By DENNIS WASZAK Jr.
AP Sports WriterHOUSTON (47-15) at TEXAS (51-14)
SITE: Disch-Falk Field; Austin, Texas.
HOW THEY GOT HERE: Houston won Mesa regional: beat
New Mexico St. 9-0; beat Arizona St. 8-4; beat Arizona St. 8-3. Texas won
Austin regional: beat Central Conn. St. 7-2; beat Baylor 10-8; beat Baylor
2-0.
COACHES: Houston, Rayner Noble (293-192, eighth
year). Texas, Augie Garrido (221-141-1, sixth year).
TOURNAMENT APPEARANCES (LAST): Houston, 13 (2001).
Texas, 45 (2001).
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Houston: SS-RHP Jesse Crain (.317,
11, 47/ 4-0, nine saves, 0 ER in 34 innings), RHP Brad Sullivan (11-1, 1.93,
151 Ks), LHP Keith Whatley (8-3, 2.96), LHP Danny Zell (8-1, 2.09), 1B Brett
Cooley (.338, 18, 54), C Chris Snyder (.347, 15, 70), OF Michael Bourn
(.326, 32 SBs). Texas: LHP Justin Simmons (14-1, 2.42), RHP Alan Bomer (9-3,
3.84), RHP Huston Street (4-1, 10 saves, 0.92), 1B Jeff Ontiveros (.302, 16,
51), DH J.D. Reininger (.346, 12, 47), OF Dustin Majewski (.402, 9, 44), 2B
Tim Moss (.383, 39 SBs).
MIAMI (33-27) at SOUTH CAROLINA (51-15)
SITE: Sarge Frye Field; Columbia, S.C.
HOW THEY GOT HERE: Miami won Gainesville regional:
beat Fla. International 9-1; beat Florida 7-2; lost to Florida 11-10; beat
Florida 8-7. South Carolina won Columbia regional: beat Va. Commonwealth
6-3; beat North Carolina 9-6; lost to North Carolina 8-4; beat North
Carolina 3-1.
COACHES: Miami, Jim Morris (426-146-1, ninth year).
South Carolina, Ray Tanner (268-110, sixth year).
TOURNAMENT APPEARANCES (LAST): Miami, 20 (2001).
South Carolina, 17 (2001).
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Miami: 2B Javy Rodriguez (.378, 98
hits, 37 SBs), 3B Kevin Howard (.366, 11, 51), OF Jim Burt (.327, 9, 47), C
Danny Matienzo (.333, 17, 62), RHP Kiki Bengochea (6-6, 5.01), RHP George
Huguet (7-4, eight saves, 4.20 ERA), RHP Dan Touchet (5-2, 4.68). South
Carolina: SS Drew Meyer (.379, 36
SBs), 1B Yaron Peters (.392, 27, 89), OF Garris Gonce (.303, 16, 51), 3B
Brian Buscher (.323, 13, 55), LHP David Marchbanks (9-3, 4.44), LHP Gary
Bell (10-2, 4.68), RHP Blake Turner (6-1, 1.97, 20 saves).
ARKANSAS (34-26) at CLEMSON (50-14)
SITE: Doug Kingsmore Stadium; Clemson, S.C.
HOW THEY GOT HERE: Arkansas won Wichita regional:
beat Oklahoma 8-5; beat Oral Roberts 7-6; beat Oral Roberts 11-6. Clemson
won Clemson regional: beat Georgia Southern 15-1; beat East Carolina 4-2;
beat East Carolina 21-1.
COACHES: Arkansas, Norm DeBriyn (1,160-648-6, 33rd
year). Clemson, Jack Leggett (430-169, ninth year).
TOURNAMENT APPEARANCES (LAST): Arkansas, 14 (1999).
Clemson, 27 (2001).
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Arkansas: 2B Scott Bridges (.315,
2, 25), DH Andrew Wishy (.311, 4, 30), OF Michael Conner (.273, 15, 46), OF
Ryan Fox (.254, 9, 51), RHP Gary Hogan Jr. (3-6, 4.68), RHP Charlie Isaacson
(5-7, 3.81). Clemson: SS Khalil Greene (.482, 24, 79), 3B Jeff Baker (.333,
24, 79), Michael Johnson (.387, 21, 74), RHP Steve Reba (13-2, 3.70), RHP
Matt Henrie (11-4, 2.98), RHP Steven Jackson (6-1), RHP Paul Harrelson
(eight saves).
NOTRE DAME (47-15) at FLORIDA STATE (59-12)
SITE: Dick Howser Stadium; Tallahassee, Fla.
HOW THEY GOT HERE: Notre Dame won South Bend
regional: beat Ohio State 8-6; beat South Alabama 25-1; beat Ohio State 9-6.
Florida State won Tallahassee regional: beat Stetson 11-8, beat Central
Florida 7-3; beat South Florida 13-6.
COACHES: Notre Dame, Paul Mainieri (351-139-1, eighth
year). Florida State, Mike Martin (1,238-414-3, 23rd year).
TOURNAMENT APPEARANCES (LAST): Notre Dame, 16 (2001).
Florida State, 40 (2001).
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Notre Dame: OF Steve Stanley (.445,
109 hits, 31 stolen bases), OF Brian Stavisky (.404, 7 home runs, 49 RBIs),
3B Andrew Bushey (.333, 6, 57), 2B Steve Sollmann (.356, 43 RBIs), RHP J.P.
Gagne (8-4, 3.26 ERA), RHP Grant Johnson (8-4, 3.11), RHP Peter Ogilvie
(7-3, 3.68). Florida State: SS Stephen Drew (.395, 16, 52), 3B Ryan
Barthelemy (.367, 17, 91), OF Nick Rogers (.340, 69 RBIs, 19 SBs), C Tony
Richie (.350, 12, 73), LHP Matt Lynch (13-1. 3.34), RHP Marc LaMacchia
(11-1, 3.41), RHP Blair Varnes (9-3, 3.88), LHP Daniel Hodges (12 saves).
FLORIDA ATLANTIC (46-19) at GEORGIA TECH (49-14)
SITE: Russ Chandler Stadium; Atlanta.
HOW THEY GOT HERE: Florida Atlantic won Tuscaloosa
regional: beat Auburn 16-11; beat SE Missouri St. 10-6; lost to Alabama 7-2;
beat Alabama 6-5. COACHES: Florida Atlantic, Kevin Cooney (519-344-4, 15th
year). Georgia Tech, Danny Hall (393-170, eighth year).
TOURNAMENT APPEARANCES (LAST): Florida Atlantic,
three (1999). Georgia Tech, 18 (2001).
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Florida Atlantic: 3B Mike Cox
(.340, 18, 65), OF L.J. Biernbaum (.352, 16, 66), 1B Rusty Brown (.354, 11,
46), RHP Chris Pillsbury (10-2, 4.32), RHP Tim McNab (12 saves), RHP Danny
Core (8-5, six complete games). Georgia Tech: SS Victor Menocal (.360, 93
hits), OF Jeremy Slayden (.345, 17, 58), OF Matt Murton (.346, 10, 55), C
Tyler Parker (.314, 10, 56), LHP Kyle Bakker (11-2, 3.38), RHP Jeff Watchko
(11-1, 3.46).
LOUISIANA STATE (44-20) at RICE (50-12)
SITE: Reckling Park; Houston.
HOW THEY GOT HERE: LSU won Baton Rouge regional: beat
Southern 5-4; lost to Louisiana-Lafayette 5-0; beat Tulane 4-2; beat
Louisiana-Lafayette 12-2; beat Louisiana-Lafayette 12-2. Rice won Houston
regional: beat Harvard 8-3; beat Texas Tech 6-0; lost to Washington 7-6;
beat Washington 14-2. COACHES: LSU, Smoke Laval (first year). Rice, Wayne
Graham (473-210, 11th year).
TOURNAMENT APPEARANCES (LAST): LSU, 17 (2001). Rice,
seven (2001).
PLAYERS TO WATCH: LSU: OF Matt Heath (.297, 10, 48),
SS Aaron Hill (.341, 9, 47), 3B Wally Pontiff (.335, 6, 50), LHP Lane
Mestepey (11-4, 2.66), RHP Brian Wilson (10-4, 3.56), RHP Jake Tompkins
(7-1, 2.81). Rice: 1B Vincent Sinisi (.438, 11, 78), 2B Eric Arnold (.328,
7, 71), 3B Hunter Brown (.294, 7, 34), DH Enrique Cruz (16 HRs, 35 RBIs),
LHP Justin Crowder (9-2, 2.04), RHP Phillip Humber (11-1, 2.67), RHP Steven
Herce (12-2, 3.07).
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA (37-22) at STANFORD (43-16)
SITE: Sunken Diamond; Stanford, Calif.
HOW THEY GOT HERE: USC won Los Angeles regional: beat
BYU 5-4 in 12 innings; beat Cal State Northridge 7-5; beat BYU 13-10.
Stanford won Stanford regional: beat Cal State Fullerton 3-2 in 13 innings;
beat Long Beach St. 5-4; beat Long Beach St. 8-4.
COACHES: USC, Mike Gillespie (645-354-2, 16th year).
Stanford, Mark Marquess (1,089-531-5, 26th year).
TOURNAMENT APPEARANCES (LAST): USC, 34 (2001).
Stanford, 22 (2001).
PLAYERS TO WATCH: USC: C Alberto Concepcion (.376,
11, 48), DH Joey Metropoulos (.366, 13, 65), 1B Bill Peavey (.360, 15, 71),
OF Brian Barre (.333, 12, 42), RHP Anthony Reyes (4-1, 3.26), RHP Brett
Bannister (8-3, 3.70), LHP Cory Campos (6-2, six saves, 4.09). Stanford: RHP
Jeremy Guthrie (11-1, 2.34), LHP Tim Cunningham (9-2, 3.86), RHP John
Hudgins (9-1, 4.80), OF Sam Fuld (.385, 6, 43), 2B Chris O'Riordan (.335,
10, 43), OF Jason Cooper (.351, 13, 52), C Ryan Garko (.307, 14, 52).
RICHMOND (52-11) at NEBRASKA (45-18)
SITE: Haymarket Park; Lincoln, Neb.
HOW THEY GOT HERE: Richmond won Winston-Salem
regional: beat Navy 15-5; beat Wake Forest 3-2; lost to Wake Forest 5-4 in
10 innings; beat Wake Forest 7-5. Nebraska won Lincoln regional: beat
Wisconsin-Milwaukee 7-2; beat Marist 9-1; beat SW Missouri St. 14-3.
COACHES: Richmond, Ron Atkins (559-403-4, 18th year).
Nebraska, Dave Van Horn (212-89, fifth year).
TOURNAMENT APPEARANCES (LAST): Richmond, six (1999).
Nebraska, five (2001).
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Richmond: RHP Tim Stauffer (15-2,
1.57), RHP Mike McGirr (12-1, 3.76), 1B Vito Chiaravalloti (.364, 22, 81),
SS Matt Craig (.376, 18, 82), 3B David Reaver (.411, 54 RBIs, 104 hits), C
Adam Tidball (.342, 11, 45). Nebraska: RHP Shane Komine (8-0, 1.93); LHP
Aaron Marsden (8-1, 2.23); LHP Jamie Rodrigue (7-3, 4.03); C-DH Jed Morris
(.386, 21, 81); OF Jeff Leise (.381, 12, 49, 104 hits); 1B-DH Matt Hopper
(.311, 9, 48).
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