2008 Stillwater Regional

1. Oklahoma State Cowboys

Stillwater, Oklahoma

At-large bid from Big 12

2008 Record: 18-9, 42-16 (second in Big 12)

Head coach: Frank Anderson

Record at school: 195-105, five years

Overall record: 195-105, five years

Assistant coaches: Greg Evans, Billy Jones, Trevor Brown

Team offense: .329 BA, 450 R, 76 HR, .533 SLG%, .406 OBP

Team pitching: 3.81 ERA, 486.0 IP, 413 K, 474 hits, 206 R, 163 BB

Top hitters: Donnie Webb (.363/6/39, .615 SLG%, 468 OBP, 30 BB, 15/15 steal attempts), Matt Hague (.362/9/48, .580 SLG%, 81 hits, 30 BB), Jordy Mercer (.332/10/51, .519 SLG%), Rebel Ridling (.330/16/59, .638 SLG%)

Top pitching: Tyler Lyons (10-2, 3.06, 4 CG, 94.0 IP, 82 K, 17 BB), Andrew Oliver (6-2, 2.05, 92.0 IP, 85 K, 33 BB), Jordy Mercer (0-2, 4.96, 8 saves)

Last NCAA appearance: 2007 Super Regional (1-2 at Louisville)

Notes: The Cowboys led the Big 12 in almost all major offensive and defensive categories. Offensively, they had the conference’s best average and the most runs, home runs and hits. The pitching staff had the lowest ERA, most saves and fewest runs allowed. Defensively the Cowboys had the Big 12’s best fielding percentage. Rebel Ridling had a stellar year leading the Big 12 in total bases (141) and finishing second in home runs (16). Frank Anderson, a former Texas assistant, has built one of the strongest programs in the country in the backyard of his former school and got one of his best pitchers, Lyons, to head north across the Red River.

2. Wichita State Shockers

Wichita, Kansas

Automatic bid – won Missouri Valley Conference Tournament

2008 Record: 19-5, 43-15 (first in MVC)

Head coach: Gene Stephenson

Record at school: 1,648-548-3, 31 years

Overall record: 1,648-548-3, 31 years

Assistant coaches: Brent Kemnitz, Jim Thomas, Jerod Goodale

Team offense: .310 BA, 435 R, 595 H, .401 OBP, .455 SLG

Team pitching: 3.56 ERA, 488.1 IP, 243 R, 451 H, 482 K, 141 BB

Top hitters: Conor Gillaspie (.403/7/55, .558 SLG, .491 OBP, 15 SB), Andy Dirks (.385/9/49, .502 OBP, 24 SB), Ryan Jones (.339/2/40, 15 SB), Dusty Coleman (.328/7/57)

Top pitchers: Rob Musgrave (9-1, 2.11, 89.2 IP, 87 K, 18 BB, 4 CG), Anthony Capra (9-0, 2.52, 54.1 IP, 75 K, 24 BB), Aaron Shafer (9-3, 2.55, 91.2 IP, 88 K, 24 BB), Khol Nanney (4-1, 1.45 ERA, 31.0 IP, 35 K, 8 BB, 20 APP, 4 SV)

Last NCAA appearance: 2007 Wichita Super Regional (0-2)

Notes: Wichita State has not been to the College World Series since 1996, its longest drought during Stephenson’s 31-year tenure. The Shocker staff had the lowest ERA in the Missouri Valley Conference. Conor Gillaspie lead the conference in batting average. Andy Dirks, Ryan Jones and Gillaspie finished in the top four in runs for the conference. Outfielder Kenny Williams Jr. is the son of White Sox general manager Kenny Williams.

3. Texas Christian University Horned Frogs

Fort Worth, Texas

Automatic bid – won Mountain West Tournament

2008 Record: 19-5, 43-17 (first in Mountain West)

Head coach: Jim Schlossnagle

Record at school: 220-101, five years

Overall record: 298-148

Assistant coaches: Todd Whitting, Randy Mazey, Ryan Shotzberger

Team offense: .297 BA, 360 R, 568 H, .415 SLG, .379 OBP

Team pitching: 3.57 ERA, 506.1 IP, 223 R, 486 H, 393 K, 176 BB

Top hitters: Clint Arnold (.363/1/27, 15 SB), Chris Ellington (.351/5/49, .591 SLG), Ben Carruthers, (.306/1/32, 14 SB), Bryan Holaday (.328/1/37)

Top pitchers: Tyler Lockwood (7-1, 2.21, 97.2 IP, 68 K, 15 BB, 3 CG), Sean Hoelshcher (7-2, 4.55, 61.1 IP, 51 K, 20 BB), Andrew Cashner (8-3, 1.94, 46.1 IP, 8 SV, 26 APP, 71 K, 25 BB), Trent Appleby (6-1, 2.73, 52.2 IP, 22 APP, 27 K, 10 BB)

Last NCAA appearance: 2007 Houston Regional (2-2)

Notes: Pitcher Greg Holle’s father, Gary, played for the Texas Rangers. All but four team members are from Texas. TCU has been to the NCAA tournament each year under Schlossnagle. TCU had the best ERA in the Mountain West and was 10^th in the NCAA. The Horned Frogs ended the regular season on a 10-game win streak. Outfielder Chris Ellington was the Mountain West player of the year.

4. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

Bowling Green, Kentucky

Automatic bid - won Sun Belt Tournament

2008 record: 16-14, 32-15 (fifth in Sun Belt)

Head coach: Chris Finwood (VMI, 1988)

Record at school: 80-85, three years

Overall record: 131-182, six years

Assistant coaches: Andrew Slater, Matt Myers, Jonathan Hadra, Mike Hnythka

Team offense: .319 BA, 447 R, 70 HR, .499 SLG%, .404 OBA%, 78/104 SB

Team pitching: 5.35 ERA, 502.2 IP, 563 H, 241 BB, 461 K

Top hitters: Terrence Dayleg (.355/7/53), Chad Cregar (.353/20/78), Wade Gaynor (.344/12/47), Jeremy Coleman (.330/1/14), Jake Wells (.323/2/31), Matt Hightower (.313/5/48), Scott Kaskie (.295/6/31), J.B. Parson (.291/8/32).

Top pitchers: Matt Ridings (10-2, 3.63, 91.2 IP, 89 H, 34 BB, 93 K), Matt Hightower (3-5, 5.79, 65.1 IP, 76 H, 30 BB, 47 K), Bart Carter (6-5, 6.98, 77.1 IP, 105 H, 34 BB, 64 K), Evan Teague (4-1, 2.55, 24.2 IP, 20 H, 13 BB, 26 K), Rye Davis (3-5, 3 SV, 4.53, 55.2 IP, 58 H, 13 BB, 58 K).

Last NCAA appearance: 1980

Notes: The Hilltoppers made their first NCAA appearance in 1980 and had to wait until this year to make their second. The coaching staff has many ties to Richmond, Va., where head coach Chris Finwood was an assistant at VCU and assistants Andrew Slater and Jonathan Hadra played high school ball. Finwood was inducted into the VMI Athletics Hall of Fame in 2003. Slater is the brother of former Auburn coach Tom Slater and once held an NCAA record for being hit more than 30 times in a season. Chad Cregar, a junior DH who transferred from Northwest Mississippi JC), was an all-conference pick and the Sun Belt’s Newcomer of the Year. Matt Ridings and Wade Gaynor were second-team picks in the Sun Belt. Matt Hightower is a two-way star who went 43-4 in his high school career on the mound and won three state titles. Sophomore Matt Ridings has thrown 91 innings in each of his first two years and posted 17 wins.