1 Oregon State Beavers
Corvallis, Oregon
Won Corvallis Regional (3-0), automatic bid from Pac-12
2017 record: 27-3, 52-4 (first in Pac-12)
Head coach: Pat Casey (George Fox, 1990)
Record at school: 841-444-5 (23 years)
Overall record: 1,012-559-6 (30 years)
Assistant coaches: Pat Bailey, Nate Yeskie, Andy Jenkins
Team offense: .294 BA, 335 R, 27 HR, .410 SLG%, .387 OBP%, 60-75 SB
Team pitching: 1.78 ERA, 511 IP, 358 H, 144 BB, 446 K
Top hitters: Nick Madrigal (.380/4/34/15-17 SB), Steven Kwan (.341/1/15), KJ Harrison (.328/6/32), Michael Gretler (.304/4/32), Trevor Larnach (.301/3/39/16 2B), Jack Anderson (.300/1/29)
Top pitchers: Max Engelbrekt (3-0, 0.48, 5 SV, 18.2 IP, 8 H, 3 BB, 18 K), Luke Heimlich (11-1, 0.76, 118.1 IP, 70 H, 22 BB, 128 K), Drew Rasmussen (3-0, 0.83, 21.2 IP, 16 H, 5 BB, 22 K), Jake Thompson (13-0, 1.30, 110.2 IP, 69 H, 34 BB, 106 K), Jake Mulholland (6-1, 1.32, 6 SV, 47.2 IP, 33 H, 11 BB, 40 K)
Last NCAA appearance: 2015 (1-2 at Dallas Regional)
Notes: The Beavers posted more than 40 wins for the eighth time in the past 13 seasons and entered the tournament as the No. 1 national seed. OSU is 29-1 at home this season and is on a 19-game win streak. The Beavers are looking for their sixth trip to the College World Series and first since 2013. OSU missed the field in 2016. Pitching is at a premium with the Beavers, as Luke Heimlich ranks first and Jake Thompson second in the NCAA in ERA. As a team, OSU is first at 1.78, well ahead of UIC (2.65), Louisville (2.88) and North Carolina (2.96). Already loaded, the Beavers saw the return of ace Drew Rasmussen in late April – he had been out a year with an elbow injury. Sophomore shortstop Nick Madrigal’s twin brother Ty pitches at St. Mary’s. The Beavers’ shortstop tore his labrum late last season and has returned as one of the best shortstops in the nation.
Vanderbilt Commodores
Nashville, Tennessee
Won Clemson Regional (3-1), at-large bid from SEC
2017 record: 15-13-1, 36-23-1 (third in SEC East)
Head coach: Tim Corbin (Ohio Wesleyan, 1984)
Record at school: 646-313-1 (15 years)
Overall record: 752-451-1 (21 years)
Assistant coaches: Scott Brown, D.J. Svihlik, Aaron Gershenfeld
Team offense: .283 BA, 403 R, 50 HR, .425 SLG%, .377 OBP%, 53-79 SB
Team pitching: 3.54 ERA, 541.2 IP, 442 H, 216 BB, 529 K
Top hitters: Will Toffey (.350/11/62), Julian Infante (.322/11/65), Jeren Kendall (.312/15/52/19-23 SB), Jason Delay (.300/2/39), Reed Hayes (.281/0/36)
Top pitchers: Patrick Raby (10-3, 2.36, 99.1 IP, 81 H, 27 BB, 85 K), Kyle Wright (5-5, 2.98, 96.2 IP, 74 H, 28 BB, 113 K), Drake Fellows (3-3, 3.30, 1 SV, 62.2 IP, 54 H, 17 BB, 68 K), Reed Hayes (0-2, 4.87, 7 SV, 20.1 IP, 19 H, 12 BB, 25 K)
Last NCAA appearance: 2016 (0-2 at Nashville Regional)
Notes: The Commodores are in the NCAA tourney for the 12th straight year and 13th time under head coach Tim Corbin. Vanderbilt won the national championship in 2014. The Commodores are looking for their fourth trip to the College World Series. Associate head coach Scott Brown worked 10 seasons at St. John’s prior to coming to Vanderbilt. Jeren Kendall and Kyle Wright were All-SEC First Team. Will Toffey had three home runs and 10 RBI in the four games at the Clemson Regional. Opponents are hitting just .221 against the Commodores offense. Vanderbilt had 469 wins over the past 10 years, the most in the nation.