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NCAA Super Regional Face-Offs
By DENNIS WASZAK Jr.
AP Sports Writer
Thumbnail sketches of the matchups for the
eight best-of-three super regionals (coaches' records and years are at
current schools through regionals, and tournament appearances include this
year):
SUPER REGIONALS:
Scoreboard & Schedule
•
Team
Sketches
RECAPS:
Saturday
•
Friday
REGIONALS REVIEW:
Monday Wrap-up
•
Sunday Recaps
•
Saturday Recaps
•
Friday Recaps
EAST CAROLINA (51-11) at
SOUTH CAROLINA (48-15)
SITE: Sarge Frye Field at Columbia, S.C., starting Saturday.
HOW THEY GOT HERE: East Carolina won Kinston regional: beat Stony Brook 8-2,
beat North Carolina-Wilmington 11-4, beat North Carolina-Wilmington 7-0.
South Carolina won Columbia regional: beat The Citadel 12-4, beat North
Carolina 5-2, beat North Carolina 7-6.
COACHES: East Carolina, Randy Mazey (85-38-1, second year). South Carolina,
Ray Tanner (367-150, eighth year).
TOURNAMENT APPEARANCES (LAST): East Carolina, 20th (2003). South Carolina,
20th (2003).
PLAYERS TO WATCH: East Carolina: RHP Greg Bunn (10-0, 2.66), OF Ryan Jones
(.402, 19, 69), 2B Trevor Lawhorn (.298, 21, 66), 3B Mark Minicozzi (.347,
10, 49), 1B Ryan Norwood (.383, 14, 62), OF Jamie Paige (.362, 42 RBIs, 18
SBs), LHP Brody Taylor (8-0, 4.57). South Carolina: RHP Chad Blackwell (4-3,
2.96, 17 saves), RHP Billy Buckner (6-2, 3.16), LHP Matt Campbell (9-4,
3.02), OF Michael Campbell (.310, 14, 49), 1B Steve Pearce (.326, 19, 63), C
Landon Powell (.339, 19, 64), RHP Aaron Rawl (12-4, 4.32), OF Brenden Winn
(.313, 18, 64).
TULANE (41-19) at CAL STATE FULLERTON (40-21)
SITE: Goodwin Field at Fullerton, Calif., starting Saturday.
HOW THEY GOT HERE: Tulane won Oxford regional: beat Washington 3-2, beat
Western Kentucky 7-0, beat Washington 12-3. Cal State Fullerton won
Fullerton regional: beat Minnesota 7-1, lost to Pepperdine 7-6 in 10
innings, beat Arizona State 5-0, beat Pepperdine 15-1, beat Pepperdine 16-3.
COACHES: Tulane, Rick Jones (467-223-1, 11th year). Cal State Fullerton,
George Horton (349-153-1, eighth year).
TOURNAMENT APPEARANCES (LAST): Tulane, 16th (2003). Cal State Fullerton,
26th (2003).
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Tulane: OF Matt Barket (.378, 7, 51), OF-LHP Brian
Bogusevic (.343, 10, 68; 9-5, 3.70), LHP J.R. Crowel (8-2, 3.33), C Greg
Dini (.356, 11, 50), RHP Cory Hahn (9-2, 4.26), RHP Billy Mohl (6-4, 3.70),
OF Wes Swackhamer (.353, 8, 33). Cal State Fullerton: OF Danny Dorn (.333,
4, 54), OF Clark Hardman (.356, 31 RBIs), 1B P.J. Pilittere (.347, 4, 48),
3B Ronnie Prettyman (.328, 32 RBIs, 11 SBs), LHP Ricky Romero (11-4, 3.17),
C Kurt Suzuki (.435, 15, 83), RHP Jason Windsor (10-4, 1.95).
TEXAS A&M (42-20) at
LOUISIANA STATE (44-17)
SITE: Alex Box Stadium at Baton Rouge, La., starting Saturday.
HOW THEY GOT HERE: Texas A&M won Houston regional: beat Lamar 14-3, beat
Texas Southern 12-1, lost to Rice 3-1, beat Rice 7-5. LSU won Baton Rouge
regional: beat Army 9-0, beat Southern Mississippi 6-2, beat College of
Charleston 11-3.
COACHES: Texas A&M, Mark Johnson (846-404-2, 20th year). LSU, Smoke Laval
(133-61, third year).
TOURNAMENT APPEARANCES (LAST): Texas A&M, 22nd (2003). LSU, 20th (2003).
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Texas A&M: 3B Austin Boggs (.339, 5, 52), LHP Zach Jackson
(10-6, 3.54), 1B Coby Mavroulis (.332, 3, 47), LHP Jason Meyer (8-2, 2.45),
DH Cory Patton (.335, 11, 67), SS Cliff Pennington (.341, 4, 33), 2B Erik
Schindewolf (.314, 4, 30, 64 runs scored). LSU: RHP Nate Bumstead (10-3,
3.51), LHP Clay Dirks (8-2, 3.35), SS Blake Gill (.344, 5, 40), OF J.C Holt
(.396, 5, 48, 20 SBs), RHP Justin Meier (6-2, 3.75), DH Nick Stavinoha
(.341, 8, 42), OF Jon Zeringue (.389, 12, 54).
FLORIDA (43-20) at MIAMI (47-11)
SITE: Mark Light Stadium at Coral Gables, Fla., starting Saturday.
HOW THEY GOT HERE: Florida won Oklahoma City regional: beat Central
Connecticut St. 6-1, beat UCLA 4-3, beat UCLA 11-0. Miami won Coral Gables
regional: beat St. Bonaventure 6-3, beat North Carolina St. 19-5, beat
Florida Atlantic 19-6.
COACHES: Florida, Pat McMahon (126-60-1, third year). Miami, Jim Morris
(519-176-2, 11th year).
TOURNAMENT APPEARANCES (LAST): Florida, 22nd (2003). Miami, 33rd (2003).
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Florida: OF Jeff Corsaletti (.328, 5, 43), 2B Adam Davis
(.316, 6, 23, 21 SBs), RHP Connor Falkenbach (10-6, 3.33, three saves), OF
Ben Harrison (.357, 17, 68), RHP Justin Hoyman (11-1, 2.71), RHP Darren
O'Day (8-1, 2.67, five saves), 1B C.J. Smith (.347, 14, 63). Miami: OF Brian
Barton (.366, 6, 44), SS Ryan Braun (.363, 9, 42, 20 SBs), 1B Jim Burt
(.374, 14, 71) RHP Cesar Carrillo (10-0, 2.89), LHP J.D. Cockroft (9-4,
3.22), RHP Danny Gil (8-0, 3.22, four saves), 2B Adam Ricks (.338, 10, 46),
C Erik San Pedro (.333, 12, 51).
VANDERBILT (45-17) at TEXAS
(53-13)
SITE: Disch-Falk Field at Austin, Texas, starting Friday.
HOW THEY GOT HERE: Vanderbilt won Charlottesville regional: beat George
Mason 7-3; beat Princeton 11-1; beat Virginia 7-3. Texas won Austin
regional: beat Youngstown State 10-3; beat Oral Roberts 7-5; beat Oral
Roberts 7-3.
COACHES: Vanderbilt, Tim Corbin (72-45, second year). Texas, Augie Garrido
(330-175-1, eighth year).
TOURNAMENT APPEARANCES (LAST): Vanderbilt, fourth (1980). Texas, 48th
(2003).
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Vanderbilt: RHP Matt Buschmann (8-1, 2.88), 2B Warner
Jones (.417, 10 HRs, 72 RBIs), SS Ryan Klosterman (.346, 7, 32), LHP Ryan
Mullins (9-2, 2.36), DH-1B Cesar Nicolas (.341, 15, 70), OF Antoan
Richardson (30 RBIs, 32 stolen bases), LHP Jeremy Sowers (10-5, 2.64).
Texas: LHP J.P. Howell (13-2, 2.24), RHP Sam LeClure (8-3, 2.35), LHP Justin
Simmons (10-3, 4.21), RHP Huston Street (5-1, 1.49, 12 saves), OF Drew
Stubbs (.305, 6, 39, 27 SBs), C Taylor Teagarden (.282, 8, 46), 1B Curtis
Thigpen (.363, 6, 43).
FLORIDA STATE (45-21) at ARKANSAS (43-22)
SITE: Baum Stadium at Fayetteville, Ark., starting Friday.
HOW THEY GOT HERE: Florida State won Tallahassee regional: beat Bethune-Cookman
10-3; beat Central Florida 3-2; lost to Central Florida 7-5; beat Central
Florida 19-3. Arkansas won Fayetteville regional: beat LeMoyne 4-1; lost to
Wichita State 4-3 in 11 innings; beat Missouri 10-7; beat Wichita State
11-9; beat Wichita State 4-3.
COACHES: Florida State, Mike Martin (1,338-450-4, 25th year). Arkansas, Dave
Van Horn (78-44, second year).
TOURNAMENT APPEARANCES (LAST): Florida State, 42nd (2003). Arkansas, 17th
(2003).
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Florida State: RHP Eddie Cannon (9-6, 4.01), SS Stephen
Drew (.353, 17, 55), RHP Rhett James (10-2, 3.26), RHP Kevin Lynch (4-4,
2.27, five saves), 1B Ryne Malone (.330, 12, 54), OF Eddy Martinez-Esteve
(.391, 19, 81), 2B Bryan Zech (.347, 8, 45). Arkansas: RHP Charley Boyce
(9-2, 3.18), OF Jake Dugger (.297, 7, 42), 3B Clay Goodwin (.322, 32 RBIs),
DH Danny Hamblin (.311, 8, 40), 1B Haas Pratt (.321, 8, 52), OF Casey
Rowlett (.305, 22 SBs), LHP Jay Sawatski (10-3, 3.51, five saves).
ARIZONA (33-24-1) at LONG
BEACH STATE (39-19)
SITE: Blair Field at Long Beach, Calif., starting Friday.
HOW THEY GOT HERE: Arizona won South Bend regional: beat UC Irvine 7-3; beat
Kent State 7-4; beat Notre Dame 7-6. Long Beach State won Stanford regional:
beat St. John's 4-3; beat Stanford 7-4; beat Stanford 8-4.
COACHES: Arizona, Andy Lopez (99-71-1, third year). Long Beach State, Mike
Weathers (119-60, third year).
TOURNAMENT APPEARANCES (LAST): Arizona, 27th (2003). Long Beach State, 15th
(2003).
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Arizona: 1B Jordan Brown (.326, 11, 53), OF Trevor Crowe
(.337, 5, 31, 23 SBs), SS Jason Donald (.323, 7, 41), RHP Koley Kolberg
(9-6, 4.52), DH Richard Mercado (.337, 3, 28), RHP Derek Rodriguez (1-3,
4.74, seven saves), OF Jeff Van Houten (.317, 3, 35). Long Beach State: OF
John Bowker (.332, 7, 41), RHP Neil Jamison (3-3, 3.86, 12 saves), 3B Danny
Mocny (.336, 4, 24), LHP Cesar Ramos (11-4, 2.12), SS Troy Tulowitzki (.313,
6, 41), DH-LHP Jason Vargas (.355, 5, 32; 7-6, 4.23), RHP Jered Weaver
(15-1, 1.65, 201 Ks).
GEORGIA (41-21) at GEORGIA TECH (44-19)
SITE: Russ Chandler Stadium at Atlanta, starting Friday.
HOW THEY GOT HERE: Georgia won Athens regional: beat Middle Tennessee 16-2;
beat Clemson 6-3; lost to Clemson 10-9; beat Clemson 7-6 in 10 innings.
Georgia Tech won Atlanta regional: beat Jacksonville State 16-3; beat Texas
Tech 9-3; beat Texas Tech 5-3.
COACHES: Georgia, David Perno (102-76, third year). Georgia Tech, Danny Hall
(484-209, 11th year).
TOURNAMENT APPEARANCES (LAST): Georgia, sixth (2002). Georgia Tech, 21st
(2003).
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Georgia: OF Bobby Felmy (.288, 8, 42), SS Justin Holmes
(.327, 8, 53, 17 SBs), RHP Michael Hyle (7-2, 2.90), 1B Josh Morris (.323,
16, 68), RHP Sean Ruthven (7-1, 2.97), 3B Josh Smith (3.19, 3, 38), LHP Will
Startup (7-2, 2.35, eight saves). Georgia Tech: OF Steven Blackwood (.367,
4, 64), OF Brandon Boggs (.329, 9, 58), SS Tyler Greene (.278, 7, 51), RHP
Andrew Kown (10-1, 3.49), DH-RHP Micah Owings (.324, 15, 64; 9-2, 3.52), 2B
Eric Patterson (.326, 8, 47, 47 SBs), OF Clifton Remole (.353, 4, 56).
Copyright 2004
The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be
published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
02/23/2007 10:39:13 AM
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