Long Beach State Dirtbags
Long Beach, California
Won Long Beach Regional (4-1), automatic bid from Big West
2017 record: 20-4, 41-18-1 (first in Big West)
Head coach: Troy Buckley (Santa Clara, 1990)
Record at school: 227-173-7 (7 years)
Overall record: Same
Assistant coaches: Greg Bergeron, Dan Ricabal, Zach Miller
Team offense: .273 BA, 308 R, 30 HR, .383 SLG%, .356 OBP%, 73-108 SB
Team pitching: 3.02 ERA, 539.1 IP, 461 H, 141 BB, 428 K
Top hitters: Ramsey Romano (.325/2/38), Lucas Tancas (.311/9/36), Jarren Duran (.305/0/27/18-25 SB), David Banuelos (.297/7/29), Laine Huffman (.289/2/26), Daniel Jackson (.279/4/33), Brock Lundquist (.274/4/26/10-13 SB)
Top pitchers: Dave Smith (9-1, 1.32, 88.1 IP, 87 H, 10 BB, 40 K), Josh Advocate (3-1, 1.98, 5 SV, 36.1 IP, 28 H, 7 BB, 36 K), Chris Rivera (1-2, 2.67, 12 SV, 33.2 IP, 20 H, 13 BB, 44 K), Darren McCaughan (8-2, 2.65, 115.1 IP, 80 H, 18 BB, 97 K), John Sheaks (8-3, 4.12, 83 IP, 82 H, 26 BB, 51 K)
Last NCAA appearance: 2016 (2-2 at Coral Gables Regional)
Notes: The Dirtbags are in the tourney for the second straight year and third time since 2014. LBSU is making its third trip to a Super Regional and first since 2004. The Dirtbags are looking to get to the College World Series for the fifth time in program history and first since 1998. Long Beach won its first Big West title since 2008, the last time it hosted a Regional. LBSU beat Cal State Fullerton five of six times during the regular season. The Dirtbags play in a big park, but Lucas Tancas and David Banuelos have pop, combining for 16 of the team’s 30 homers. Opponents hit just .194 off Darren McCaughan, who has four of the team’s five complete games, and only .169 off Chris Rivera. McCaughan played for Team USA and is 22-5 with a 2.36 ERA in his career. Dave Smith was 3-3 with a 6.86 ERA as a part-time starter a year ago before becoming a splendid starter this year.
Cal State Fullerton Titans
Fullerton, California
Won Stanford Regional (3-0), at-large bid from Big West
2017 record: 15-9, 37-21 (second in Big West)
Head coach: Rick Vanderhook (Trinity University, 2003)
Record at school: 233-124 (6 years)
Overall record: Same
Assistant coaches: Chad Baum, Blake Hawksworth, J.J. Altobelli
Team offense: .273 BA, 320 R, 43 HR, .408 SLG%, .360 OBP%, 53-67 SB
Team pitching: 3.70 ERA, 518.1 IP, 504 H, 135 BB, 438 K
Top hitters: Sahid Valenzuela (.338/1/23), Scott Hurst (.333/12/39/15 2B), Dillon Persinger (.299/3/29/18-22 SB), Timmy Richards (.299/4/24), Hunter Cullen (.278/6/29/11-11 SB), Taylor Bryant (.268/3/34)
Top pitchers: Colton Eastman (1-0, 1.38, 26 IP, 13 H, 8 BB, 29 K), Brett Conine (0-1, 14 SV, 1.56, 40.1 IP, 31 H, 6 BB, 37 K), Blake Workman (6-2, 2.70, 60 IP, 59 H, 15 BB, 52 K), Connor Seabold (11-4, 2.91, 117.1 IP, 111 H, 19 BB, 116 K), John Gavin (7-2, 2.93, 92 IP, 79 H, 28 BB, 84 K)
Last NCAA appearance: 2016 (1-2 Starkville Regional)
Notes: Another year, another Titans appearance, making it 26 straight and each of Rick Vanderhook’s six seasons. Fullerton is making its 13th trip to a Super Regional. The Titans dropped five of six contests to Long Beach State during the regular season. Connor Seabold and Blake Workman stepped up in the absence of ace Colton Eastman, who missed most of the year with an arm injury and returned two weeks ago. The Titans’ staff is stingy – they walk only 2.3 batters per game. Scott Hurst put it all together this season after hitting .215 a year ago. 32 of 33 on Titans roster are from state of California. Only exception is freshman Sahid Valenzuela, from Yuma, Arizona.