2014 Stillwater Super Regional

Oklahoma State Cowboys

Stillwater, Oklahoma

At-large bid from Big 12

2014 record: 18-6, 45-16

Head coach: Josh Holliday (Oklahoma State, 2004)

Record at school: 86-35, two years

Overall record: 86-35, two years

Assistant coaches: Marty Lees, Rob Walton, Roland Fanning

Team offense: .278 BA, 396 R, 52 HR, .405 SLG%, .389 OBP, 76-98 SB

Team pitching: 3.27 ERA, 580 IP, 547 H, 238 BB, 471 K

Top hitters: Gage Green (.322/3/30/20-22 SB), Zach Fish (.312/11/48), Craig McConaughy (.312/1/23), Donnie Walton (.311/3/36), Tanner Krietemeier (.276/9/48), Saulyer Saxon (.275/1/24), Tim Arakawa (.265/4/44/15-17 SB), Conor Costello (.238/9/27)

Top pitchers: Brendan McCurry (5-0, 0.39 ERA, 19 SV, 46 IP, 29 H, 8 BB, 53 K), Vince Wheeland (10-0, 1.53 ERA, 76.1 IP, 56 H, 15 BB, 42 K), Blake Battenfield (4-0, 1.70 ERA, 53 IP, 42 H, 19 BB, 38 SO), Jon Perrin (8-4, 2.23 ERA, 97 IP, 89 H, 28 BB, 80 K)

Last NCAA Appearance: 2013 (2-2 Louisville Regional)

Notes: The Cowboys, back in the field for the second straight year under Josh Holliday, are playing in their third Super Regional (1999, 2007) and looking for their first trip to Omaha since 1999. OSU swept three games in the Stillwater Regional and did what few teams have done this year: rough up Cal State Fullerton pitching, which entered with the top ERA and WHIP in the country. The Cowboys scored 19 runs in two wins against Fullerton. Oklahoma State won 41 games a year ago and followed it up with 42 regular-season wins, the first back-to-back 40-win campaigns since 2007-08. Holliday is the first former OSU player to coach the Cowboys and was a four-year starter who played on two College World Series teams (1996, 1999). He was named the Big 12 Coach of the year, and Zach Fish was tabbed Player of the Year. Fish is a three-year starter whose first career hit was a grand slam against Dallas Baptist. Vince Wheeland has been incredible primarily out of the bullpen the past two years, compiling an 18-2 record. Opponents hit only .208 against him. Equally filthy is Brendan McCurry, who has allowed two earned runs and four extra-base hits in 43 innings this season. Opponents hit .182 against him. Jon Perrin pitched primarily in relief last year before doubling his innings this year. Donnie Walton has 21 sacrifice bunts. OSU ranks No. 11 in the nation in runs. Tim Arakawa ranks No. 11 in the country with 46 walks.

UC Irvine Anteaters

Irvine, California

At-large bid from Big West

2014 Record: 15-9, 38-23 (third in Big West)

Head Coach: Mike Gillespie (USC, 1962)

Record at School: 271-142 (seven years)

Overall Record: 1,034-613-2 (27 years)

Assistant Coaches: Ben Orloff, Bob Macaluso, Danny Bibona

Team offense: .271 BA, 271 R, 12 HR, 35-58 SB

Team pitching: 2.82 ERA, 546 IP, 501 H, 127 BB, 427 K

Top hitters: Connor Spencer (.364/1/43), Jerry McClanahan (.325/1/35), Jonathan Munoz (.302/0/16), Taylor Sparks (.297/5/34), Grant Palmer (.278/0/13), Chris Rabago (.250/0/18)

Top pitchers: Andrew Morales (10-2, 1.64 ERA, 120.2 IP, 78 H, 28 BB, 128 K), Sam Moore (0-3, 1.88 ERA, 23 SV, 43 IP, 35 H, 10 BB, 38 K), Elliot Surrey (7-4, 2.13 ERA, 101.1 IP, 85 H, 25 BB, 70 K), Evan Manarino (4-3, 2.93 ERA, 55.1 IP, 71 H, 8 BB, 45 K), Evan Brock (8-6, 3.16 ERA, 99.2 IP, 105 H, 22 BB, 62 K)

Last NCAA appearance: 2011 (3-0 at Los Angeles Regional; 1-2 at Charlottesville Super Regional)

Notes: The Anteaters are back in the tournament for the first time since 2011, when they were one out from reaching Omaha but fell victim to a two-out, two-run rally to Virginia. And now they are back in the Super Regionals after winning the Corvallis Regional by knocking off No. 1 national seed Oregon State. Irvine averaged 4.26 runs a game – among the lowest of Regional teams – but put up 10 in an opening win over UNLV then 14 against the Beavers. UCI mixed in small ball with a pair of squeeze bunts that resulted in three runs and also hit two homers – after hitting all of 10 in the regular season – in the winners’ bracket win over OSU. Connor Spencer was named the Regionals MOP by hitting .400 with three doubles, five runs and five RBI. Ace Andrew Morales, who ranks 13th in the nation in WHIP (0.88), allowed three earned runs in 11.1 innings in the Regional. Coach Mike Gillespie topped the 1,000-win mark in his 27 year-career this season – he coached USC to the 1998 national title and became only the second person (Arizona’s Jerry Kindall) to win a national title as a player (USC, 1961) and coach. His staff includes former Eaters stars Ben Orloff and pitcher Danny Bibona. Due in part to its large home park, UC Irvine thrives on pitching and defense. Don’t expect any freebies: the Eaters rank fourth in the NCAA in fewest walks per nine innings (2.09). Sam Moore leads the nation with 23 saves. Taylor Sparks has some pop with a team-leading 25 extra-base hits, including eight triples (tied for nation’s best), but also has 67 strikeouts. UC Irvine dropped its final eight conference games of the season and was considered one of the last teams to make it into the Regionals.