2009 Oxford Regional

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

1. Mississippi Rebels

Oxford, Mississippi

At-large bid from SEC

2009 record: 20-10, 40-17 (tied for first in SEC West)

Head coach: Mike Bianco (LSU, 1989)

Record at school: 361-200-1, 9 years

Overall record: 461-271-1, 12 years

Assistant coaches: Carl Lafferty, Rob Reinstetle, Matt Mossberg

Team offense: .315 BA, 434 R, 52 HR, .462 SLG%, .404 OBP, 85-110 SB

Team pitching: 4.18 ERA, 503.2 IP, 533 H, 173 BB, 544 K

Top hitters: Tim Ferguson (.357/2/19/17-18 SB), Kyle Henson (.349/8/31), Jordan Henry (.347/0/27/34-40 SB), Matt Smith (.345/6/51/15 2B), Zach Miller (.339/5/36/13 2B), Evan Button (.330/2/19), David Phillips (.318/2/19), Logan Power (.314/6/52/19 2B), Matt Snyder (.311/7/28)

Top pitchers: Scott Bittle (5-2, 3 SV, 2.17 ERA, 45.2 IP, 28 H, 22 BB, 68 K), Jake Morgan (3-1, 8 SV, 2.31 ERA, 35 IP, 30 H, 4 BB, 49 K), Nathan Baker (4-1, 1 SV, 3.60 ERA, 60 IP, 68 H, 15 BB, 61 K), Phillip Irwin (7-3, 3.82 ERA, 73 IP, 86 H, 18 BB, 59 K), Drew Pomeranz (6-4, 4.16 ERA, 71.1 IP, 71 H, 31 BB, 88 K), Brett Bukvich (9-3, 4.61 ERA, 66.1 IP, 67 H, 16 BB, 65 K)

Last NCAA appearance: 2008 (2-2 at Coral Gables Regional)

Notes: Ole Miss will host a regional for the sixth time overall and the fifth time in the past six years. The Rebels are making their 15th NCAA appearance. This will be the seventh straight postseason appearance and eighth overall under head coach Mike Bianco. Ole Miss has made four trips to the College World Series, the last coming in 1972.

2. Missouri Tigers

Columbia, Missouri

At-large bid from Big 12

2009 record: 16-11, 34-25 (third in Big 12)

Head coach: Tim Jamieson (New Orleans, 1981)

Record at school: 514-354-2, 15 years

Overall record: 514-354-2, 15 years

Assistant coaches: Evan Pratte, Tony Vitello, Brian DeLunas

(stats through 57 games)

Team offense: .274 BA, 379 R, 38 HR, 42-64 SB

Team pitching: 4.88 ERA, 495.2 IP, 540 H, 164 BB, 453 K

Top hitters: Greg Folgia (.335/12/66/15 2B), Kyle Mach (.330/4/36/14 2B), Ryan Lollis (.295/4/49/14-15 SB), Aaron Senne (.295/4/35/15 2B), Steve Gray (.254/4/38)

Top pitchers: Tyler Clark (3-0, 3.38 ERA, 23 IP, 24 H, 10 BB, 20 K), Kyle Gibson (10-3, 3.47 ERA, 98.2 IP, 89 H, 18 BB, 123 K), Scooter Hicks (5-2, 3 SV, 3.73 ERA, 41 IP, 43 H, 10 BB, 34 K), Brad Buehler (1-3, 7 SV, 4.59 ERA, 33.1 IP, 28 H, 16 BB, 27 K), Ian Berger (3-3, 4.99 ERA, 52.1 IP, 52 H, 20 BB, 44 K)

Last NCAA appearance: 2008 (1-2 in Coral Gables Regional)

Notes: With its appearance in Sunday’s Big 12 Championship game, Missouri became the first school in conference history to play in the football, men’s basketball and baseball championship games in the same academic year. The Tigers are looking for their seventh-consecutive selection to the NCAA tournament, they are one of 16 teams nationally that have advanced to the last six.

3. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

Bowling Green, Kentucky

At-large bid from Sun Belt

2009 record: 21-8, 39-18 (tied for first in Sun Belt)

Head coach: Chris Finwood (VMI, 1988)

Record at school: 119-105, 4 years

Overall record: 171-202, 7 years

Assistant coaches: Blake Allen, Matt Myers, Casey Hamilton

Team offense: .331 BA, 501 R, 80 HR, .531 SLG%, .428 OB%, 93-116 SB

Team pitching: 5.40 ERA, 491.2 IP, 538 H, 200 BB, 419 K

Top hitters: Matt Rice (.393/8/66), Wade Gaynor (.374/22/70/19-23 SB), Jake Wells (.322/4/35), Terrence Dayleg (.320/3/33), Chad Cregar (.316/17/56/17-20 SB), Matt Hightower (.312/11/51/23-29 SB), Matt Payton (.311/3/31)

Top pitchers: Matt Hightower (6-3, 3.92 ERA, 80.1 IP, 84 H, 32 BB, 54 K), Shane Cameron (5-1, 4.61 ERA, 70.1 IP, 70 H, 27 BB, 54 K), Matt Ridlings (7-2, 5.06 ERA, 89 IP, 95 H, 25 BB, 81 K), Evan Teague (5-3, 2.91 ERA, 34 IP, 31 H, 14 BB, 34 K), Bart Carter (6-1, 4 SV, 5.32 ERA, 45.2 IP, 49 H, 21 BB, 50 K), Ben Paxton (1-1, 5.93 ERA, 30.1 IP, 33 H, 14 BB, 10 K)

Last NCAA appearance: 2008 (0-2 Stillwater Regional)

Notes: For the first time in program history, Western Kentucky earned an at-large bid, and as a result, will make back-to-back appearances in the NCAA Tournament. It will be the fourth trip to the tournament for the Hilltoppers, their third over the past six years after a 24-year hiatus.

4. Monmouth Hawks

West Long Branch, New Jersey

Automatic bid – won Northeast Conference Championship

2009 record: 15-11, 32-23 (fourth in NEC)

Head coach: Dean Ehehalt (East Carolina, 1987)

Record at school: 428-385-2, 16 years

Overall record: 449-423-2, 18 years

Assistant coaches: Chuck Ristano, Jeff Barbalinardo, Ty Megahee

Team offense: .323 BA, 444 R, 58 HR, .488 SLG%, .395 OB%, 98/114 SB

Team pitching: 5.32 ERA, 458.1 IP, 538 H, 156 BB, 363 K

Top hitters: Chris Collazo (.385/2/46/13 2B), Nick Pulsonetti (.358/11/53/15 2B), Rick Niederhaus (.352/1/24), Brett Holland (.347/3/26/19-21 SB), Jamie Rosenkranz (.333/6/26), Ryan Terry (.332/5/3916-18 SB), Paul Bottigliero (.296/17/58/16 2B)

Top pitchers: Nick McNamara (3-3, 3 SV, 2.31, 39 IP, 33 H, 9 BB, 24 K), Ryan Buch (7-4, 4.11, 72.1 IP, 78 H, 31 BB, 87 K), Steve Sanguiliano (1-3, 3 SV, 4.23, 27.2 IP, 32 H, 9 BB, 23 K), Nick Vallillo (3-2, 4.23, 54.1 IP, 55 H, 25 BB, 32 K), Brett Brach (7-2,1 SV, 4.61, 68.1 IP, 65 H, 12 BB, 69 K)

Last NCAA appearance: 2007 (0-2 in Tempe Regional)

Notes: Monmouth captured its fourth NEC tournament championship to earn an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. Chris Callazo now has 87 hits on the season, two shy of tying the program’s single-season record, and 246 career base hits, on away from the school-record of 247. The all-NEC second baseman hit .600 (9 for 15) and drove in six runs in the tournament’s three games.