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With the help of College Baseball 360 editor Sean Stires, Omaha native Paul Fiarkoski has filed a review of the new TD Ameritrade Park in downtown Omaha. Paul has been on record in the past as an ardent supporter of Rosenblatt Stadium, which was the home of the College World Series since 1950 prior to this year.

A panoramic view of TD Ameritrade Park

Paul:  I am aware that dozens of writers have already made comparisons of Omaha’s new TD Ameritrade Park to the condemned Rosenblatt Stadium three miles to the south. I almost didn’t bother writing my own review, but I feel like I needed to on behalf of the people who really loved Rosenblatt Stadium.

Having grown up with the Rosenblatt Stadium lights visible from my bedroom window, I became very attached to Rosenblatt. It was the center of activity in our South Omaha neighborhood where we could go for events. Most people think of the College World Series when they think of Rosenblatt, but it was once the spot for way more than that. I saw my first concert (the Beach Boys) there. To this day, I have still never seen a more spectacular fireworks display than the ones at Rosenblatt.  I think you get the point – I really loved Rosenblatt. So much that I maintain a blog of memories at rememberrosenblatt.com and a Rosenblatt Stadium fan page on Facebook.

Dusk settles on the last CWS game played at Rosenblatt Stadium in 2010.

I moved to Colorado in 1996 and have made it back to numerous events Rosenblatts since. I felt a great loss when I left the last College World Series game in 2010. Had it not been for the opportunity to guest blog for Collegebaseball360.com in 2011, I doubt I would have ever bothered to visit the new TD Ameritrade Park. Now that I have been there, I think it’s important that I share my thoughts on behalf of the thousands of others who are clinging to the memories of Rosenblatt.

In order for me to offer an objective review, I had to try to set aside my opinions about the politics and finances of the new stadium. It’s hard to do. Let me just make this one point before I get to my review.

Many people talk about the stadium cost of $131 million. The reality is it took two new stadiums to replace what Rosenblatt already offered the community. The other new stadium (Werner Park), in the town of Papillion southwest of Omaha cost $26 million. Not included in either figure are the infrastructure costs to get people to the stadiums or keeping flood waters out of the area surrounding TD Ameritrade Park.

Need more background? Read What happened to Rosenblatt Stadium>>

Sean: Unlike Paul, I didn’t grow-up in Omaha. My first visit to the city was in 2002 to attend the College World Series. I have subsequently covered the CWS four more times since then.

As with many people, the connections to Rosenblatt for me was instant and indelible. The College World Series was Rosenblatt Stadim and vice versa. The colors, the neighborhood, the surroundings…the people make forgetting Rosenblatt hard to do.

I am proud to be able to say that I am part of the group of people who were there for the last game at Rosenblatt Stadium and the first game played at TD Ameritrade Park.

 

A shot of the Road To Omaha statue outside of TDA

Paul: My first visit to TD Ameritrade Park was the evening of day four of the 2011 College World Series. I arrived so late in the game that I didn’t bother going in. I parked my car at an open meter about three blocks south and wandered around the new baseball village that is reportedly owned in part by Omaha’s mayor at the time the decision for a new stadium was made.

I was rather impressed with the layout of the “village”, although it really lacked people on that night. I continued my stroll around the vicinity and the overwhelming feeling was “Where am I?” Twenty years earlier I served a summer internship for the Omaha World-Herald in the same general area and spent quite a bit in north downtown. On my first visit back to the area I did not recognize it. I remember thinking to myself as I jumped back in my car to go meet some people in the Old Market, “Why wasn’t this here when I lived in Omaha?”

Parking & Tailgating

Day five of the College World Series was my first day to go inside the new stadium. Before that though I had to park in Lot D featuring the bubbling spring on the north end. I arrived 90 minutes before the game parked at the far east edge of the lot to preserve up close spots for fans. The few tailgate parties I saw paled in comparison to Rosenblatt tailgates by a long shot. The most active was a tent near the spots closest the stadium which was hosted by the advertising agency of record for College World Series Omaha, Inc.

Press box

Paul: Once inside the business end of the stadium I got a taste of what others mean when they have said the new stadium is “sterile”. I felt like I was in a hospital. I am not alone in my assessment that the press box set up was much better at Rosenblatt. I overheard one reporter say he felt like he was covering the games in a library. My particular beef with the press box at TD Ameritrade is that the glass panes are narrower than at Rosenblatt, so you have more vertical lines disrupting your view. On Day one of the series, a number of media members complained about spotty wifi (internet) access in the press box. I’m sorry, but that should not happen at a brand new, state-of-the-art stadium. Even the press box at 62 year-old Rosenblatt Stadium had good wifi.

Sean: I know some fellow media members mentioned via Twitter and other outlets their displeasure with the lack of “ambiance” in the press box for the first day-plus of the series. I didn’t voice my own thoughts on this at the time, because I’ve always found that “fans” watching on T.V. or paying for tickets to watch the games could care less about what media people who are sitting inside the press box have to “endure” (I use that word with a touch of sarcasm).

That said, it was very unnerving to watch the games in essentially complete silence for those first couple of days. Thankfully, someone finally patched-in the crowd microphone “ambiant” sounds of the stadium for the rest of the CWS. We went from hearing nothing, and I do mean nothing for those first few games to hearing what umpires were saying to players in the batters box. We couldn’t even hear the sound of bat hitting ball prior to the change. If we happened to be looking down to write a note and something happened on the field, we were all but lost. I was sitting next to College Baseball Today’s Eric Sorenson throughout my time at the CWS. Let’s just say if he and I had a dollar for every time we had to ask each other “What just happened?” we could have afforded several adult beverages after every game.

The "skyline" at TDA

View

Paul: On day two of my visit, I vowed to get out into the stadium to get a taste of the fan experience. To say the least, I was impressed. Some have said TD Ameritrade Park has a big league feel to it. I would say it doesn’t. It’s better. Most big league parks are so big that you don’t feel like you’re close to the action. I tested out numerous vantage points from around the main level and all the views of the field were great. However, I did not make it to the upper deck.

On the topic of views, I much preferred the view of treetops and the valley beyond at Rosenblatt than the buildings poking up around downtown Omaha. Regarding the grass on the field I have mixed feelings. Since the most common question I heard about the turf was whether it was real (it is) I’ll have to give it a thumbs down.

Sean: There’s no doubt that TD Ameritrade has a pro park feel. All the defenders of the stadium have basically echoed that sentiment.I asked several players during the CWS what they think of the stadium and they all loved it. All of them said it’s like playing in a pro park. That should come as no shock. Most of the players at the CWS are used to playing in stadiums that seat fewer than 10-thousand. And guess what? They all dream of playing professionally so of course they are going to love playing in a pro style park.

Yes, there are no obstructed views. And yes, the seats are now wider to accommodate the trend of obesity in America that made them a necessity. I agree with Paul though. The view could be from any town USA. There is just concrete and steel to stare at. Keep Manhattan, just give me that countryside!

Paul's Pick: The Rosenblatt scoreboard.

Scoreboard

Paul: The scoreboard and video reply monitor at TD Park does not stack up to the one at Rosenblatt. If it’s not smaller, it sure looks like it and it doesn’t display as much information. At Rosenblatt, you could see information not just about the current batter, but you could also see who else was in the lineup. Not so at TD. The other thing I liked seeing at Rosenblatt was the pitch speed display. I looked all over and couldn’t find the pitch speed anywhere at the new stadium. The other gripe I have about the scoreboard is that everytime I look at it, I am reminded how much money I have lost in my IRA at TD Ameritrade and how difficult their statements are to read (zing!).

Sean: I honestly had no real thoughts on the scoreboard and how it compares to Rosenblatt. I thought the new one was alright. It serves its purpose. As long as its modern (which it is) and shows replays and the score (which it does) it’s fine with me.

The new scoreboard at TDA

Concessions

Paul: One thing that is vastly improved at TD is the concessions. Truthfully, I only bought a pretzel and a souvenir cup of Dr. Pepper but there was virtually no wait and the ambiance was much more inviting than at Rosenblatt. The people I am happiest for in the whole move to the new stadium are the concessions workers. I always felt bad for the sweaty folks working in the hot, cramped confines of the Rosenblatt concession stands and I’m glad they can now work in greater comfort. The menu boards are attractive and easy to read too.

One myth about TD Ameritrade is that you can watch the game while you stand in line. I actually lost my place in line because I heard a crowd roar and ran to the railing to see what caused the ruckus. The railing around the lower reserved seats, by the way, is very nice. I like the fact that you can set a drink on the narrow counter top or take notes if you want to.

Sean: I agree with pretty much everything Paul had to say on this subject. It is much nicer to have the wider concourse area and open air concessions. I only walked around outside a few times to find my son and his friend in the stands. I do think the bigger concourse and the fact that you can see the field from there only invites people to get up out of their seats and walk around more…so are those bigger seats really necessary if people aren’t sitting in them as long.

The outfield general admission seating area is nicer though. Concession stands are out there and have a view of the field. Those railings Paul was talking about are available as well.

The Dimensions

Sean: A lot was made about the fact that just eight home runs were hit during this year’s CWS, and most of the blame was placed on the new BBCOR bats that were used this season in college baseball. However, that was only part of the reason for the drop in long balls.

The dimensions of TDA are exactly the same as Rosenblatt:  335 feet down the lines, 375′ to right and left centerfield and 408′ to dead center. That makes it the biggest park most college baseball players will ever play in. Florida’s McKethen Stadium is 329′ to left, 325′ to right and 400′ to center, while South Carolina’s Carolina Stadium is 325′ down both lines and 390′ to center.

Remember, Rosenblatt was home to a Triple-A baseball team with bigger and stronger players who needed the bigger dimensions.

The argument for the bigger dimensions seems to be that they are the “great equalizer” for teams once they reach Omaha. Whether it’s a team like Texas with its small ball style or Florida, which ended the season with 69 home runs, no team would have an advantage over others in Omaha.

However, what TDA lacks is the strong southern winds that were prominent at the top of the hill at Rosenblatt that helped push balls out of the yard. TDA sits in the bottom of a valley and with home plate situated roughly ninety degrees clockwise from home plate at Rosenblatt, the winds are more likely to blow in than out.

It’s an easy fix, move the plate five feet and let the game be played.

The Big Picture

 

A shot from outside the old Rosenblatt Stadium

Sean: There’s no doubt that as an overall facility, TD Ameritrade is an upgrade from Rosenblatt. However, newer and more modern doesn’t mean everything is better.

There is a big difference between a “stadium” and a “ballpark”. The name TD Ameritrade “Park” is a misnomer. It is a stadium. There is no “ballpark” feel. It is all concrete and steel and lacking in emotion and nostalgia…kind of like the NCAA.

Keep it corporate, there’s no time for feelings here!

Put it this way, remember when the Chicago White Sox built the new Comiskey Park (now U.S. Cellular Field) back in 1991? They trumpeted the place as the “Eighth wonder of the world”. It was shiny and new and had all of the most modern amenities (it also had a view of the train yards and projects on the South Side…anything but wonderful). The next year Oriole Park at Camden Yards opened with its “retro ballpark feel” in Baltimore. Guess which one has been the model teams around the country have tried to replicate since? (Hint-it’s not the one with the corporate name.)

That’s my biggest gripe with TDA. I can’t fault the city for wanting a new stadium, but they act like it was required to build one without a soul. Go to Oklahoma City, Lansing, MI, Bridgewater, NJ and all points in between. Ballparks there have the feeling of a “ball park” not an overblown corporate event attended by Sterling, Cooper & Price et al.

When the Yankees built the new Yankee Stadium they didn’t forsake their past. While they might have done a better job to project things like wind tunnels in right field, they did everything they could to make it as much like the House That Ruth Built when they erected the new yard.

The left field concession area...can you see it?

TDA is also sorely lacking in color. Those sandy, tan concessions in left field look like they’re trying to hide from a camel in the desert. Would it hurt to dress them up? How about painting all that gray steel dark green (like they do at most parks) to set some contrast from the Qwest Center and all the other cold steel and glass in the background?

Rosenblatt wasn’t just unique for its structure, it was painted bright blue and red. It screamed “something fun’s happening here”. TDA screams…well, does it scream anything? The only bright colors there are the red on the sign across the street at The Dugout and those red structures at the corner of 10th and Cumming..

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Some of the traditions may be gone, but the fans are not. After nearly a week of play and amusement at Omaha’s sparkling new TD Ameritrade Park, I can report that the College World Series is alive and well. In fact, total attendance through one week of games at the new park was approximately 9,000 higher than the final year at Rosenblatt. Frankly, that stat surprised me.

South Carolina fan Zack Boyd in front of the Road to Omaha Statue

Take South Carolina fan Zack Boyd for example. He won’t miss the traditions and lore of Rosenblatt. That’s because he never experienced it. This is his first time in Omaha. He made the 18-hour drive from Columbia, S.C., to be here to support his title-defending Gamecocks.

“The stadium is great and so is the food,” Boyd said after three days in Omaha. “All the different college teams out here and whatnot. The people are also very friendly. I’ll stay here the whole time if my team repeats.”

Alanna Fortune is a new CWS fan too. “It seems like a really nice stadium. I love it!” she said.

Alanna and Cash Fortune at 2011 College World Series

Alanna and her husband Cash were in Omaha to celebrate three years of marriage.

“I’m surprised how loud it is here in person, ” Cash told me. “It seems so quiet on tv. The crowd is really into it.”

Cash got bit by the CWS bug in 2008 when his father and groomsmen took him to the College World Series to celebrate his bachelor party. This is his third time back in four years.

Cash informed me that the couple had spent their honeymoon in Denver … so they could attend a Rockies game at Coors Field.

Emily Poeschl has made the adjustment to the new stadium. The Omaha resident was a big fan of Rosenblatt. Having thrown out the first pitch at an Omaha Royals game during Rosenblatt’s final season, Poeschl even had a sentimental attachment to Rosenblatt.

After day-1 of the College World Series, her feelings about the new arrangement were unmistakable. “The new stadium and downtown location are a huge improvement!” she said.

It seems a new leaf in Omaha’s College World Series experience has been turned over. The memories of Rosenblatt Stadium remain with those who experienced it, and a new era is here to stay.

It’s been nearly one year since the last baseball game was played at Omaha’s legendary Rosenblatt Stadium, but already it’s hard to tell that this sleepy little enclave in South Omaha once was the host of college baseball’s “greatest show on dirt.”

Zesto Ice Cream Shop on South 13th Street near Rosenblatt Stadium

The customarily long, late June lines at the Zesto ice cream and burger shack made famous by the College World Series are virtually non-existent this year. However,  business at the 13th Street Zesto location remains pretty good according to store manager Teresa Simonetti. “We’re seeing a lot of locals and zoo visitors, plus the Series fans that are driving here from downtown,” Simonetti said.

Even without the College World Series crowds, business is brisk enough that Simonetti keeps seven regular employees on the payroll (just like in 2010). But this year she only needs seven extra summer-time employees, compared with 15 in 2010.

Thursday morning’s auction of Rosenblatt signs, dugout benches and other memoirs drew a small crowd in person and online. A much bigger turnout is expected when the stadium seats go on sale.

The change in venue hasn’t meant a change in plans for Starsky’s Bar and Grill across 13th Street from Zesto. They’re offering free parking and a shuttle for CWS fans, with bands scheduled and drinks specials offered throughout the series.

PLUG TIME for a  CB360 sponsor: Remember the good folks with The Dugout who operated the huge merchandise tent caddy-corner from Zesto? They now have an awesomely cool permanent store downtown directly across the street from the Road to Omaha statue. You will find all the hats, tee-shirts and other gear to help you support your favorite CWS team. (While supporting the Dugout, you’re also supporting the free content you get on this site.)

Neighbors here expect to see plenty of activity at Rosenblatt this year with demolition teams coming and going, as well as people parking to visit the adjacent zoo. Other than that, things remain pretty quiet.

One thing is for sure: absent of baseball, Omaha’s Rosenblatt Stadium neighborhood has changed forever.

If you care to reminisce about Rosenblatt Stadium, I invite you to check out my Remember Rosenblatt blog and become a fan of Rosenblatt Stadium on Facebook.

Scores From All Super Regional Games Included…

Courtesy Gatorzone.com

Arizona State. The Longhorns have now won five straight NCAA elimination games going back to their regional to earn the program’s 34th trip to the College World Series.

South Carolina completed a two-game sweep of UConn on Sunday to punch a second straight trip to Omaha. Ray Tanner’s Gamecocks are the first defending champion to return to the CWS the next year since Oregon State in 2007.

Mike Fox‘s Tar Heels are back at the College World Series for the fifth time in the past six years, while Tim Corbin‘s Commodores are there for the first time in school history.

Two CWS match-ups are now set. Florida will face Texas, while Vanderbilt plays North Carolina in opening round play.

Just two Super Regionals are yet to be decided. Virginia hosts UC Irvine at 4 p.m. and Florida State hosts Texas A&M at 7 p.m. on Monday with the winners of those games punching their CWS tickets. Both of those games will be televised on ESPN2.

All Super Regional capsules, with scores, recaps and more, are listed below!

Following on this page are capsules for each of the eight Super Regionals and the 16 teams that still are alive. Schedules and TV assignments are included as well.

Scores for each of the games along with recaps from each team and box scores are being added throughout the weekend.

The four Friday-Saturday-Sunday Super Regionals are listed first, followed by the four that take place Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

(Super Regionals determined by best two-of-three format)

Gainesville Super Regional – #2 national seed Florida vs. Mississippi State

Florida is looking for a second straight trip to Omaha, while SEC rival Mississippi State last made the trek to college baseball’s promised land in 2007 (also the previous time the Bulldogs even made the NCAA Tournament). Florida took two out of three games from the Bulldogs in their regular season SEC series in Starkville back in April. The Gators also beat MSU 7-5 in their SEC Tournament opener last month.

Florida is led by SEC player of the year Mike Zunino (.371, 16 HR, 62 RBIs), recently named a finalist for the Johnny Bench Award. Mississippi State’s Jarrod Parks (.365, 3 HR, 36 RBIs) ranks 12th in the nation with 20 times hit-by-pitch. His team also ranks 12th nationally in that department with 90 HBP.

The Gators have three starting pitchers who have won at least eight games, while Bulldog reliever Luis Pollorena (7-5) has the most wins on the MSU staff.

Gainesville Schedule

Game 1 – Florida 11-11-0 def. Miss. State 1-7-2
Final Stats | FL Recap (w/ video) | MSU Recap |  AP Recap (w/ video)  |  Quotes |  Photos

Game 2 – Mississippi State 4-7-1 won at Florida 3-11-0 … series tied
Final Stats |  MSU Recap |  FL Recap |  Postgame Video (MS)  |  AP Recap (w/ video highlights)

Game 3: Florida 8-10-0 def. Mississippi State 6-11-1
Final Stats | MSU Recap | FL Recap | Postgame Video (FL)

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Austin Super Regional – #7 national seed Texas vs. Arizona State

Joey DeMichele

This clash of the titans Super Regional features two programs that have combined for 55 College World Series appearances. The Sun Devils are looking for their third straight CWS appearance and second in a row under head coach Tim Esmay. The Longhorns are looking to get back to Omaha after falling at home to TCU in the 2010 Super Regional. The Longhorns went all the way to the 2009 CWS Finals, with a win over ASU to get there in what was Pat Murphy’s last game as head coach.

Joey DeMichele (.368, 9 HR, 48 RBIs) leads an ASU offense that includes eight players hitting .301 or better. Sun Devils shortstop Deven Marerro was named the 2011 Pac-10 defensive player of the year. None of ASU’s weekend starters this season were in the rotation last year.

Taylor Jungmann

Taylor Jungmann (13-1, 1.39 ERA) fronts a Texas team that, as usual, relies on pitching, defense and small ball. Jungmann was selected with the 12th overall pick of this week’s MLB Draft by the Milwaukee Brewers. The 2011 Big 12 Pitcher of the Year suffered his first loss of the season in the week’s regional opener against Kent State. Freshman closer Cory Knebel (3-2, 1.29 ERA, 17 SVs) slams the door at the end. His save total is tied for fourth nationally.

The Longhorns’ 16 home runs are the second-fewest of any Super Regional team (UC Irvine-13) but they lead the nation with 103 sacrifice bunts.

CLICK HERE to listen to an exclusive CB360 podcast interview with Texas head coach Augie Garrido.

Austin Schedule

Game 1: Arizona State 3-5-1 def. Texas 1-8-2
Final Stats | ASU Recap | TX Recap |  AP Recap (w/ video highlights)  |  Photos |  Quotes

Game 2 – at Texas 5-8-0 def. Arizona State 1-8-1
Final Stats |  TX Recap |  ASU Recap |  Photos |  Quotes |  Notes | AP Recap (w/ video highlights)

Game 3: Texas 4-9-1 def. Arizona State 2-6-0
Final Stats | TX Recap | ASU Recap | Quotes | Photos | Notes

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Chapel Hill Super Regional – #3 national seed North Carolina vs. Stanford

The red-hot Tar Heels have won 17 of their past 21 games heading into Super Regional play. A series sweep of Virginia to close the regular season is the high-water mark in that stretch. It was the Cavs’ only series loss all year. UNC is looking to get back to the CWS after getting bounced at the Norman Regional in 2010. Prior to that, the Tar Heels made four straight trips to Omaha from 2006-2009.

Levi Michael

Freshman Colin Moran (.335, 9 HR, 69 RBIs) is the team triple crown leader. His RBI total ranks 14th nationally. Moran comes from good lineage. His older brother, Brian, was an All-American an UNC, while his uncle B.J. Surhoff was the national player of the year in Chapel Hill prior to a 19-year Major League career. Moran is joined in the lineup by shortstop Levi Michael (.297, 5 HR, 48 RBIs), a first round MLB Draft pick by the Minnesota Twins earlier this week. Michael enrolled at North Carolina and became a starter for UNC’s 2009 College World Series team, in what would have been his senior semester in high school.

Stanford has a young and battle-tested team whose ability belies its overall record. Mark Marquess‘ squad features eight freshmen or sophomores in the everyday lineup. They played a brutal early-season schedule, with road trisps to three teams (Vanderbilt, Rice and Texas) that were eventual national seeds. Stanford went 13-12 against top-25 teams this season, but experience against some of the top pitchers in the country has made them better. How about this list: #1 overall MLB Draft pick Gerrit Cole (UCLA), #3 overall pick Trevor Bauer (UCLA), #12 overall pick Taylor Jungmann (Texas), #18 overall pick Sonny Gray (Vandebilt), #20 overall pick Tyler Anderson (Oregon), Oregon State ace Sam Gaviglio, Arizona’s #1 Kurt Heyer, and Vandy’s talented #2 Grayson Garvin

Chris Reed.

The Cardinal doesn’t have eye-popping offensive numbers, but Stephen Piscotty (.370, 3 HR, 40 RBIs) leads an offense that gets the job done. As usual, Stanford is built on pitching, including first-round MLB Draft pick Chris Reed (6-2, 2.54 ERA, 9 SVs), who went with the 16th overall pick to the L.A. Dodgers.

Chapel Hill Schedule

Game 1: North Carolina 5-10-1 def. Stanford 2-7-2
Final Stats | UNC Recap | STAN Recap |  AP Recap (w/ video)

Game 2 – at North Carolina 7-14-1 def. Stanford 5-9-1 … UNC adv. to CWS
Final Stats |  UNC Recap |  STAN Recap |  AP Recap (w/ video)   |  Photos-1 |  Photos-2 |  Quotes |  Notes

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Nashville Super Regional – #6 national seed Vanderbilt vs. Oregon State

Vanderbilt has, arguably, the most balanced overall team in the Super Regionals. The Commodores rank third in the nation with a 2.41 ERA and sixth in the country with their .319 batting average. Vandy made a bit of a Cinderella run to the 2010 Super Regionals by knocking off national seed Louisville in the regional round. Tim Corbin‘s program still is in search of its first College World Series berth – and this could be his best chance. His team set an SEC record this week by having 11 players selected in the MLB Draft.

Grayson Garvin

Sonny Gray (11-3, 2.01 ERA) and Grayson Garvin (13-1, 2.37 ERA) are the two-headed monster at the front of the weekend rotation, while Navery Moore (4-2, 1.21 ERA, 11 SVs) has dominated in the closer’s role. Gray was drafted by the Oakland A’s with the 18th overall pick this week. Game-3 starter Taylor Hill (5-1, 2.84 ERA), Garvin and Moore also were among the VU draftees. Jason Esposito (.362, 8 HR, 55 RBIs) and Aaron Westlake (.349, 14 HR, 48 RBIs) lead the offense and a slew of position players who were among the team’s recent draftees.

Andrew Susac

Oregon State is looking to get back to the College World Series for the first time since winning back-to-back national titles in 2006 and 2007. In fact, this is the first Super Regional for Pat Casey‘s club since the ’07 trip to Omaha. A five-game losing streak to USC and Oregon to close the regular season cost OSU a likely national seed, but the Beavers won all three games at their regional last week.

OSU has relied heavily on pitching in its success this year. Starters Sam Gaviglio (12-2, 1.87 ERA) and Josh Osich (6-4, 3.64 ERA) both were drafted this week. Osich – who fired a no-hitter against UCLA on April 30 – will miss the Super Regional due to tendinitis in his arm. Catcher Andrew Susac (.313, 5 HR, 32 RBIs) was selected by the San Francisco Giants in the second round. Susac had surgery on April 11 for a broken bone in his hand and returned to action on May 11. Oregon State’s bullpen, led by Tony Bryant (3-2, 1.52 ERA, 12 SVs), has been lights-out this year. The team is 36-0 when taking a lead into the 9th inning.

Nashville Schedule

Game 1 – Vanderbilt 11-11-1 def. Oregon State 1-4-0
Final Stats | VU Recap | OSU Recap |  AP Recap (w/ video)

Game 2 – Vanderbilt 9-12-2 def. Oregon State 3-8-2 … VAN adv. to CWS
Final Stats |  VAN Recap |  OS Recap |  AP Recap (w/ video)  |  VAN Notes |  OS Notes

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Charlottesville Super Regional – #1 national seed Virginia vs. UC Irvine

If there’s a window of opportunity that could be closing, this could be it for Virginia. The past three seasons have been the most successful in the history of the program. Brian O’Connor took a young program to its first College World Series two years ago, and now that group – led by Danny Hultzen (11-3, 1.57 ERA ) – is playing in its third straight Super Regional. The Cavs made it to Omaha two years ago by winning their Super Regional at Ole Miss, but they saw Oklahoma take two of three in the first Super Regional hosted by UVA (in 2010).

Danny Hultzen

Virginia isn’t flashy offensively, but they grind and find a way to get on base and they don’t strike out. Their 95 times hit-by-pitch rank sixth in the nation and is the most of any of the 16 remaining teams. Add the 95 HBP to their 214 walks and then look at their paltry 306 strikeouts – that’s plate discipline that a big-boned family at a buffet wishes they had. UVA’s top three batters – David Coleman (.369, 2 HR, 39 RBIs), Steven Proscia (.341, 8 HR, 58 RBIs) and John Hicks (.339, 7 HR, 54 RBIs) – have combined to strike out only 68 times in 657 total at-bats.

Hultzen was selected with the second overall pick in the draft this week by Seattle. He’s joined in the rotation by Will Roberts (11-1, 1.61 ERA), who fired a perfect game earlier this season. Closer Branden Kline (3-0, 1.78 ERA, 17 SVs) is tied for fourth nationally in saves.

Brian Hernandez

The Los Angeles Regional had the look of one that would be hard to navigate, with teams like pitching-heavy UCLA and Fresno State and even San Francisco in the field. UC Ivine cam -out of L.A. unscathed, though, by going 3-0 to reach the program’s third Super Regional in the past five years.

Like Virginia, Mike Gillespie‘s Anteaters rely on their pitching to compensate for a lack of offensive power. Irvine’s 13 home runs are the fewest of any team in this weekend’s Super Regionals. Big West pitcher of the year Matt Summers (11-2, 1.72 ERA) was drafted by Minnesota this week with the 148th overall pick, but Brian Hernandez (.351, 31 RBIs) is the team’s top overall player. Hernandez is the Big West defensive player of the year and he leads his team not only in batting average but also with 12 saves. He was drafted this week by the L.A. Dodgers, while team home run and RBI leader Drew Hillman (.336, 5 HR, 50 RBIs) was selected by the Phillies.

Charlottesville Schedule

Game 1 – at Virginia 6-12-0 def. UC Irvine 0-4-1
Final Stats |  VA Recap |  UCI Recap |  Photos

Game 2: UC Irvine 6-10-2 def. Virginia 4-7-1
Final Stats | UCI Recap | VA Recap

Game 3: Virginia 3-10-2 def. UC Irvine 2-6-0
Final Stats | VA Recap | UCI Recap

Video of John Taylor‘s game-winning hit.

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Santa Clara Super Regional – California vs. Dallas Baptist

How “Cinderella” is this Super Regional? When Cal and Dallas Baptist won regionals in Houston and Ft. Worth last week, they didn’t even know where their Super Regional would be played, because their home facilities didn’t meet NCAA specifications.

Cal had its program cut last fall, then had it reinstated during the season thanks the the efforts of the Save Cal Baseball group, and then went to No. 8 national seed Rice and won the Houston Regional. They did it by winning four straight games after falling to Baylor in their opener. The win that sent the Golden Bears to the Super Regional came thanks to a 4-run rally against Baylor in the bottom of the 9th inning. When you’ve been fighting for your lives for eight months, what’s four runs in one elimnation inning?

Jason Krizan

Dallas Baptist has only been a Division One program since 2006. It took the Patriots only two years to qualify for an NCAA Regional, as an independent, after moving from the NAIA ranks … and now they’re in their first Super Regional, after helping send TCU and Oklahoma (both 2010 CWS teams) packing at the Ft. Worth Regional.

The bottom line with both of these teams is that they can play. Dallas Baptist has been led by senior Jason Krizan all season. The outfielder ranks among the nation’s leaders in virtually every offensive category. Here’s his line: .419 batting, 101 hits, 10 HR, 81 RBIs, 39 doubles, .714 slg%, .502 OBP, 13 SB, 23 K, 40 BB. He’s not alone though. Krizan is one of six Patriots to start at least 59 games who are batting .292 or better.  Dan Heefner‘s teams also did it with games against the likes of TCU, Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, Baylor, Rice, and A-10 champion Charlotte during the regular season. Krizan and staff ace Brandon Williamson (10-3, 3.98 ERA) were among DBU’s top draftees this week. CLICK HERE to listen to a CB360 exclusive interview with Jason Krizan.

Erik Johnson

Dave Esquer‘s Cal Bears didn’t have to search for tough competition the way Dallas Baptist does, because they see it every week in the Pac-10 (see the list of pitchers Stanford has faced this year and apply the conference hurlers to Cal). The Bears have a stellar pitching staff of their own, led by Erik Johnson (6-4, 2.91 ERA) and lefty Justin Jones (8-6, 3.09 ERA). After the announcement to eliminate the program, it looked for a time like Jones might transfer to another school after the fall semester, but he opted to stay and the decision has paid off for him and his team. Tony Renda (.335, 3 HR, 41 RBIs), Chadd Krist (.306 25 doubles, 40 RBIs) and Regional MVP Devon Rodriguez (.292, 5 HR, 33 RBIs) lead a balanced Bears offense. Johnson was the highest-drafted player (2nd round, White Sox) this week among seven Golden Bears selected.

Cal won the first College World Series in 1947. Its most-recent trip to Omaha was in 1992.

CLICK HERE to read more about this Cinderella Super Regional.

Santa Clara Schedule

Game 1 – California 7-11-0 def. Dallas Baptist 0-3-0
Final Stats |  Cal Recap |  DB Recap |  Photos |  Quotes |  Notes

Post Game Video – Including Cal’s David Esquer & Justin Jones and DBU’s Dan Heefner & Brandon Williamson

Game 2: Cal 6-13-1 def. Dallas Baptist 2-4-1
Final Stats | Cal Recap | DBU Recap | Quotes | Photos | Notes

Post Game Video – David Esquer, Chadd Krist & Tony Renda

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Tallahassee Super Regional – #5 national seed Florida State vs. Texas A&M

Ho hum, Florida State is hosting another Super Regional. Mike Martin‘s Seminoles are looking for a 21st trip to the College World Series, including a third trip in the past four years. Texas A&M is looking for just its fourth CWS berth and its first since 1999.

Ross Stripling

Big 12 coach of the year Rob Childress is looking to take his A&M team to Omaha for the first time, but he was an assistant at Nebraska when the Cornhuskers made CWS appearances in 2001, ’02 and ’05. The Aggies won their second straight Big 12 Tournament this year but probably missed the chance to be a national seed due to the labrum injury suffered by ace John Stilson (5-2, 1.68 ERA). Ross Stripling (13-2, 2.30 ERA) and Michael Wacha (8-3, 2.24) still combine for a more than formidable 1-2 punch in the rotation. Stripling fired a complete game in the Aggies’ regional opening win and then earned his third save of the season when he closed the regional clincher against Arizona. Big 12 player of the year Tyler Naquin (.389, 21 doubles, 7 triples, 43 RBIs) leads the Aggies offensive attack.

Mike McGee

While Florida State is a regular at hosting Super Regionals, that hasn’t always translated into automatic success. The Seminoles have dropped Super Regional series at Dick Howser Stadium in 2002, ’03 and ’09, with wins in ’08 and 2010. They also fell on the road in Super Regional action in 2001, ’04 and ’05. Two-way player Mike McGee (.332, 10 HR, 56 RBIs, 5 SVs) had the chance to go pro when he was drafted in 2010, but he returned and improved his draft slot by 26 rounds when he was tabbed by Seattle this week in the 15th round. The centerfielder had 13 saves last year but returned for the chance to show his offensive prowess. Staff ace Sean Gilmartin (12-1, 1.83 ERA) was selected 28th overall by Atlanta. Senior Daniel Bennett (2.10 ERA, 15 SVs) has taken over the main closer’s role.

Tallahassee Schedule

Game 1 – Texas A&M 6-7-1 win at Florida State 2-9-2
Final Stats |  A&M Recap |  FSU Recap |  Photos |  Quotes |  Notes |  Postgame Video |  Video Highlights

Game 2: Florida State 23-16-1 def. Texas A&M 9-12-4
Final Stats | FSU Recap| A&M Recap | Notes | Quotes | Photos

Game 3: Texas A&M 11-11-0 def. Florida State 2-4-1
Final Stats | A&M Recap | FSU Recap

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Columbia Super Regional – #4 national seed South Carolina vs. Connecticut

George Springer

Monday was quite a day for both UConn and the Big East Conference. While the Huskies were in the process of beating Clemson 14-1 in the Clemson Regional final, their two best players, George Springer (.350, 12 HR, 76 RBIs) and Matt Barnes (11-4, 1.62 ERA), were selected with the 11th and 19th overall picks in this week’s MLB Draft. Springer and Barnes combined with Joe Panik of St. John’s to give the Big East three first-round picks in the same draft for the first time in the history of the conference. The Huskies had to win four straight after Barnes was pounded by Coastal Carolina (7 ER in 4.1 IP) in the Regional opener. They outscored the host Tigers (a ’10 CWS team) 21-7 in their last two wins. Jim Penders‘ squad is the third Big East team (along with Notre Dame and Louisville) to advance to a Super Regional. Penders’ father, Jim Penders, and uncle, Tom Penders, both played for UConn’s 1965 College World Series team.

Michael Roth

South Carolina has the same kind of team it had a year ago at this time. The defending national champs aren’t eye-popping anywhere, but they are good everywhere. Sophomore Christian Walker (.361, 9 HR, 58 RBIs) leads the Gamecocks in the triple crown categories. He is the only USC player to start all 62 games. Fellow sophomore Evan Marzilli and seniors Brady Thomas, Adrian Morales and Scott Wingo – who scored the winning run in the 2010 national championship game – are among the regulars back from the national-title squad. Michael Roth (12-3, 1.10 ERA) came out of the bullpen to make his only starts of the season in 2010 CWS wins over Clemson and UCLA. Roth used that as a springboard to being South Carolina’s ace this year. Ray Tanner‘s squad again has quality arms everywhere in the bullpen, including closer Matt Price (5-3, 2.25 ERA, 17 SVs) and setup man John Taylor (5-1, 1.32 ERA). Those two and Jose Mata (3-0, 1.82 ERA) have combined for 95 appearances.

CLICK HERE for pre-Super Regional interviews with South Carolina players.

Columbia Schedule

Game 1 – South Carolina 5-10-3 def. Connecticut 1-6-2
Final Stats |  SC Recap (w/ video)  |  UConn Recap |  Photos (SC)  |  Photos (UConn)
Photos (AP)  |  Quotes |  Notes

Game 2: South Carolina 8-12-1 def. UConn 2-10-2
Final Stats | SC Recap | UConn Recap

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Collegebaseball360.com Blogger Paul Fiarkoski  takes a swing at this trending question.

It’s 2011 and people are starting to ask, “What happened to Rosenblatt Stadium“? In this blog I will answer that question and a few others that have been coming up. 

Photo by Paul Fiarkoski

What happened to Rosenblatt Stadium?
In the Spring of 2009, after much debate and posturing, it was announced that the City of Omaha would be building a new stadium (TD Ameritrade Park) in downtown Omaha. The new stadium is scheduled to open on April 15, 2011. It will be the site of the NCAA College World Series (CWS) for at least the next 25 years, thanks to a contract extension that city leaders say would not have happened without the new stadium. 

Why was a new stadium needed?
The real answer to this question remains a mystery.  Different answers are offered by different people depending on their experience with Rosenblatt and their knowledge of the situation. 

City of Omaha officials have offered all sorts of rationale as to why a new stadium is needed, with the mainstay answer being, “If Omaha doesn’t build a new stadium, we could lose the College World Series.” 

Officials from the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) are on record as saying they never threatened to move the College World Series out of Omaha if a new stadium was not built. 

Folks at College World Series Omaha, Inc. say Rosenblatt is too small. (Note: the new stadium adds only 900 more seats.) 

People with Rosenblatt’s primary tenant for decades, the Omaha Royals, said the new stadium would be too big for them. 

What was wrong with Rosenblatt Stadium?
According to most who attended events at Rosenblatt in her final year, there was nothing wrong with the “old” stadium. One consistent gripe was that the concourses got pretty crowded at the beginning and end of near-capacity games. Rosenblatt had all the charm and mystique of Fenway Park or Wrigley Field and plenty more life left in her. The stadium rarely sold out – maybe five to eight games each year during the CWS. The new stadium will hold about 900 more people and will have all the conveniences Americans desire these days – more club level seating, wider seats, cup holders, tv monitors at the concession stands and in the bathrooms.  View This Poll 

Who will play at the new stadium?
It is certain that Creighton University will play it’s regularly scheduled home baseball games at the new stadium. Additionally, the top eight teams that make it to the College World Series each year will play there for at least the next twenty-five years. In 2011 and later years, the Omaha Nighthawks United Football League team will play their regular season home games at the new stadium. It’s likely that the new stadium will also be used for concerts and other such events too. 

Rather than play in the new stadium, Omaha’s Triple A minor league team decided to build their own $26 million stadium (Werner Park) in the suburb of Papillion to the south and west of Omaha. 

What will be done with Rosenblatt Stadium?
The United Football League Championship game on November 27, 2010 was the last scheduled sporting event at Rosenblatt. There has been talk of some additional events to celebrate Rosenblatt’s legacy in 2011, but nothing is firm as of this writing. 

Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo (site of the big glass dome beyond Rosenblatt’s right field) has been given the land on which Rosenblatt sits in exchange for all current debt of the stadium. The zoo will ultimately decide on what happens with the structure. All indications are that in the near term the stadium will be demolished to make way for more parking spaces. 

Home plate is already on display at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY and the zoo released plans in 2010 that would preserve a small scale version of the stadium leaving first base line and the foul pole intact. It will be a sort of gathering spot for families visiting the zoo. Longer term, there has been talk that a panda exhibit will be located in the spot where legends of the game once played. 

Stadium Comparison

*estimate, includes initial build cost plus improvements over the years; not adjusted for inflation. 

Read more about my love affair with Rosenblatt in a blog I wrote called The Road Back to Omaha.  Share memories and photos with other fans on the Rosenblatt Stadium fan page on Facebook. 

RELATED ARTICLES
A Letter of Thanks to Johnny Rosenblatt
College World Series 2010: The 10-Day Funeral
Top Ten Memories from 2010 College World Series
Rosenblatt Neighborhood Ready For Final College World Series

Paul Fiarkoski grew up in the South Omaha neighborhood west of Rosenblatt Stadium. He has been chronicling Rosenblatt Stadium’s final year via blogs here and on Facebook and Twitter. (Cover photo by Mike Machian.)

By College Baseball 360 Editor Sean Stires

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

1.  Goodbye to Rosenblatt Stadium

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

2. Cal Cuts Baseball

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

3. Arizona State Gets Probation

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

4. Garrett Wittels Chases History, And Then…

Garrett Wittels

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

5.  South Carolina Wins The CWS

Ray Tanner

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

6. Matt Curry’s CWS Grand Slam

Matt Curry

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

7. TCU Beats Texas In Super Regionals

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

8. New Mexico And Oregon Make It To NCAA Regionals

Ray Birmingham

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

9. Kyle Parker’s Record-Setting Double Duty

Kyle Parker

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

10. UCLA And Arizona State Get Off To Fast Starts

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

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By Collegebaseball360.com Editor Sean Stires

Gobble, Gobble…

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

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

New Stadium, Higher Prices…

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

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

Tar Heel Gone…

Brian Goodwin

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

Gone Batty…

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

Speaking Of Bats…

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

The Conference Shuffle…

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

New Name, Same Stage…

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

Auf Deutsch Bitte…

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

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

Three For The SEC…

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

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

And At The Next Level…

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

Wearing It Out…

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

V Is For Verlander…

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

Keep Growing College Baseball…

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

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Gamecocks Take Game One Of CWS Finals From Bruins

• The previous winners are: California, USC, Texas, Oklahoma, Holy Cross, Michigan, Missouri, Wake Forest, Minnesota, Oklahoma State, Arizona State, Ohio State, Arizona, Miami (FL), Cal State Fullerton, Stanford, Wichita State, Georgia, LSU, Pepperdine, Rice, Oregon State, and Fresno State.

  

• Participants from the 1950 CWS title game between Texas and Washington State were recognized before the game.  The ’50 CWS was the first one played here at Rosenblatt after spending two years in Kalamazoo, MI and one year in Wichita, KS.

• South Carolina’s Blake Cooper made his CWS leading third start in the last eight days tonight.  In his two previous starts (both vs. Oklahoma) Cooper combined to pitch 10 2/3 innings with 4 ER on 10 hits, 3 BB, and 11 strikeouts.

• Cooper (12-2) lost for just the second time this season when the Gamecocks fell 4-3 to Oklahoma in their CWS opener back on June 20th.  He had a no decision last Thursday in SC’s 3-2 elimination game win over the Sooners.

• Cooper held UCLA hitless through his first 4 1/3 innings before catcher Steve Rodriguez broke it up with a blooper up the leftfield line.  Jimmy Ehrler of Texas is still the only man to fire a no-hitter at the CWS.  Ehrler did it against Tufts in 1950.

CWS Finals Game 1 Postgame Video

• Saw ESPN’s Orel Hershiser in the press box tonight.  The former LA Dodger said “That looks like a good wiener”, when he saw the hot dog I had on my plate.

• I just looked down to my left and noticed ESPN has a 3-man broadcast booth tonight with Hershiser and Robin Ventura as the analysts and Mike Patrick doing play by play.  We can’t hear the audio in the press box, so I have no idea how they sound.  I really like Ventura in the booth, and I like what I heard of Nomar Garciaparra during the games I was away from Omaha over the weekend.  I have to say I really like Sean McDounough doing PBP.  It would be great if he and Patrick could work Super Regional games in the future.  You could even throw Karl Ravech into that mix.  It would really up the level of anticipation for games in Omaha with pros like that working the mics a week before the CWS begins.

  

• South Carolina got its first two runs of the night after there were two outs in the first inning thanks to a bunt, a bloop, a check swing, and an error.  Jackie Bradley, Jr. started it with the bunt, followed by a bloop to left centerfield by Christian Walker, a check swing RBI single up the left field line by Brady Thomas, and then an error by UCLA 2B Cody Regis, who moved over from 3B at the start of the CWS after Tyler Rahmatulla broke his wrist in the Super Regional dog pile.

• Bradley’s bunt extended his current hitting streak to 22 games.  He came into the night hitting .421 in his first five CWS games.

• Just saw South Carolina football coach Steve Spurrier grabbing a cup full of pretzels in the press box snack area.  I had never seen him in person before, and I kind of did the double take when he walked by.  He looked at me like I might be a stalker and kept going.  He just made the same face when ESPN showed him sitting in his booth.

• I know it’s been talked about plenty that UCLA has never won a baseball national championship, despite the fact that the school has won an NCAA record 106 titles.  Included in that haul is the softball team’s 11th title this year.  So UCLA is not only trying to win both the men’s and women’s CWS Championships this year, but it is also trying to become the first school to ever with both of those titles in the same year.  The Women’s CWS began in 1982.

• UCLA starter Gerrit Cole’s 100th pitch of the night was his first pitch in the top of the 6th inning.  He had never given-up more than five runs or double digit hits prior to tonight’s game.  His line at the end of the night:  7 IP, 11 hits, 6 runs, 4 earned runs, 1 BB, 2 Ks, 127 pitches, 86 strikes.  Cole is now 11-4 this season.

  

• Blake Cooper’s 100th pitch of the night was his first pitch of the 7th inning – a tapper back to the mound to retire Dean Espy.

• Cooper finished his night with 8+ IP, 3 hits, 1 run, 2 BB, and 10 Ks.  After giving-up two hits and issuing a walk in the 9th inning he exited to a chorus of both cheers (Gamecock fans) and boos (Bruin fans).  Cooper threw 136 pitches, including 89 strikes.  He is now 13-2.

• There were a handful of balls that were hit on the screws tonight, but the ball just was not carrying at Rosenblatt.  The flags in centerfield were blowing in most of the night.

• Attendance for tonight’s game was 23,181 – or slightly below the combined two game total of 23,500 that saw Saturday’s TCU vs. UCLA and South Carolina vs. Clemson elimination games (games 13 & 14 of the CWS).  The total draw for this year’s CWS is 306,532 for an average of 20,425.  On day one of last year’s CWS Finals the total attendance was 294,219 for an average of 22,405 per game (games 13 & 14 were not played/needed in 2009).

• CB360’s Paul Fiarkoski did an interview tonight with the local PBS station, which is shooting a documentary to be titled The Final Inning.  The program will be similar to the documentary The Long Home Run, which has aired on ESPN, but it will focus on the entire history of Rosenblatt Stadium, not just as it pertains to the CWS.

• When UCLA leftfielder Jeff Gelalich was hit by pitch in the 4th inning it was the school record 101st time a Bruin batter was hit this season.  Niko Gallego was also HBP in the 1st inning, but home plate umpire AlJ. Lostaglio did not award him the base.  Gallego eventually struckout.

• Trevor Brown pinch-hit and hit into a 4-6-3 double play in the 9th inning, but it plated UCLA’s only run of the night.  With the run the Bruins avoided being shutout for the first time since May 22, 2009 – a stretch of 68 straight games.

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

Cool Hand Blake Dominates Bruins

Analysis of game one with CB360’s Chase Titleman

The one thing we have learned over the 61 years that Rosenblatt Stadium has hosted the College World Series is to expect the unexpected.

That was the main reason I picked South Carolina to defeat UCLA over the course of the three game series for the national championship here in Omaha.

The other reason was Blake Cooper, who is accustomed to taking on similar, GarrIt Cole-like big time performers, within the SEC Conference on a weekly basis.

Late Sunday night, Gamecock head coach Ray Tanner approached Cooper outside his hotel room to explain his rationale for starting Cooper in Game #2, trying unsuccessfully to sell the concept that an extra day of rest will be needed to help South Carolina bring home its first national championship.

Cooper would have none of it, saying “What are we really getting after the extra day of rest?”  “I want the ball!”

Coming into the ballgame, Cole was the pitcher who brought a repertoire of pitches in collecting 151 strikeouts on the season as all the talk was focused on the UCLA Friday starter due to his brilliant performance versus TCU.

Running his fastball in the 94-97 mph range, who would question his superior arm strength in the match-up with Cooper, especially considering he tops out at 86 on the fastball and 79 on the cutter?

But Cooper is accustomed to being over-shadowed in a marquee match-up for he knows all too well that pitching success is not all about the velocity or reputation of the pitcher. If you don’t give up any runs, how can a team beat you?

For example, on April 16th this spring, Cooper took on another first round draft pick, Drew Pomeranz of Ole Miss, and calmly went out and blanked the Rebels for a 5-0 victory. Here is his line of production from that particular ballgame, reminiscent of tonight’s effort at Rosenblatt Stadium.

Cooper was masterful tonight, spinning a one-hitter through 8 complete innings with 10 strike-outs, while out-competing Bauer with a string of cutters that was hell on earth for left-handed hitters and a bevy of spinners that sunk towards the bottom of the strike-zone versus the right-handed hitters.

His curveball got even better, with more bite, as the game moved into the late innings.

All of this on three days rest.

To say the kid is an bulldog on the mound would be quite the understatement, and it is a good thing Ray Tanner puts a great deal of trust in his players, for he could have easily disregarded Cooper’s pleading, opting instead to stick with his game plan.

Destiny cultivates mysterious mannerisms for the effort is the stuff of legends here in Omaha. With all the attention on Bauer coming in, few people realized that Cooper actually had the better numbers.

Cooper vs Cole

The similarity between the two marquee match-ups versus Pomeranz and Cole being that Cooper spun a complete game shut-out on four hits in the game against Ole Miss, while giving up only one run on three hits after being relieved with the bases loaded and no outs in the ninth inning versus UCLA in the College World Series.

Both efforts were unexpected, the perfect formula for picking South Carolina to win its first championship in 2010.

Think about it…he has out-dueled two players that will likely sign for a cool $10 Million between them, now giving his Carolina faithful the upper-hand in the series. The performance is reminiscent of Oregon State’s masterful run to the title in 2006, overcoming a slew of elimination games with quality pitching from a few unsung heroes.

Cooper appeared to hardly break a sweat as his effort stymied a hot-hitting UCLA team that destroyed TCU on Saturday.

Cooper gives his teammates such a lift in terms of confidence that the team played cool, calm and collective, just like their leader on the hill throughout the ballgame, shockingly to most, winning the game with ease (7-1) to take Game #1 of the championship best of three.

For much of the tournament here at Rosenblatt in 2010, South Carolina has been a team on the edge of elimination. Now the Bruins must find a comfort zone with the threat of elimination hovering in the background. Carolina must be basking in the freedom, knowing they are just one more gutty effort away from accomplishing their goal.

The mark of a champion in college baseball is often determined by how a team performs when things don’t go according to plan. Now, UCLA is the team that will have to overcome adversity so prevalent in the game of baseball.

South Carolina has answered those championship questions that only a grinding effort through the journey of a season can answer. They must feel they are a team of destiny, which together with the bulldog tenacity of Cooper is the main reason why I am picking South Carolina to win its first championship in the final year of Rosenblatt’s splendid run.

With a pitching staff like South Carolina that can match UCLA, the Bruins must find some offense as, overall, the team took far too many pitches tonight versus a quality competitor like Cooper.

It wasn’t as if Cooper didn’t offer anything up to hit, but when the ball did get elevated within the strike-zone, the Bruins never took the bat off their shoulders. As a matter of fact, the only thing that has beaten Cooper at the 2010 College World Series in Omaha is the weather.

If it hadn’t been for a violent thunderstorm last Sunday afternoon, in a game that was delayed a total of 6 and a half hours, Cooper may have picked up his third win of the week versus Oklahoma, Arizona State and UCLA, three of the best teams in the country to close the season.

That will need to change in a hurry if the baseball program at UCLA expects to add to its Division I leading 116 national titles.

Memories from Omaha’s Rosenblatt Stadium at the 61st and final CWS at the facility with Steve Kaufmann from Rosenblattmemories.com

Omaha, NE–The College World Series Finals start tonight with the UCLA Bruins taking on the South Carolina Gamecocks. Unlike most college championships, college baseball’s is a best two of three format. Games tonight (Monday), tomorrow and an “if necessary” game three on Wednesday all begin at 7 p.m. Eastern Time. All three games will be televised on ESPN.

Rosenblatt Stadium host its last CWS Finals this week.

We know you’re a college baseball fan, so you don’t need a reason to watch the CWS Finals, but here are five reasons to watch anyway:

1. It’s Rosenblatt’s last hurrah. This is the 61st and final time Omaha’s Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium will host the College World Series. Somewhat surprisingly, crowds have not flocked to Rosenblatt to see it in all its splendor before college baseball’s biggest event moves downtown next year. A lack of marquee teams, like LSU and Texas, in this year’s CWS could be partially to blame. Storms that wrecked the schedule during the event’s opening weekend were a factor as well. More baseball will be played on Johnny Rosenblatt’s stadium this summer when the Omaha Royals come back to town, but the hustle of the college game will be no more after this Wednesday.

2. It’s East vs. West. With all the recent talk of conference expansion and super conferences, it’s only fitting that an SEC team is playing a Pac 10 team for the title. LSU and Georgia are the only other SEC schools to win the CWS, while five other Pac 10 teams have claimed crowns.  College baseball has traditionally been dominated by the western half of the country.  Since 1970, Georgia (1990) and Miami (FL) (1982, ’85, ’99, 2000) and the only schools east of the Mississippi River to win the CWS.

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