No. 1 Texas (41-13-1)
53rd appearance, automatic, Big 12 Conference regular-season and tournament champion, No. 1 national seed
No. 2 Texas State (41-15)
Fourth appearance, at-large, Southland Conference regular-season champion
No. 3 Boston College (33-24)
10th appearance, at-large, eighth place in Atlantic Coast Conference
No. 4 Army (34-19)
Fourth appearance, automatic, Patriot League regular-season and tournament champion
Texas had just two bad weekends all season—losing series to Kansas and Kansas State—but was remarkably consistent otherwise, winning the Big 12's regular-season and tournament titles. Texas posted a 2.84 team ERA to lead the nation by a wide margin, and no staff in college baseball can match the Longhorns for depth of quality arms. Sophomore righties Chance Ruffin, Cole Green and Brandon Workman have been joined by a pair of lights-out freshmen in Taylor Jungmann and Austin Dicharry; all five posted ERAs below 3.40. And, of course, senior lefty Austin Wood (5-1, 2.58, 14 saves) is still around, back in his best role at the back of the bullpen following a mediocre stint as a starter in 2008. Texas also has dramatically improved its defense this year (posting a .980 fielding percentage), and much of the credit must go to precocious freshman shortstop Brandon Loy, who has had no trouble settling in with the upperclassmen elsewhere in the infield. Scoring can be a chore for the Longhorns, who lack home run power aside from burly sophomore Cameron Rupp and lanky junior Brandon Belt. Texas averaged just six runs per game, 214th in the nation. But as the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA tournament, it would be a massive upset for Texas to fail to win its regional. Texas played brilliantly down the stretch and has as much momentum as any team in the field of 64.
Texas State dominated the Southland from wire to wire, posting a 24-7 conference record and winning the regular-season title by four games before falling in the conference tournament. The Bobcats have a deep, powerful, versatile lineup, led by Southland player of the year Paul Goldschmidt (.353 with 17 homers and 85 RBIs), newcomer of the year Keith Prestridge (.370 with seven homers and 49 RBIs) and undersized outfielders Spenser Dennis (.408, 49 RBIs, 15 steals) and Tyler Sibley (.369, 10 homers, 14 steals). The Bobcats hold their own on the mound as well, ranking third in the Southland with a 4.83 ERA, but they lack power arms on the pitching staff. Texas State has a good chance to win its opener behind Southland pitcher of the year Kane Holbrooks (10-1, 3.34), but Disch-Falk field and Texas' power arms will both suppress Texas State's ability to hit home runs, so the Bobcats must rely on their speed to have a chance to win the regional.
Boston College opened eyes with a series win at Florida State in early March, and though the Eagles lost their last four conference series, they were not swept all year. They showed well in the ACC tournament, going 2-1 with wins against Georgia Tech and Clemson to secure their first trip to regionals since 1967. BC gets strong leadership from perhaps the nation's best catcher in junior Tony Sanchez, a potential first-round pick with outstanding defensive skills and a power bat. There are few easy outs in the lineup around him, and sophomore third baseman Mickey Wiswall (14 homers) is an emerging power threat with an excellent approach. The Eagles have dealt with some injuries at the shortstop position, but on the whole they're a strong defensive unit. The pitching staff offers a pair of solid righthanded starters in John Leonard and J.B. MacDonald, plus a good lefty starter in Pat Dean and a power southpaw in the bullpen in Mike Belfiore. There's not a lot of depth on this staff, and the Eagles appear ill suited to make a run through the loser's bracket. Winning their opener against Texas State is critical. The Eagles are very well coached by Mik Aoki and his staff, and they will be able to play small ball with the 'Horns (they rank fourth in the nation with 67 sacrifice bunts). Getting strong performances from their starting pitchers will be the key.
Army, the preseason favorite in the Patriot League, tied Bucknell for the regular-season crown and cruised to the Patriot's automatic bid behind dominant pitching in the championship series against Lafayette. Army was by far the best offensive team in the Patriot League, and its .334 batting average ranks 19th in the country, as six regulars are batting .343 or better, led by sophomore first baseman Kevin McKague (.400/.472/.535). Army also led the Patriot in ERA (4.98), but as good as Matt Fouch and Ben Koenigsfield were against Lafayette, this staff simply isn't as talented as the others in this regional. The Black Knights use the gaps well and might have a chance to steal a win somewhere in this regional, though probably not against Texas.
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No. 1 Texas Christian (36-16)
Eighth appearance, at-large, Mountain West Conference regular-season champion
No. 2 Texas A&M (36-22)
25th appearance, at-large, sixth place in Big 12 Conference
No. 3 Oregon State (35-17)
10th appearance, at-large, third place in Pacific-10 conference
No. 4 Wright State (22-28)
Third appearance, automatic, Horizon League tournament champion
Texas Christian lost back-to-back games just twice all season despite an aggressive nonconference schedule (which included series against regional teams Cal State Fullerton, Mississippi, Wichita State and Minnesota) and a dramatically improved MWC. The Horned Frogs are a balanced, experienced bunch that finds ways to win close games. TCU lacks consistent front-line pitching but has a bevy of quality arms, led by hard-throwing freshman Kyle Winkler (6-0, 4.33). Junior righty Eric Marshall (1.35 ERA, eight saves) has emerged as a shutdown closer, and TCU should be able to mix and match with its other arms to get to Marshall The lineup features upperclassmen all over the field (along with a talented freshman at shortstop in Taylor Featherston), and TCU beats teams with quality at-bats rather than flashiness. The biggest power threat in the offense belongs to all-MWC first baseman Matt Vern (.369 with 15 homers and 45 RBIs).
Texas A&M came into the season ranked No. 1 in the country on the strength of a deep, talented pitching staff. The Aggies have yet to live up to that lofty billing, and they tumbled to sixth place in the Big 12 after going 1-5 against Texas and Oklahoma down the stretch. But the Aggies are still talented enough to make an Omaha run, and this time they won't have to go through Rice, which defeated them in super regionals each of the last two years. The key to any Texas A&M postseason run will be sophomore lefthander/outfielder Brooks Raley, who dominated for about 10 weeks but was hit hard down the stretch. Raley, who also makes the offense go as a speed merchant out of the No. 2 hole, must return to form if the Aggies are going to win this regional. Power arms Ross Hales, Alex Wilson, Kyle Thebeau and Barret Loux are capable of dominating any given outing but have not done so consistently this year. The offense has clicked since second baseman Brodie Greene took over the leadoff spot and center fielder Kyle Colligan moved to cleanup, protecting slugging first baseman Luke Anders.
Like the Aggies, Oregon State entered 2009 with high expectations thanks to a deep stable of power arms, but like the Aggies, OSU has put together a largely disappointing spring. The Beavers needed to beat Stanford on the final day of the season to avoid losing five of their final six conference series. But while more ballyhooed veterans Jorge Reyes (5-2, 4.35), Tanner Robles (1-3, 5.01) and Greg Peavey (4-3, 5.34) have been inconsistent, freshman righty Sam Gaviglio (9-1, 2.84) has quietly emerged as a bona fide ace. The Beavers are loaded with power arms in the bullpen—including lefthander Josh Osich and righties Kevin Rhoderick and James Nygren, to name a few—so they might be the team in this regional best equipped to come through the loser's bracket. OSU lacks offensive punch, with no players on the roster with more than five home runs. But with catcher Ryan Ortiz and shortstop Joey Wong, the Beavers are strong defensively up the middle, just as they were during their two CWS title runs in 2006 and '07.
Wright State opened the season with a four-game series at Texas A&M followed by four games at Tulane. While the cold-weather Raiders went just 1-7 in those two series against more talented warm-weather opponents, they gained valuable experience in big-time atmospheres, and they won't shy away from the spotlight this weekend. Wright State's strength is an offense that topped the Horizon League in batting (.319) and scoring (seven runs per game), led by Horizon player of the year Jeff Mercer (.360/.403/.579 with eight homers, 26 doubles and 73 RBIs) and newcomer of the year Quentin Cate (.353/.425/.581 with 12 homers and 56 RBIs). The Raiders also have an edge in close games thanks to closer Michael Schum (1.68 ERA, 13 saves).
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No. 1 Georgia Tech (35-17-1)
25th appearance, at-large, fourth place in Atlantic Coast Conference
No. 2 Elon (40-16)
Fourth appearance, at-large, Southern Conference regular-season champion
No. 3 Southern Mississippi (35-23)
10th appearance, at-large, fifth place in Conference USA
No. 4 Georgia State (39-20)
First appearance, automatic, Colonial Athletic Association tournament champion
Georgia Tech was in contention for a national seed before stumbling down the stretch, losing five of its last seven games. The Yellow Jackets boast the ACC's most powerful offense—they rank second in the nation (behind Elon) with 1.96 home runs per game. There is power up and down the lineup, as seven Jackets hit eight or more home runs, and three hit 15 or more, led by senior outfielder Luke Murton (.363 with 18 homers and 57 RBIs). The lineup also has a fine table-setter in sophomore center fielder Jeff Rowland (.348 with 18 steals). The pitching staff is anchored by ACC pitcher of the year Deck McGuire (10-1, 3.15), who figures to start Tech's second game if the Jackets think they can bash their way past Georgia State on Friday (as they did in their last meeting against the Panthers, winning 18-2). The staff after McGuire is filled with inconsistent power arms, but righthanders Brandon Cumpton and Kevin Jacob have the stuff to dominate when they've got their command. Georgia Tech's postseason fortunes likely rest on their arms.
Elon is constructed similarly to Georgia Tech but without a true ace in the Deck McGuire category. The Phoenix lead the nation in home runs (131) and homers per game (2.34) while stealing 111 bases in 138 tries (80 percent success rate), and expect them to circle the bases plenty more at Russ Chandler Stadium. Seven Phoenix regulars swatted 13 or more homers, and an eighth (Neal Pritchard) has nine long balls. Good luck finding an Elon hitter to key upon, but the most dangerous are senior outfielder Pat Irvine (.414 with 17 homers, 55 RBIs and 18 steals) and junior infielder Chase Austin (.369 with 22 homers, 77 RBIs and 18 steals in 19 tries), the SoCon's co-player of the year. With all Elon's power, it's easy to overlook its speed: The Phoenix rank 15th in the nation with 111 stolen bases. But Elon is going to have to slug its way through this regional, as its 6.01 ERA ranks 163rd in the country.
Southern Mississippi has had a rollercoaster season, the final one before longtime coach Corky Palmer retires and is replaced by associate head coach Scott Berry. It looked like the Golden Eagles were doomed when senior shortstop Brian Dozier (who entered the season as the NCAA's active career hits leader) broke his collarbone diving for a ball on April 14, and USM proceeded to lose its next four conference series to finish the season. But the Eagles bounced back in the conference tournament on their own field, reaching the title game before falling to Rice. Southern Miss succeeds because it is well-coached and plays sound fundamental baseball. The Eagles aren't flashy, but they do have a pair of exciting players in outfielders Bo Davis (.363 with 10 homers and 10 steals, all team highs) and Kameron Brunty (.352 with six homers, 48 RBIs and seven steals). The pitching staff is anchored by sophomore righties Todd McInnis (8-4, 2.76) at the front and Collin Cargill (2.78, nine saves) at the back.
Georgia State has put together the best season in program history, winning a school-record 39 games and reaching regionals for the first time. The Panthers play hard-nosed baseball, and the tone is set by shortstop Bradley Logan (.306 with nine homers, 47 RBIs and 11 stolen bases). The balanced lineup is centered around senior Marc Mimeault (.394 with 14 homers and 58 RBIs, all team bests), one of the top offensive catchers in the nation. Though Georgia State isn't as powerful as Georgia Tech or Elon, the Panthers can hit the long ball and can manufacture runs with their speed. Georgia State coach Greg Frady regarded the bullpen as a question mark coming into the season, but it has become a strength, thanks largely to freshman closer Justin Malone (1.46 ERA, seven saves), who arrived at Georgia State with more of a reputation as a shortstop than a pitcher. But this will be an offensive regional, and Georgia State has the bats to compete.
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No. 1 Florida (39-20)
25th appearance, at-large, third place in Southeastern Conference, No. 8 national seed
No. 2 Miami (36-20)
38th appearance, at-large, fifth place in Atlantic Coast Conference
No. 3 Jacksonville (36-20)
12th appearance, automatic, Atlantic Sun Conference tournament champion
No. 4 Bethune-Cookman (32-26)
10th appearance, automatic, Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference regular-season and tournament champion
It was feast or famine for Florida early in 2009, as the Gators recorded four series sweeps but also were swept in two other series, one of which was at home against fellow Gainesville Regional participant Miami. Florida came on strong down the stretch to win the SEC's Eastern Division by two games over South Carolina. Nothing about the Gators is flashy; they rank near the middle of the SEC pack in most offensive categories and toward the bottom of the league in home runs (61). The athletic Gators were supposed to be a standout defensive team, but they rank last in the SEC with a .965 fielding percentage. The pitching staff is a strength—Florida's 4.17 ERA ranks 16th in the nation—but it's far from overpowering (ranking last in the SEC with 6.7 strikeouts per nine innings). Perhaps Florida's most concrete strength is its bullpen, where junior Billy Bullock (2.06, 11 saves) has added velocity and matured into a shut-down closer. The staff also has good depth, but the Gators really need freshmen Alex Panteliodis (6-5, 3.97), Nick Maronde (3-1, 4.29) and Anthony DeSclafani (6-3, 4.60) to come up big in the postseason.
It's been a transition year for Miami, which lost eight drafted players (six of whom went in the top four rounds) from last year's Omaha team. But the Hurricanes still put together a solid season, highlighted by series wins against Florida, Virginia and Florida State. Miami's biggest strength is its bullpen, which is anchored by the nation's best closer, junior submariner Kyle Bellamy (3-1, 1.04, 16 saves, 60 strikeouts in 20 innings). The weekend rotation has had its highs and lows, from ace lefty Chris Hernandez (7-4, 4.43) on down. The Hurricanes rank in the middle of the ACC pack in most offensive and defensive categories, but they are very strong up the middle, thanks largely to the nation's premier defensive shortstop, Ryan Jackson. As always, Miami is well coached and confident, and with no juggernaut team in this regional, the Hurricanes could very well scrap their way back to super regionals.
Jacksonville finished third in the A-Sun regular-season standings, but the top two teams—Florida Gulf Coast and Kennesaw State—are provisional Division I members who were not eligible for the conference tournament, allowing the Dolphins to sweep through to regionals. Like the other teams in this regional, Jacksonville does not stand out statistically, but it does have a trio of solid power hitters in Jeremy Gillan (.396 with 11 homers), Thomas Myers (.317 with 12 homers) and Alex Martinez (.309 with 11 homers). Opposing pitchers had better throw strikes to beat the patient, disciplined Dolphins, who lead the A-Sun and rank 20th in the nation in walks (278). Much like Florida and Miami, Jacksonville has simply found ways to win this year, even in the face of injuries to key arms Steve Eagerton (last year's staff leader in innings who was lost for the season early in the spring) and Carson Andrew (a power righty who has pitched through shoulder soreness for much of this year).
Few No. 4 seeds are more dangerous than Bethune-Cookman, which won the MEAC to reach regionals for the 10th time in the last 11 years. No team in this regional will take the Wildcats lightly after they won a series at Miami in May. The fastest team in this regional, B-CU stole 92 bases this year and could exploit that advantage this week. The deep lineup is headlined by scrappy leadoff man Mark Brooks (.287 with 16 steals), first baseman Alejandro Jimenez (.318 with eight homers and 21 steals) and sweet-swinging left fielder C.J. Lauriello (.407 with 12 steals). In senior righty Hiram Burgos (6-3, 3.73) and freshman lefty Ali Simpson (9-2, 2.70), Bethune-Cookman has a one-two punch that stacks up well with any duo in this regional. B-CU coach Mervyl Melendez isn't satisfied with just getting to regionals every year; he wants to win one and make a run at Omaha. This just might be the year for the Wildcats to do it, because this is the best they've ever matched up with the other teams in their regional.
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No. 1 Arizona State (44-12)
33rd appearance, automatic, Pacific-10 Conference champion, No. 5 national seed
No. 2 Oral Roberts (31-13)
21st appearance, automatic, Summit League regular-season and tournament champion
No. 3 Cal Poly (37-19)
First appearance, at-large, third place in Big West Conference
No. 4 Kent State (42-15)
Ninth appearance, automatic, Mid-American Conference tournament champion
Arizona State lost 13 drafted players off last year's super regional team, including All-Americans Brett Wallace and Ike Davis, but the Sun Devils reloaded with the nation's best recruiting class, and they dominated the Pac-10 despite their inexperience. The biggest reason for ASU's success is the nation's best one-two punch on the mound: junior righthander Mike Leake (14-1, 1.24) and junior lefty Josh Spence (8-1, 2.35). Spence, an undersized, soft-tossing junior college transfer, is as crafty as they come. He is the key to ASU's title hopes: He missed time down the stretch with a middle finger injury, but he pitched four solid innings last week against UCLA and is expected to be available in regionals. Of course, this staff is considerably deeper than it was a year ago, and sophomores Seth Blair (6-2, 3.42) and Matt Newman (2-1, 4.59) as well as senior Jason Franzblau (3-2, 2.51) all performed well after Spence went down. The bullpen has a pair of standout freshmen in lefty Mitchell Lambson (8-3, 2.93) and righty Jordan Swagerty (3-1, 4.38). ASU's offense isn't nearly as powerful as it was a year ago, but it still drives opponents crazy with its patience (327 walks, fourth in the nation). And it still has two serious threats in the middle of the order in outfielder Jason Kipnis (.380/.496/.720 with 14 homers, 65 RBIs and 21 stolen bases) and catcher Carlos Ramirez (.347/.450/.693 with 18 homers and 67 RBIs).
Oral Roberts, which ranks 39th in the NCAA's latest Ratings Percentage Index, was the field's most surprising No. 2 seed. The Golden Eagles did dominate the Summit League as usual, winning 16 of their 18 regular-season conference games and sweeping through the conference tournament for the 12th consecutive year. ORU's offense led the Summit in scoring (8.9 runs per game, 16th in the nation) and home runs (72), while its pitching staff led in ERA (3.66, fifth in the nation) and strikeouts per nine innings (10.8, best in the nation). The Golden Eagles have three starters capable of dominating in righthanders Mark Serrano (9-0, 2.42 with 119 strikeouts in 78 innings), Jerry Sullivan (7-3, 3.07 with 107 strikeouts in 91 innings) and Andre Lamontagne (5-2, 3.23 with 71 strikeouts in 70 innings). Missing bats is very useful at Packard Stadium, where the ball tends to fly out of the park, and no team misses bats better than Oral Roberts. And the Golden Eagles' ability to hit the long ball also makes them a good fit for this regional; veterans Juan Martinez and Seth Furmanek combined to hit 29 homers this year, and five other ORU regulars hit five or more.
Cal Poly has gotten close to earning a regional bid several times in the last 15 years since joining Division I, but the Mustangs finally broke through for the first time in 2009. Poly was hit hard by injuries this year, most notably losing projected ace Steven Fischback before the season even began and losing freshman sensation Matt Jensen (the team's leader in home runs, double and RBIs) to a broken clavicle in early May. But the Mustangs have persevered, thanks largely to a potent offense that averages 8.4 runs per game (best in the Big West and 30th in the nation). Without Jensen, the lineup's biggest threat is junior infielder Adam Buschini (.414/.438/.713 with 10 homers and 54 RBIs), who has missed time to injury himself this year. The versatile lineup also features a catalyst atop the order in outfielder Ryan Lee (.328 with 25 steals). The Mustangs have some pop and some speed, but their biggest strength is their ability to execute: They rank eighth in the nation with 61 sacrifice bunts. But expect the big bats in this regional to feast on Poly's pitching, which ranks 146th in the nation with a 5.80 ERA. Poly's arms must keep the ball in the park for the Mustangs to have a chance.
Don't sleep on fourth-seeded Kent State, which opened the year ranked in the Top 25 on the strength of its power arms and power bats. The Golden Flashes struggled down the stretch as power-armed righties Brad Stillings and Kyle Smith took their lumps, but Kent State rebounded to sweep through the MAC tournament to get back to regionals for the fifth time this decade. Stillings and Smith might be Kent's best-known players, but this team's biggest strength is its offense, which averages 9.1 runs per game (14th in the nation). The Flashes are stocked with physical, patient hitters like Greg Rohan (.339 with 14 homers and 58 RBIs), Anthony Gallas (.328 with 10 homers and 52 RBIs and Jason Patton (.312 with 14 homers and 47 RBIs). The lineup is deep and experienced, and Kent's athleticism plays well in the field, where it has a .973 fielding percentage, 22nd in the nation. Like Oral Roberts, Kent State's pitching staff misses plenty of bats (8.4 strikeouts per nine innings, 21st in the country), which is an asset in Tempe. But rather than Stillings or Smith, the best pitchers on the staff have been lefthanded relievers Andrew Chafin (4-1, 1.26 with eight saves) and Jon Pokorny (5-2, 2.29 with five saves). Expect to see a healthy dose of both this weekend. This team is capable of winning a regional, but its chances increase considerably if Stillings can throw strikes and if Smith has recovered from the elbow soreness that has plagued him this spring; he did throw three hitless innings in the MAC tournament last week, an encouraging sign.
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No. 1 Clemson (40-19)
34th appearance, at-large, third place in Atlantic Coast Conference
No. 2 Alabama (37-19)
17th appearance, at-large, fourth place in Southeastern Conference
No. 3 Oklahoma State (32-22)
37th appearance, at-large, ninth place in Big 12 Conference
No. 4 Tennessee Tech (30-22-1)
Fourth appearance, automatic, Ohio Valley Conference tournament champion
After missing regionals last year for the first time since 1986, Clemson rebounded to win 40 games and finish a game out of first place in the ACC. Depth all over the roster—particularly on the mound—is Clemson's greatest strength. The lineup features three solid power threats in first baseman Ben Paulsen (.368 with 11 homers), outfielder Jeff Schaus (.329 with 11 homers) and right fielder Kyle Parker (12 homers), but the team's hottest hitters down the stretch have been outfielder Wilson Boyd (.348) and second baseman Mike Freeman (.324). Sophomore DH Chris Epps (.250) has also given the Tigers a boost since taking over in the leadoff spot. Still, Clemson ranks in the middle of the ACC pack in most offensive categories; its real strength is its versatile pitching staff, which ranks sixth in the nation in ERA (3.68) despite not having a clear-cut ace. Indeed, the only Clemson starter who has consistently worked deep into games down the stretch is lefty Casey Harman (7-3, 3.86), but there are enough quality arms in the bullpen that starters need only last three or four innings without getting shelled. Expect the Tigers to piece together their pitching in the opener against Tennessee Tech and save Harman for Game Two.
Alabama opened the season with high expectations but slumped out of the gate, losing a series to Southeast Missouri State and dropping two of its first three conference series. But the Crimson Tide righted the ship on the strength of the SEC's best offense, which led the conference in batting (.331), scoring (8.9 runs per game), double (136) and home runs (107, fourth in the nation), among other categories. Alabama suffered a huge blow in the SEC tournament, losing its emotional leader, third baseman/righthander Jake Smith (.359 with 18 homers and 54 RBIs; 2.13 ERA with two saves on the mound) for the rest of the season with torn tendons in his ankle. Still, Alabama's lineup features the nation's best slugger in senior outfielder Kent Matthes (28 home runs, tied for the national lead) and significant power threats in infielders Brandon May (.343 with 12 homers and 68 RBIs) and Ross Wilson (.349 with nine homers and 46 RBIs). And the Tide has strong defenders up the middle in second baseman Wilson, shortstop Josh Rutledge, center fielder Alex Kubal and catcher Vin DiFazio. On the mound, Alabama has been up and down, but it has a reliable ace in senior righty Austin Hyatt (8-2, 3.14) and a quality No. 2 starter in freshman Adam Morgan (4-1, 3.61). That duo, along with Alabama's offensive prowess, could carry the Tide through this regional, if the team can overcome the loss of Smith.
Oklahoma State has struggled to live up to its potential, winning just two of its nine Big 12 series and finishing in ninth place in the conference. Inexplicably, the Cowboys still earned an at-large regional bid on the strength of their stout nonconference schedule, and they'll surely be eager to prove to the abundant naysayers that they belong. Few pitching staffs in the country have three starters with arms as good as lefthanders Andrew Oliver (5-6, 5.58) and Tyler Lyons (6-5, 3.75) and righty Tyler Blandford (7-3, 4.83). But all three have struggled this year, as Oliver has been forced to deal with a lawsuit against the NCAA as well as command issues, Blandford has had trouble throwing strikes, and Lyons' velocity has been down. But if those three are on their games, no team will beat Oklahoma State in this regional. The Cowboys also have four power hats in their lineup: multi-tooled outfielder Neil Medchill (.337 with 14 homers), Tyrone Hambly (.338 with nine homers), Michael Dabbs (.335 with 13 homers) and Doug Kroll (.325 with nine homers).
Tennessee Tech finished the regular season with a 10-11-1 record in the Ohio Valley Conference before catching fire to win the OVC tournament as the fifth seed. Sophomore outfielder/righthander A.J. Kirby-Jones (.344/.466/.747 with 20 homers and 66 RBIs; 3-3, 5.51 with three saves) carried much of the load for the Golden Eagles, going 8-for-16 with three homers and the tournament-clinching RBI to earn MVP honors. Of course, any team that can shut down Kirby-Jones can largely shut down the Tennesee Tech offense, which ranks 178th in the nation in batting (.293), 208th in scoring (6.2 runs per game) and 231st in doubles (86). The pitching staff has been a little better and has a solid anchor in junior righty Lee Henry (9-2, 2.96). But the Golden Eagles should simply be happy to be in the NCAA tournament; they're likely to be significantly overmatched in this regional full of far more talented teams.
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No. 1 East Carolina (42-17)
24th appearance, at-large, Conference USA regular-season champion
No. 2 South Carolina (38-21)
25th appearance, at-large, fifth place in Southeastern Conference
No. 3 George Mason (42-12)
Sixth appearance, at-large, Colonial Athletic Association regular-season champion
No. 4 Binghamton (29-20)
First appearance, automatic, America East Conference regular-season and tournament champion
East Carolina bashed its way to its first CUSA regular-season title since 2004, feasting on the bottom four teams in the league (going 11-1 against them). The Pirates went just 1-2 in the conference tournament but still earned a home regional. That's no small development, as ECU is 28-7 at Clark-LeClair Stadium and just 11-9 on the road. The Pirates feed off their ravenous fans, and they also take advantage of their park's hitter-friendly dimensions, bashing a CUSA-best 95 home runs (14th in the nation). The deep, experienced lineup features power up and down the order, as six Pirates reached double digits in homers, led by seniors Ryan Wood (.387 with 13 homers, 55 RBIs and 14 steals) and Stephen Batts (.368 with 14 homers, 61 RBIs and 18 steals). Offense is certainly ECU's calling card, but the Pirates also have three reliable weekend starters in righthanders Chris Heston (7-0, 3.44), Seth Maness (9-1, 4.15) and Brad Mincey (9-5, 2.99), plus a good closer in Seth Simmons (3-1, 2.65, nine saves). East Carolina has all the parts it needs to win its first regional since 2004.
South Carolina probably had a better case to host a regional than East Carolina, as the Gamecocks won three series against regional teams compared to ECU's one, and South Carolina went 18-14 against top 50 RPI teams compared to ECU's 5-6 mark. But the Gamecocks are a perfect fit for hitter haven Clark-LeClair Stadium; even without departed sluggers Justin Smoak, Reese Havens, James Darnell and Phil Disher, South Carolina still produces 1.67 home runs per game, down just slightly from a year ago (1.74). Leading the attack are junior college transfers Nick Ebert (.332 with 22 homers and 71 RBIs) and Justin Dalles (.295 with 12 homers), as well as DeAngelo Mack (.366 with 14 homers and 59 RBIs), who is one of the nation's most improved players. Also keep an eye on freshman outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. (.338 with nine homers), who has lightning-quick bat speed. As usual, South Carolina relies more on breaking-ball artists with moderate fastball velocity than power arms, with one notable exception. Sophomore righthander Sam Dyson (8-4, 5.31) can be untouchable when he's on, with a fastball that reaches 98 mph and a good curveball. The Gamecocks can beat any team in the nation when he's on.
George Mason dominated the CAA this year, winning the regular-season title by 5 1/2 games over eventual tournament champion Georgia State. George Mason's best-known players are CAA co-players of the year Scott Krieger (.378) and Chris Henderson (.416) along with hulking first baseman Justin Bour (.336), a trio that combined to hit 51 of the team's 81 home runs. But pitching and defense truly carried the Patriots to the CAA regular-season crown. George Mason led the conference and ranked in the top 25 nationally in ERA (4.24) and fielding percentage (.972). The staff is led by workhorses Kevin Crum (8-3, 4.19) and Mike Modica (11-1, 4.17). Mason has the power hitters to compete in what figures to be a homer-happy regional, but it also won't give away many runs.
Binghamton won the America East regular-season title each of the last two years but was upset in the conference tournament both times. This year the Bearcats would not be denied, scoring in double digits in three straight games to sweep through the tourney and earn their first-ever regional bid. The Bearcats were the league's preseason favorite thanks to their balance and experience, and they ranked second in the AEC in batting (.318) and ERA (4.88). The offense is led by sophomore outfielder Corey Taylor, who tied for the league lead in home runs (15) and finished second in RBIs (51). But Binghamton's biggest strength is pitching. Righthander Murphy Smith (7-2, 2.41) and lefty Jeff Dennis (5-5, 4.71) give the Bearcats a pair of hard-throwing workhorses, and senior righty Greg Lane (5-2, 4.85, six saves) is a dependable anchor in the bullpen.
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No. 1 North Carolina (42-16)
24th appearance, at-large, second place in Atlantic Coast Conference, No. 4 national seed
No. 2 Coastal Carolina (46-14)
Ninth appearance, automatic, Big South Conference regular-season and tournament champion
No. 3 Kansas (37-22)
Fourth appearance, at-large, fifth place in Big 12 Conference
No. 4 Dartmouth (27-16)
Sixth appearance, automatic, Ivy League regular-season and tournament champion
North Carolina has played in the last three College World Series, and the Tar Heels have plenty of stars with big-game experience, including ACC player of the year Dustin Ackley (.399/.505/.759 with 20 homers and 61 RBIs) and junior righthander Alex White (7-4, 4.13), both of whom could be drafted in the top 10 overall picks in June. Juniors Kyle Seager (.385/.485/.580 with 24 doubles) and Mark Fleury (.310 with 12 homers and 58 RBIs) also have impact bats, but like Ackley, they're lefthanded. Unlike the last few years, when the UNC lineup featured the likes of Chad Flack, Seth Williams and Tim Federowicz, the Tar Heels lack righthanded threats, making them vulnerable against a lefty who can spin a good breaking ball. That's why UNC is very dependent upon freshman switch-hitter Levi Michael (.293/.387/.556 with 13 homers and 51 RBIs) to break up its lefthanded hitters. Of course, the Tar Heels got a fortunate draw, as most of the top pitchers in this regional are righties. Few teams in the country have better pitching staffs than the Tar Heels, who rank eighth nationally in ERA (3.71) and second in strikeouts per nine innings (10.1). Senior righty Adam Warren (7-2, 3.46) is an often-overlooked rock in the middle of the rotation, and sophomore righty Matt Harvey (6-2, 5.60) has huge stuff and has pitched very well in his last two outings. He might be the key to UNC's hopes of finally capturing that elusive national title.
Coastal Carolina has taken major steps forward as a program in recent years, hosting regionals each of the past two seasons and advancing to its first super regional last year, before falling to North Carolina. The Chanticleers dominated the Big South for the third straight season in 2009, leading the conference and ranking in the top 30 nationally in batting (.333), scoring (8.4 runs per game), doubles (144), homers (81), stolen bases (118), sacrifice bunts (66), ERA (3.85), and fewest hits allowed per nine innings (8.44), among other categories. This is a balanced club with talented veterans like slugging first baseman David Anderson (.389 with 20 homers and 79 RBIs), third baseman Tyler Bortnick (.374 with 11 homers) and flame-throwing righthander Nick McCully (7-1, 1.92 with eight saves), who has thrived since moving from closer to Friday starter down the stretch. In sophomore Cody Wheeler (10-0, 3.34), Coastal also has a quality lefthanded starter who threw a no-hitter this year against Hawaii, and he could give the Chanticleers an edge in a potential matchup against lefthanded-leaning UNC. It should be noted the Chanticleers beat UNC 7-3 in February behind a strong start from redshirt freshman lefty Keith Hessler.
Don't overlook Kansas in this regional. The Jayhawks have played a brutally tough schedule, going 13-12 against top 25 teams this year, including series sweeps against Texas and Oklahoma State and series wins at Oklahoma and against Kansas State. There is no other No. 3 seed in this field of 64 as accomplished as the Jayhawks. KU's biggest strength is a pitching staff that ranks 32nd in the nation in ERA (4.39). Wily junior lefthander Shaeffer Hall (4-6, 4.63) started the season with a bang, throwing a no-hitter in KU's first game against Air Force. Sophomore righty T.J. Walz (8-2, 4.18) has a power arm, running his fastball up to 94 mph, and freshman Lee Ridenhour (6-3, 4.65) reaches 92 with a very good slider. The scrappy offense is centered around two dangerous sluggers in third baseman Tony Thompson (.374/.430/.730 with 19 homers and 78 RBIs) and catcher Buck Afenir (.340/.388/.537 with nine homers and 60 RBIs).
Dartmouth nearly made regionals in 2008, going 15-5 in the regular season before losing a wild championship series at home against upstart Columbia. The Big Green once again dominated the regular season this year, going 16-4, but this year it would not be denied its first Ivy crown since 1987, taking down Cornell in the best-of-three championship series. The title capped a comeback from a rough 1-9 start on its spring trip, which included games against Duke, San Jose State, Santa Clara and Cal Poly. Led by junior right fielder Nick Santomauro (.365/.445/.603 with eight homers and 40 RBIs), Dartmouth topped the Ivy in batting (.311), scoring (7.9 runs per game) and slugging (.485), among other categories. The pitching staff is not overpowering, but it's brimming with strike-throwers, helping Dartmouth lead the nation in fewest walks per nine innings (2.28). The Big Green will force opponents to beat them, but Dartmouth isn't in the same class as the other teams in this regional and should be thrilled just to be back in the NCAA tournament after a 22-year absence.
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