2007 Wichita Regional

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

1. Wichita State Shockers

Wichita, Kan.

At-large bid from Missouri Valley Conference

2007 record – 20-4, 49-19 (first in MVC)

Coach: Gene Stephenson (Missouri, 1968)

Record at school: 1,601-530-3, 30 years

Overall record: Same

Assistant coaches: Brent Kemnitz, Jim Thomas, Jerod Goodale

Team offense: .298 BA, 443 R, 54 HR, .432 SLG%, .378 OBA%, 122/150 SB

Team pitching: 2.67 ERA, 606.2 IP, 514 H, 161 BB, 602 K

Top hitters: Damon Sublett (.360/5/41/14 SB), Derek Schermerhorn (.343/6/34/22 SB), Conor Gillaspie (.340/6/58), Matt Brown (.315/8/56/17 SB), Andy Dirks (.309/3/30/17 SB), Tyler Weber (.299/10/44).

Top pitchers: Noah Booth (6-1, 5 SV, 1.13, 47.2 IP, 39 H, 11 BB, 43 K), Noah Krol (1-1, 11 SV, 1.50, 30 IP, 20 H, 5 BB, 40 K), Anthony Capra (7-0, 1.57, 68.2 IP, 50 H, 24 BB, 72 K), Kyle Touchatt (2-1, 2.14, 46.2 IP, 37 H, 10 BB, 53 K), Aaron Shafer (7-2, 2.39, 71.2 IP, 58 H, 20 BB, 78 K), Rob Musgrave (9-2, 2.64, 95.1 IP, 81 H, 15 BB, 72 K), Travis Banwart (9-5, 2.66, 101.1 IP, 91 H, 28 BB, 97 K).

Last NCAA appearance: 2006 (2-2 at Norman Regional)

Notes: The Shockers lost to Creighton in the Missouri Valley Conference tourney final but appear in the NCAA tourney for the 25^th time in the past 28 years. Head coach Gene Stephenson (a former All-American baseball player who served in Vietnam) topped the 1,600-win mark with a win over Evansville in the tourney and ranks second to Texas’ Augie Garrido in wins, although he is tops in winning percentage. His latest edition is extremely dangerous, as WSU can pitch, pitch and pitch. Opponents hit at a .229 clip and score less than 3.5 runs per game. Noah Krol is a shutdown closer, striking out 40 and walking five as opponents hit .190. Not bad for a guy who started 50 games at shortstop in 2006. The Shockers have splendid starting pitching and a bevy of arms to help get to Krol. Rob Musgrave and Travis Banwart have been nothing short of brilliant as the primary starters, with Aaron Shafer and Anthony Capra adding depth. Offensively, WSU can run up and down the order. Conor Gillaspie is an Omaha native who led the team in slugging at .525 and roped 23 doubles. Derek Schermerhorn is a former finalist for “Mr. Football” in Iowa. Damon Sublett returned from an injury-marred sophomore season to post huge numbers, including a whopping 44 walks and a .462 on-base average. However, he no longer is called upon as a closer.

2. Arizona Wildcats

Tucson, Arizona

At-large bid from Pac-10

2007 record: 15-9, 40-15 (2^nd in Pac-10)

Coach: Andy Lopez (UCLA, 1975)

Record at school: 208-138-1, 6 years

Overall record: 895-556-7, 25 years

Assistant coaches: Jeff Casper, Keith Francis, Mark Wasikowski

Team offense: .310 BA, 386 R, 41 HR, .480 SLG, .394 OBA, 87/118 SB

Team pitching: 3.79 ERA, 466 IP, 456 H, 184 BB, 462 K

Top hitters: Bill Rhinehart (.359 BA, 47 R, 10 HR, .615 SLG, 5 SB), C.J. Ziegler (.347 BA, 52 R, 10 HR, .628 SLG), Brad Glenn (.344 BA, 42 R, 9 HR, .598 SLG, 8 SB), T.J. Steele (.340 BA, 38 R, 7 HR, .552 SLG, 19 SB), Colt Sedbrook (.329 BA, 42 R, 1 HR, .416 SLG, 5 SB), Jon Gaston (.329 BA, 35 R, 3 HR, .563 SLG, 11 SB), Diallo Fon (.302 BA, 31 R, 1 HR, .414 SLG, 10 SB), Robert Abel (.280 BA, 37 R, .369 SLG, 21 SB).

Top pitchers: Preston Guilmet (1.58 ERA, 120 IP, 86 H, 25 BB, 126 K), Jason Stoffel (2.38 ERA, 34 IP, 39 H, 12 BB, 36 K), Daniel Schlereth (2.76 ERA, 29.1 IP, 22 H, 24 BB, 42 K), Cory Burns (3.62 ERA, 27.1 IP, 27 H, 10 BB, 28 K).

Last NCAA appearance: 2006

Notes: Coach Andy Lopez takes his second-place in the Pac-10 Wildcats into the tournament with only two seniors (Brad Mills & Bill Rhinehart).  Pitcher Preston Guilmet has been very consistent all season and Bill Rhinehart is the team’s senior leader and a very hot hitter.  During senior week, he hit for the cycle vs. Washington, bringing back memories of former coach (the legendary) Jerry Kindal who himself hit for the cycle and is the only person ever in to win a college baseball national championship as a coach and as a player.  Kindal guided the Wildcats to three national titles in 24 years and coached 32 former Wildcats who went on to the major leagues. He played eight years in the big leagues and his fingerprints continue to be on Andy Lopez's 2007 Wildcats.

3. Oral Roberts Golden Eagles
Tulsa, Okla.
Automatic bid - won Mid-Continent Conference Tournament
2007 Record: 19-1, 40-15 (first in Mid-Con)
Coach: Rob Walton (Oklahoma State, 1986)

Record at school: 173-62, four years
Overall record: Same
Assistant coaches: Ryan Folmar, Ryan Neill, Brian Hickman

Team offense: .302 BA, 399 R, 59 HR, .460 SLG%, .391 OBA%, 65/74 SB

Team pitching: 3.33 ERA, 481 IP, 453 H, 165 BB, 478 K

Top hitters: Brendan Duffy (.362/1/29/21 SB), Jake Kahaulelio (.323/6/45), Kelly Minissale (.321/6/43), Pat Warfle (.320/3/34/20 SB), Brian Van Kirk (.304/9/40), Adam Younger (.285/4/38), Chad Rothford (.284/13/49).

Top pitchers: Chance Chapman (8-1, 1.23, 88 IP, 63 H, 26 BB, 121 K), Jerry Sullivan (5-0, 1.75, 51.1 IP, 40 H, 6 BB, 45 K), Jeremy Hefner (9-1, 2.53, 81.2 IP, 60 H, 25 BB, 105 K), Erik Crichton (4-4, 5 SV, 2.75, 55.2 IP, 48 H, 21 BB, 47 K), Chris Ashman (5-3, 5.33, 72.2 IP, 86 H, 23 BB, 50 K)

Last NCAA appearance: 2006 (3-0 at Fayetteville Regional, 0-2 at Clemson Super Regional)

Notes: A perfect 10 - that’s 10 straight Mid-Con titles for ORU, and the Golden Knights at 4 for 4 for coach Rob Walton, who has won 74 percent of his games in averaging 43 wins in his four seasons. Last year’s edition had Clemson on the ropes in the Super Regionals but couldn’t pull through. This year’s squad started a bit slowly by ORU standards - including three losses each to TCU and Texas and two each to Baylor, Cal and Long Beach State - but finished by winning 16 straight and 26 of 27. Jerry Sullivan has moved into a starter’s role to back Chance Chapman (.202 BAA) and Jeremy Hefner (.208 BAA). Brendan Duffy and Pat Warfle combined for 41 of the team’s 65 stolen bases. Chad Rothford slugs at a .524 clip. The pitching staff ranks in the top 20 in the nation in ERA and is ninth in strikeouts per 9 innings. ORU is 12th in fielding at .974.

4. New Orleans Privateers
New Orleans, La.
Automatic bid - won Sun Belt Tournament
2007 Record: 16-14, 37-24 (tied for second in Sun Belt)
Coach: Tom Walter (Georgetown, 1991)

Record at school: 87-91, three years
Overall record: 362-275, 11 years
Assistant coaches: Bruce Peddie, Kirk Bullinger

Team offense: .299BA, 462 R, 89 HR, .496 SLG%, .380 OBA%, 103/134 SB

Team pitching: 5.10 ERA, 545.2 IP, 644 H, 167 BB, 402 K

Top hitters: Johnny Giavotella (.372/11/60/16 SB), T.J. Baxter (.372/11/60), Joey Butler (.343/5/22/16 SB), Brandon Bowser (.289/6/37/24 SB), Josh Tarnow (.282/11/36), Drew Anderson (.278/15/49), Greg Wolfe (.250/11/45).

Top pitchers: Adam Campbell (4-1, 7 SV, 1.73, 36.1 IP, 31 H, 5 BB, 31 K), Stephen Whalen (8-5, 4 SV, 3.68, 63.2 IP, 61 H, 33 BB, 56 K), Bryan Cryer (8-4, 5.28, 105.2 IP, 131 H, 23 BB, 85 K), Justin Garcia (6-4, 5.58, 100 IP, 124 H, 23 BB, 61 K), Ryan O'Shea (2-4, 5.81, 91.1 IP, 129 H, 25 BB, 52 K).

Last NCAA appearance: 2000

Notes: Before the 2006 season, New Orleans spent the fall in Las Cruces, N.M., in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The Privateers went out and went .500 in the Sun Belt and improved by 10 games in the win column. This year, they improved by seven games and are in the tourney. Coach Tom Walter won 275 games in eight seasons at George Washington before arriving at UNO. Coach Kirk Bullinger is a former major-league pitcher and the brother of pitcher Jim Bullinger. Johnny Giavotella had a fantastic sophomore season in being named all-Sun Belt, slugging .674, walking 52 times and garnering an on-base average of .488. T.J. Baxter racked up 43 walks. UNO offers a mix of speed and power, with five guys with 10 or more homers and more than 100 stolen bases on the year. Mark McGonigle is an outfielder, and brother Jim pitches for the Privateers. Closer Adam Campbell had a brilliant year after having an 8.46 ERA last year.