2009 Greenville Regional

Capsules compiled by Christina De Nicola, Duncan Phillips, Sean Ryan, Phil Stanton

1. East Carolina Pirates

Greenville, N.C.

At-large bid from Conference USA

2009 record: 17-7, 42-17 (first in CUSA)

Head coach: Billy Godwin (Atlantic Christian, 1986)

Record at school: 157-86, four years

Overall record: 419-171, 10 years

Assistant coaches: Link Jarrett, Bill Jarman, Tommy Atkinson

Team offense: 341 BA, 514 R, 95 HR, .549 SLG%, .417 OB%, 70/90 SB

Team pitching: 4.12 ERA, 518 IP, 515 H, 197 BB, 475 K

Top hitters: Ryan Wood (.387/13/55), Trent Whitehead (.380/6/42), Stephen Batts (.368/14/61/18-20 SB), Brandon Henderson (.335/11/48), Jared Avchen (.331/2/28), Devin Harris (.330/12/40), Kyle Roller (.325/13/65), Dustin Harrington (.323/12/43), Drew Schieber (.317/7/51).

Top pitchers: Seth Simmons (3-1, 2.65, 9 SV, 34 IP. 23 H, 17 BB, 43 K), Brad Mincey (9-5, 2.99, 72.1 IP, 76 H, 20 BB, 65 K), Kevin Brandt (8-1, 3.42, 68.1 IP, 58 H, 21 BB, 63 K), Chris Heston (7-0, 3.44, 86.1, 77 H, 32 BB, 85 K), Seth Maness (9-1, 4.15, 95.1 IP, 99 H, 17 BB, 80 K).

Last NCAA appearance: 2008 (2-2 at Conway Regional)

Notes: The Pirates are hosting a Regional for the third time – the first at Clark-LeClair Stadium. ECU is playing in a Regional for the 10^th time in 11 years. Coach Billy Godwin was named CUSA coach of the year after leading the Pirates to their first regular season title since 2004. Chris Heston, a transfer from Seminole C.C., was named the newcomer of the year. ECU is deep on the mound. Sophomore Seth Maness has gone 18-3 in his short career and has 161 strikeouts and 37 walks in 193.2 career innings. Fellow starter Brad Mincey also is a sophomore, and Kevin Brandt is a freshman. And the Pirates can mash, ranking 12th in the country with a .344 batting average and 16th in scoring at nine runs a game. Four-year starter Ryan Wood, nicknamed “Woodshow,” has 26 homers the past two years after hitting five his first two years. Senior Stephen Batts, born on Valentine’s Day, has 24 homers the past two years and holds the school record with a 29-game hitting streak.

2. South Carolina Gamecocks

Columbia, South Carolina

At-large bid from SEC

2009 record: 17-13, 38-21 (second in SEC East)

Head coach: Ray Tanner (North Carolina State, 1980)

Record at school: 578-254, 13 years

Overall record: 973-437-3, 22 years

Assistant coaches: Chad Holbrook, Mark Calvi, Sammy Esposito

Team offense: .305 BA, 441 R, 99 HR, .521 SLG%, .392 OBP, 43-70 SB

Team pitching: 5.03 ERA, 520.1 IP, 507 H, 250 BB, 476 K

Top hitters: DeAngelo Mack (.366/14/59/11 2B), Jackie Bradley, Jr. (.338/9/41/11 2B), Whit Merrifield (.337/11/45/13-18 SB), Nick Ebert (.332/22/71/.741 SLG%), Andrew Crisp (.317/10/48/21 2B), Justin Dalles (.295/12/37), Bobby Haney (.273/4/28/12 2B)

Top pitchers: Jay Brown (3-0, 3.30 ERA, 43.2 IP, 43 H, 20 BB, 32 K), Adam Westmoreland (4-2, 4.24 ERA, 46.2 IP, 40 H, 32 BB, 46 K), Alex Farotto (4-2, 7 SV, 4.70 ERA, 30.2 IP, 23 H, 23 BB, 36 K), Blake Cooper (8-4, 4.79 ERA, 77 IP, 86 H, 27 BB, 59 K), Nolan Belcher (4-4, 4.83 ERA, 76.1 IP, 72 H, 38 BB, 70 K)

Last NCAA Appearance: 2008 (2-2 at Raleigh Regional)

Notes: South Carolina is making its 25th NCAA Tournament appearance and the 10th consecutive trip for the Gamecocks. South Carolina has reached the College World Series eight times, including three straight years from 2002-04. The Gamecocks were 26-9 in their new ballpark, Carolina Stadium, and averaged 6,704 fans. South Carolina is in the top four for wins in the past 10 years, trailing only Florida State, Rice and Texas.

3. George Mason Patriots

Fairfax, Virginia

At-large bid from Colonial

2009 record: 19-5, 42-12 (first in CAA)

Head coach: Bill Brown (George Mason, 1980)

Record at school: 795-696-5, 28 years

Overall record: 795-696-5, 28 years

Assistant coaches: Steve Hay, Kyle Werman, Robby Jacobsen

Team offense: .322 BA, 428 R, 81 HR, .525 SLG%, .401 OBP, 37-51 SB

Team pitching: 4.24 ERA, 475.2 IP, 498 H, 156 BB, 374 K

Top hitters: Chris Henderson (.416/14/54/21 2B/.712 SLG%), Scott Krieger (.378/20/80/14 2B/.780 SLG%), Justin Bour (.336/17/65/13 2B), Shane Davis (.327/6/29/12 2B), Mark Hill (.327/3/26/10 2B), Ryan Soares (.320/11/42/15 2B), Brent Weiss (.301/1/27), Spencer Wiggins (.290/3/26/12-17 SB)

Top pitchers: Shawn Griffith (4-0, 3 SV, 2.91 ERA, 43.1 IP, 43 H, 13 BB, 41 K), Ben Reade (3-1, 3.06 ERA, 32.1 IP, 29 H, 10 BB, 33 K), Ryan Pfaeffle (2-1, 3.35 ERA, 454.2 IP, 36 H, 10 BB, 38 K), Ryan Brecko (2-1, 6 SV, 3.92 ERA, 39 IP, 36 H, 16 BB, 34 K), Mike Modica (11-1, 4.17 ERA, 82 IP, 71 H, 32 BB 73 K), Kevin Crum (8-3, 4.19 ERA, 77.1 IP, 76 H, 20 BB, 54 K)

Last NCAA appearance: 2004 (0-2 in Charlottesville Regional)

Notes: George Mason is making its sixth NCAA Tournament appearance and its first since 2004. The Patriots won the CAA regular-season title and went 2-2 in the conference tournament. Mason posted a home record of 25-2 at Hap Spuhler Field. Bill Brown was named CAA Coach of the Year for the sixth time. Scott Krieger and Chris Henderson were CAA Co-Players of the Year.

4. Binghamton Bearcats

Vestal, New York

Automatic bid – won America East tournament

2009 record: 13-7, 29-20 (first in AEC)

Head coach: Tim Sinicki (Western Carolina, 1988)

Record at school: 355-367-6, 16 years

Overall record: Same

Assistant coaches: Ryan Hurba, Andy Hutchings, Ed Folli

Team offense: .319 BA, 330 R, 45 HR, .473 SLG%, .384 OB%, 60/78 SB

Team pitching: 4.88 ERA, 389 IP, 429 H, 122 BB, 291 K

Top hitters: Dave Ciocchi (.375/5/33), C.J. Lukaszewski (.358/0/15), Jim Calderone (.351/5/32), Henry Dunn (.345/1/12), Corey Taylor (.335/15/51), Kyle Klee (.331/5/36).

Top pitchers: Murphy Smith (7-2, 2.41, 86 IP, 70 H, 14 BB, 81 K), Jeff Dennis (5-5, 4.71, 63 IP, 68 H, 26 BB, 46 K), Greg Lane (5-2, 4.85, 6 SV, 26 IP, 19 H, 13 BB, 24 K), James Giulietti (4-1, 5.00, 54 IP, 70 H, 11 BB, 32 K).

Last NCAA appearance: First appearance

Notes: Binghamton will be making its first trip to the NCAA tourney in its 53-year history, although it only joined D-I in 2002. It’s particularly sweet as reached the tourney only after its third straight regular-season title. The Bearcats have tied the school record for wins set by last year’s squad. Jim Calderone was named the tourney MVP after hitting .615 with four RBI. Jeff Dennis is a 6-6 lefty who has struggled but shut down Albany in the tourney final. Bearcats pitchers walk only 2.5 batters a game.