2007 Tempe Regional

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

 

1. Arizona State Sun Devils

Phoenix, Arizona

Automatic bid – won Pac-10 regular-season title

2007 record: 19-5, 43-13 (1st in Pac-10)

Coach: Pat Murphy (Florida Atlantic, 1982)

Record at school: 523-255-1, 13 years

Overall record: 894-428-4, 23 years

Assistant coaches: Tim Esmay, Turtle Thomas, Andy Stankiewicz

Team offense: .349 BA, 537 R, 67 HR, .536 SLG, .438 OBA, 77/102 SB

Team pitching: 4.19 ERA, 498 IP, 498 H, 221 BB, 389 K

Top hitters: Brett Wallace (.426 BA, 69 R, 15 HR, .735 SLG, 9 SB), Eric Sogard (.390 BA, 68 R, 10 HR, .624 SLG, 17 SB), Matt Spencer (.381 BA, 42 R, 8 HR, .637 SLG, 7 SB), Petey Paramore (.371 BA, 58 R, 5 HR, .531 SLG, 4 SB), Kiel Roling (.365 BA, 51 R, 13 HR, .647 SLG), Ike Davis (.358 BA, 50 R, 6 HR, .542 SLG, 6 SB), Tim Smith (.350 BA, 50 R, 3 HR, .484 SLG, 8 SB), Andrew Romine (.306 BA, 49 R, .377 SLG, 19 SB).

Top pitchers: Josh Satow (2.23 ERA, 117 IP, 95 H, 46 BB, 106 K), Mike Leake (3.72 ERA, 101.2 IP, 97 H, 26 BB, 75 K), Brian Flores (4.00 ERA, 108 IP, 103 H, 44 BB, 79 K).

Last NCAA appearance: 2006 (1-2 at Houston Regional)

Notes: Brett Wallace was a projected 1st thru 5th round pick coming out of Justin Siena High School. He showed incredible bat speed in high school.  When he was not selected until the 42nd round by Toronto, he decided to go to ASU instead of signing out of high school. He has lead ASU to there 7th Pac-10 championship.  ASU coach Pat Murphy was named Pac-10 conference coach of the year this year.

 

2. UC Riverside Highlanders

Riverside, California

Automatic bid - won Big West regular-season title

2007 record: 16-5, 37-19 (1st in Big West)

Coach: Doug Smith (UC Riverside, 1975)

Record at school: 94-71, 3 years

Overall Record: same

Assistant coaches: Andrew Checketts, Randy Betten, Bobby Calderon

Team offense: .293 BA, 349 R, 47 HR, .441 SLG, .378 OBA, 40/62 SB

Team pitching: 3.42 ERA, 479.1 IP, 461 H, 170 BB, 438 K

Top hitters: Joey Gonzales (.346 BA, 37 R, 2 HR, .469 SLG, 9 SB), Jaime Pedroza (.324 BA, 51 R, 12 HR, .574 SLG, 5 SB), Aaron Wible (.322 BA, 34 R, 10 HR, .543 SLG, 2 SB), Carl Uhl (.308 BA, 56 R, .379 SLG, 15 SB), Mike Vass (.286 BA, 24 R, 9 HR, .550 SLG, 2 SB), Mark Samuelson (.277 BA, 41 R, 6 HR, .451 SLG, 3 SB).

Top pitchers: James Simmons (2.32 ERA, 116.1 IP, 96 H, 13 BB, 113 K), Marc Rzepczynski (2.72 ERA, 72.2 IP, 63 H, 25 BB, 84 K), Pat Cassa (4.06 ERA, 77.2 IP, 83 H, 22 BB, 55 K), Stephen Penney (4.34 ERA, 37.1 IP, 30 H, 12 BB, 35 K).

Last NCAA appearance: 2003 (1-2 at Palo Alto Regional)

Notes: The current UC Riverside player not only receives pitching tips but a major league caliber locker room/clubhouse courtesy of former Angel closer Troy Percival. He not only paid for it but he built it himself for the program that he once played for. Drew Garcia is the grandson of former major league manager Dave Garcia. Transfer Mike Vass was inducted into Cypress Community College Hall of Fame in 2006 before becoming a Highlander.

 

3. Nebraska Cornhuskers

Lincoln, Neb.

At-large bid from Big 12

2007 record – 14-13, 30-25 (fourth in Big 12)

Coach: Mike Anderson (Northern Colorado, 1990)

Record at school: 212-98, five years

Overall record: Same

Assistant coaches: Dave Bingham, Andy Sawyers, Justin Seely

Team offense: .285 BA, 310 R, 31 HR, .397 SLG%, .379 OBA%, 58/77 SB

Team pitching: 4.32 ERA, 485 IP, 484 H, 206 BB, 435 K

Top hitters: Jeff Tezak (.331/3/34), Andrew Brown (.316/9/41), Craig Corriston (.314/5/37), DJ Belfonte (.312/0/15/10 SB), Andy Gerch (.296/4/29), Jake Opitz (.275/5/43).

Top pitchers: Luke Wertz (4-0, 2.05, 57 IP, 45 H, 13 BB, 61 K), Matt Foust (1-4, 7 SV, 61 IP, 54 H, 28 BB, 53 K), Tony Watson (6-3, 3.94, 93.2 IP, 91 H, 26 BB, 80 K), Johnny Dorn (9-3, 5.68, 84 H, 32 BB, 59 K).

Last NCAA appearance: 2006 (0-2 at Lincoln Regional)

Notes: A year ago, the Cornhuskers were the No. 6 national seed and were shocked by Manhattan and San Francisco in two straight NCAA tourney games. This year, Mike Anderson’s bunch has gone through off-the-field turmoil - including the dismissal of shortstop Ryan Wehrle and other suspensions. They make it back to the postseason for the eighth time in nine years and will be hoping to make their fourth trip to Omaha since 2001. Andrew Brown is the offensive leader, lacing a team-high 19 doubles. Tony Watson has put together a solid year after deciding to return for his junior year (drafted by Baltimore) and keeps the Cornhuskers in just about every game. Johnny Dorn has won 30 games in three seasons in Lincoln, but his nine wins are offset by an ERA approaching 6.

 

4. Monmouth Hawks
West Long Branch, N.J.
Automatic bid – won Northeast Conference Tournament

2007 record: 36-22-1, 17-10 (3rd in the NEC)
Coach: Dean Ehehalt (East Carolina, 1987)
Record at school: 359-344-2, 14 years
Overall record: 380-382-2, 16 years
Assistant coaches: Jeff Barbalinardo, Chuck Ristano, Mike Campagna
Team offense - .306 BA, 376 R, 33 HR, .417 SLG%, .389 OB%, 84/102 SB
Team pitching – 4.43 ERA, 477.0 IP, 503 H, 177 BB, 355 K
Top hitters – Andy Meyers (.395/9/64/18 2B), Kyle Higgins (.346/1/38/20 2B), Kyle Messineo (.346/8/36/41 SB), Chris Collazo (.319/1/32), Shawn Teters (.308/1/28), Rick Niederhaus (.290/3/32)

Top pitchers – Ryan Buch (9-2, 2.17, 74.2 IP, 60 H, 36 BB, 71 K), Brad Brach (9-2, 2.72, 92.2 IP, 85 H, 18 BB, 81 K), Matt Coulson (4-3, 5.52, 60.1 IP, 71 H, 20 BB, 33 K), Justin Esposito (3-1, 10 saves, 2.14, 21.0 IP, 23 H, 11 BB, 21 K),  Brett Brach (3-7, 6.10, 62.0 IP, 74 H, 25 BB, 37 K), Matt Frazier (3-1, 4.87, 44.1 IP, 45 H, 22 BB, 26 K)

Last NCAA appearance – 1999 (0-2 at College Station Regional)
Notes – The Monmouth University Hawks claimed their first NEC title since 1999 and for just the third time in the school’s history. The pitching staff led the Blue and White through the conference tournament as the hurlers carried a 1.29 ERA in the four games and held the opponents to a .200 batting average. The Brach brothers (Ryan and Brad) have combined for 12 wins, including Brad throwing the school’s first no-hitter since 1990. Brad Brach posted the no-hitter on April 13, 2007 as he guided the Hawks to a 2-0 victory over the Blackbirds of Long Island. What was hidden in the gem was the fact that Brach was just one hitter short of a perfect game as he walked LIU catcher Dan Etkin with one-out in the ninth inning on a 3-2 pitch