The first game Saturday has 41-20 Oklahoma State against 42-18-1 UC Santa Barbara. Oklahoma State made their way to Omaha by sweeping host South Carolina 5-1 and 3-1 in the super regional. UC Santa Barbara claimed their super regional by shocking second seed Louisville by sweeping 4-2 and 4-3.
The UC Santa Barbara Gauchos are led by Head Coach Andrew Checketts. They had a 13-11 conference record in the Big West and their campus is in Santa Barbara, CA. Their top eight hitters are Sam Cohen (.370), Devon Gradford (.336), J.J Muno (.294), Clay Fisher (.289), Dempsey Grover (.277), Ryan Clark (.270), Austin Bush (.269) and Andrew Calica (.265) with Bush leading the team with 11 home runs followed by Muno with five. Their team batting average is .262 and they average 5.4 runs per game. Their top three starting pitchers are Shane Bieber (12-3, 2.84), Joe Record (6-5, 3.91) and Noah Davis (6-4, 4.70) with Kyle Nelson being their main closer with nine saves. Their team ERA is 3.79 and they give up 4.4 runs per game. In the 2016 MLB draft they had five players taken: Bieber (Indians, 4th round), Calica (Indians, 11th), James Carter (Dodgers, 21st), Trevor Bettencourt (Phillies, 25th), and Justin Kelly (Angels, 33rd). This is their first appearance in the CWS.
The second game Saturday has 50-12 third seed Miami (FL) against 44-21 Arizona. Miami battled Boston College in their super regional taking the first game 12-7, losing the second 5-3 before clinching with a 9-4 victory. Arizona surprised sixth seed Mississippi State by sweeping 1-0 and 6-5 to advance to Omaha.
The Miami Hurricanes are led by Head Coach Jim Morris. They had a 21-7 conference record in the ACC and their campus is in Miami, FL. Their top eight hitters are Brandon Lopez (.385), Zack Collins (.357), Johnny Ruiz (.346), Carl Chester (.344), Willie Abreu (.286), Edgar Michelangeli (.274), Randy Batista (.268) and Christopher Barr (.260) with Collins leading the team with 15 home runs followed by Abreu with 12. Their team batting average is .300 and they have averaged 7.0 runs per game. Their top three starting pitchers are Jesse Lepore (9-0, 2.20), Michael Mediavilla (11-1, 3.11) and Danny Garcia (9-4, 3.48) with Bryan Garcia being their main closer with 18 saves. Their team ERA is 3.60 and they have given up 4.1 runs per game. In the 2016 MLB draft they had seven players taken: Collins (White Sox, 1st round), Abreu (Rockies, 6th), Bryan Garcia (Tigers, 6th), Lopez (Twins, 10th), Danny Garcia (Mariners, 15th), Jacob Heyward (Giants, 18th), and Ruiz (Astros, 28th). This is their 25th CWS appearance and they won the title four times in 1982, 1985, 1999 and 2001.
The Arizona Wildcats are led by Head Coach Jay Johnson. They had a 16-14 conference record in the PAC 10 and their campus is in Tucson, AZ. Their top eight hitters are Zach Gibbons (.381), Cody Ramer (.352), Ryan Aguilar (.311), J.J. Matijevic (.292), Cesar Salazar (.290), Bobby Dalbec (.270), Alfonso Rivas (.267) and Louis Boyd (.259) with Aguilar leading the team with eight home runs followed by Jared Oliva with seven. Their team batting average is .292 while scoring 6.0 runs per game. Their top three starting pitchers are Nathan Bannister (11-2, 2.71), J.C. Cloney (6-4, 2.86) and Cameron Ming (3-2, 3.72) with Dalbec being their main closer with seven saves. Their team ERA is 3.42 and they give up 4.0 runs per game. In the 2016 MLB draft they had four players taken: Dalbec (Red Sox, 4th round), Gibbons (Angels, 17th), Kevin Ginkel (Diamondbacks, 22nd), and Bannister (Mariners, 18th). This is their 17th CWS appearance and they won the title four times in 1976, 1980, 1986 and 2012.
The first game Sunday has 46-18 fifth seed Texas Tech taking on 47-16 TCU. Texas Tech was challenged in their super regional by East Carolina who beat Tech 8-6 in the first game before Tech rebounded to take the next two 3-1 and 11-0. TCU had a deja vu super regional against fourth seeded Texas A&M the second consecutive year while winning 8-2 in the first game, losing 7-1 in the second and clinching 4-1 in the deciding third game.
The Texas Tech Red Raiders are led by Head Coach Tim Tadlock. They had a 19-5 conference record in the Big 12 and their campus is in Lubbock, TX. Their top eight hitters are Tanner Gardner (.382), Eric Gutierrez (.326), Cory Raley (.323), Stephen Smith (.318), Tyler Neslony (.314), Hunter Hargrove (.302), Michael Davis (.274) and Orlando Garcia (.262) with Gutierrez leading the team with 12 home runs followed by Smith and Neslony with 10 each. The team batting average is .294 while scoring 7.0 runs per game. Their top three starting pitchers are Davis Martin (9-1, 2.73), Steven Gingery (4-2, 3.25) and Ty Damron (4-2, 6.52) with Hayden Howard being their main closer with eight saves. Their team ERA is 4.16 and they gave up 4.8 runs per game. In the 2016 MLB draft they had ten players taken: Ryan Moseley (Orioles, 8th round), Neslony (Braves, 9th), Smith (Diamondbacks, 10th), Howard (Nationals, 12th), Damron (Athletics, 15th), Robert Dugger (Mariners, 18th), Gutierrez (Marlins, 20th), Chandler Eden (Dodgers, 25th), Dalton Brown (Brewers, 30th) and Zach Davis (Cubs, 32nd). This is their second CWS appearance and they have not won the championship.
The Texas Christian Horned Frogs are led by Head Coach Jim Schlossnagle. They had a 15-9 conference record in the Big 12 and their campus is in Fort Worth, TX. Their top eight hitters are Luken Baker (.379), Elliot Barzilli (.352), Dane Steinhagen (.310), Cam Warner (.306), Evan Skoug (.299), Ryan Merrill (.298), Austen Wade (.292) and Josh Watson (.281) with Watson leading the team with 11 home runs followed by Baker and Skoug with nine each. Their team batting average is .304 while scoring 7.1 runs per game. Their top three starting pitchers are Baker (3-1, 1.70), Brian Howard (9-2, 3.29) and Dalton Horton (8-0, 2.58) with Derbin Feltman being their main closer with eight saves. Their team ERA is 3.17 and they gave up 3.7 runs per game. In the 2016 MLB draft they had six players taken: Brian Trieglaff (Yankees, 13th round), Mitchell Traver (Reds, 17th), Howard (Astros, 17th), Rex Hill (Royals, 27th), Barzilli (Astros, 29th) and Preston Guillory (Marlins, 31st). This is their fourth CWS appearance and all since 2010 but they have not won a championship.
The second game Sunday has 52-14 top seed Florida taking on 49-16 Coastal Carolina. Florida also had a deja vu super regional facing Florida State again who won the first game 3-0 before the Gators shut them down 5-0 and 7-0. Coastal Carolina drove the Upset Bus to their super regional as they swept eighth seed LSU 11-8 and 4-3.
The Florida Gators are led by Head Coach Kevin O'Sullivan. They had a 19-10 conference record in the SEC and their campus is in Gainesville, FL. Their top eight hitters are Peter Alonso (.373), Dalton Guthrie (.309), Jonathan India (.303), J.J. Schwarz (.295), Jeremy Vasquez (.286), Deacon Liput (.272), Nelson Maldonado (.262) and Buddy Reed (.261) with Alonso leading the team with 13 home runs followed by Mike Rivera with nine. Their team batting average is .280 while scoring 6.1 runs per game. Their top three starting pitchers are Logan Shore (12-0, 2.24), Alex Faedo (13-2, 3.25) and A.J. Puk (2-3, 3.05) with Shaun Anderson being their main closer with 13 saves. Their team ERA is 2.93 and they have allowed 3.3 runs per game. In the 2016 MLB draft they had eight players taken: Puk (Athletics, 1st round), Dane Dunning (Nationals, 1st), Shore (Athletics, 2nd), Reed (Padres, 2nd), Alonso (Mets, 2nd), Anderson (Red Sox, 3rd), Scott Moss (Reds, 10th) and Kirby Snead (Blue Jays, 10th). This is their 10th CWS appearance and have not won the championship.
The Coastal Carolina Chanticleers are led by Head Coach Gary Gilmore. They had a 21-3 conference record in the Big South and their campus is in Conway, SC. Their top eight hitters are Connor Owings (.379), Zach Remillard (.347), G.K. Young (.345), Billy Cooke (.344), Seth Lancaster (.326), Michael Paez (.287), Anthony Marks (.278) and Tyler Chadwick (.261) with Remillard leading the team with 19 home runs followed by Young with 17. Their team batting average is .300 while scoring 7.5 runs per game. Their top three starting pitchers are Andrew Beckwith (12-1, 2.12), Alex Cunningham (9-3, 3.58) and Bobby Holmes (6-2, 4.44) with Mike Morrison being their main closer with 11 saves. Their team ERA is 3.48 and they give up 4.3 runs per game. In the 2016 MLB draft they had six players taken: Paez (Mets, 4th round), Remillard (White Sox, 10th), Morrison (White Sox, 27th), Cunningham (Tigers, 28th), Young (Padres, 31st) and Owings (Diamondbacks, 34th). This is their first CWS appearance.
This year the two first time teams give a couple Cinderella options for the fans to root for. Plus multiple teams are making milestone visits to Omaha: Miami (25), Oklahoma State (20) and Florida (10). The ball will provide the familiar sounds of the ping against the bat and the pop against the leather glove as crowds cheer. Time for baseball at its finest.
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