2006 Athens Super Regional

(special thanks to Steve Jones for his assistance in compiling information for these capsules)

7. Georgia Bulldogs
Atlanta, Ga.

At-large bid from the SEC

Won Athens Regional (4-1)

2006 record: 18-12, 45-20 (second in SEC-East)

Coach: David Perno (Georgia, 1991)

Record at school: 181-123, 5 years

Overall record: Same

Assistant coaches: Doug Sisson, Roger Williams, Jason Eller

Team offense: .310 BA, 461 R, 74 HR, .478 SLG, .381 OBA, 63/79 SB

Team pitching: 4.64 ERA, 583.1 IP, 629 H, 199 BB, 441 K

Top hitters: Jonathan Wyatt (.352/3/33/10 SB), Joey Side (.352/13/49), Jason Jacobs (.339/6/45), Josh Morris (.311/23/66), Ryan Peisel (.308/2/42), Matt Robbins (.298/2/24), Gordon Beckham (.294/12/52), Bobby Felmy (.290.7/45/10 SB), Kyle Keen (.279/4/26), Matthew Dunn (.265/1/24)

Top pitchers: Joshua Fields (3-2, 1.77, 15 SV, 45.2 IP, 32 H, 11 BB, 50 K), Rip Warren (8-2, 2.84, 66.2 IP, 56 H, 20 BB, 67 K), Brooks Brown (7-4, 4.17, 99.1 IP, 92 H, 38 BB, 111 K), Mickey Westphal (7-1, 4.45, 87 IP, 107 H, 18 BB, 41 K), Nathan Moreau (8-1, 5.37, 68.2 IP, 79 H, 19 BB, 40 K)

Last time in tournament: 2004 (3-1 at Athens Regional, 2-0 at Atlanta Super Regional, 2-2 CWS)

Notes: Georgia is in a Super Regional for the third time since 2001. The Bulldogs have won 18 of their past 20 games. The Bulldogs were 4-1 in the Athens Regional, defeating Florida State twice to capture the title. Georgia is 8-0 in NCAA Regional elimination games at Foley Field. The Bulldogs possess a potent offensive attack that leads the SEC in batting average (.310), hits (733), triples (23) and total bases (1129). Leading the way are All-SEC second-team selections Joey Side and Josh Morris. Side is batting .352 with 13 home runs and 49 RBI. Side was the Most Outstanding Player in the Athens Regional, going 10 for 22 (.455) with three homers and 12 driven in. Morris posts a batting average of .311 while belting 23 homers and picking up 66 RBI. Though Georgia rides hot hitting into the Super Regionals, its pitching staff has its share of arms. The Bulldogs have four pitchers with at least seven wins. Reliever Rip Warren has notched a record of 8-2 in 30 appearances while posting an ERA of 2.84.

South Carolina Gamecocks
Columbia, S.C.

At-large bid from the SEC

Won Charlottesville Regional (3-1)

2006 record: 15-15, 40-23 (fourth in SEC-East)

Coach: Ray Tanner (N.C. State, 1980)

Record at school: 453-198, 10 years

Overall record: 848-371, 19 years

Assistant coaches: Jim Toman, Mark Calvi, Monte Lee

Team offense: .306 BA, 461 R, 82 HR, .481 SLG, .389 OBA, 24/42 SB

Team pitching: 4.43 ERA, 563.1 IP, 542 H, 224 BB, 511 K

Top hitters: Michael Campbell (.364/4/49), Chris Brown (.358/4/18), Neil Giesler (.357/3/36), Trent Kline (.345/4/22), Andrew Crisp (.319/5/17), Justin Smoak (.306/16/61), Cheyne Hurst (.289/4/37), Robbie Grinestaff (.277/15/51), Reese Havens (.265/3/39)

Top pitchers: Harris Honeycutt (6-0, 2.88, 59.1 IP, 52 H, 28 BB, 60 K), Andrew Cruse (4-3, 3.53, 3 SV, 51 IP, 48 H, 19 BB, 48 K), Mike Cisco (7-4, 3.57, 85.2 IP, 71 H, 22 BB, 71 K), Wynn Pelzer (5-4, 3.63, 5 SV, 74.1 IP, 59 H, 35 BB, 63 K), Will Atwood (4-2, 5.47, 49.1 IP, 58 H, 10 BB, 29 K), Forest Beverly (6-3, 5.63, 62.1 IP, 72 H, 24 BB, 55 K)

Last time in tournament: 2005 (3-2 at Atlanta Regional)

Notes: The Gamecocks put up offensive numbers that would make Steve Spurrier proud. South Carolina is 33rd in the nation in runs scored, averaging just over a touchdown (7.3 per game) and second in the SEC (461). The team is batting a combined .306 on the season and has claimed 1,066 total bases. The Gamecocks are making their seventh straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament, the longest streak in the SEC. USC is in the Super Regionals for the sixth time in the past seven years. A total of six South Carolina players received All-SEC honors including first-team selection Michael Campbell, who is batting .364 with 4 home runs and 49 RBI. Campbell has struck out only 13 times in 209 plate appearances, ranking him the 28^th most difficult player to strike out in the nation. This will be the first meeting between USC and Georgia in the NCAA Tournament. The Gamecocks are 46-40 overall against the Bulldogs, but 0-4 this season. USC has been to the College World Series eight times, including three of the past four. The Gamecocks have been national runner-up three times (1975, 1977, 2002).