2009 Houston Regional

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

1. Rice Owls

Houston, Texas

Automatic bid – Won Conference USA tournament

2009 record: 16-8, 39-15 (second in CUSA)

Head coach: Wayne Graham (Texas, 1970)

Record at school: 826-314, 18 years (update with this year’s)

Overall record: 1,401-427, 29 years

Assistant coaches: David Pierce, Mike Taylor, Patrick Hallmark

Team offense: .317 BA, 399 R, 61 HR, .485 SLG%, .392 OB%, 70/94 SB

Team pitching: 4.18 ERA, 480.2 IP, 452 H, 231 BB, 380 K

Top hitters: Anthony Rendon (.375/19/64), Brock Holt (.344/10/38), Michael Fuda (.342/3/16), Chad Mozingo (.321/8/46), Rick Hague (.320/9/51), Steven Sultzbaugh (.318/5/28), Diego Seastrunk (.286/4/37).

Top pitchers: Mike Ojala (4-0, 1.79, 55.1 IP, 50 H, 22 BB, 64K), Ryan Berry (7-0, 1.89, 66.2 IP, 37 H, 15 BB, 56 K), Travis Wright (2-0, 2.45, 14.2 IP, 11 H, 6 BB, 12 K), Taylor Wall (6-5, 3.81, 85 IP, 77 H, 36 BB, 73 K), Mark Haynes (2-0, 4.20, 45 IP, 53 H, 16 BB, 21 K), Jordan Rogers (8-3, 4.47, 7 SV, 52.1 IP, 38 H, 28 BB, 51 K).

Last NCAA appearance: 2008 (3-0 at Houston Regional, 2-0 at Houston Super Regional, 0-2 at College World Series)

Notes: Rice is hosting a Regional for the eighth time since 2001 after finishing second in the C-USA regular season. Anthony Rendon was named the conference player of the year and the freshman of the year – the first player in league history to accomplish that feat. He’s one of 16 semifinalists for the Howser Award. Nine pitchers have started at least two games for the Owls, who lost top arms Ryan Berry and Mike Ojala with injuries during the season. Both are back for the postseason and will keep Rice in games. Berry tossed four complete games, including two shutouts early in the year and has held opponents to a .162 average. Ojala limits opponents to a .246 average. Due in part to the injuries, the Owls’ staff has 51 more walks and 123 fewer strikeouts that at the same point last year. Pitcher Matthew Reckling is the grandson of former player Tommy Reckling (1952-54), a major donor for whom Rice’s stadium is named.

2. Kansas State Wildcats

Manhattan, Kansas

At-large bid from Big 12

2009 record: 14-11-1, 41-16-1 (fourth in Big 12)

Head coach: Brad Hill (Emporia State, 1985)

Record at school: 191-144-3, six years

Overall record: 609-235-3, 15 years

Assistant coaches: Sean McCann, Andy Sawyers, Craig Ringe

Team offense: .319 BA, 431 R, 53 HR, .478 SLG%, .402 OB%, 146/189 SB

Team pitching: 4.23 ERA, 512.1 IP, 542 H, 154 BB, 442 K

Top hitters: Carter Jurica (.362/4/44/23-32 SB), Justin Bloxom (.349/9/54/13 2B), Drew Biery (.335/9/44/16 2B), Nick Martini (.327/4/43/19-23 SB), Jordan Cruz (.318/10/46/16-23 SB), Jason King (.309/6/58/16 2B), Rob Vaughn (.296/5/25), Adam Muenster (.296/2/18/22-28 SB)

Top pitchers: A.J. Morris (13-1, 1.84, 107.1 IP, 85 H, 28 BB, 98 K), Thomas Rooke (5-1, 4 SV, 3.86, 50 IP, 43 H, 10 BB, 56 K), Ryan Daniel (4-1, 4.07, 48.2 IP, 67 H, 14 BB, 40 K), Kayvon Bahramzadeh (2-1, 4.11, 35 IP, 33 H, 8 BB, 34 K), Lance Hoge (5-4, 4.36, 66 IP, 71 H, 20 BB, 44 K), James Allen (2-1, 5 SV, 4.37, 35 IP, 36 H, 12 BB, 40 K)

Last NCAA appearance: None

Notes: This is Kansas State’s first-ever appearance in the NCAA tournament, building on the success of last year’s squad that went 29-29 and played in the program’s first Big 12 Championship game. Kansas State has shown extraordinary speed on the base paths, swiping a school-record 146 bases. Six players have double-digit steals on the season. Adam Muenster is entering the NCAA tournament on the strength of a nine-game hitting streak, batting .412 during the stretch. Reliever Thomas Rooke checked in for his school-record 30th appearance of the season against Texas on May 23.

3. Xavier Musketeers

Cincinnati, Ohio

Automatic bid - won Atlantic 10 Championship

2009 record: 18-9, 38-19 (third in A-10)

Head coach: Scott Googins (Ohio Wesleyan, 1992)

Record at school: 113-118, 4 years

Overall record: 113-118, 4 years

Assistant coaches: J.D. Heilmann, Zach Schmidt, Jeff Fontaine

Team offense: .310, 423 R, 46 HR, .440 SLG%, .401 OB%, 105-134 SB

Team pitching: 5.47 ERA, 508 IP, 581 H, 261 BB, 424 K

Top hitters: Ben Thomas (.355/16/64/15 2B/.699 SLG%), Zac Richard (.353/2/22), Billy Conner (.335/2/38/22-28 SB), Bobby Freking (.323/2/29), Drew Schmidt (.318/2/37/15 2B), Jordan Conley (.316/2/34/17 2B), Adam Pasono (.314/7/37/15 2B/20-20 SB), Steve Brown (.306/3/26), John McCambridge (.298/3/38/42-48 SB)

Top pitchers: Jordan Conley (1-1, 13 SV, 2.39 ERA, 26.1 IP, 20 H, 8 BB, 45 K), Zac Richard (4-0, 3.25 ERA, 36 IP, 30 H, 9 BB, 17 K), Brett Greenwell (7-2, 4.45 ERA, 56.2 IP, 65 H, 18 BB, 43 K), Brian Muransky (7-2, 4.60 ERA, 60.2 IP, 64 H, 23 BB, 45 K), Danny Rosenbaum (5-5, 5.49 ERA, 82 IP, 96 H, 45 BB, 68 K), Nathan Mutsch (2-1, 5.81 ERA, 48 IP, 54 H, 26 BB, 33 K)

Last NCAA appearance: First appearance

Notes: Xavier won its first Atlantic 10 title and will make its first NCAA appearance. The third-seeded Musketeers defeated second-seeded Rhode Island twice on the final day, the first team since Virginia Tech in 1999 to claim the crown with two wins on the final day. XU has set a school record for wins in a season with 38, breaking the previous mark of 32. Jordan Conley was named first team all-conference as a relief pitcher. Conley holds school records with 13 saves this season and 23 career saves. Conley was second team all-league at shortstop. Outfielder Adam Pasono and first baseman Ben Thomas were also second team all-conference. XU has eight players from Cincinnati on its roster.

4. Sam Houston State Bearkats

Huntsville, Texas

Automatic bid - won Southland Conference Championship

2009 record: 18-14, 36-22 (seventh in Southland)

Head coach: Mark Johnson (New Mexico, 1967)

Record at school: 113-71, 3 years

Overall record: 989-502-3, 24 years

Assistant coaches: Jim Blair, Chris Berry, Philip Miller

Team offense: .331 BA, 444 R, 47 HR, .474 SLG%, .405 OB%, 56-73 SB

Team pitching: 5.06 ERA, 510 IP, 612 H, 209 BB, 457 K

Top hitters: Nick Zaleski (.425/9/57/20 2B), Braeden Riley (.390/2/38/13 2B/11-16 SB), Tyler Knight (.341/7/54/10-11 SB), Jon Reed (.333/1/26), Mark Wyatt (.332/14/54/16 2B), Justin Keithley (.305/2/32/11 2B), Ryan Mooney (.299/3/41/10 2B)

Top pitchers: Matt Shelton (7-0, 2 SV, 1.86 ERA, 38.2 IP, 32 H, 6 BB, 33 K), Will Skelton (2-2, 2 SV, 2.63 ERA, 27.1 IP, 28 H, 7 BB, 25 K), Sean Weatherford (8-5, 4 SV, 3.62 ERA, 74.2 IP, 73 H, 30 BB, 70 K), Brent Powers (3-2, 4.28 ERA, 69.1 IP, 76 H, 26 BB, 61 K), Jacob Howard (4-4, 6.52 ERA, 69 IP, 52 H, 31 BB, 64 K)

Last NCAA appearance: 2008 (0-2 at Houston Regional)

Notes: After not appearing in the NCAA tourney since 1996, the Bearkats have made the field of 64 three years in a row. Sam Houston State has won three straight Southland titles. Coach Mark Johnson won 876 games as head coach of Texas A&M. The Bearkats went 2-2 in last year’s tourney, beating Troy and Southern Miss.