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2015 Stillwater Regional
(capsules compiled by Sean Ryan, Phil Stanton,
Will Merritt, Jackson Proffitt, John Whittle)
1. Oklahoma State
Cowboys
Stillwater, Oklahoma
At-large bid from Big-12
2015
record: 14-8, 37-18 (second)
Head
coach: Josh Holliday (Oklahoma State,
1999)
Record
at school: 126-53 (3 years)
Overall record: same
Assistant coaches: Marty Lees, Rob
Walton
Team
offense: .279 BA, 369 R, 17 HR, .409
SLG%, .381 OBP%, 83-101 SB
Team
pitching: 2.84 ERA, 500 IP, 438 H, 174
BB, 435 K
Top
hitters: Corey Hassel (.305/3/33 12-16
SB), Ryan Sluder (.305/6/22), Tim Arakawa (.291/1/35), Dustin
Williams (.287/6/36), Gage Green (.284/5/29 18-21 SB)
Top
pitchers: Michael Freeman (10-2, 1.05
ERA, 102.2 IP, 67 H, 25 BB, 92 K), Trey Cobb (4-1, 2.44 ERA,
55.1 IP, 45 H, 17 BB, 49 K), Jon Perrin (6-4, 4.29 ERA, 77.2 IP,
74 H, 28 BB, 68 K), Koda Glover (2-2, 1.90 ERA, 5 SV, 23.2 IP,
20 H, 7 BB, 28 K)
Last
NCAA appearance: 2014 (3-2 at
Stillwater Regional)
Notes: The
Cowboys of Oklahoma State enter the 2015 NCAA Tournament after
falling just short of a regional title in last year’s
tournament. Oklahoma State has been selected as a host site for
the second straight season for the first round of the NCAA
Tournament. They are 36-11 in regional games on their home
field. The Cowboys closed out the season strong with ten players
being named to the All-Big 12 conference teams, including three
first team selections. Senior pitcher Michael Freeman was also
named the Big-12 conference Pitcher of the Year, becoming only
the second Oklahoma State player to ever win the award. Freeman
leads the Big 12 in innings pitched, complete games, and
opponents’ batting average with the opposition batting just .183
against him. Catcher Gage Green and infielder Donnie Walton join
Freeman on the First team, with both being repeat selections.
2. Arkansas Razorbacks
Fayetteville, Arkansas
At-large bid
from Southeastern Conference
2015
record: 35-22,
17-12
Head
coach: Dave
Van Horn (Arkansas (1988)
Record at
school:
519-292, 13 years
Overall
record: 1,104-532,
27 years
Assistant
coaches: Tony
Vitello, Dave Jorn
Team
offense: .289
BA, 340 R, 49 HR, .435 SLG%, .381 OBP%, 48-70 SB
Team
pitching:
4.16 ERA, 499.2 IP, 478 H, 247 BB, 425 K, BAA .257
Top
hitters: Andrew
Benintendi (.391/18/52), Tyler Spoon (.325/5/46), Rick Nomura
(.312/4/15), Bobby Wernes (.291/4/26)
Top
pitchers: Keaton
McKinney (6-1, 3.14 ERA, 77.1 IP, 62 H, 32 BB, 42 K), Dominic
Taccolini (6-4, 4.32 ERA, 77.0 IP, 67 H, 41 BB, 67 K), Trey
Killian (2-4, 4.72 ERA, 68.2 IP, 76 H, 20 BB, 50 K), Zach
Jackson (5-0, 2.25 ERA, 16 SV, 48.0 IP, 35 H, 33 BB, 70 K)
Last NCAA
appearance: 2014
(Lost Charlottesville Regional)
Notes: Outfielder
Andrew Benintendi was named SEC Player of the Year and has also
been cited for early All-American honors. Benintendi is a
well-rounded athlete though as he also averaged 25.5 points per
game and earned Division III Co-Player of the Year honors his
senior of high school in basketball. … Reliever Lance Phillips’
cousin, Dane, was a part of the 2011 Arkansas team in the fall
and is now in the San Diego Padres organization. … Freshman Rick
Nomura is the son of Ronald Nomura, was a catcher at the
University of Hawaii and the USA Collegiate National Team in
1979.
3. Oral Roberts
Golden Eagles
Tulsa,
Oklahoma
Automatic bid from Summit League
2015
record: 25-5, 41-14
Head
coach: Ryan F olmar (Oklahoma State,
1997)
Record
at school: 96-72 (three years)
Overall record: same
Assistant coaches: Ryan Neill, Sean
Snedeker
Team
offense: .321 BA, 404 R, 37 HR, .455
SLG%, .408 OBP%, 51-70 SB
Team
pitching: 3.10 ERA, 479.2 IP, 453 H,
146 BB, 414 K
Top
hitters: Matt Whatley (.343/5/44 15-20
SB), Anthony Sequiera (.343/10/54), Derrian James (.342/5/44),
Audie Afenir (.340/3/42), Noah Cummings (.333/5/30)
Top
pitchers: Xavier Altamirano (8-2, 2.94
ERA, 85.2 IP, 83 H, 14 BB, 81 K), Guillermo Trujillo (10-3, 4.03
ERA, 82.2 IP, 79 H, 25 BB, 68 K), Bryce Howe (4-1, 3.14 ERA,
51.2 IP, 48 H, 13 BB, 43 K), Anthony Sequiera (1-1, 1.50 ERA, 11
SV, 30 IP, 19 H, 11 BB, 38 K)
Last
NCAA appearance: 2012 (1-2 Waco
Regional)
Notes: Oral
Roberts is back in the NCAA Tournament after not qualifying
since 2012. They Golden Eagles won their sixteenth conference
championship by defeating IPFW in the conference championship.
This is the 25th time that the Golden Eagles have played in the NCAA
Tournament, they have in 34-48 all-time record in the
postseason. The Golden Eagles swept the postseason awards for
the Summit League with Coach F olmar taking Coach of the Year,
and senior Anthony Sequiera taking Player of the Year honors.
Matt Whatley was named Rookie of the year and junior
right-hander Xavier Altamirano was named Pitcher of the Year.
This was the sixth time in school history that they had swept
the conference awards and the first time since 2009. The Golden
Eagles rounded out the night by occupying nine of the fourteen
first team slots for All-Conference.
4. St. John's Red
Storm
New
York, New York
Automatic bid from Big East
2015
record: 14-3, 39-14
Head
coach: Ed Blankmeyer (Seton Hall,
1976)
Record
at school: 686-419-3
Overall record: same
Assistant coaches: Mike Hampton, Corey
Muscara
Team
offense: .291 BA, 303 R, 19 HR, .380
SLG%, .378 OBP%, 39-67 SB
Team
pitching: 3.84 ERA, 473.1 IP, 432 H,
186 BB, 401 K
Top
hitters: Alex Caruso (.387/0/22), Matt
Harris (.335/1/35), Robbie Knightes (.326/0/18), Zach Lauricella
(.326/3/44), Michael Donadio (.313/1/29 8-11 SB)
Top
pitchers: Ryan McCormick (10-1, 2.81
ERA, 86.1 IP, 71 H, 21 BB, 70 K), Cody Stashak (7-4, 3.32 ERA,
81.1 IP, 73 H, 23 BB, 66 K), Chris Kalica (4-2, 4.53 ERA, 53.2
IP, 54 H, 15 BB, 42 K), Thomas Hackimer (3-0, 1.89 ERA, 15 SV,
47.2 IP, 25 H, 21 BB, 51 K)
Last
NCAA appearance: 2012 (3-2 Chapel Hill
Regional)
Notes: St.
John’s captured a conference-record eighth Big East Championship
to earn the automatic bid from the conference to the NCAA
Tournament. St. John’s ranks ninth all time with 35 NCAA
tournament appearances. The Red Storm are riding a fifteen game
winning streak heading into the tournament. Pitcher Ryan
McCormick was unanimously named the Big East Pitcher of the Year
as well as head coach Ed Blankmeyer earning Coach of the Year
honors. McCormick becomes the fifth Red Storm pitcher to win the
award after finishing top of the league in wins with nine, and
fifth in ERA at 3.07. Joining McCormick on the first team was
reliever Thomas Hackimer setting a school record for
single-season saves with 15. The reliever ranked sixth in the
league in strikeouts while only working 45.2 innings and held
opponents to a .144 batting average.
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