2010 Norwich Regional

Capsules by Barrett Neale, Michael Perry, Matt Mullen, Andrew Woods, Sean Ryan, Phil Stanton

1. Florida State Seminoles

Tallahassee, Florida

Automatic bid – won ACC Tournament

2010 record: 18-12, 42-17 (first in Atlantic Division)

Head coach: Mike Martin (Florida State, 1966)

Record at school: 1621-555-4, 31 years

Overall record: Same

Assistant coaches: Jamey Shouppe, Mike Martin Jr., Brian Hoop

Team offense: .300 BA, 487 R, 71 HR, .492 SLG%, .415 OB%, 88/103 SB

Team pitching: 4.45 ERA, 519.2 IP, 505 H, 239 BB, 475 K

Top hitters: Tyler Holt (.351/11/41/27-29 SB), Mike McGee (.335/14/64/.595 SLG), Sherman Johnson (.330/6/47), Jayce Boyd (.302/6/32), James Ramsey (.299/9/57/5 3B), Stuart Tapley (.287/7/37), Stephen Cardullo (.277/8/46/18-18 SB)

Top pitchers: Mike McGee (4-0, 0.41, 9 SV, 22 IP, 7 H, 13 BB, 25 K), Hunter Scantling (3-2, 4.30, 44 IP, 44 H, 13 BB, 39 K), Brian Busch (4-1, 4.56, 63.1 IP, 53 H, 28 BB, 62 K), Geoff Parker (4-1, 4.56, 3 SV, 71 IP, 69 H, 38 BB, 63 K), Sean Gilmartin (7-7, 4.80, 93.2 IP, 101 H, 29 BB, 94 K), John Gast (7-3, 5.91,64 IP, 75 H, 24 BB, 56 K),

Last NCAA appearance: 2009 (3-0 at Tallahassee Regional, 0-2 at Tallahassee Super Regional)

Notes: The Seminoles have played in the NCAA tournament and had at least 40 wins for 33 straight years, spanning Mike Martin’s entire head coaching tenure, but have not yet won a national title. Their streak of tournament appearances is the second-longest in the country – fellow ACC team Miami has 38. Florida State hosted a regional last year for the 27^th time in school history. Martin is one of only three coaches – the others are Augie Garrido of Texas and Gene Stephenson of Wichita State – to win 1,600 games. Juniors Tyler Holt, an outfielder who played for Team USA during the summer of 2009, and Mike McGee, a two-way player, were selected to the All-ACC First Team. Holt has started all 190 games of his career and holds the nation’s longest active streak for consecutive starts. McGee – whose younger brother Stephen also plays baseball for the Seminoles – is one of 25 semifinalists for the Dick Howser Trophy. Stephen Cardullo, who joined the team as a walk-on in 2007, is one of 10 finalists for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award. Sophomore outfielder James Ramsey is the son of two former Florida State athletes: his mother Mary played tennis and his father Craig played baseball and captained the 1980 College World Series team.

2. Connecticut Huskies

Storrs, Connecticut

At-large bid from Big East

2010 record: 20-6, 47-14 (second in Big East)

Head coach: Jim Penders (Connecticut, 1994)

Record at school: 243-162-2, 7 years

Overall record: 243-162-2, 7 years

Assistant coaches: Justin Blood, Chris Podeszwa, Steven Malinowski

Team offense: .319 BA, 511 R, 78 HR, .507 SLG%, .400 OB%, 162-194 SB

Team pitching: 3.91 ERA, 542.2 IP, 556 H, 189 BB, 384 K

Top hitters: Mike Nemeth (.380/14/80/19 2B), Billy Ferriter (.360/0/29/14 2B/30-36 SB), John Andreoli (.355/1/35/22-25 SB), George Springer (.336/17/60/16 2B/32-34 SB), Pierre LePage (.325/3/52/19 2B/28-34 SB), Kevin Vance (.324/7/35/11 2B), Mike Olt (.313/21/68/12 2B), Doug Elliot (.306/2/16), Nick Ahmed (.302/4/41/33-40 SB)

Top pitchers: Scott Oberg (5-1, 1 SV, 1.62 ERA, 44.1 IP, 38 H, 8 BB, 30 K), Kevin Vance (1-0, 8 SV, 2.41 ERA, 18.2 IP, 12 H, 7 BB, 17 K), Elliot Glynn (7-3, 2.66 ERA, 84.2 IP, 93 H, 32 BB, 43 K), Matt Barnes (8-2, 3.87 ERA, 76.2 IP, 70 H, 24 BB, 73 K)

Last NCAA appearance: 1994 (0-2 at Midwest II Regional)

Notes: Connecticut is making its 16th NCAA Tournament appearance and first since 1994. The Huskies have been to the College World Series five times, the last coming in 1979. Connecticut will host for the third time. The Huskies had a 22-game win streak during the season. Head coach Jim Penders, the Big East Coach of the Year, was a political science major at UConn and worked in Washington, D.C., as a fund-raiser for Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa from 1994-96. Penders’ father, Jim, was a member of the Huskies’ 1965 College World Series team. He has been baseball coach at East Catholic High School since 1969 and coached each of his three sons. His uncle, Tom, was also a member of the 1965 CWS squad. He had been a basketball coach since 1971 and took Houston to the NCAA Tournament this year before stepping down. Mike Olt won the inaugural Big East Home Run Derby prior to this year’s conference tournament. Olt’s brother, Brad, played for the Huskies in 2007 and 2008.

3. Oregon Ducks

Eugene, Oregon

At-large bid from Pac-10

2010 record: 13-14, 37-22 (fifth in Pac-10)

Head coach: George Horton (Cal-State Fullerton, 1978)

Record at school: 51-62, 2 years

Overall record: 541-274-1, 11 years

Assistant coaches: Andrew Checketts, Jay Uhlman, Mike Kirby

Team offense: .292 BA, 360 R, 30 HR, .408 SLG %, .375 OB %, 68/98 SB

Team pitching: 3.28, 529.1 IP, 511 H, 141 BB, 485 K

Top hitters: Eddie Rodriguez (.336/7/44), KC Serna (.335/4/35), Danny Pulfer (.305/3/35), J.J. Altobelli (.289/1/31), Marcus Piazzisi (.279/3/34), Jack Marder (.249/4/32), Curtis Raulinaitis (.281/2/32)

Top pitchers: Tyler Anderson (7-4, 2.76, 94.2 IP, 76 H, 31 BB, 101 K), Zack Thornton (9-0, 3.54, 84.0 IP, 84 H, 16 BB, 67 K), Alex Kuedell (5-5, 3.81, 75.2 IP, 85 H, 24 BB, 76K), Justin LaTempa (5-3, 3.81, 82.2 IP, 78 H, 18 BB, 67 K)

Last NCAA appearance: 1964 (0-2 in District 8 Playoffs)

Notes: In just their second year since returning to the diamond, the Ducks punched their ticket to the postseason with a 37-22 record. Coach George Horton has done some wonderful things in Eugene, taking the first big step in the revival of a program that was dissolved following the 1981 season. The new Ducks know how to put the bat on the ball, but the pitching staff looks to be the strength of this Oregon team. Anderson, Thornton and Kuedell anchor the starting rotation and the Ducks will close game by committee with three relievers recording at least three saves.

4. Central Connecticut State Blue Devils

New Britain, Connecticut

Automatic bid – won Northeast Conference Tournament

2010 record: 18-14, 33-21 (third in NEC)

Head coach: Charlie Hickey (Connecticut, 1987)

Record at school: 315-249-4, 11 years

Overall record: 421-310-4, 14 years

Assistant coaches: Pat Hall, Paul LaBella, Jim Ziogas

Team offense: .345 BA, 464 R, 70 HR, 33-41 SB

Team pitching: 6.23 ERA, 445 IP, 580 H, 160 BB, 271 K

Top hitters: Sean Allaire (.432/13/72/22 2B/10-11 SB), Pat Epps (.425/18/73/14 2B), Richie Tri (.387/6/39/15 2B), Tommy Meade (.375/10/56/13 2B), Mitch Wells (.374/8/45/21 2B), Kyle Zarotney (.319/4/30), Sean Miller-Jones (.319/3/34), Anthony Scialdone (.300/1/38/18 2B)

Top pitchers: Jack Greenhouse (4-2, 3.86 ERA, 39.2 IP, 52 H, 5 BB, 21 K), Donny White (4-1, 3.86 ERA, 25.2 IP, 26 H, 13 BB, 23 K), Dave Krasnowiecki (7-2, 1 SV, 4.38 ERA, 74 IP, 82 H, 24 BB, 53 K), Roy Natoli (3-2, 2 SV, 5.03 ERA, 19.2 IP, 22 H, 10 BB, 12 K), Jason Foster (32, 5.91 ERA, 53.1 IP, 61 H, 22 BB, 32 K)

Last NCAA appearance: 2006 (0-2 in Tuscaloosa Regional)

Notes: The Blue Devils are making their fourth trip to the NCAA Tournament, in search of their first victory. Senior Sean Allaire was named NEC Player of the Year. Charlie Hickey was head coach at Providence before coming to CCSU. After Providence announced that it was dropping the baseball program, Hickey led the Friars to a Big East title and a second-place finish at the Tallahassee Regional.