2007 Louiville Super Regional

(capsules compiled by Jamie Learakos, Stuart Smith, Scott Day, Sean Ryan, Phil Stanton)

Louisville Cardinals

Louisville, Ky.

At-large bid from Big East

Won Columbia (Mo.) Regional

2007 record – 19-8, 44-21 (second in Big East)

Coach – Dan McDonnell (The Citadel, 1992)

Record at school – 44-21, one year

Overall record - Same

Assistant coaches – Chris Lemonis, Roger Williams, Xan Barksdale

Team offense: .311 BA, 452 R, 65 HR, .470 SLG%, .383 OBA%, 149-192 SB

Team pitching: 3.12 ERA, 580.2 IP, 460 H, 220 BB, 473 K

Top hitters: Isaiah Howes (.392/16/59), Boomer Whiting (.368/1/23/72 SB), Logan Johnson (.363/13/57), Daniel Burton (.310/7/52/21 SB), Jorge Castillo (.303/7/55), Chris Cates (.298/0/19/17 SB), Chris Dominguez (.264/11/53).

Top pitchers: Trystan Magnuson (3-1, 9 SV, 1.02, 53 IP, 35 H, 9 BB, 52 K), Gavin Logsdon (2-0, 1.81, 44.2 IP, 29 H, 14 BB, 31 K), Zach Pitts (9-3, 2.37, 110 IP, 89 H, 22 BB, 82 K), Kyle Hollander (4-1, 2.34, 42.1 IP, 27 H, 17 BB, 45 K), Justin Marks (8-2, 2.61, 93 IP, 66 H, 29 BB, 77 K), Colby Wark (3-3, 3.53, 58.2 IP, 44 H, 41 BB, 69 K).

Last NCAA appearance: 2002 (0-2 at Atlanta Regional)

Notes: The Cardinals have soared in Dan McDonnell’s first season, reaching the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2002, winning their first postseason game, winning their first regional and making their first Super Regional. Louisville beat Miami (for the second time) and Missouri twice to capture the Regional. Chris Dominguez was dominant, going  8 for 19 (.421) with two doubles, a triple, four homers and 11 RBI over the weekend - he entered with four homers and 42 RBI. Jorge Castillo hit .409 with two doubles and 11 RBI. McDonnell came to Louisville after assisting Mike Bianco at Ole Miss. The Cardinals feature a little bit of everything, from a pitching staff that limits hitters to a .220 and less than 4 runs a game, to Boomer Whiting, who leads the nation in stolen bases, to Chris Cates, who at 5-3 is the country’s shortest player but also an important cog in the offense. Whiting received a medical redshirt after having shoulder surgery in March of 2006. His 72 steals are one shy of the 73 bases he stole in four high school seasons. Isaiah Howes slugs at a .684 clip but has struck out 61 times on the year. Logan Johnson ranks in the top 10 in the country with 26 doubles and has an on-base average of .492. Opponents hit .183 off closer Trystan Magnuson. Zach Pitts came out of nowhere to anchor the staff, throwing only 31 innings last year. He pitches with a 18-inch steel rod in his left femur.

Oklahoma State Cowboys
Stillwater, Okla.
At-large bid from Big 12
Won Fayetteville Regional
2007 record - 16-11, 43-21 (third in Big 12)
Coach - Frank Anderson (Emporia State, 1985)
Record at school - 151-88, four years
Overall record - Same
Assistant coaches - Greg Evans, Billy Jones, Bryan Kinneberg
Team offense: .326 BA, 479 R, 82 HR, .529 SLG %, .407 OBA %, 63/82 SB
Team pitching: 4.02 ERA, 528.1 IP, 563 H, 153 BB, 463 K
Top hitters: Ty Wright (.411 BA, 52 R, 6 HR, .599 SLG, 5 SB), Tyler Mach (.401 BA, 59 R, 16 HR, .700 SLG, 1 SB), Keanon Simon (.346 BA, 51 R, 3 HR, .491 SLG, 12 SB), Corey Brown (.339 BA, 81 R, 21 HR, .743 SLG, 23 SB), Matt Mangini (.343 BA, 59 R, 9 HR, .548 SLG, 6 SB), Rebel Ridling (.333 BA, 41 R, 13 HR, .565 SLG, 1 SB).
Top pitchers: Justin Friend (6-3, 2.36 ERA, 68.2 IP, 63 H, 13 BB, 77 K), Martin Beno (1-3, 3.27 ERA, 41.1 IP, 32 H, 16 BB, 28 K), Joe Kent (4-2, 3.42 ERA, 50 IP, 43 H, 17 BB, 47 K), Robbie Weinhardt (3-1, 4.30 ERA, 37.2 IP, 42 H, 9 BB, 42 K), Oliver Odle (7-4, 4.39 ERA, 94.1 IP, 118 H, 12 BB, 63 K).
Last NCAA appearance: 2006 (2-2 at Fayetteville Regional)
Notes: The Cowboys knocked off Arkansas twice to sweep through the Fayetteville Regional and are heading to their first Super Regional in Frank Anderson’s four seasons. OSU took part in the 1999 Super Regional. Like Oregon State, another OSU, Oklahoma State likely was one of the last few teams to make it into the tourney but played like the team that impressed in the Big 12 season. Rebel Ridling was named the MVP of the Fayetteville Regional, but there were plenty of heroes. Corey Brown had his team-leading  1st homer in the 7-6 final win over the Razorbacks, and Tyler Mach had five RBI in a 14-3 win over the Hogs, who are 0-5 against the Cowboys in NCAA play. Another hero was pitcher Oliver Odle, who tossed a complete game in the opening win over Creighton. Then, Joe Kent and Justin Friend combined to beat Arkansas. OSU put up some offensive numbers entering the tourney, scoring better than 8 runs per game. The offense features two players who slug .700 or more - Brown (.743) and Mach (.700). Mach started his career at Washington before transferring to a junior college then OSU. He was the Big 12’s Co-Player of the Year in 2006. Corey Brown’s brother Dylan is a freshman on the team. Matt Mangini had one of the best starts in the country in 2006 for NC State before transferring to Stillwater. Right-hander Odle went 23-0 in two seasons at Connors State College.