2009 Fullerton Regional

Capsules compiled by Christina De Nicola, Duncan Phillips, Sean Ryan, Phil Stanton

1. Cal State Fullerton Titans

Fullerton, California

At-large bid from Big West Conference

2009 record: 17-7, 42-14 (second in Big West)

Head coach: Dave Serrano (Trinity, 2003)

Record at school: 83-36, two years

Overall record: 197-102-1, five years

Assistant coaches: Sergio Brown, Greg Bergeron, Brett Lindgren

Team offense: .317 BA, 417 R, 53 HR, .470 SLG%, .406 OB%, 104/145 SB

Team pitching: 3.50 ERA, 507 IP, 461 H, 144 BB, 397 K

Top hitters: Josh Fellhauer (.391/5/51/17 SB), Christian Colon (.347/7/32), Jared Clark (.340/11/17), Gary Brown (.329/3/31), Kris Davis (.320/12/47/24 2B), Nick Ramirez (.287/10/31).

Top pitchers: Kyle Mertins (1-0, 2.39, 26.1 IP, 23 H, 11 BB, 18 K), Daniel Renken (9-2, 2.50, 101 IP, 75 H, 29 BB, 82 K), Nick Ramirez (3-1, 2.78, 6 SV, 35.2 IP, 32 H, 7 BB, 26 K), Noe Ramirez (7-1, 2.93, 92 IP, 75 H, 17 BB, 78 K), Tyler Pill (10-3, 4.10, 84 H, 12 BB, 64 K).

Last NCAA appearance: 2008 (4-1 at Fullerton Regional, 0-2 at Fullerton Super Regional)

Notes: The Titans are in the field for the 18th straight time and Goodwin Field will serve as host for the eighth time since 2000. Coach Dave Serrano replaced John Savage at UC Irvine in 2005 and won 47 games in 2007 before replacing George Horton at Fullerton, where he pitched under Augie Garrido. Leading hitter Josh Fellhauer’s grandfather pitched for the St. Louis Browns and his father was a sixth round pick of the A’s. He, Christian Colon and Jared Clark contributed to a 24-0 Team USA last summer. Fellhauer and Colon led the team in hits with 26. Clark, nicknamed “Diesel,” missed 2007 with an injury and has been drafted twice. Freshman Tyler Pill is former Titan star Brett Pill’s brother. Reserve Tony Harkey played football at Utah State but did not play baseball. Billy Marcoe’s nickname is “Wonka” – his dad runs a candy shop. Opponents hit just .204 off Daniel Renken, who along with Tyler Pill, has two complete games. 

2. Georgia Southern Eagles

Statesboro, Georgia

Automatic qualifier – won Southern Conference Tournament

2009 record: 20-8, 42-15 (second in SoCon)

Head coach: Rodney Hennon (Western Carolina, 1993)

Record at school: 370-231, 10 years

Overall record: 451-269-1, 12 years

Assistant coaches: Jason Beverlin, Mike Tidick, Dennis Dove

Team offense: .324 BA, 545 R, 80 HR, .507 SLG%, .422 OB%, 50-70 SB

Team pitching: 4.95 ERA, 505.2 IP, 572 H, 210 BB, 455 K

Top hitters: Griffin Benedict (.401/11/61), Phillip Porter (.368/11/50/11-16 SB), Brian Pierce (.353/3/41), A.J. Wirnsberger (.332/13/57), Ty Wright (.331/11/58/15-19 SB), Eric Phillips (.328/3/41), Kyle Blackburn (.314/11/26)

Top pitchers: Chris Mederos (11-1, 3.66 ERA, 93.1 IP, 92 H, 29 BB, 112 K), Jake Brown (6-3, 4.54 ERA, 81.1 IP, 97 H, 22 BB, 58 K), Matt Murray (6-3, 1 SV, 4.76 ERA, 73.2 IP, 81 H, 27 BB, 60 K), Colin Snow (4-2, 3.64 ERA, 42 IP, 46 H, 17 BB, 33 K), Kyle Kamppi (3-2, 8 SV, 3.86 ERA, 371. IP, 44 H, 20 BB, 39 K), Charles Matthews (2-0, 1 SV, 3.93 ERA, 34.1 IP, 35 H, 21 BB, 30 K)

Last NCAA appearance: 2002 (1-2 Clemson Regional)

Notes: Georgia Southern will compete in its 12th regional, its first since 2002. The program has twice made it to the College World Series - in 1973 and 1990. The Eagles haven’t faced any of the three teams in the Fullerton Regional. Griffin Benedict is the son of former Atlanta Braves catcher Bruce “Eggs” Benedict.

3. Gonzaga Bulldogs

Spokane, Washington

Automatic bid – won West Coast Conference championship series

2009 record: 14-7, 35-16 (first in WCC)

Head coach: Mark Machtolf (Stanford, 1987)

Record at school: 179-141, six years

Overall record: Same

Assistant coaches: Danny Evans, Steve Bennett, Bobby Carlson

Team offense: .297 BA, 349 R, 35 HR, .428 SLG%, .389 OB%, 40/55 SB

Team pitching: 4.21 ERA, 453.1 IP, 488 H, 169 BB, 395 K

Top hitters: Tyson Van Winkle (.361/5/54/24 2B), Drew Heid (.350/2/37), Ryan Wiegand (.330/6/62), Anthony Synegal (.329//32), Evan Wells (.313/0/24), Mark Castellitto (.273/8/39).

Top pitchers: Matt Fields (8-1, 2.86, 88 IP, 89 H, 28 BB, 73 K), A.J. Proszek (2-1, 3.09, 3 SV, 46.2 IP, 49 H, 13 BB, 24 K), Cody Martin (5-4, 3.31, 6 SV, 54.1 IP, 47 H, 30 BB, 60 K), Steven Ames (8-1, 3.51, 89.2 IP, 95 H, 17 BB, 66 K), Ryan Carpenter (6-3, 4.82, 61.2 IP, 65 H, 27 BB, 62 K)

Last NCAA appearance: 1981 (0-2 in West Regional)

Notes: Gonzaga knocked off Loyola Marymount in the West Coast Conference championship and return to the field for the first time since 1981. Ryan Wiegand had three homers and eight RBI in the final game as the Bulldogs won for the 35^th time, second-best in school history (37 wins in 1990). Wiegand has 24 homers the past three years. The Zags have put together three straight seasons of 30 or more wins (the last time they had consecutive 30-win seasons was 1980-81). Steven Ames is a product of Columbia Basin CC; his sister is a goalie for the Zags’ women’s soccer team. Matt Fields is 18-3 in his college career.

4. Utah Utes

Salt Lake City, Utah

Automatic bid – won MWC tournament

2009 record: 9-16, 25-29 (sixth in MWC)

Head coach: Bill Kinneberg (Arizona, 1980)

Record at school: 152-174, six years

Overall record: 397-357, 12 years

Assistant coaches: Mike Crawford, Bryan Kinneberg, Pete Flores

Team offense: .299 BA, 369 R, 54 HR, .453 SLG%, .377 OB%, 54/86 SB

Team pitching: 5.81 ERA, 483 IP, 598 H, 186 BB, 391 K

Top hitters: Nick Kuroczko (.351/5/37), C.J. Cron (.341/9/51), Corey Shimada (.335/6/36/16 SB), Devin Walker (.327/8/35), Tyler Yagi (.323/0/30), Austin Jones (.280/8/46), Rick Cornu (.274/8/29).

Top pitchers: Jordan Whatcott (5-2, 3.59, 85.1 IP, 76 H, 43 BB, 61 K), Greg Krause (1-4, 5.09, 4 SV, 40.2 IP, 52 H, 15 BB, 45 K), Brian Budrow (5-5, 5.32, 93 IP, 112 H, 29 BB, 74 K), Bryn Card (5-2, 5.67, 60.1 IP, 73 H, 23 BB, 48 K).

Last NCAA appearance: 1960

Notes: Sixth-seeded Utah shocked the Mountain West by taking the tourney title and stealing an NCAA bid for the first time since 1960. Tyler Yagi had 10 hits to claim MVP of the tourney, and coach Bill Kinneberg credited his pitchers, who were “on fumes,” for their gutsy performance. Kinneberg also coached at UTEP and Wyoming and is in his second stint with Utah. Previously, he was a minor league pitching coach with the White Sox.