NCAA Regional Preview: Knoxville

By Will Kimmey
June 2, 2005

1. Tennessee 41-19, at-large, second in Southeastern Conference, ninth NCAA tournament, second consecutive appearance
2. Winthrop 43-20, automatic, won Big South tournament, fourth NCAA tournament
3. Wichita State 49-22, automatic, won Missouri Valley tournament, 23rd NCAA tournament, fourth consecutive appearance
4. Austin Peay State 38-22, automatic, won Ohio Valley tournament, second NCAA tournament

Players To Watch: This is where a silly heading like "Aces Are Wild" might work, because Tennessee's Luke Hochevar and Wichita State's Mike Pelfrey, junior righthanders both, rank as two of the top five pitchers in college. Tennessee will start Hochevar (14-2, 1.90 with 131 strikeouts) for its opening game, and Wichita State lists Pelfrey (12-2, 1.91, 136 strikeouts) as the probable starter against Winthrop, nixing the dream matchup. Pelfrey will face another junior righty, Winthrop's Kevin Slowey (13-2, 2.26 with 121 strikeouts), who could be a second-round pick himself.

The Favorite: Tennessee led the SEC in runs per game (8.1, eighth among tournament teams) and batting (.332, fourth among tournament teams) while also stealing 104 bases. That makes for a pretty healthy offense, led by junior Eli Iorg in the triple crown categories (.392-15-68) and steals (an SEC-best 27). He injured his foot tagging first in the conference tournament but should be ready for action. Junior third baseman Chase Headley (.379/.527/.664) and freshman catcher J.P. Arencibia (freshman record 13 home runs) also play vital roles. Having the nation's best pitcher in Hochevar nearly guarantees one win, and freshman lefthander James Adkins (8-4, 3.31) joined the staff ace with more than 100 strikeouts.

On The Other Hand: People don't always know Winthrop is in Rock Hill, S.C., or that the Eagles boast a club that's a legitimate contender here. Junior right fielder Daniel Carte, the 2004 Cape Cod League MVP, batted .346-18-73 while battling an oblique strain for part of the year and was surging late after getting healthy. Junior DH Jacob Dempsey battled back from an emergency appendectomy in May to finish at .362-11-57. Sophomore first baseman/righthander Heath Rollins has tallied a team-best 29 steals and a .350 average to go along with his 11-5, 3.35 record and 110 strikeouts. The pitching thins some after the top starters, but closer Jon Wilson and an offense that scores seven runs per game could help the 'Throp make a run in Knoxville.

Bracket Buster: Pitching, defense and speed will have to reign supreme if a young Wichita State club is to come out of this regional. The Shockers hit 27 total home runs a year after senior Drew Moffitt led the nation with 26 homers. Catcher Joe Muich leads the team with nine homers but missed most of the MVC tournament with a pulled hamstring. WSU makes things happen with 117 steals, the second-best total among tournament participants, led by 33 bags from sophomore third baseman Derek Schermerhorn, whose .329 average is boosted by a 34-game hit streak. The slash-and-dash offense generally scores enough for a Pelfrey-led staff and its 3.15 ERA, but Tennessee and Winthrop each feature big offenses.

Don't Forget About: Just as Wichita State must think carefully about withholding its ace, Tennessee might also want to handle its opener against Austin Peay State with care. ASPU junior lefthander Rowdy Hardy (11-5, 2.34) led the OVC in wins, ERA and innings (119) for the second straight year and ranked second with 90 strikeouts while throwing eight complete games (two shutouts). If Hardy, who comes at hitters with mid-80s stuff from a low arm angle and a plus changeup, gets rowdy with the Vols, Hochevar's start might not be a guaranteed win.