2008 Long Beach Regional

1. Long Beach State 49ers, Dirtbags

Long Beach, California

Automatic bid - won Big West title

2008 record: 16-8, 37-19 (Tied for first in Big West)

Head coach: Mike Weathers (Chapman, 1971)

Record at school: 262-150, seven years

Overall record: 541-430-2

Assistant coaches: Jon “Doc” Strauss, Andy Rojo, TJ Bruce

Team offense: .290 BA, 38 R, 13 HR, 51 RBI, .475 SLG, .359 OBA, 41/66 SB

Team pitching: 3.14 ERA, 501.0 IP, 500 H, 108 BB, 410 K

Top hitters: Shane Peterson (.399 BA, 49 R, 7 HR, 50 RBI, .601 SLG, .510 OBA, 10 SB), Jordan Casas (.341 BA, 8 R, 4 RBI, .366 SLG, .510 OBA, 1 SB), Jonathan Jones (.338 BA, 36 R, 16 RBI, .401 SLG, .420 OBA, 4 SB), Jason Tweedy (.315 BA, 19 R, 2 HR, 19 RBI, .450 SLG, .397 OBA, 2 SB), Danny Espinosa (.311 BA, 47 R, 4 HR, 36 RBI, .475 SLG, .398 OBA, 9 SB), Jason Corder (.305 BA, 38 R, 13 HR, 51 RBI, .615 SLG, .359 OBA, 1 SB)

Top pitchers: Bryan Shaw (1.29 ERA, 28.0 IP, 22 H, 5 BB, 34 K, 8 saves), Andrew Liebel (1.81 ERA, 109.2 IP, 95 H, 17 BB, 92 K), Nick Vincent (1.91 ERA, 28.1 IP, 18 H, 6 BB, 25 K, 2 saves), Dustin Rasco (2.25 ERA, 20.0 IP, 18 H, 6 BB, 25 K)

Last NCAA appearance: 2007 (2-2 at Long Beach Regional)

Notes: The Dirtbags, as the baseball team is called, boast 31 current and former major leaguers, including recent rookies Evan Longoria (Tampa Bay) and John Bowker (San Francisco), and other such as Troy Tulowitzki (Colorado), Jared Weaver (Los Angeles Angels), Jason Giambi (New York Yankees), Bobby Crosby (Oakland) and Steve Trachsel (Baltimore). Long Beach State took top honors in the Big West this season, as junior first baseman Shane Peterson was named co-Player of the Year, senior right-hander Andrew Liebel was named tri-Pitcher of the Year and head coach Mike Weathers was named Coach of the Year. Liebel, a National Player of the Year finalist, Golden Spikes Award finalist, Brooks Wallace award finalist and Roger Clemens award finalist highlighted his first season as a starter with four complete games, including two complete game shutouts, one in which he threw just 109 pitches in just two hours and 12 minutes. Peterson capped off his season with an Academic All-American award and became the first Dirtbag ever recorded to hit through the cycle on April 15, against Pepperdine. All-Big West center fielder Jonathan Jones is nephew of former NFL player and Heisman Trophy winner Desmond Howard. Long Beach State was selected as one of 16 host sites for this weekend’s NCAA Baseball Regionals.

2. San Diego Toreros

Linda Vista, California

Automatic qualifier from West Coast

Record: 16-5, 41-15 (First place in West Coast)

Head coach: Rich Hill (Cal Lutheran, 1984)

School record: 350-234-3 (Ten years)

Overall record: 683-454-3

Assistant coaches: Eric Valenzuela, Jay Johnson, Mark Viramontes, Daniel Magness

Team offense: .307 BA, 367 R, 43 HR, 335 RBI, .445 SLG, .386 OBA, 55/84 SB

Team pitching: 3.50 ERA, 491.0 IP, 462 H, 141 BB, 521 K

Top hitters: James Meador (.385 BA, 38 R, 6 HR, 51 RBI, .579 SLG, .434 OBA, 5 SB), Kevin Hansen (.347 BA, 29 R, HR, 36 RBI, .449 SLG, .397 OBA, 4 SB), Joes Valerio (.344 BA, 25 R, 5 HR, 24 RBI, .523 SLG, .393 OBA), Kevin Muno (.323 BA, 55 R, 4 HR, 27 RBI, .468 SLG, .419 OBA, 21 SB), Josh Romanski (.316 BA, 39 R, 6 HR, 47 RBI, .481 SLG, .406 OBA, 3 SB), Victor Sanchez (.281 BA, 45 R, 12 HR, 47 RBI, .522 SLG, .357 OBA, 5 SB)

Top pitchers: Brian Matusz (1.88 ERA, 96 IP, 80 H, 21 BB, 131 K), AJ Griffin (1.96 ERA, 41.1 IP, 30 H, 11 BB, 43 K, 13 saves), Ricardo Pecina (3.54 ERA, 56.0 IP, 55 H, 21 BB, 70 K), Josh Romanksi (3.76 ERA, 88.2 IP, 81 H, 19 BB, 72 K)

Last NCAA appearance: 2007 (0-2 at the San Diego Regional)

Notes: Head coach Rich Hill, in his 21st head coaching season, enjoyed his 350th win in the WCC Championship series when the Toreros overtook the Waves 12-4. The Toreros had a trio of All-Americans this year, as pitchers Brian Matusz, Josh Romanksi and A.J. Griffin were all given the accolades. Matusz and Romanski, both Team USA 2007 pitchers, are both finalist for the Golden Spikes Award as well, while Griffin is a finalist for the Stopper of the Year award. Last season, the Toreros hosted San Diego county’s first ever Division I regional series, as San Diego State’s Tony Gwynn Stadium played host. Kevin Muno’s brother, Dan, is a freshman at Fresno State and was named Freshman Player of the Year in the WAC.