USA Falls To Cuba In 10 Innings…

Will Play For V FISU World Championship…

George Springer

Gray, who improved to 3-0 on the summer, allowed two runs (one earned) and struck out six to push his summer total to 37 punch outs. The right-hander surrendered a run in each of the first two innings before settling down where he allowed just four base runners of the next five innings, two of those reaching second base. Noe Ramirez (Cal State Fullerton) notched his fifth of the season after tossing hitless innings allowing a walk and striking out three.

Yuki Saitoh, who suffered the loss, made one mistake on the night serving up a bases loaded home run to Springer on a first pitch offering in the first stanza. The right-hander was touched for four runs on four hits with four punch outs over six innings of work. From the third to sixth frame he allowed four runners to reach base and fanned four. Japan’s bullpen was stellar as Masahiro Inui tossed a scoreless seventh and Tatsuya Oishi struck out the side in the eighth.

Sonny Gray

Trailing 1-0 in the bottom half of the first, Springer put USA up for good, 4-1, with his second home run of the summer. Nolan Fontana (Florida) drew a one-out walk, Jackie Bradley, Jr. (South Carolina) singled to left and Ryan Wright (Louisville) loaded the bases when he was plunked by a Saitoh pitch setting up Springer’s monster shot to left field that went 10 rows deep.

Shouta Ishimine scored the game’s first run on a passed ball in the top of the first inning giving Japan an early 1-0. Ishimine walked to start the frame then took second on failed pick off and third on a sac bunt by Kimio Watanabe.

In the second, Japan cut USA’s lead in half, 4-2, when Fumiya Araki plated Kouichiro Matsumoto on a ground ball to third. Matsumoto doubled to start the inning and moved to third on a ground out to short before touching home.

Notes: Jason Esposito had his nine-game hitting streak snapped with a 0-for-3 performance from the plate … Sonny Gray improved to 6-1 during his two-year career with the Collegiate National Team … He has 64 strikeouts to 12 walks in 48.0 innings of work … George Springer took the team lead in RBI (17) on his grand slam and is tied for second with 20 base hits behind Jackie Bradley, Jr.

(USA Baseball Release)

Advances To ‘V FISU’ Semifinals…

Sonny Gray

Gray was unhittable through 3 1/3 inning retiring 10 in a row, nine by strikeout, before Theekshana Gammanpila singled down the right field line on a ball that hit first base and popped over the head of Nick Ramirez (Cal State Fullerton). In all the right-hander allowed just two runners to reach base, one was on a wild pitch strikeout) and faced two over the minimum through five innings (17 hitters) notching his second win of the summer tour. With his 14-strikeout performance, Gray also tied a CNT single-game record for punch outs joining Jason Jennings (7/1/98) and B.J. Wallace (7/20/02) in the record books.

Offensively, Team USA pounded out 12 hits and plated multiple runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings, which was finished off by back-to-back solo home runs by George Springer (Connecticut) and Nick Ramirez.

USA (12-2) manufactured a run in the first stanza on a sac fly by Jackie Bradley, Jr. (South Carolina) putting CNT up 1-0. Drew Maggi (Arizona State) doubled to right center then moved to third on Nolan Fontana’s (Florida) ground out to first before touching home on Bradley, Jr.’s long fly to center.

Neranjan Mudiyanselage (0-1) held Team USA scoreless in the second, but couldn’t overcome a six-hit, seven-run third that put USA up 8-0. Consecutive singles by Mikie Mahtook (LSU), Maggi and Fontana produced the first run before Ryan Wright (Louisville) and Springer drove in runs on one-out base hits. Mahtook completed the frame with a bases loaded triple, his second hit of the inning, scoring Springer, Nick Ramirez and Jason Esposito (Vanderbilt).

Mudiyanselage went 3 1/3 innings allowing 11 runs (nine earned) on eight hits with two strikeouts. Rajitha Dulige and Prasad Arachchilage both gave up two runs on two hits in two-third’s of an inning.

Team USA’s five-run fourth was highlighted by Esposito’s three-run double to left center. Bradley, Jr. reached on an error then scored on Wright’s double to left center. Springer drew a one-out walk and Nick Ramirez was plunked in the back loading the bases for Esposito’s two-bagger, where he advanced to third on an errant throw by the center fielder. Peter O’Brien (Bethune-Cookman) plated Esposito on a sac fly to right capping the inning.

The Collegiate National Team will be back on the diamond Sunday, Aug. 1 when the take on Chinese Taipei inside Meiji Jingu Stadium at 5 a.m. (EST).

Notes: Team USA will conduct a 2-3 hour practice on Saturday, July 31 … In other play in USA’s bracket, Canada topped Chinese Taipei 3-2 … Mikie Mahtook led all USA hitters with three hits and three RBI … Jason Esposito extended his current hit streak to six games with his double in the fourth … Team USA’s pitching staff lowered its ERA to 1.08 on the summer … Sonny Gray now has 31 strikeouts in 17.0 innings this summer.

(USA Baseball Release)

Team Improves To 8-0…

Gerrit Cole

Cole (1-0) was impressive from the outset retiring nine of his first 10 batters with three strikeouts and allowed just one extra base hit on the night. Team USA’s bullpen was just as impressive as Sonny Gray (Vanderbilt) and Noe Ramirez (Cal State Fullerton) worked the final three innings allowing two hits with a pair of strikeouts. Ramirez recorded his team-best third save on CNT’s tour.

Takayuki Fujii (0-1) suffered the loss after allowing four runs (three earned) on 11 hits with six walks and three strikeouts. The right-hander threw 143 pitches on the night and faced 39 batters.

Nolan Fontana (Florida) gave USA an early 1-0 lead in the first inning when he grounded out to second scoring Drew Maggi (Arizona State) from third base. Maggi lead off the game lacing a triple to right center, Team USA’s second three-bagger of the summer tour.

Team USA pushed across two more runs in the second taking a 3-0 lead. Jason Esposito (Vanderbilt) walked to start the frame then took second on Steve Rodriguez’ (UCLA) first hit of the summer, a shot back up the middle. A double-steal by Esposito and Rodriguez moved runners in scoring position before Maggi lifted a ball to center with one out scoring Esposito. Jackie Bradley, Jr. (South Carolina) singled to right with runners on the corner scoring Rodriguez for the second run of the inning before Fontana was hosed at the plate.

Japan scratched across a run in the fourth cutting USA’s lead to 3-1 when Takasi Ikusima doubled home Ryunisuke Kobayasi with a shot to left center.

Team USA scored its final run in the eighth inning when Mike Mahtook (LSU) touched home on a passed ball for a 4-1 lead. Mahtook singled up the middle with two outs then stole second and moved to third on Fontana’s bunt single back to the pitcher.

Offensively Team USA pounded out double-digit hits (11) for the third-straight game and fourth time this summer.

The Collegiate National Team will be back in action Thursday when they square off against The Strike Zone at Westside High School. First pitch is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. (CST).

Notes: Nick Ramirez (Cal State Fullerton) extended his current hitting streak to six games with his single to center in the third inning … Steve Rodriguez, who recorded his first career hit for Team USA, was 2-for-4 in the game with a run scored … Nine members of Team USA (Jackie Bradley, Jr., Gerrit Cole, Nolan Fontana, Sean Gilmartin, Brian Johnson, Drew Maggi, Brad Miller, Steve Rodriguez and Kyle Winkler) are among a select group of college players who played in the last College World Series and suited up for the last amateur baseball game ever at Rosenblatt Stadium … Also joining the players on this list is Team USA’s athletic trainer Danny Wheat (Texas Christian) … Team USA will participate in a closed clinic Thursday morning at Creighton University starting at 10 a.m.

(USA Baseball Release)

Plays Japan Wednesday Night At Rosenblatt…

George Springer

Springer, who played all three positions in the outfield Tuesday, singled in the fourth with the bases loaded pushing CNT’s lead to 5-0. After Brian Johnson (Florida) walked with the bases juiced, Springer sent a 1-2 offering back up the middle scoring Nolan Fontana (Florida) and Ryan Wright (Louisville) extending the lead to 5-0. Drew Maggi’s (Arizona State) pinch hit bunt single scored Johnson and Peter O’Brien reached on a fielding error by third baseman Dan Smolinski producing two more runs for an 8-1 lead.

The Diamond Spirit made things interesting in the eighth inning scoring three runs to cut the lead in half at 8-4. Brett Koehn doubled down the right field line to get things started and came home on Smolinski’s infield single. Michael Blatchford cleared the bases with two outs on a double to left center that pushed home JD Herman and Smolinski.

Mooneyham (1-0), who allowed a run on two hits in the first inning, struck out four with no walks and allowed just one more base hit over the next four frames. Kyle Winkler (Texas Christian) tossed the final four innings allowing three runs (all earned) on five this with five punch outs and a walk.

Omaha’s Matt Tew suffered the loss after working one inning in relief where he was touched for a pair of runs on one hit with three walks. Starter Steven Bougher kept Team USA off the board in his two innings of work, while Cory Buckley, Jake Johansen, Aaron Gilbreath and Greg Hellhake combined to keep the Collegiate National Team scoreless for the final 4 1/3 innings. Dylan Badura didn’t fair to well as he was roughed up for six runs (four earned) on four hits in two-thirds of an inning.

Blatchford put Omaha up 1-0 early in the first on a single to right field that scored Anthony Bazant from third. Bazant singled to start the game then took second on a wild pitch and third on a throwing error by O’Brien, who overthrew Mooneyham after Brandon Winkelmann struck out swinging.

Team USA took the lead in the third scoring a pair of runs for a 2-1 lead. Brad Miller (Clemson) knotted the game at one when he scored on a throwing error from the shortstop Brandon Bass. Springer pushed across the go-ahead run with a double down the left field line that scored Alex Dickerson (Indiana) from second.

USA will be back in action on Wednesday, July 21, when they play host to the Japanese Collegiate All-Stars inside historic Rosenblatt Stadium with a first pitch scheduled for 8 p.m. EST.

Notes: Collegiate National Team alum Warren Morris will be an honorary captain for Team USA against Japan Wednesday. Morris, a two-time CNT member, hit a walk-off home run against Miami in the ninth inning to give Louisiana State a 9-8 win and the title in 1996. He was voted Most Valuable Player of the U.S./Japan series while with Team USA in 1995, and in 1996, as a member of the U.S. Olympic Baseball Team, Morris helped lead his club to a bronze medal (the Collegiate National Team represented the United States in the baseball competition at the Atlanta Olympic Games) … Joining Team USA as an auxiliary coach on Wednesday is University of Oregon’s head coach George Horton. Horton, a two-time National Coach of the Year, led his alma mater Cal State Fullerton to the 2004 College World Series title. He is one of nine men to have appeared in Omaha as a player (1975) and a head coach. Horton’s teams at Cal State Fullerton have reached a No. 1 ranking in national polls in part(s) of the 1999, 2001 and 2003-06 seasons.

(USA Baseball Release)

MWC Looks To Have Tight Race In 2010

2009 Regular Season Champion:  TCU

2009 Tournament Champion:  Utah beat San Diego State 9-3 in the championship game.

Last season proved to be an historic one for Mountain West Conference baseball.  For the first time ever the conference received three bids to the NCAA Tournament when Utah, San Diego State and TCU were all tabbed.  Utah was the #6 seed at the conference tournament and earned its berth after first eliminating TCU and then beating the Aztecs in the title game.  San Diego State’s Stephen Strasburg also became the first MWC player ever taken with the first overall pick in the Major League Baseball Draft when he was picked by the Washington Nationals last June.

2010 Mountain West Conference Preview

Air Force

2009 Record:  (14-37, 3-18)

Mascot:  Falcons

Head Coach:  Mike Hutcheon

Location:  U.S. Air Force Academy/Colorado Springs, CO

Vitals:  .291 BA, 57 HR, 68 SB, .365 OBP, .955 Fld%…8.34 ERA, 3 CG, 9 SV, 253 K, 153 BB, .369 opp. BA

Matt Alexander

Big Stick:  Senior DH/1B Matt Alexander (.383, 15 HR, 65 RBIs) was one of the top hitters in the MWC in 2009, and he’s back to lead the Falcons this season.  The preseason All-American was the conference RBI leader last year, while finishing second with his 15 HR and .710 slugging percentage.  He was also one of 16 semi-finalists for the Dick Howser Trophy.

Supporting Cast:  Fellow Senior Addison Gentry (.347, 9 HR, 40 RBIs, .575 slg%) provides protection in the order with some pop of his own.  Outfielders Ben Ausbun (.301, 6 HR) and Nathan Carter (7 HR, 15 SB) return as well.

Pitching Turnover:  The Falcons lose 8 of the 13 pitchers who toed the rubber in 2009, including team saves leader Aaron Kurcz (3-4, 7 SV).  Jake Petro and Casey Allen, who started 8 and 9 games, respectively, are also gone.  Senior RHP Alex Truesdale (2-9, 7.04 ERA), who had two of the staff’s complete games, is the top returnee.

Anchors Away:  Air Force plays a 3-game series vs. Navy in Savannah, GA Feb. 26-28.

BYU

2009 Record:  (30-24, 14-8)

Mascot:  Cougars

Head Coach:  Vance Law

Location:  Provo, UT

Vitals:  .310 BA, 57 HR, 98 SB, .388 OBP, .956 Fld%…5.45 ERA, 4 CG, 15 SV, 331 K, 239 BB, .295 opp. BA

BYU Bootcamp:  Members of the BYU baseball team were put through a two-day “boot camp” last fall by two Army Captains.  The 39 Cougars were taught the concepts of relying on each other through a series of drills and exercises designed to create better team unity.  The  players ate just a hard boiled egg and a hot dog on the first day of camp and then shared two granola bars and two packs of M & M’s on day two.  BYU coaches went through a similar two-day camp last August.

Line-Up Turnover:  BYU loses five players who each started at least 49 of 54 games last season.  Included in that group are Kent Walton (.377, 9 HR), Steve Parker (.361, 9 HR) and Stetson Banks (.348, 23 SB).  Walton and Parker were both drafted by the Oakland A’s, while Banks was selected by the L.A. Dodgers.  Senior OF Sean McNaughton (.290, 10 HR, 32 RBIs) is the team’s top returning overall hitter.

Perplexing Pitching:  Senior RHP Blake Torgerson (6-3, 5.66 ERA) is the only returnee of BYU’s top five pitchers from last season.  Marc Oslund (7-1, 2.49 ERA)  is serving a Church mission in North Carolina, starter Adam Miller (3-3, 4.04 ERA) is serving on mission in Mexico and Jeremy Toole (5-5, 5.77 ERA) was drafted by the San Francisco Giants.

The Family Law:  Senior 2B Andrew Law (.259, 18 SB) is the son of head coach Vance Law, who played both baseball & basketball at BYU before playing 10 Major League seasons for five teams.  The younger Law is the grandson of 1960 Cy Young winner Vernon Law (Pirates).  His brother, Tim, played baseball at BYU, and his uncles also played both baseball and basketball for the Cougars.

New Mexico

2009 Record:  (37-20, 15-8)

Mascot:  Lobos

Head Coach:  Ray Birmingham

Location:  Albuquerque, NM

Vitals:  .363 BA, 51 HR, 74 SB, .432 OBP, .976 Fld%…5.26 ERA, 1 CG, 12 SV, 394 K, 217 BB, .292 opp. BA

Rafael Neda

Rare Air:  New Mexico led the nation with its .363 team batting average and 47 triples in 2009.

Lobo Line-Up Lowdown:  Four Lobos hit above .400 last year and two of them, catcher Rafael Neda (.415, 7 HR, 49 RBIs, .629 slg%) and OF Ryan Honeycutt (.406, 6 HR, 53 RBIs), are back to lead the offense in 2010.  2009 MWC Player of the Year Mike Brownstein (.414, 11 triples, .611 slg%, 20 SB) and Kevin Atkinson (.400, 61 RBIs)  are both departed, as is Brian Cavazos-Galvez (.392, 15 HR, .737 slg%).   Australian Adam Courcha (.313, 30 starts) will assume a bigger role this year, as will Max Willett (.355, 46 RBIs, 12 SB)  and Justin Howard (.309, 6 HR, 41 RBIs).

Pitching Turnover:  Departed Friday starter John Hesketh (6-4, 3.45 ERA, 15 starts) was the only Lobo to make 10 or more starts last year, and closer Cole White (3-2, 2.33 ERA, 4 SV) is gone as well.  Reliever Gabe Aguilar (2-1, 1.98 ERA), who had the team’s best ERA as a freshman, will bolster the bullpen.  Rudy Jamarillo (4-2, 5.73 ERA) and Willy Kesler are expected to lead the weekend rotation, while hard throwing junior college transfers Mike Lachapelle (90 mph fastball) and Zach Cleveland (95 mph fastball) will look to make impacts as well.

Bring It On:  New Mexico’s only NCAA Tournament appearance was in 1962, but the lack of NCAA bids hasn’t kept Ray Birmingham from challenging his team.  The Lobos open the season with a 3-game series at 2009 College World Series runner-up Texas.  They play a 3-game set at USC March 5-7, two games at Arizona March 23 & 24 and two games at 2009 CWS team Arkansas in April.

San Diego State

2009 Record:  (41-24, 15-9)

Mascot:  Aztecs

Head Coach:  Tony Gwynn

Location:  San Diego, CA

Vitals:  .291 BA, 47 HR, 53 SB, .379 OBP, .974 Fld%…4.04 ERA, 4 CG, 24 SV, 571 K, 165 K, .264 opp. BA

Addison Reed

Big Season:  San Diego State’s NCAA Regional berth last year was the program’s first since 1991.  Aztec head coach Tony Gwynn was still in the middle of his Hall of Fame MLB career in ’91, while Stephen Strasburg was not quite 3 years old.  The 2009 Aztecs set a program record with their .974 fielding percentage.  SDSU was 1-2 at the Irvine Regional with losses to Virginia and Irvine.  It’s only win eliminated defending national champion Fresno State.

Big Shoes To Fill:  Strasburg (13-1, 1.32 ERA, 195 K) famously became the number one overall pick by the Washington Nationals in last year’s MLB Draft.  His ERA and strikeouts led the NCAA.  While he was the centerpiece of the Aztec pitching staff, he is not the only loss the staff has to overcome…

Depleted Pitching:  Fellow Starters Tyler Lavigne (8-2, 3.05 ERA) and Jon Berger (4-5, 5.83 ERA) are gone as well.  Those two and Strasburg combined for 26 of the team’s 41 wins, 353 of 571 strikeouts and all four of the staff’s complete games last season.  Closer Addison Reed (0.65 ERA, 20 SV) returns to lead the staff, but it will be up to a new set of faces to give him the save opportunities he had last year.

The Line-Up:  The Aztecs lose team triple crown winner Erik Castro (.382, 11 HR, 56), but return Cory Vaughn (.326, 10 HR, 51 RBIs) who finished second to Castro in the three key stats, while leading the team with 15 stolen bases.   Mitch Blackburn (.312), Pat Colwell (.300) and Ryan O’Sullivan are among other top returnees.  O’Sullivan hit 6 home runs and also won four games in 11 starts on the mound as a freshman.

Early Test:  SDSU opens the season by hosting a four-game series vs. 2009 NCAA Regional host Oklahoma.  OU closer Ryan Duke and Addison Reed are both on the NCBWA Preseason Stopper of the Year Watch List.

TCU

2009 Record:  (40-18, 15-5)

Mascot:  Horned Frogs

Head Coach:  Jim Schlossnagle

Location:  Ft. Worth, TX

Vitals:  .308 BA, 67 HR, 59 SB, .387 OBP, .969 Fld%…4.24 ERA, 1 CG, 15 SV, 404 K, 186 BB, .265 opp. BA

Super Season:  TCU had a season of first in 2009.  The Horned Frogs were a number one seed and hosted an NCAA Regiional for the first time in program history last year, and they didn’t waste the opportunity.  After going 3-0 vs.

Kyle Winkler

Wright State (1) and Oregon State (2) TCU advanced to its first-ever Super Regional as well, falling two games to one in Austin, TX to eventual national runner-up Texas.

TCU Turnover:  The top three batters, Matt Vern (.360, 17 HR, 54 RBIs, 16 SB), Matt Carpenter (.333, 11 HR, 13 SB, 6 triples, 47 RBIs) and Chris Ellington (.331, 6 HR, 52 RBIs), are gone from last year’s Super Regional squad.  Seniors Matt Curry (.315) and Bryan Holaday (.300, 10 HR, 48 RBIs) and Sophomores Taylor Featherston (.322, 5 HR, 8 SB) and Jason Coats (.316, 6 HR) head the list of returnees who will have a chance to step into those roles.

The Great Equalizer:  TCU is loaded with returning pitching in 2001.  The Horned Frogs return their top four pitchers, Paul Gerrish (7-2, 3.84 ERA), Kyle Winkler (7-1, 4.15 ERA), Tyler Lockwood (4-2, 4.71 ERA), and Eric Marshall (2-2, 1.48 ERA, 9 SV), while losing just 3 of 13 pitchers who saw action last year.  Marshall is on the NCBWA Stopper of the Year Watch List.  Winkler has been invited to the 2010 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team Trials.

Tough Tests:  TCU plays its first 7 and 9 of its first 11 games of the season vs. 2009 NCAA Tournament teams, and just three of those games ( vs. Sam Houston State) are at home.  The Horned Frogs play at Baylor, at Cal State Fullerton (3) and single games vs. Rice and Missouri at the Minute Maid Classic in Houston in the season’s first three weeks.

UNLV

2009 Record:  (26-32, 9-15)

Mascot:  Rebels

Head Coach:  Buddy Gouldsmith

Location:  Las Vegas, NV

Vitals:  .329 BA, 49 HR, 56 SB, .395 OBP, .961 Fld%…6.89 ERA, 1 CG, 3 SV, 342 K, 242 BB, .318 opp. BA

Power Outage:  The Rebels lose four players, Jesse Wight (.345, 10 HR, 37 HR), Ryan Thornton (.327, 10 HR, 42 RBIs), 2B Bryan Resnick (.327, 7 HR, 35 RBIs), and SS Anthony Morel (.324, 3 HR, 44 RBIs) who combined to hit 30 of the team’s 49 home runs last year.  Resnick and Morel also formed the Rebel’s middle infield.  Top reliever Marc Baca (3-1, 4.05 ERA, 3 SV), who had the pitching staff’s best ERA, is gone as well.

Returning Rebels:  Senior outfielders Rance Roundy (.364, 3 HR, 32 RBIs) and Scott Berke (.329, 2 HR, 40 RBIs, 10 SB) is UNLV’s top returning hitters.  They’re joined by seniors Drew Beurlein (.407), Brian Gilbertson (.370) and Kyle Kretchmer (.329) who all look for for bigger roles this year after starting a combined 48 games in ’09.  Sophomore RHP Tanner Peters (5-7, 4.90 ERA), who tied for the team-lead with his five wins last year, is the top returning Rebel hurler.

Northern Exposure:  The Rebels host four games each with Northern teams Columbia, Temple and Northwestern over the first month of the season.

Utah

2009 Record:  (28-31, 8-16)

Mascot:  Utes

Head Coach:  Bill Kinneberg

Location:  Salt Lake City, UT

Vitals:  .303 BA, 59 HR, 55 SB, .377 OBP, .964 Fld%…6.13 ERA, 0 CG, 11 SV, 421 K, 206 BB, .317 opp. BA

Cinderella Season:  Utah entered the 2009 Mountain West Conference Tournament as the #6 seed, but the Utes went 5-1 (including two wins over #1 seed TCU) to claim the program’s first ever MWC title.  With the championship came Utah’s first NCAA appearance since 1960.  The Utes were the #4 seed at the Fullerton Regional where they were 2-2 with wins over Georgia Southern and Gonzaga sandwiched between two losses to the host Titans.  Utah was the only sub-.500 team to qualify for the NCAA field last year.

USA Ute:  Head coach Bill Kinneberg will serve as one of the assistants on this year’s USA Collegiate Baseball National Team.  He was the pitching coach for the US National Team in 2007.  Fullerton head coach Dave Serrano

Nick Kuroczko

will serve as pitching coach this year.  The University of San Francisco’s Nino Giarratano is this year’s USA head coach.  Ed Blankmeyer of St. John’s is also on the staff.

Plenty Of Returnees:  Utah returns five of its top seven batters from last year’s NCAA team.  Senior Nick Kuroczko led the team in averge (.353), triples (9), slugging percentage (.558), and on-base percentage (.454).  Tyler Yagi (.343), HR & RBI leader C.J. Cron (.337, 11 HR, 58 RBIs), Devin Walker (.314, 8 HR), Michael Beltron (.309), Rick Cornu (8 HR), and Cooper Blanc (7 HR) are all back as well.  Cron received Freshman All-American status last year.

Why Not Whatcott:  Jordan Whatcott (5-3, 4.19 ERA) was 31st round pick by the L.A. Dodgers in last year’s draft, but opted to return for his senior year.  Whatcott’s return gives the Utes three of their top four starting pitchers back in 2010.  They do lose closer Greg Krause (3-4, 4.93 ERA, 4 SV).

So Long Salt Lake City:  Utah plays its first 18 games on the road with games in five different states.  California (vs. UC Davis), Texas (vs. Sam Houston State), Washington (vs. Washington State), Oregon (vs. Oregon State & Portland), and New Mexico (conference opener vs. UNM).

2010 Mountain West Conference Predictions

Player of the Year:  Rafael Neda – New Mexico (Darkhorse – Matt Alexander Air Force)

Pitcher of the Year:  Kyle Winkler – TCU

Conference Champion:  TCU – with New Mexico and Utah right behind them.