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2009 College World Series Capsules
Capsules compiled by Christina De Nicola,
Duncan Phillips, Sean Ryan, Phil Stanton
5. Arizona State Sun Devils
Tempe, Arizona
Automatic bid from Pac-10, 3-0 at Tempe Regional,
2-0 at Tempe Super Regional
2009 record: 21-6,
49-12 (first in Big 10)
Head coach: Pat
Murphy (Florida Atlantic, 1982)
Record at school:
627-282-1, 15 years
Overall record:
1,007-453-4, 25 years
Assistant head coach:
Tim Esmay
Assistant coaches:
Andy Stankiewicz, Josh Holliday
Team offense: .305
BA, 491 R, 71 HR, .496 SLG%, .420 OB%, 111-147 SB
Team pitching: 2.78
ERA, 544.2 IP, 473 H, 145 BB, 561 K
Top hitters: Jason
Kipnis (.385/16/71/20 2B/.729 SLG%/26-30 SB), Johnny Ruettiger
(.356/1/13/12-15 SB), Carlos Ramirez (.349/18/72/13 2B), Drew
Maggi (.319/0/21/20-22 SB), Matt Newman (.315/7/54/15 2B),
Riccio Torrez (.298/6/37), Kole Calhoun (.292/9/42/15 2B), Zack
MacPhee (.266/4/36), Raoul Torrez (.250/1/26/15-21 SB)
Top pitchers: Mike
Leake (16-1, 1.36, 7 CG, 132.2 IP, 79 H, 21 BB, 150 K), Josh
Spence (9-1, 1 SV, 2.33, 88.2 IP, 78 H, 25 BB, 109 K), Jason
Franzblau (3-2, 2.40, 48.2 IP, 51 H, 15 BB, 42 K), Mitchell
Lambson (8-3, 5 SV, 2.77, 74.2 IP, 50 H, 23 BB, 86 K), Seth
Blair (7-2, 1 SV, 3.16, 77 IP, 68 H, 29 BB, 78 K), Jordan
Swagerty (4-1, 4 SV, 4.55, 55.1 IP, 63 H, 13 BB, 47 K)
Last NCAA appearance:
2008 (3-0 in Tempe Regional, 1-2 in Tempe Super Regional)
Notes: The Sun
Devils are making their 21st appearance in the College World
Series and their first since 2007. ASU has five national
championships, the last coming in 1981. The Sun Devils lead the
nation in win percentage at .803. ASU has won six straight and
16 of its past 17 contests. The Sun Devil pitching staff leads
the country in ERA at 2.78 and is second in batting average
against at .233. Junior right-hander Mike Leake is second at
1.36 and junior lefty Josh Spence is in the Top 20 at 2.37.
Leake is tops in Division I with 16 victories and 132.2 innings
pitched, and second with 150 strikeouts and seven complete
games. Leake, the Pac-10 Pitcher of the Year, is one of five
finalists for the Golden Spikes Award and was the Most
Outstanding Player of the Tempe Regional for the second time. He
also earned the honor in 2007. The ASU pitching staff had 19
strikeouts and two walks in 18 innings against Clemson in the
Super Regional. Leake had one walk and seven strikeouts in eight
innings in the opener, while Spence fanned 10 and walked one in
nine innings in Game 2. Spence was pitching in his third game
after missing a month due to injury. Junior outfielder Jason
Kipnis was named Pac-10 Player of the Year. Pat Murphy was named
Pac-10 Coach of the Year for the third straight season and the
fourth time overall. The Sun Devils were 36-4 at home this
season. Raoul and Riccio Torrez are brothers. Freshman Johnny
Ruettiger is the nephew of Dan Ruetigger, the subject of the
1993 movie, “Rudy”. Freshman Austin Barnes is the nephew of Mike
Gallego, current Colorado Rockies coach and former Major League
infielder. ASU will open the College World Series against North
Carolina. The Sun Devils are 3-1 all-time against the Tar Heels.
ASU won two of three in a series in Tempe in May of 1984. The
Sun Devils edged UNC 4-3 on March 4, 2005, in the Keith LeClair
Classic in Greenville, N.C.
Arkansas Razorbacks
Fayetteville, Arkansas
At-large bid from SEC, 3-0 at Norman Regional,
2-0 at Tallahassee Super Regional
2009 record: 14-15,
39-22 (fourth in SEC West)
Head coach: Dave Van
Horn (Arkansas, 1988)
Record at school:
274-156, 7 years
Overall record:
859-396, 21 years
Assistant coaches:
Todd Butler, Dave Jorn, Chris Curry
(statistics through 60 games)
Team offense: .272
BA, 383 R, 73 HR, 62-88 SB
Team pitching: 4.50
ERA, 532 IP, 531 H, 223 BB, 468 K
Top hitters: Andy
Wilkins (.329/17/51/17 2B), Ben Tschepikow (.314/9/46/16-22 SB),
Scott Lyons (.309/8/43/11 2B), Chase Leavitt (.302/1/30/11-15
SB), Zach Cox (.273/12/36/14 2B), Collin Kuhn (.262/3/19/10-12
SB), Brett Eibner (.224/10/29)
Top pitchers:
Stephen Richards (5-1, 9 SV, 1.09 ERA, 33 IP, 21 H, 15 BB, 48
K), Mike Bolsinger (6-4, 1 SV, 2.83 ERA, 60.1 IP, 45 H, 26 BB,
68 K), Dallas Keuchel (7-3, 4.04 ERA, 98 IP, 106 H, 28 BB, 62
K), Brett Eibner (5-4, 4.25 ERA, 65.2 IP, 53 H, 31 BB, 62 K), TJ
Forrest (2-6, 5.73 ERA, 59.2 IP, 63 H, 25 BB, 44 K)
Last NCAA appearance:
2008 (0-2 at Stanford Regional)
Notes: The
Razorbacks are making their sixth appearance in the College
World Series and first since 2004. Arkansas is looking for its
first national title. Its best finish was runner-up in 1979 to
Cal State Fullerton, coached by Augie Garrido. The Titans are
the first-round opponent for the Razorbacks. Fullerton has won
the three previous meetings, including twice in the 1979 College
World Series (12-3, 2-1). The Titans also posted a 6-5 win in
1993 in Minneapolis. Head coach Dave Van Horn is taking the
Razorbacks to Omaha for the second time and making his fourth
trip. He led Nebraska to the College World Series in 2001 and
2002. Van Horn is still looking for his first win in Omaha.
Arkansas won twice at Florida State in the Super Regional after
sweeping through the Norman Regional. Andy Wilkins was the Most
Outstanding Player of the Norman Regional, going 12 for 16
(.750) with five doubles, two homers, six runs, 11 RBI, 23 total
bases and 1.438 slugging percentage. The team hit .378 in its
three regional wins. Arkansas is 6-1 this season in extra-inning
games. The Razorbacks averaged 7,879 fans per home game. They
set a Baum Stadium record with 11, 014 in attendance and 11,434
tickets sold on April 8 against top-ranked Arizona State. On
April 6, Collegiate Baseball ranked Arkansas No. 1, its
first No. 1 ranking in program history. Brett Eibner, a pitcher
and outfielder, was a member of the Arkansas golf team in 2007.
2. Cal State Fullerton Titans
Fullerton, California
At-large bid from Big West, 3-0 in Fullerton
Regional, 2-0 in Fullerton Super Regional
2009 record: 17-7,
47-14 (second in Big West)
Head coach: Dave
Serrano (Trinity, 2003)
Record at school:
88-36, 2 years
Overall record:
202-102-1, 5 years
Assistant coaches:
Sergio Brown, Greg Bergeron, Brett Lindgren
Team offense: .330
BA, 481 R, 59 HR, .486 SLG%, .416 OB%, 121-168 SB
Team pitching: 3.36
ERA, 552 IP, 495 H, 153 BB, 442 K
Top hitters: Josh
Fellhauer (.399/6/55/18-29 SB), Jared Clark (.363/12/81/17
2B/14-17 SB), Joey Siddons (.362/0/22), Christian Colon
(.352/7/38/16 2B/14-21 SB), Gary Brown (.337/3/37/23-31 SB),
Khris Davis (.336/16/57/25 2B), Joe Scott (.313/1/39), Jeff
Newman (.297/0/10/11-13 SB), Dustin Garneau (.293/4/26), Nick
Ramirez (.287/10/31).
Top pitchers: Kyle
Mertins (1-0, 2.30, 27.1 IP, 23 H, 11 BB, 19 K), Daniel Renken
(11-2, 2.36, 118 IP, 87 H, 32 BB, 98 K), Nick Ramirez (3-1, 7 SV,
2.63, 37.2 IP, 34 H, 9 BB, 27 K), Noe Ramirez (9-1, 2.86, 107
IP, 85 H, 21 BB, 96 K), Tyler Pill (11-3, 3.95, 98 IP, 91 H, 12
BB, 73 K).
Last NCAA appearance:
2008 (4-1 at Fullerton Regional, 0-2 at Fullerton Super
Regional)
Notes: The Titans
are in the College World Series for the 16th time and fifth in
the past seven years. Fullerton is looking for its fifth
national championship. The Titans are 3-0 all-time against
Arkansas, with two wins in the 1979 College World Series under
head coach Augie Garrido. The Titans have now won seven Super
Regionals and have posted a 15-6 record in their 11 Supers.
Fullerton swept Louisville with dominant starting pitching to
stretch its win streak to nine. Noe Ramirez allowed three hits
and fanned 10 in eight innings, while Daniel Renken went the
distance in Game 2 with 10 strikeouts. Renken is second
nationally with 118 and eighth with 11 victories. The Titan
pitching staff is four in the country with a 3.36 ERA and .240
opponent batting average. Fullerton is second with 76 sacrifice
hits and seventh with 121 stolen bases. Joe Scott is tied for
the national lead with 24 sacrifice hits and Jeff Newman is
seventh with 15. Coach Dave Serrano, who replaced John Savage at
UC Irvine in 2005, won 47 games in 2007 before replacing George
Horton at Fullerton, where he pitched under Augie Garrido.
Leading hitter Josh Fellhauer’s grandfather pitched for the St.
Louis Browns and his father was a sixth-round pick of the A’s.
He, Christian Colon and Jared Clark contributed to a 24-0 Team
USA last summer. Fellhauer and Colon led the team in hits with
26. Clark, nicknamed “Diesel,” missed 2007 with an injury and
has been drafted twice. Freshman Tyler Pill is former Titan star
Brett Pill’s brother. Reserve Tony Harkey played football at
Utah State but did not play baseball. Billy Marcoe’s nickname is
“Wonka” – his dad runs a candy shop. Opponents hit just .204 off
Daniel Renken, who was recently named a third-team All-American
by Collegiate Baseball.
3. LSU Tigers
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Automatic bid – won SEC Tournament, 3-0 at Baton
Rouge Regional, 2-0 at Baton Rouge Super Regional
2009 record: 20-10,
51-16 (tied for first in SEC West)
Head coach: Paul
Mainieri (Florida International, 1980)
Record at school:
129-61-2, 3 years
Overall record:
993-553-6, 27 years
Assistant coaches:
David Grewe, Javi Sanchez, Will Davis
Team offense: .315
BA, 524 R, 94 HR, .512 SLG%, .407 OBP, 111-151 SB
Team pitching: 3.99
ERA, 588.1 IP, 569 H, 164 BB, 628 K
Top hitters: DJ
LeMahieu (.340/4/39/12 2B/10-13 SB), Ryan Schimpf
(.335/19/63/18-25 SB), Blake Dean (.333/15/65/16 2B), Sean
Ochinko (.330/7/50/14 2B), Jared Mitchell (.325/9/43/35-44 SB),
Mikie Mahtook (.320/6/31), Tyler Hanover (.317/4/44), Leon
Landry (.305/12/41/10 2B), Micah Gibbs (.286/6/39/16 2B)
Top pitchers: Matty
Ott (3-2, 16 SV, 2.17 ERA, 45.2 IP, 43 H, 4 BB, 63 K), Louis
Coleman (13-2, 2.76 ERA, 114 IP, 92 H, 19 BB, 124 K), Anthony
Ranaudo (10-3, 2.95, 109.2 IP, 76 H, 41 BB, 147 K), Daniel
Bradshaw (4-0, 1 SV, 3.38 ERA, 45.1 IP, 41 H, 11 BB, 32 K),
Austin Ross (5-7, 4.94 ERA, 78.1 IP, 90 H, 20 BB, 72 K)
Last NCAA appearance:
2008 (3-0 at Baton Rouge Regional, 2-1 at Baton Rouge Super
Regional, 1-2 at College World Series)
Notes: LSU is
heading to the College World Series for the second straight year
and the 15th time overall, all since 1986. The Tigers have five
national championships (1991, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000). LSU is
3-0 all-time against Virginia, its first-round CWS opponent. The
Tigers swept a three-game series in Baton Rouge to start the
2000 season (8-0, 13-2, 13-4). Paul Mainieri has taken two
different teams to Omaha. He guided Notre Dame to the College
World Series in 2002 and is taking the Tigers for the second
consecutive year. Virginia head coach Brian O’Connor was an
assistant coach on that 2002 Notre Dame squad and worked with
Mainieri for nine seasons in South Bend. LSU swept its two-game
Super Regional series with Rice to extend its win streak to 10.
The Tigers got 15.2 innings from its two starting pitchers and
their five hurlers did not walk a batter in 18 innings. LSU won
a record-eighth SEC Tournament title and second straight. The
Tigers captured their 18th NCAA Regional title with wins over
Southern, Baylor and Minnesota. The Tigers hosted a regional for
the 19th time. LSU posted a 33-9 record this season in new Alex
Box Stadium. There was a record-crowd of 9,651 on hand for the
second Super Regional contest. The Tigers have two pitchers with
more than 100 strikeouts: Anthony Ranaudo with 147 (third in
nation) and Louis Coleman with 124 (eighth in nation). Both
earned victories in the Super Regional. Ranaudo was named the
Most Outstanding Player of the Baton Rouge Regional for his
complete-game victory over Baylor with three hits and 14
strikeouts. The Tigers are second in the country with 628
strikeouts, third with 22 saves and ninth with 3.99 ERA. Matty
Ott is fifth in the nation with 16 saves and seventh with 34
appearances.
4. North Carolina Tar Heels
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
At-large bid from ACC, 3-0 at Chapel Hill
Regional, 2-0 at Chapel Hill Super Regional
2009 record: 19-10,
47-16 (first in Coastal Division)
Head coach: Mike Fox
(North Carolina, 1978)
Record at school:
499-206-1, 12 years
Overall record:
499-206-1, 12 years
Assistant coaches:
Scott Forbes, Scott Jackson, Chad Flack, Matt McCay
Team offense: .310
BA, 464 R, 68 HR, .480 SLG%, .401 OB%, 55-79 SB
Team pitching: 3.61
ERA, 568.2 IP, 522 H, 245 BB, 636 K
Top hitters: Dustin
Ackley (.412/22/70/17 2B/13-17 SB), Kyle Seager (.386/5/59/24
2B/13-14 SB), Ben Bunting (.333/2/35/12 2B), Mark Fleury
(.315/12/59/19 2B), Garrett Gore (.307/6/43), Levi Michael
(.298/13/56/15 2B), Ryan Graepel (.279/2/39/17 2B), Mike
Cavasinni (.260/0/23)
Top pitchers: Brian
Moran (7-1, 4 SV, 1.95 ERA, 64.2 IP, 42 H, 8 BB, 88 K), Adam
Warren (9-2, 3.23 ERA, 92 IP, 80 H, 34 BB, 97 K), Alex White
(8-4, 4.13 ERA, 98 IP, 86 H, 41 BB, 109 K), Colin Bates (4-2, 6
SV, 2.84 ERA, 57 IP, 50 H, 16 BB, 59 K), Patrick Johnson (2-2, 1
SV, 2.91 ERA, 55.2 IP, 44 H, 34 BB, 76 K), Nate Striz (2-0, 1 SV,
3.42 ERA, 23.2 IP, 19 H, 13 BB, 27 K), Matt Harvey (7-2, 1 SV,
5.35 ERA, 70.2 IP, 86 H, 37 BB, 78 K)
Last NCAA appearance:
2008 (3-0 Cary Regional, 2-0 in Cary Super Regional, 2-2 College
World Series)
Notes: North
Carolina is making its eighth appearance in the College World
Series. The Tar Heels are the first ACC team to make four
consecutive trips to Omaha. UNC is the first ACC team to play in
a bowl game in football, reach the Final Four in men’s
basketball and advance to the College World Series in baseball
in the same year. UNC is seeking its first national
championship. The Tar Heels took two from East Carolina in the
Super Regionals. Alex White fanned a career-high 12 in the
opener. UNC leads the nation with 636 strikeouts and is fifth
with 3.61 ERA. Besides receiving first-team Louisville Slugger
All-American honors and becoming the first three-time
All-American in program history, first baseman Dustin Ackley was
named as one of the five finalists for the 2009 USA Baseball
Golden Spikes Award, which is given to the nation’s premier
amateur baseball player. Head coach Mike Fox and company have
won at least 40 games for eight consecutive seasons. UNC is the
only team to earn a top-four seed each of the past three years.
The Tar Heels have won 209 games over the past four seasons, the
top mark in the nation. Fox earned his 1,000th career victory on
March 4 against Gardner-Webb. He is one of 10 active Division I
coaches with 1,000 wins. The Tar Heels have two of the top
players in the nation in Ackley and White. Both are expected to
be among the first players taken in the upcoming MLB draft.
Ackley is the 2009 ACC Player of the Year. Ackley is fifth in
the nation with 103 hits and third with 194 total bases. Senior
right-hander Adam Warren is one of 10 finalists for the Lowe’s
Senior CLASS Award, which recognizes student-athletes for
Classroom, Character, Community and Competition. UNC moved into
its new facility this spring, Bryson Field at Boshamer Stadium,
with a seating capacity of 4,100. The Tar Heels averaged 1,932
fans with a record of 36-7. Matt Harvey’s father, John, played
baseball and football at Connecticut and played in the 1972
College World Series. Left-hander Brian Moran is the nephew of
former Tar Heel B.J. Surhoff. Moran is third in the country with
1.95 ERA, .184 opponent batting average and seventh with 34
appearances. Freshman Jacob Stallings is the son of Vanderbilt
head basketball coach Kevin Stallings.
Southern Miss Golden Eagles
Hattiesburg, Mississippi
At-large bid from C-USA, 3-1 at Atlanta Regional,
2-0 at Gainesville Super Regional
2008 record: 12-12,
40-24 (fifth in C-USA)
Head coach: Corky
Palmer (Southern Miss, 1977)
Record at school:
458-279, 12 years
Overall record:
958-491, 22 years
Assistant coaches:
Scott Berry, Chad Caillet, Richy Harrelson
Team offense: .307
BA, 498 R, 71 HR, .468 SLG%, .401 OBP, 45-69 SB
Team pitching: 5.01
ERA, 553.1 IP, 607 H, 235 BB, 429 K
Top hitters: Bo
Davis (.371/14/53/10-12 SB), Kameron Brunty (.342/7/53), Corey
Stevens (.330/8/59/15 2B), James Ewing (.314/4/42/10 2B), Joey
Archer (.311/10/62/13 2B), Taylor Walker (.305/3/29/11 2B),
Tyler Koelling (.265/2/27)
Top pitchers: Collin
Cargill (4-3, 13 SV, 3.32 ERA, 38 IP, 30 H, 20 BB, 32 K), Todd
McInnis (9-4, 3.61 ERA, 94.2 IP, 90 H, 31 BB, 86 K), JR
Ballinger (6-3, 3.89 ERA, 83.1 IP, 86 H, 35 BB, 59 K), Jeff
Stanley (4-2, 4.43 ERA, 42.2 IP, 46 H, 21 BB, 24 K), Cody
Schlagel (5-1, 4.99, 48.2 IP, 44 H, 27 BB, 43 K)
Last NCAA appearance:
2008 (2-2 at Baton Rouge Regional)
Notes: The Golden
Eagles are making their first trip to the College World Series
after their first appearance in a Super Regional. Southern Miss
is 0-1 all-time against Texas, its first opponent in Omaha. The
Longhorns beat the Golden Eagles 18-2 in the 1991 NCAA Central
Regional in Austin, Texas. Southern Miss won both Super Regional
games at Florida, the No. 8 national seed, by a combined score
of 16-13. The Golden Eagles are averaging nearly 10 runs in six
NCAA tourney contests. Southern Miss was the only No. 3 seed to
win a Regional and is lone remaining representative from
Conference USA. Sophomore closer Collin Cargill had two saves
the Gainesville Super Regional after recording a win and two
saves in the Atlanta Regional. Freshman B.A. Vollmuth, the Most
Outstanding Player of the Atlanta Regional, hit two home runs in
a nine-run second in the championship game against Georgia Tech.
Southern Miss hit 12 homers in four regional games after hitting
56 in its first 58 games. The Golden Eagles have made seven
straight NCAA Tournament appearances. Southern Miss has made 10
NCAA trips, all since 1990. Head coach Corky Palmer announced he
would be retiring at the end of this season. Associate head
coach Scott Berry will succeed Palmer. Todd McInnis was named
Conference USA Pitcher of the Year. Bo Davis joined McInnis on
the all-C-USA first team. Brian Dozier was second team and
Kameron Brunty made the all-freshman team. Dozier has not played
since April 14 after suffering a fractured clavicle.
1. Texas Longhorns
Austin, Texas
Automatic bid – won Big
12 Tourney, 3-0 in Austin Regional, 2-1 in Austin Super Regional
2009 record:
17-9-1, 46-14-1 (first in Big 12)
Head coach:
Augie Garrido (Fresno State, 1961)
Record at school:
563-266-2, 13 years
Overall record:
1,734-790-9, 41 years
Associate head
coach:
Tommy Harmon
Assistant coaches:
Skip Johnson, Tommy Nicholson
Team offense:
.287 BA, 369 R, 39 HR, .413 SLG%, .376 OB%, 70-93 SB
Team pitching:
2.84 ERA, 557 IP, 454 H, 164 BB, 498 K
Top hitters:
Brandon Belt (.336/8/40/17 2B/14-17 SB), Kevin Keyes
(.305/7/40/15 2B), Michael Torres (.304/4/32/12-13 SB), Brandon
Loy (.294/0/26/24 SH), Cameron Rupp (.287/8/40/12 2B), Travis
Tucker (.286/2/27/12-16 SB), Connor Rowe (.275/6/36), Preston
Clark (.264/2/24/13 2B), Tant Shepherd (.264/2/21/13 2B)
Top pitchers:
Austin Wood (5-1, 15 SV, 2.19 ERA, 78 IP, 57 H, 15 BB, 67 K),
Taylor Jungmann (8-3, 2.27 ERA, 79.1 IP, 57 H, 30 BB, 86 K),
Austin Dicharry (8-2, 2.40 ERA, 56.1 IP, 37 H, 20 BB, 56 K),
Chance Ruffin (10-2, 2 SV, 3.02 ERA, 116.1 IP, 96 H, 23 BB, 101
K), Cole Green (5-3, 3.02 ERA, 95.1 IP, 79 H, 30 BB, 70 K),
Brandon Workman (3-3, 3.45 ERA, 70.1 IP, 55 H, 25 BB, 78 K)
Last NCAA
appearance:
2008 (2-2 in Houston Regional)
Notes:
Texas is making its 33rd trip to the College World Series, the
most of any program, and its sixth in the past 10 years. The
Longhorns have won six national titles, including 2002 and 2005.
Texas won two of three against TCU in the Austin Super Regional
to advance to Omaha. The Longhorns are first in sacrifice hits
with 96, 20 more than second-place Cal State Fullerton. Brandon
Loy is tied for the national lead with 24 sacrifice hits. The
Texas pitching staff is first nationally with .222 opponent
batting average and second with 2.84 ERA. UT hosted an NCAA
Regional for the 23rd time at UFCU Disch-Falk Field, the first
since 2006 – and it likely is the most memorable. The Longhorns
were tested to the tune of a 25-inning marathon – the longest
game in NCAA history – against Boston College before winning
3-2. The next night, Texas trailed Army 10-6 in the ninth inning
before scoring eight times, the last four coming on Preston
Clark’s grand slam to win it. The showing by Austin Wood (12.1
no-hit innings of relief, finishing with 13 IP, 2 H, 14 K)
against BC was legendary; fellow Austin, Austin Dicharry then
came on to toss the last 5.2 innings and earn his eighth win.
Opponents hit .179 off Dicharry, a freshman. Wood is third in
the nation with 37 appearances and seventh with 15 saves.
Thirty-one of the 34 players on the UT roster hail from the Lone
Star State – the other three come from California. Pitcher
Chance Ruffin’s father is former major league pitcher Bruce
Ruffin. Ruffin has gone 18-4 in his two seasons in Austin. He is
third in the nation with 116.1 innings pitched. Senior reliever
Keith Shinaberry has contributed a journal to
CollegeBaseballInsider.com this season. Brandon Belt has been
drafted twice in the 11th round – once by the Red Sox out of
high school and once by the Braves after a year of junior
college (2007). The Longhorns have four players – Taylor
Jungmann, Andrew McKirahan, Morgan Mickan and Cameron Rowe – who
played at Georgetown HS in Texas. Coach Augie Garrido is the
winningest coach in NCAA history. Texas became the fourth team
in Big 12 history to win the regular-season title and the
tournament title in the same year.
Virginia Cavaliers
Charlottesville, Virginia
Automatic bid – won ACC Tourney, 3-0 at Irvine
Regional, 2-1 at Oxford Super Regional
2009 record:
16-11-1, 48-13-1 (fourth in Coastal Division)
Head coach: Brian
O’Connor (Creighton, 1993)
Record at school:
264-102-1, 6 years
Overall record:
264-102-1, 6 years
Assistant coaches:
Kevin McMullan, Karl Kuhn, Eddie Smith, Justin Armistead
Team offense: .327
BA, 492 R, 55 HR, .483 SLG%, .401 OB%, 116-140 SB
Team pitching: 3.14
ERA, 554 IP, 477 H, 183 BB, 567 K
Top hitters: Dan
Grovatt (.365/7/50/14-16 SB), Jarrett Parker (.364/16/65/19-24
SB), Tyler Cannon (.339/1/37/17-19 SB), Danny Hultzen
(.333/3/33), Steven Proscia (.332/9/57/20 2B/12-14 SB), Phil
Gosselin (.314/6/63/24-27 SB), John Hicks (.305/7/37/13 2B),
John Barr (.295/0/15), Franco Valdes (.288/5/41/12 2B)
Top pitchers: Kevin
Arico (2-3, 11 SV, 2.06 ERA, 35 IP, 22 H, 6 BB, 45 K), Danny
Hultzen (9-1, 2.09 ERA, 86 IP, 76 H, 27 BB, 95 K), Andrew
Carraway (8-1, 4.13 ERA, 85 IP, 77 H, 20 BB, 71 K), Tyler Wilson
(9-3, 1 SV, 2.73 ERA, 62.2 IP, 54 H, 21 BB, 60 K), Robert Morey
(3-0, 2 SV, 3.11 ERA, 63.2, 47 H, 26 BB, 83 K), Matt Packer
(3-4, 3 SV, 3.95 ERA, 57 IP, 54 H, 23 BB, 55 K)
Last NCAA appearance:
2008 (1-2 Fullerton Regional)
Notes: Virginia is
making its first trip to the College World Series after its
first Super Regional win at Ole Miss. The Cavaliers lost the
opener but fought back and captured the final two contests. UVa
was 12 for 13 in stolen bases in three games against the Rebels.
Phil Gosselin was a perfect 5 for 5. Virginia will open play in
Omaha against LSU. The Cavs are 0-3 all-time against the Tigers,
dropping a three-game set at Baton Rouge to start the 2000
season. Virginia head coach Brian O’Connor was an assistant for
nine seasons at Notre Dame under Paul Mainieri, the skipper at
LSU. The Cavaliers have been on the road for a month. Their last
home game was on May 12, a 4-1 win over VCU. Virginia finished
the regular season by dropping two of three at Virginia Tech.
The Cavs went 4-0 at the ACC Tournament in Durham, N.C. Virginia
went to Irvine, Calif., and went 3-0 in the Regional, with a win
over Stephen Strasburg and San Diego State in the opener and a
pair of victories against top-ranked UC Irvine. The Cavs were in
Oxford, Miss., this past weekend for the Super Regional before
heading to Omaha for the College World Series. The Cavs, who are
littered with freshmen and sophomores (seven in starting lineup)
making a huge impact, lead the ACC in both team hitting and
pitching. Over the past six years, the pitching staff guided by
Karl Kuhn has been in the top three nationally for ERA. UVa is
currently third in ERA at 3.14, third in opponent batting
average at .234 and seventh in strikeouts with 567. Offensively,
the Cavs are fifth with 728 hits and seventh with 27 triples.
Freshman Danny Hultzen, who led ACC starters in ERA and batted
better than .330, was the ACC Freshman of the Year, the first in
Virginia history. Hultzen is seventh in the country in ERA at
2.09. His two-way status reminds of former Virginia two-way
standouts Sean Doolittle and Joe Koshansky. Sophomore Jarrett
Parker ranks in the top 10 in the ACC in just about every
offensive category; 42 of his 92 hits are for extra bases (slugs
.684). Dan Grovatt had a 19-game hitting streak and leads the
Cavs in batting. Matt Packer, who can start or relieve, led the
nation in ERA in 2008.
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