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May 30, 2003
Coral Gables Regional Capsules
1. Miami Hurricanes
Miami, Fla.
At-large bid as an independent
2003 record - 39-14-1
Coach: Jim Morris (Elon, 1976)
Record at school: 466-162-2, 10 years
Overall record: 1097-444-3, 26 years
Assistant coaches: Lazar Collazo, Gino DiMare, Greg Lovelady
Team offense: .316 BA, 480 R, 62 HR, .495 SLG%, .411 OB%, 113/150 SB
Team pitching: 4.14 ERA, 486.2 IP, 486 H, 223 BB, 410 K
Top hitters: Ryan Braun (.358/14/66), Adam Ricks (.339/4/50), Danny
Figueroa (.332/3/21/37 SB), Brian Barton (.324/7/46/14), Gaby Sanchez
(.321/6/50), Jim Burt (.308/10/39), Erick San Pedro (.304/3/32), Paco Figueroa
(.276/3/26), Joey Hooft (.381/3/25)
Top pitchers: J.D. Cockroft (10-2, 2.40, 101.1 IP,
96 H, 27 BB, 79 K), Vince Bongiovanni (6-4, 4.05, 60 IP, 54 H, 32 BB, 63 K),
Brandon Camardese (9-0, 4.42, 75.1 IP, 78 H, 32 BB, 57 K), George Huguet (3-2, 8
saves, 1.52, 41.1 IP, 33 H, 11 BB, 46 K), Andrew Lane (2-1, 3.71, 17 IP, 13 H, 9
BB, 9 K), Shawn Valdes-Fauli (2-0, 3 saves, 4.06, 37.2 IP, 40 H, 15 BB, 38 K),
Israel Chirino (2-0, 4.82, 18.2 IP, 15 H, 16 BB, 20 K), Alex Perez (2-2, 6.57,
37 IP, 44 H, 13 BB, 18 K), Marcelo Albir (1-2, 7.15, 22.2 IP, 31 H, 14 BB, 15 K)
Last NCAA appearance: 2002 (3-1 at Gainesville Regional. 1-2 at Columbia
Super Regional)
Notes: The Hurricanes are back in the field - are you ready for this -
for the 31st straight season. Miami has four national titles under its belt. It
has been a regional host 18 times and has advanced to the College World Series
15 of those times. In the fall, coach Jim Morris said that Erick San Pedro had
improved the most, and that carried over to a .304 average. The 'Canes have
speed and power, with Danny Figueroa having the best wheels. There's not much
let up in the offense, with Ryan Braun and Adam Ricks leading the way. Jim Burt
is a two-time Verizon Academic All-American for District III, and he's also one
of Miami's most clutch players. The 3-millionth fan visited Mark Light Field
this season. The pitching's solid bad with J.D. Cockroft and Brandon Camardese
combining to go 19-2. But neither are huge strikeout guys. Miami has reached
Omaha in seven of coach Jim Morris' previous eight seasons.
2. Florida Atlantic Owls
Boca Raton, Fla.
At-large bid from Atlantic Sun Conference
2003 record - 25-8, 46-14 (first)
Coach: Kevin Cooney (Montclair State, 1972)
Record at school: 425-310-4, 17 years
Overall record: 565-360-9
Assistant coaches: John McCormack, George Roig, Dickie Hart
Team offense: .315 BA, 459 R, 65 HR, .481 SLG%, .402 OBA%, 70-98 SB
Team pitching: 3.21 ERA, 498.1 IP, 443 H, 162 BB, 412 K
Top hitters: Jeff Fiorentino (.386/14/46/14 SB), Rusty Brown
(.373/10/64), Matt Pali (.354/9/43), Tim Mascia (.348/1/13), Shaen O’Connor
(.325/4/26), Mike Murray (.321/0/23), Derek Hutton (.294/5/32), Evan Brannon
(.294/1/27), Rob Horst (.284/7/36), Robert Orton (.281/3/23), Mike Cox
(.268/11/45).
Top pitchers: Randy Beam (13-1, 2.50, 93.2 IP, 69 H, 17 BB, 78 K), Danny
Core (9-2, 3.33, 100 IP, 85 H, 32 BB, 95 K), Travis Nesmith (7-2, 3.95, 66, 71
H, 21 BB, 35 K), Chris Pillsbury (8-4, 4 saves, 4.39, 65.2 IP, 68 H, 24 BB, 57
K); Matt O’Brien (1-1, 1.77, 40.2 IP, 33 H, 10 BB, 35 K), Chris Saxton (4-4, 5
saves, 1.99, 54.1 IP, 43 H, 14 BB, 43 K).
Last NCAA appearance: 2002 (3-1 at Tuscaloosa Regional, 0-2 at Atlanta
Super Regional)
Notes: The Owls reached the Super Regional last year after beating
Auburn, Southeast Missouri and Alabama at the Tuscaloosa Regional. FAU mowed
through the Atlantic Sun regular season, then lost to Jacksonville in the first
round of the tourney. Outside of the tough A-Sun, it has quality wins over Miami
and Rutgers. Randy Beam was a first-team pitcher in the A-Sun, limiting hitters
to a .196 average. Rusty Brown and Jeff Fiorentino also made the A-Sun’s first
team. Owls pitchers have struck out 412 batters, compared to only 162 walks. The
Owls have strung together at least five straight wins six times this season.
Coach Kevin Cooney is a member of the Montclair State Hall of Fame and was a
1972 draft pick of the Minnesota Twins. Before suffering a shoulder injury that
ended his career, he went 21-11 on the mound in his minor-league career.
3. Florida Gators
Gainesville, Fla.
At-large bid from Southeastern Conference
2003 Record – 13-16-1, 34-19-1 (third in SEC East)
Coach – Pat McMahon (Stetson, 1976)
Record at school – 80-38-1, two years
Overall record – 433-212-1, 11 years
Assistant coaches – John Cohen, Ross Jones, Brian
Fleetwood
Team offense - .314 BA, 460 R, 65 HR, .497 SLG%,
.405 OB%, 55/69 SB
Team pitching – 4.13, 477 IP, 513 H, 124 BB, 357 K
Top hitters – Brett Dowdy (.364/4/40/13 SB), Brian
Rose (.362/12/45), Ben Harrison (.347/10/53/14 SB), C.J. Smith (.339/16/60),
Jonathan Tucker (.328/0/23/11 SB), Mario Garza (.307/9/54), Jeff Corsaletti
(.300/4/36), Justin Tordi (.273/4/23)
Top pitchers – Justin Hoyman (8-5, 3.22, 103.1 IP,
93 H, 29 BB, 71 K), Tommy Boss (2-3, 1 save, 3.38, 45.1 IP, 46 H, 9 BB, 30 K),
Connor Falkenbach (4-2, 2 saves, 3.61, 52.1 IP, 55 H, 7 BB, 48 K), Darren O’Day
(3-3, 3.82, 35.1 IP, 40 H, 4 BB, 32 K), Mike Pete (4-2, 4.15, 65 IP, 71 H, 9 BB,
37 K)
Last NCAA appearance – 2002 (3-2 at Gainesville
Regional)
Notes – The Gators are making their fourth straight
trip to the NCAA Tournament and 21st overall appearance. Florida has
been to the College World Series four times. Coach Pat McMahon took Mississippi
State to Omaha in 1998. The Gators are 21-3 in non-conference contests. Florida
is 33-3-1 when scoring five or more runs, 1-16 scoring four or less. The Gators
set a school record by getting hit by 74 pitches. 57 of Florida’s 65 home runs
came at home.
4. Bethune-Cookman Wildcats
Daytona Beach, Fla.
Automatic bid - won Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
Tournament
2003 record - 11-5, 30-26 (first in Southern
Division)
Coach: Mervyl Melendez (Bethune-Cookman, 1996)
Record at school: 128-113, four years
Overall record: Same
Assistant coaches: Joel Sanchez, Matt Knox
Team offense: .301 BA, 359 R, 23 HR, .413 SLG%, .392
OBA%, 136/177 SB
Team pitching: 4.59 ERA, 464.1 IP, 505 H, 238 BB,
344 K
Top hitters: John Gragg (.424/3/55/21 SB), Sebastien
Boucher (.357/0/44/47 SB), Brad Frick (.349/1/17), Luis Turmero (.326/0/15),
Carlos Garcia (.299/0/21), Roberto Rodriguez (.284/6/38), Juan Figueroa
(.279/4/45).
Top pitchers: Mumba Rivera (6-3, 3.15, 71.1 IP, 64
H, 43 BB, 58 K), John Gragg (7-3, 3.26, 69 IP, 54 H, 21 BB, 73 K), Doug
Hosterman (3-0, 2 saves, 3.57, 35.1, 40 H, 10 BB, 15 K), Cole Irvine (3-2, 3
saves, 3.80, 47.1 IP, 48 H, 17 BB, 42 K).
Last NCAA appearance: 2002 (1-2 at Gainesville
Regional)
Notes: The Wildcats, who beat Florida International
last year in the NCAA regionals, are making their fifth straight trip to the
NCAA tournament after capturing the MEAC title again. This time, it wasn’t so
easy, as B-CC lost in the semifinals and stormed back to take two games from
Florida A&M to return to the field. Senior outfielder/pitcher John Gragg was
named the MEAC’s player of the year and the MEAC tourney’s MVP, earning the win
that put the Wildcats in the final game of the tourney. Cole Irvine was named
the MEAC’s rookie of the year. Coach Mervyl Melendez was a third
baseman/reliever who ended his career with a .342 average. The Wildcats started
the year 0-9, thanks in part to five losses (two close) to Florida Atlantic.
They took two of three from Florida International to get going, and picked up
quality wins against Elon (2), Florida International, Maine and Central Florida.
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