2007 Columbia (S.C.) Regional

(capsules compiled by Jamie Learakos, Stuart Smith, Scott Day, Sean Ryan, Phil Stanton)

1. South Carolina Gamecocks
Columbia, S.C.

At-large bid from SEC

2007 record: 17-13, 42-18 (second in SEC-East)

Coach: Ray Tanner (N.C. State, 1980)

Record at school: 496-218, 11 years

Overall record: 891-391, 20 years

Assistant coaches: Jim Toman, Mark Calvi, Monte Lee

Team offense - .300 BA, 470 R, 104 HR, .510 SLG%, .391 OB%, 48/62 SB

Team pitching - 3.79 ERA, 544.1 IP, 488 H, 221 BB, 568 SO

Top hitters – James Darnell (.338/18/60), Phil Disher (.335/14/56/15 2B), Travis Jones (.326/18/63/15 HBP), Trent Kline (.311/5/37/18 2B), Justin Smoak (.304/18/65/14 2B), Andrew Crisp (.292/7/24), Harley Lail (.282/4/25/10 SB)

Top pitchers – Curtis Johnson (0-2, 2 saves, 2.86, 34.2 IP, 23 H, 14 BB, 48 K), Arik Hempy (5-3, 2.87, 53.1 IP, 45 H, 25 BB, 55 K), Jeff Jeffords (6-1, 4 saves, 2.96, 45.2 IP, 28 H, 17 BB, 56 K), Harris Honeycutt (7-5, 1 save, 3.78, 83.1 IP, 72 H, 38 BB, 97 K), Mike Cisco (6-2, 3.91, 78.1 IP, 73 H, 15 BB, 68 K), Blake Cooper (7-2, 4.53, 59.2 IP, 65 H, 23 BB, 44 K)

Last NCAA appearance - 2006 (won Charlottesville Regional, 1-2 at Athens Super Regional)

Notes – South Carolina is going to the NCAA Tournament for the eighth straight season and the ninth time under Ray Tanner. The Gamecocks have gone to the College World Series in three of the past five seasons. The Gamecocks have hosted a regional in five of the past eight years and 11 total times. Adam and Andrew Crisp are twin brothers. The Gamecocks have four players with double-figure home runs. USC has hit 104 home runs, compared to 36 by its opponents.

2. North Carolina State Wolfpack
Raleigh, N.C.

At-large bid from ACC

2007 record: 16-14, 37-21 (third in ACC-Atlantic)

Coach: Elliot Avent (Virginia Commonwealth University, 1983)

Record at school: 413-254, 11 years

Overall record: 638-465, 19 years

Assistant coaches: Tom Holliday, Chris Roberts, Chris Hart

Team offense: .301 BA, 401 R, 50 HR, .451 SLG, .399 OBA, 41/60 SB

Team pitching: 3.85 ERA, 519.1 IP, 494 H, 182 BB, 427 K

Top hitters: Dallas Poulk (.389/1/24), Ryan Pond (.330/6/38), Pat Ferguson (.329/3/23), Marcus Jones (.327/4/32), Mike Roskopf (.315/11/36), Joe Florio (.295/2/18)

Top pitchers: Eric Surkamp (4-4, 3.18, 90.2 IP, 84 H, 25 BB, 77 K), Andrew Brackman (6-4, 3.81, 78.0 IP, 78 H, 37 BB, 74 K), Jimmy Gillheeney (4-2, 5.78, 62.1 IP, 71 H, 22 BB, 44 K), Eryk McConnell (3-2, 1.19, 45.1 IP, 35 H, 11 BB, 30 K, 11 SV), Nate Karns (3-2, 2.67, 30.1 IP, 18 H, 17 BB, 24 K)

Last time in tournament: 2006 (2-2 Austin Regional)

Notes: The Wolfpack took two out of three games from Virginia and Clemson to end the season. NC State lost to Virginia and North Carolina in the ACC Tournament before defeating Georgia Tech, 8-7. The Wolfpack went 12-2 from March 11 thru April 4. The Pack are making their second NCAA Tournament appearance in as many years. NC State placed two players on the All-ACC second team. Senior catcher Caleb Mangum was named to the team for the second straight year after hitting .300 in ACC contests with 24 doubles in 30 ACC games. Sophomore hurler Eric Surkamp was named to the team for his 2.94 ERA and 75 strikeouts.

3. Charlotte 49ers

Charlotte, N.C.
Automatic bid from Atlantic 10 Conference
2007 record: 23-4, 47-10 (First in Atlantic 10)
Coach: Loren Hibbs (Wichita State, 1984)
Record at school: 450-383-3, 15 years
Overall record: same
Assistant coaches: Brandon Hall, Bo Durkac, Grant Achilles
Team offense: .320 BA, 425 R, 32 HR, .464 SLG, .395 OBA, 74/94 SB
Team pitching: 2.31 ERA (tops in the nation), 514.1 IP, 413 H, 134 BB, 421 K
Top hitters: Brad McElroy (.412/10/65), Kris Rochelle (.392/5/45), Aaron Bray (.346/0/29), Chris Taylor (.344/7/59), Cory Lane (.306/6/48)

Top pitchers: Adam Mills (13-2, 1.06, 135.2 IP, 87 H, 26 BB, 136 K), Spencer Steedley (8-1, 2.56 IP, 79 H, 33 BB, 88 K), Zach Rosenbaum (9-1, 2.97, 78.2 IP, 62 H, 22 BB, 59 K), Bryan Hamilton (6-1, 29.0 IP, 14 H, 8 BB, 27 K, 3 SV), Sam Pierce (2-1, 1.11, 24.1 IP, 22 H, 8 BB, 18 K), Matt Foard (2-2, 3.00, 33.0 IP, 29 H, 3 BB, 30 K, 2 SV)
Last time in tournament: 1998 (0-2 College Station, Texas Regional)

Notes: Adam Mills was recently named to the All-America First-Team by Louisville Slugger. The 49ers ride a nine-game winning streak into the postseason, after sweeping the Atlantic 10 tournament last weekend. The Niners set A-10 Tournament records for hits in one game (25) and runs in three games (44). Charlotte outscored opponents 44-9 in the tournament and 87-18 in their current win streak. This is Charlotte's third NCAA  Tournament appearance (1993, 1998) and the Niners are looking for their first win in the postseason. Charlotte landed five players on the All-A-10 Team. Adam Mills was the league's Pitcher of the Year and Loren Hibbs was Coach of the Year. Mills and Spencer Steedley hogged the league's first-team starting pitcher spots, with third baseman Aaron Bray, catcher Kris Rochelle and outfielder Brad McElroy as first-team selections. Second baseman Cory Lane and designated hitter Chris Taylor were second-team selections, with Bryan Hamilton making the All-Rookie team. 
 

4. Wofford Terriers

Spartanburg, S.C.

Automatic bid - won Southern Conference Tournament

2007 record: 8-9, 30-31 (ninth in Southern Conference)

Coach: Steve Traylor (Otterbein, 1973)

Record at school: 152-275, eight years

Overall record: 776-558-3, 27 years

Assistant coaches: Todd Interdonato, Scott Brickman, Jason Burke

Team offense: .304 BA, 441 R, 105 HR, .521 SLG, .385 OBA, 33/45 SB

Team pitching: 7.35 ERA, 521.2 IP, 685 H, 283 BB, 353 K

Top hitters: Brandon Waring (.405/27/73), Bradford Eaves (.363/4/25), Mike Gilmartin (.324/13/49), Shane Kirkley (.317/16/54), John Brandt (.304/14/61).

Top pitchers: Ben Austin (11-5, 4.03, 102.2 IP, 101 H, 53 BB, 90 K), Mike Gilmartin (1-3, 8 SV, 4.45, 32.1 IP, 41 H, 13 BB, 17 K), Austin Redwine (7-5, 6.68, 103.2 IP, 136 H, 85 H, 40 BB, 64 K), Zack Parmer (3-1, 7.85, 55 IP, 85 H, 17 BB, 30 K)

Last time in tournament: First appearance

Notes: The Terriers entered the Southern Conference tourney as the ninth seed, won their play-in game and then won the whole darn thing - the first time they have accomplished that feat. Wofford became the lowest seeded team from a conference tourney to reach the Regionals. Coach Steve Traylor is the recipient of a fantastic going-away present as he has announced that he will retire at the end of the year. Traylor was the first coach at Florida Atlantic before moving to Duke, where he went 357-284-1 and was the coach of the year in 1992. He was part of the first class to be inducted to FAU's athletic hall of fame in 2006. Brandon Waring put together as impressive a year as anyone in the country, slugging .870, walking 40-plus times, boasting a .520 on-base average and stealing 12 bases in addition to his 27 homers and 73 RBI. He went 14 for 25 with five homers and 16 RBI in the SoCon tourney. Ben Austin came up big, pitching on short rest and posting two wins in the tourney. The Terriers have totaled more than 100 homers, but their pitchers have allowed opponents to hit .318. The team ERA is 7.35, among the lowest in the tourney. With 1,250 students, Wofford is one of the smallest schools in the field.