pop-we Highlights 2013 College World Series at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha

The hottest ticket in town!

The 2013 College World Series (CWS) will be played in Omaha, NE at TD Ameritrade Park from June 15 thru June 24 or 25, if necessary. There will not be a repeat this year as last year's champion Arizona finished 34-21 and did not garner an invitation to the tournament of 64. The final field of eight does include some regular visitors to Omaha such as LSU, Oregon State and North Carolina. It also features Indiana which is the first representative from the Big 10 since 1984.

The first game Friday has 48-18 Mississippi State against third seed 50-11 Oregon State. Mississippi State earned their ticket to Omaha by beating Virginia 11-6 and 6-5 in the super regional. Oregon State lost to Kansas State 6-2 in the first game of their super regional then bounced back to win 12-4 and 4-3.

The Mississippi State Bulldogs are led by Head Coach John Cohen. Their top seven hitters are Hunter Renfroe (.360), Adam Frazier (.359), Alex Detz (.323), Brett Pirtle (.306), Sam Frost (.295), Wes Rea (.288) and C. T. Bradford (.287) with Renfroe leading the team with 15 home runs followed by Rea with seven. Their top three starting pitchers are Kendall Graveman (7-5, 3.14), Jacob Lindgren (4-3, 4.18) and Luis Pollorena (6-3, 4.32) with Jonathan Holder being their main closer with 18 saves. In the 2013 MLB draft they had seven players taken: Renfroe (Padres, 1st round), Frazier (Pirates, 6th), Graveman (Blue Jays, 8th), Chad Girodo (Blue Jays, 8th), Evan Mitchell (Reds, 13th), Daryl Norris (Tigers, 22nd) and Pollorena (Rangers, 23rd). This is their ninth CWS appearance and have not won the championship.

The Oregon State Beavers are led by Head Coach Pat Casey. Their top seven hitters are Dylan Davis (.343), Andy Peterson (.329), Michael Conforto (.320), Kavin Keyes (.318), Beay Day (.313), Tyler Smith (.311) and Ryan Barnes (.299) with Conforto leading the team with 11 home runs followed by Danny Hayes with six. Their top three starting pitchers are Andrew Moore (14-1, 1.36), Ben Wetzler (9-1, 2.11) and Matt Boyd (10-3, 2.13) with Scott Schultz being their main closer with 10 saves. In the 2013 MLB draft they had seven players taken: Wetzler (Phillies, 5th round), Boyd (Blue Jays, 6th), Smith (Mariners, 8th), Hayes (White Sox, 13th), Schultz (Marlins, 17th), Daniel Child (Phillies, 18th) and Jake Rodriguez (Astros, 19th). This is their fifth CWS appearance and they won two championships.

The second game Friday has 48-14 Indiana against 51-12 Louisville in this year's battle of the seed busters. Indiana knocked off seventh seed Florida State 10-9 and 11-6 in their super regional. Louisville upset second seed Vanderbilt 5-3 and 2-1 in their super regional to advance.

The Indiana Hoosiers are led by Head Coach Tracy Smith. Their top seven hitters are Dustin DeMuth (.389), Kyle Schwarber (.376), Scott Donley (.361), Michael Basil (.315), Sam Travis (.313), Casey Smith (.309) and Will Nolden (.301) with Schwarber leading the team with 18 home runs followed by Travis with 10. Their top three starting pitchers are Aaron Slegers (9-1, 2.13), Joey DeNato (9-2, 2.76) and Kyle Hart (8-2, 3.01) with Ryan Halstead being their main closer with 11 saves. In the 2013 MLB draft they had three players taken: Slegers (Twins, 5th round), DeMuth (Twins, 8th) and Halstead (Twins, 26th). This is their first CWS appearance.

Shot down first baseline at 2013 Men's College World Series.

The Louisville Cardinals are led by Head Coach Dan McDonnell. Their top seven hitters are Ty Young (.339), Jeff Gardner (.335), Coco Johnson (.333), Cole Sturgeon (.327), Sutton Whiting (.315), Kyle Gibson (.301) and Nick Ratajczak (.285) with Gardner leading the team with nine home runs followed by Johnson with eight. Their top three starting pitchers are Jeff Thompson (11-1, 2.00), Chad Green (10-3, 2.29) and Dace Kime (6-1, 3.07) with Nick Burdi being their main closer with 16 saves. In the 2013 MLB draft they had seven players taken: Kime (Indians, 3rd round), Thompson (Tigers, 3rd), Young (Rays, 7th), Johnson (Marlins, 11th), Green (Tigers, 11th), Cody Ege (Rangers, 15th) and Adam Engel (White Sox, 19th). This is their second CWS appearance and they have not won the championship.

The first game Saturday has 57-10 top seed North Carolina taking on 49-14 North Carolina State. North Carolina battled South Carolina in their super regional winning the first game 6-5, losing the second 8-0 and clinching it with a 5-4 victory. North Carolina State swept Rice in their super regional 4-3 and 5-4.

The North Carolina Tar Heels are led by Head Coach Mike Fox. Their top seven hitters are Cody Stubbs (.366), Landon Lassiter (.361), Colin Moran (.343), Skye Bolt (.330), Brian Holberton (.309), Michael Russell (.304) and Chaz Frank (.298) with Moran leading the team with 13 home runs followed by Holberton with 11. Their top three starting pitchers are Kent Emanuel (11-3, 2.93), Hobbs Johnson (4-1, 2.62) and Benton Moss (8-1, 3.78) with Trent Thornton being their main closer with eight saves. In the 2013 MLB draft they had six players taken: Moran (Marlins, 1st round), Emanuel (Astros, 3rd), Stubbs (Royals, 8th), Holberton (Astros, 9th), Johnson (Brewers, 14th) and Frank (Blue Jays, 20th). This is their 10th CWS appearance and they have not won the championship.

The North Carolina State Wolf Pack are led by Head Coach Elliot Avent. Their top seven hitters are Trea Turner (.378), Jake Fincher (.327), Bryan Adametz (.298), Tarran Senay (.291), Grant Clyde (.278), Jake Armstrong (.267) and Brett Austin (.258) with Senay leading the team with eight home runs followed by Turner with seven. Their top three starting pitchers are Carlos Rodon (9-2, 3.19), Ethan Ogburn (5-3, 2.70) and Brad Stone (3-2, 5.28) with Grant Sasser being their main closer with eight saves. In the 2013 MLB draft they had two players taken: John Easley (Marlins, 23rd round) and Anthony Tzamtzis (Rays, 32nd). This is their second CWS appearance and they have not won the championship.

The second game Saturday has 44-17 UCLA taking on 57-9 fourth seed Louisiana State. UCLA advanced to Omaha by sweeping fifth seed Cal State Fullerton 5-3 and 3-0. LSU won their super regional by sweeping Oklahoma 2-0 and 11-1.

The UCLA Bruins are led by Head Coach John Savage. Their top seven hitters are Kevin Kramer (.279), Eric Filia (.278), Pat Gallagher (.277), Trent Chatterton (.260), Brian Carroll (.259), Pat Valaika (.257) and Brenton Allen (.247) with Valaika leading the team with five home runs followed by Kramer with three. Their top three starting pitchers are Nick Vander Tuig (12-4, 2.37), Adam Plutko (8-3, 2.35) and Grant Watson (8-3, 3.22) with David Berg being their main closer with 21 saves. In the 2013 MLB draft they had seven players taken: Vander Tuig (Giants, 6th round), Zach Weiss (Reds, 6th), Valaika (Rockies, 9th), Plutko (Indians, 11th), Allen (Nationals, 20th), Kevin Williams (Marlins, 29th) and Ryan Deeter (Brewers, 32nd). This is their fifth CWS appearance and they have not won the championship.

The Louisiana State Tigers are led by Head Coach Paul Mainieri. Their top seven hitters are Alex Bregman (.380), Mason Katz (.366), Raph Rhymes (.343), Sean McMullen (.317), Christian Ibarra (.315), JaCoby Jones (.299) and Mark Laird (.297) with Katz leading the team with 15 home runs followed by Bregman, Ibarra and Jones all tied with six. Their top three starting pitchers are Aaron Nola (12-0, 1.68), Cody Glenn (7-2, 2.41) and Ryan Eades (8-1, 2.79) with Chris Cotton being their main closer with 16 saves. In the 2013 MLB draft they had nine players taken: Eades (Twins, 2nd round), Jones (Pirates, 3rd), Katz (Cardinals, 4th), Nick Rumbelow (Yankees, 7th), Will LaMarche (Tigers, 9th), Ty Ross (Giants, 12th), Cotton (Astros, 14th), Rhymes (Tigers, 15th) and Ibarra (Pirates, 32nd). This is their 16th CWS appearance and they have won six championships.

Play ball!

(Editor's note: Again this year population-we™ and Baseball Me Love team up to bring CWS fans a glimpse into the elite eight making the trip to Omaha. Good luck to all the teams!)

- population-we™ blog post by John Bohan

© 2013 population-we, LLC

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