2008 Houston Super Regional

Rice Owls

Houston, Texas

At-large bid from Conference USA, 3-0 in Houston Regional

2008 record: 21-3, 45-13 (first in Conference USA)

Head coach: Wayne Graham (Texas, 1970)

Record at school: 785-297, 17 years

Overall record: 785-297, 17 years

Assistant coaches:  Mike Taylor, Dave Pierce, Patrick Hallmark

Team offense: .308 BA, 432 R, 51 HR, .453 SLG%, .402 OBP, 56 SB

Team pitching: 3.55 ERA, 522.1 IP, 515 H, 191 BB, 524 K

Top hitters: Diego Seastrunk (.363/5/56/19 2B), J.P. Padron (.355/5/40/12 2B), Rick Hague (.346/8/48/18 2B), Aaron Luna (.319/9/52/17 HBP), Jared Gayhart (.318/6/45/15 2B), Adam Zornes (.306/11/52/10 2B), Chad Mozingo (.298/2/30), Jimmy Comerota (.293/0/27/10 SH)

Top pitchers: Ryan Berry (8-4, 3.00, 96 IP, 89 H, 26 BB, 84 K), Chris Kelley (5-1, 3.28, 68.2 IP, 87 H, 19 BB, 59 K), Matt Evers (4-1, 2.63 ERA, 41 IP, 34 H, 21 BB, 54 K), Cole St. Clair (9-2, 5 SV, 2.65, 54.1 IP, 16 BB, 60 K), Matt Langwell (5-1, 4.38, 72 IP, 74 H, 28 BB, 62 K)

Last NCAA appearance: 2007 (College World Series semifinalist)

Notes: Rice has won 40 games for the 14th consecutive season. The Owls have outscored their opponents 59-28 in the first inning. Rice is 38-1 when leading after seven innings and 39-1 when leading after eight. The 2003 national champions are making their 14th consecutive NCAA tournament appearance. Rice has reached Omaha six times. The Owls were 11-4 against nationally-ranked teams during the regular season. Rice won its third consecutive Conference USA championship, but did not repeat as the conference tournament champion after being upset by eighth-seeded UAB and fifth-seeded East Carolina in their two games in New Orleans. Before the upsets in the conference tournament, Rice had won 22 of 23 games. Rick Hague was named a Freshman All-American. Bryan Price was the 45^th player taken in the MLB Draft. Price was selected by Boston.

Texas A&M Aggies

College Station, Texas

At-large bid from Big 12, 3-1 in College Station Regional

2008 Record: 19-8, 46-17 (first in Big 12)

Head coach: Rob Childress (Northwood, 1990)

Record at school: 119-66-1, 3 years

Overall record: 119-66-1, 3 years

Assistant coaches: Matt Deggs, Jeremy Talbot, Andy Sawyers

Team offense: .315 BA, 504 R, 81 HR, .505 SLG%, .408 OB%, 87-122 SB

Team pitching: 3.95 ERA, 569.1 IP, 561 hits, 201 BB, 496 K

Top hitters: Jose Duran (.382/6/67/14-21 SB), Dane Carter (.379/8/60/15-18 SB), Luke Anders (.344/16/56/21 HBP), Darby Brown (.338/12/68/18 HBP), Brian Ruggiano (.319/9/45/13 2B), Kyle Colligan (.318/14/38/17 2B), Blake Stouffer (.256/5/37/16-20 SB)

Top pitchers: Kyle Thebeau (6-4, 3 SV, 1.95, 73.2 IP, 54 H, 34 BB, 76 K), Clayton Ehlert (6-2, 3.41, 68.2 IP, 78 H, 10 BB, 48 K), Travis Starling (8-1, 9 SV, 3.55, 45.2 IP, 46 H, 14 BB, 39 K), Barret Loux (6-2, 4.27, 84.1 IP, 70 H, 34 BB, 80 K), Brooks Raley (7-2, 4.33, 89.1 IP, 92 H, 25 BB, 67 K)

Last NCAA appearance: 2007 (4-1 in College Station Regional, 0-2 in Houston Super Regional)

Notes: Childress led the Aggies to the Super Regional last year in one of the biggest recent turnarounds as the Aggies won 48 games in ’07 compared to 25 in ’06. This year the Aggies won their first Big 12 regular season title since 1999. Childress was named Big 12 Coach of the Year and junior shortstop Jose Duran was named Big 12 Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year. Duran is second in Division I with 102 hits. The Aggies lost their last six games of the regular season. Senior Blake Stouffer is inducted in the Little League Hall of Fame. Duran’s brother, German, is a top prospect in the Texas Rangers organization. Texas A&M leads Rice 175-89-2. The Owls defeated the Aggies 11-2 on April 15 in College Station. A&M fell at Rice last season in the Super Regionals. Aggies have been hit by a school-record 98 pitches, surpassing the mark of 75 set a year ago. A&M is 35-1 when leading after seven innings and 36-1 when leading after eight.