. He also sported a 1.219 OPS. If not for Rice’s Anthony Rendon (whom we’ll talk about when we get to our 3B list), Vollmuth likely would have been the C-USA Player of the Year. He’ll look for a third straight NCAA berth and even bigger things in 2011.

3. Deven Marrero – Arizona State

Not too many players can walk-in the door as a freshman and have the kind of season Marrero did in 2010. Marrero set a Sun Devil freshman record by hitting a team-best .397 with 11 stolen bases while making most of his 37 starts at shortstop. He earned All-American status for his efforts in the spotlight at ASU while helping the Sun Devils reach the College World Series. The 6’1 shortstop didn’t just survive, but thrived in that spotlight en-route to Omaha. He had game-winning hit in the bottom of the 12th inning to beat Arkansas in game one of their Super Regional and then scored the winning run the next day to send ASU to the CWS.

4. Kenny Diekroger – Stanford

Diekroger is another freshman who thrived as a true freshman in 2010 for one of the perennial top teams in the country. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays in the second round out of high school, but instead of signing the Woodside, CA native stayed close to home to play for Mark Marquess. The decision has, so far, paid-off. Diekroger jumped into the line-up, leading Stanford with a .356 averaged and 41 RBIs. He started 54 of his team’s 55 games to help the Cardinal get back to the NCAA Tournament after a 2009 absence. Diekroger was named a New England Collegiate Baseball Summer League All-Star last summer. His younger brother, Danny Diekroger, joins him this year as a freshman on the Cardinal baseball team. He played third base last year, but moves to shortstop in 2011.

5. Brad Miller – Clemson

Miller led his team with a .357 batting average to help the Tigers reach the College World Series. Now a junior, the 6’0, 185 lb. Miller scored 71 runs with 49 RBIs, 8 home runs and a team-best four triples while starting all but one of Clemson’s 70 games in 2010. His 1.018 OPS was also the second best on the Tiger roster. After the run to Omaha, Miller played the rest of the summer with the USA Collegiate National Team. He was one of just three on the roster who played for Team USA in both 2009 and 2010, becoming the first Clemson player since 2000 and 2001 to have that distinction.

6. Levi Michael – North Carolina

It’s hard to believe, but Michael is already a junior. The early high school graduate batted .290 with 13 home runs and 57 RBIs while helping UNC to Omaha in 2009 in what should have been his senior season in high school. He moved from second base to shortstop last year and his overall production moved-up as well. The 5’10 sophomore led the Tar Heels with his .346 average, and while his home run total dipped to nine, his slugging percentage still went up from .527 to .575. His OBP also went from .377 to .480 thanks to 44 BB and 17 HBP, compared to just 26 strikeouts. He also led his team with 20 stolen bases.

7. Adam Bryant – Troy

While fellow Sun Belt star Garrett Wittels garnered all the national acclaim for his hitting streak last season, Bryant had a monster “below the radar” campaign of his own. Of course, Bryant wasn’t below the radar as far as Sun Belt Conference pitchers were concerned. The 5’10 junior batted .356 with 65 RBIs, while leading the Sun Belt with 23 HR, 70 runs and a .744 slugging percentage. He struck out just 38 times in 250 at-bats and amassed an OPS of 1.175. Bryant smashed four of his home runs en-route to Troy’s run to the Sun Belt Tournament title game, which they lost 14-10 to Wittels and FIU to fall one win short of an NCAA bid. He committed just three errors in 295 chances for a spectacular .990 fielding percentage.

8. K.C. Serna – Oregon

The junior has been in the line-up at shortstop for all but a handful of games in the two years since George Horton and Oregon brought baseball back to Eugene. From the lead-off spot in the order, Serna hit a team-high .348 last year. He also led the Ducks with 14 stolen bases and a .419 OBP, while helping the program to an NCAA Regional bid in just its second year of existence. He also belted five home runs with 13 doubles. The Ventura, CA native was the starting shortstop for the Western Division at the Cape Cod League All-Star Game as a member of the Falmouth Commordores last summer.

9. Nolan Fontana – Florida

Fontana was a vital cog in the Gators’ run to the College World Series as a freshman in 2010. He started all but one of Florida’s 64 game and sparkled at shortstop, committing just four errors in 279 chances. That alone made him the first player in program history to earn a Rawlings Gold Glove Award. His overall offensive numbers (.283, 3 HR, 23 RBIs) aren’t eye-popping, but his move to the top of the order in early April helped solidify the Gator line-up and the drive to Omaha. Fontana’s .437 OBP with 53 walks were team-highs, while his 29 strikeouts tied Preston Tucker for the fewest of any batter with at least 200 at-bats. He also played for the USA Collegiate National Team over the summer.

10. Steve Nyisztor – Rutgers

Nyisztor is one in a long line of players from Toms River, NJ to wear the Scarlet Knight’s uniform for head coach Fred Hill. He batted .410 as a freshman at second base, but that wasn’t even good enough to earn first-team All-Big East honors. That went to Louisville star Ryan Wright. Nyisztor makes the move from 2B to SS this year after committing just three errors last season. His other offensive numbers included 17 doubles, 52 runs, 51 RBIs, four HR, three triples, 11 stolen bases, and a 1.013 OPS.

11. Eric Stamets – Evansville

Stamets earned consensus Freshman All-American honors and was named the Missouri Valley Conference Freshman of the Year after starting all 59 of Evansville’s games last year. He batted .321 with four home runs, 15 doubles and 27 RBIs, while leading the Purple Aces with 57 runs and 43 stolen bases. His school record stolen base total ranked fifth in the nation and were the most by any DI freshman. Stamets walked 33 times with 12 HBP and just 33 strikeouts in 234 at-bats.  He had 75 hits and did not go back-to-back games without a hit all season.

Others To Watch…

Caleb Busheyhead – Oklahoma

Taylor Featherston – TCU

Ryan Lashley – Stetson

Taylor Motter – Coastal Carolina

Austin Nola – LSU

Joe Panik – St. John’s

Justin Roland – Charlotte

Tim Smalling – Virginia Tech

Darnell Sweeney – Central Florida

Chad Zurcher – Memphis

Related

Top 11 Non-Conference Schedules In 2011

Top 11 Catchers To Watch In 2011

Dugouthats.com has officially licensed 2010 College World Series memorabilia year round!

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

Just click on any of the red links above or the image on the left to find the best selection of college baseball apparel.

Gator Soph. Prepares For Super Regionals

Florida 9-hole batter Tyler Thompson had a career day in last week’s Regional championship game.  Thompson smacked three home runs with 6 RBIs to help the Gators beat Florida Atlantic 15-0 to advance to the Super Regionals for a second straight year.  He went into the day with just two HRs all season.  In this interview with Collegebaseball360.com editor Sean Stires, Thompson talks about his home run barrage, last year’s Super Regional disappointment vs. Southern Mississippi and facing Miami this year for the right to go to Omaha.

Thompson

6’1 – 190 – So. – Tequesta, FL                                  Head Coach:  Kevin O’Sullivan

FLORIDA SWEEPS MIAMI

Alex Panteliodis had 12 Ks in Friday's 7-2 Gator win.

The Florida Gators became the first team to clinch a spot in the 2010 College World Series with their 2-0 Super Regional sweep of Miami in Gainesville, FL.  Click the links below for more details on the two series wins.

Florida next faces either UCLA or Cal State Fullerton in its first CWS appearance since 2005.

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

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

Best two of three series (all times Eastern)

Friday - FINAL: Florida 7, Miami 2 | Final Stats
UF Recap | MIA Recap *Florida leads series 1-0
* Highlight: Alex Panteliodis has 12 K in 9 IP for first career CG

Saturday – FINAL: Florida 4, Miami 3 |  Final Stats
FLA Recap | MIA Recap

* Florida wins series (2-0)

Podcast with Florida’s Tyler Thompson

The Skinny

Florida: (#3 National Seed) Now in his third season as head coach, Kevin O’Sullivan’s Gators are hosting a Super Regional for the second straight season.  Last year’s is one Florida would just as soon forget.  Southern Mississippi swept two games from the Gators at McKethan Stadium to advance to Omaha.  All four of the program’s Super Regional appearances have come in the last seven years.

Freshman Brian Johnson is one of the top two-way players in the country, and his play in the Gainesville Regional showed it.  Johnson is 6-4 with a 3.67 ERA on the mound to go with a .411 average, 4 HR and 16 RBIs in 24 starts as a DH this season.  The Gator’s don’t have any eye-popping offensive numbers, but they do everything very well.  Matt den Dekker leads the team with a .361 average and 23 stolen bases to go along with 13 HR, Austin Maddox has team highs with 17 HR and 68 RBIs and Preston Tucker plucks along with .345/11 HR/48 RBI numbers.

Florida is one of three Super Regional teams whose pitching staff has no complete games this season.  Alex Panteliodis (10-2, 3.39 ERA) is the front man in the rotation, while Kevin Chapman (3-0, 1.28 ERA, 11 SVs) leads a group of five relievers who have at least one save (including a handful of the 3 inning variety) in 2010.

Miami: The Hurricanes are making their NCAA record 38th straight NCAA Tournament appearance.  They have made it to Omaha in 11 of Jim Morris’ 16 seasons as head coach, including most recently in 2008.  Their season ended last year in Gainesville when they lost to Florida in the Regional championship game.

Catcher Yasmani Grandal (.411/14/58) is the team’s top overall hitter.  He sports a 1.267 OPS.  Harold Martinez’s 21 HR leads the team, while Stephen Perez and Zeke DeVoss each have 24 stolen bases.  With 104 home runs and 103 stolen bases he Hurricanes are one of two teams in the Super Regional field (along with Coastal Carolina) that have topped the century mark in both categories.

Chris Hernandez (10-3, 2.77 ERA) is Miami’s top starter.  Seven other pitchers have combined to make the other 44 starts, including David Gutierrez (5-2, 5.12 ERA) who has five saves and has also made eight starts.  Daniel Miranda (5-2, 3.35 ERA, 5 SVs) leads the team with 33 relief appearances.

Gainesville Super Regional