2006 Houston Super Regional

(special thanks to Steve Jones for his assistance in compiling information for these capsules)

2. Rice Owls
Houston, Texas

Automatic bid from Conference USA

Won Houston Regional (3-0)

2006 record: 22-2, 53-10 (first in C-USA)

Coach: Wayne Graham (Texas, 1970)

Record at school: 680-267, 15 years

Overall record: same

Assistant coaches: David Pierce, Mike Taylor, Patrick Hallmark

Team offense: .320 BA, 490 R, 70 HR, .510 SLG, .414 OBA, 72/102 SB

Team pitching: 3.02 ERA, 557.2 IP, 464 H, 230 BB, 594 K

Top hitters: Brian Friday (.377/8/52/17 SB), Josh Rodriguez (.346/9/58/10 SB), Greg Buchanan (.346/5/41/12 SB), Tyler Henley (.339/7/52), Joe Savery (.336/7/59), Aaron Luna (.318/14/48), Jordan Dodson (.306/6/39)

Top pitchers: Cole St. Clair (5-2, 1.55, 11 SV, 64 IP, 29 H, 224 BB, 91 K), Eddie Degerman (12-1, 1.67, 113 IP, 68 H, 45 BB, 150 K), Joe Savery (5-1, 2.76, 62 IP, 55 H, 24 BB, 62 K), Will McDaniel (7-1, 2.86, 56.2 IP, 48 H, 22 BB, 37 K), Craig Crow (8-1, 3.08, 79 IP, 80 H, 31 BB, 85 K), Bobby Bell (8-0, 3.67, 3 SV, 68.2 IP, 67 H, 21 BB, 59 K)

Last time in tournament: 2005 (3-0 at Baton Rouge Regional, 1-2 at New Orleans Super Regional)

Notes: Rice has the best record in the nation at 53-10. The Owls have won 35 of their past 37 contests. Rice is playing in its sixth Super Regional and is a host for the fourth time in the past seven years. The Owls have made four College World Series appearances (1997, 1999, 2002, 2003). Rice won the national title in 2003. Pitcher Eddie Degerman was named Most Outstanding Player for the Houston Regional. He fanned 14 Baylor batters on Sunday. Rice is 23rd in the nation in batting average (.320), seventh in slugging percentage (.510) and eighth in doubles per game (2.40). The Owls lead the nation in strikeouts per nine innings (9.6) and are third nationally in ERA (3.02).

Oklahoma Sooners

Norman, Okla.

At-large bid from Big 12 Conference

Won Norman Regional (4-1)

2006 Record: 17-10, 44-20 (tied for third in Big 12)

Coach: Sunny Golloway (Oklahoma Christian, 1984)

Record at school: 56-26, two years

Overall record: 391-182, 10 years

Assistant coaches: Fred Corral, Tim Tadlock, Andrew McGuire

Team offense: .325 BA, 472 R, 51 HR, .467 SLG, .401 OBA, 82/113 SB

Team pitching: 4.89 ERA, 564.2 IP, 620 H, 184 BB, 461 K

Top hitters: Ryan Rohlinger (.377/12/63), Russell Raley (.360/1/27), Chuckie Caufield (.358/9/49/18 SB), Aaron Reza (.324/1/33), Freddy Rodriguez (.322/1/36), Kevin Smith (.317/9/65), Kody Kaiser (.310/6/41/14 SB), Jackson Williams (.297/3/34), Joe Dunigan (.297/4/27), Aaron Ivey (.279/1/10)

Top pitchers: Steven Guerra (11-3, 3.59, 105.1 IP, 97 H, 28 BB, 71 K), Daniel McCutchen (9-8, 4.00, 1 SV, 139.2 IP, 133 H, 41 BB, 138 K), Will Savage (7-2, 5.01, 10 SV, 55.2 IP, 73 H, 16 BB, 45 K), John Brownell (5-0, 5.04, 2 SV, 75 IP, 85 H, 20 BB, 65 K), P.J. Sandoval (6-5, 5.42, 79.2 IP, 99 H, 16 BB, 49 K)

Last time in tournament: 2005 (2-2 at Oxford Regional).

Notes: Sunny Golloway, the former head coach at Oral Roberts, is in his first full season as head coach of the Sooners after taking over on an interim bases last year when Larry Cochell resigned. Oklahoma won its first regional crown since 1995 and is making its first Super Regional appearance. The Sooners have been to the College World Series nine times and have won two national championships (1951, 1994). OU and Rice split two games this season. The Sooners lost 8-2 at Rice before thumping the Owls 15-3 in Norman. Ryan Rohlinger leads the Sooners with a .377 batting average and 12 home runs. Rohlinger was the Most Outstanding Player in the Norman Regional. Chuckie Caufield leads OU with 17 doubles and 18 stolen bases. Daniel McCutchen pitched 5.2 innings of relief on short rest to earn the win against Wichita State in the championship game of the Norman Regional.