2011 Nashville Regional

1. Vanderbilt Commodores (6)

Nashville, Tennessee

At-large bid from SEC

2011 record: 22-8, 47-10 (tied for first in SEC East)

Head coach: Tim Corbin (Ohio Wesleyan, 1984)

Record at school: 369-187, 9 years

Overall record: 475-325, 15 years

Assistant coaches: Derek Johnson, Josh Holliday, Larry Day

Team offense: .319 BA, 396 R, 39 HR, .452 SLG%, .406 OB%, 71-99 SB

Team pitching: 2.47 ERA, 495 IP, 392 H, 166 BB, 474 K

Top hitters: Aaron Westlake (.363/13/44), Jason Esposito (.350/7/51/14-24 SB), Tony Kemp (.341/0/27/14-18 SB), Anthony Gomez (.339/0/39), Conrad Gregor (.338/3/27), Curt Casali (.324/5/45), Mike Yastrzemski (.302/2/37/21-23 SB), Connor Harrell (.284/7/28)

Top pitchers: Navery Moore (4-2, 1,28, 11 SV, 29.2 IP, 18 H, 12 BB, 25 K), T.J. Pecoraro (7-0, 1.59, 39.2 IP, 26 H, 13 BB, 41 K), Kevin Ziomek (3-0, 1.65, 43.2 IP, 33 H, 15 BB, 46 K), Sonny Gray (10-3, 2.12, 101.2 IP, 70 H, 39 BB, 112 K), Greyson Garvin (12-1, 2.35, 95.2 IP, 80 H, 20 BB, 82 K), Taylor Hill (4-0, 3.16, 77 IP, 73 H, 19BB, 67 K)

Last NCAA appearance: 2010 (4-1 at Louisville Regional, 1-2 at Tallahassee Super Regional)

Notes: The Commodores return to the NCAA field for the fifth straight year and will be looking to improve on a Super Regional trip last year. Coach Tim Corbin was an assistant at Clemson before turning Vandy into a national power. He also spent time as a head coach at Presbyterian, starting that program from scratch. Assistant Derek Johnson was named the top pitching coach in the country according to CollegeBaseballInsider.com's survey of 40 percent of D-I head baseball coaches. The Commodores have two big-time arms in Grayson Garvin, who was the SEC's pitcher of the year over teammate Sonny Gray and South Carolina's Michael Roth. Garvin limits hitters to a .225 average, and Gray, who threw three complete games, holds batters to a .195 clip. Surrounding them has been a deep and talented staff - closer Navery Moore has been lights out as a closer. Offensively, Jason Esposito does a little of everything, and Aaron Westlake can mash (.632 SLG) or take a walk (48 BB/HBP). Mike Yastrzemski is the grandson of Red Sox HOFer Carl Yastrzemski. Freshman Tony Kemp has been on fire and has a brother who played in the Brewers organization.

2. Oklahoma State Cowboys

Stillwater, Oklahoma

At-large bid from Big 12

2011 record: 14-12, 35-23 (fourth in Big 12)

Head coach: Frank Anderson (Emporia State, 1985)

Record at school: 297-181, 8 years

Overall record: same

Assistant coaches: Greg Evans, Billy Jones, Matt Gardner

Team offense: .295 BA, 338 R, 48 HR, .452 SLG%, .352 OB%, 29/41 SB

Team pitching: 3.70 ERA, 520 IP, 511 H, 170 BB, 410 K

Top hitters: Zach Johnson (.358/13/62), Dane Phillips (.342/4/32), Mark Ginther (.297/10/32), Davis Duren (.293/3/25), Gabe Weidenaar (.288/2/22), Jared Womack (.285/8/45)

Top pitchers: Gabe Weidenaar (0-0, 0.43, 3 SV, 21 IP, 14 H, 4 BB, 18 K), Jason Hursh (1-1, 2.73, 29.2 IP, 35 H, 12 BB, 10 K), Randy McCurry (2-4, 2.91, 43.1 IP, 40 H, 16 BB, 36 K), Blake Barnes (3-1, 3.48, 44 IP, 40 H, 9 BB, 29 K), Mike Strong (5-1, 3.61, 72.1 IP, 64 H, 25 BB, 70 K), Brad Probst (7-5, 3.66, 96 IP, 90 H, 19 BB, 58 K), Andrew Heaney (7-4, 3.88, 65 IP, 75 H, 22 BB, 51 K)

Last NCAA appearance: 2009 (2-2 at Clemson Regional)

Notes: The Cowboys are making their sixth NCAA appearance in coach Frank Anderson’s eight seasons in Stillwater. Anderson was one of the top pitching coaches in the country, having served at Texas Tech and Texas, when he was hired to lead OSU in 2003. His son, Brett, pitches for the Oakland A’s. Zach Johnson carries a big bat – 35 of his 78 hits are for extra bases, and he slugs .642. Johnson dreams of being a professional golfer. JC transfer Gabe Weidenaar, who has a brother who played football at Wyoming and another drafter by the Atlanta Braves, has given a lift at the plate and on the mound, where opponents hit .194. First baseman/outfield Devin Shines is the son of former major leaguer Razor Shines. Brad Probst has eaten innings for the Cowboys, including tossing three complete games.

3. Troy Trojans

Troy, Alabama

At-large bid from Sun Belt Conference

2011 record: 21-9, 42-17 (first in Sun Belt)

Head coach: Bobby Pierce (Alabama, 1982)

Record at school: 324-204, 9 years

Overall record: 859-407, 23 years

Assistant coaches: Mark Smartt, Brad Phillips, Eric House

Team offense: .294 BA, 414 R, 43 HR, .441 SLG%, .388 OBP, 55-71 SB

Team pitching: 3.73 ERA, 524 IP, 504 H, 194 BB, 442 K

Top hitters: Tyler Hannah (.369/7/49/27 2B), Adam Bryant (.339/11/66/25 2B), Todd McRae (.316/1/34/17 HBP), T.J. Rivera (.298/1/34/11-13 SB), Tyson Workman (.285/1/12)

Top pitchers: Tyler Ray (11-0, 2.39, 109 IP, 95 H, 15 BB, 64 K), Nathan Hill (5-2, 3 SV, 2.42, 48.1 IP, 42 H, 14 BB, 61 K), Tyson Workman (5-3, 4 SV, 2.59, 41.2 IP, 32 H, 15 BB, 44 K), Jimmy Hodgskin (3-6, 4.56, 73 IP, 71 H, 51 BB, 58 K), Ryan Sorce (5-4, 5.23, 62 IP, 85 H, 14 BB, 47 K)

Last NCAA Appearance: 2007 (0-2 at Oxford Regional)

Notes: coming soon

4. Belmont Bruins

Nashville, Tennessee

Automatic bid – won Atlantic Sun tournament

2011 record: 17-13, 36-24 (sixth in A-Sun)

Head coach: Dave Jarvis (Arkansas State, 1982)

Record at school: 393-365-1, 14 years

Overall record: 717-417-1, 23 years

Assistant coaches: Matt Barnett, Scott Hall, Aaron Smith

Team offense: .299 BA, 419 R, 62 HR, .465 SLG%, .378 OB%, 82-107 SB

Team pitching: 4.68 ERA, 519.1 IP, 565 H, 229 BB, 329 K

Top hitters: Nate Woods (.347/12/61), Dylan Craig (.324/1/35), Derek Hamblen (.322/11/36/26-30 SB), Greg Brody (.312/7/38), Matt Zeblo (.298/5/41), Jared Breen (.291/3/30), Judah Akers (.289/7/30), Tim Egerton (.287/12/53), Zac Mitchell (.281/2/39)

Top Pitchers: Matt Hamann (9-1, 2.22, 81 IP, 62 H, 28 BB, 49 K), Chase Brookshire (5-4, 3.52, 94.2 IP, 102 H, 23 BB, 66 K), Garrett Fanchier (4-3, 3.95, 66 IP, 72 H, 40 BB, 39 K), Jon Ivie (3-3, 4.37, 13 SV, 35 IP, 37 H, 16 BB, 25 K), James Buckelew (2-6, 5.46, 62.2 IP, 77 H, 40 BB, 36 K)

Last NCAA Appearance: First appearance

Notes: The Bruins shocked the A-Sun field by taking home the conference's automatic bid by winning the tourney as a No. 6 seed. This will be Belmont's first trip to the NCAA tournament. Coach Dave Jarvis, who played at Arkansas State, has guided Belmont to a school-record 36 wins. The Bruins have a couple of big-time bats in Nate Woods, who also starts on the mound, and Derek Hamblen. Woods hit 20 homers a year ago and followed that 12 this year and 61 RBI. Hamblen jumped from seven homers last year to 11 this year and was the A-Sun tourney MVP. Ace pitcher Matt Hamann shaved four runs off his ERA from last year and tossed two complete games. Matt Zeblo's brother Michael is a shortstop at Davidson.