2012 Eugene Super Regional

Super Regional Notes

Super Regional Picks

NCAA Interactive Bracket

5. Oregon Ducks

Eugene, Oregon

At-large bid from Pac-12, won Eugene Regional

2012 record: 19-11, 42-17 (third in Pac-12)

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

Record at school: 128-107-1, 4 years

Overall record: 618-319-2, 15 years

Assistant coaches: Mark Wasikowski, Jay Uhlman, Dean Stiles

Team offense: .268, 293 R, 29 HR, .377 SLG%, .360 OB%, 71-113 SB

Team pitching: 3.02, 558 IP, 441 H, 233 BB, 417 K

Top hitters: Brett Thomas (.314/1/24/14 2B), Ryon Healy (.307/4/39/13 2B), Aaron Jones (.303/6/39/12 2B), Kyle Garlick (.297/6/40), Aaron Payne (.282/1/27/16-21 SB), J.J. Altobelli (.259/0/13/12 2B), Connor Hofmann (.248/3/14), Brett Hambright (.231/1/14)

Top pitchers: Joey Housey (2-0, 1.85, 1 SV, 34 IP, 28 H, 14 BB, 27 K), Jimmie Sherfy (5-2, 2.16, 18 SV, 58.1 IP, 35 H, 32 BB, 87 K), Alex Keudell (11-4, 2.38, 117.1 IP, 94 H, 30 BB, 70 K), Jake Reed (7-4, 2.93, 107.1 IP, 86 H, 40 BB, 61 K)

Last NCAA Appearance: 2010 (2-2 in Norwich Regional)

Notes: Oregon will be hosting a Super Regional for the first time after hosting its first Regional since the program was restarted in 2009. The Ducks went 3-0 to sweep through the Regional, as Ryan Hambright was named Regional MVP. Oregon is looking for its second trip to the College World Series. The Ducks won the District 8 tournament in Eugene in 1954 to advance to Omaha. Oregon went 0-2 in the CWS, losing to Arizona and Massachusetts. Jimmie Sherfy set an Oregon single-season record for saves with 18. Sherfy was named one of five finalists for the Stopper of the Year Award. Jake Reed was named a 2012 Collegiate Baseball/Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American. Junior Joey Housey and sophomore Aaron Payne were named to the Pac-12 Baseball All-Academic Team.

Kent State Golden Flashes
Kent, Ohio
Automatic bid, won MAC Tournament, won Gary Regional

2012 record: 24-3, 44-17 (first in MAC East, conference regular season champion)
Head coach: Scott Stricklin (Kent State, 1995)
Record at school: 311-162, 8 years
Overall record: same
Assistant coaches: Mike Birkbeck, Scott Daeley, Doug Sanders, Kyle Smith
Team offense: .306 BA, 426 R, 42 HR, .447 SLG%, .383 OB%, 52-70 SB
Team pitching: 3.48 ERA, 558 IP, 525 H, 215 BB, 508 K
Top hitters: George Roberts (.369/7/62/22), Jimmy Rider (.367/5/53/27 2B/63R), Nick Hamilton (.364/1/35), Evan Campbell (.339/7/40/19 2B/59 R), T.J. Sutton (.296/3/28), David Lyon (.284/10/41/17 2B/48 BB), Sawyer Polen (.277/4/29)

Top pitchers: David Starn (10-3, 2.01, 107.2 IP, 84 H, 38 BB, 118 K), Ryan Bores (9-2, 3.29, 98.1 IP, 104 H, 15 BB, 63 K), Tyler Skulina (11-2, 3.84, 96 IP, 89 H, 38 BB, 93 K), Brian Clark (4-0, 4 SV, 0.89, 26 IP, 12 H, 7 BB, 25 K)
Last NCAA appearance: 2011 (2-2 at Austin Regional)
Notes: Kent State won its first Regional title and will make its first Super Regional appearance at Oregon, a trip of 2,492 miles. The Golden Flashes won the regional in three games, but needed 39 innings to do so. The opener against Kentucky was a 21-inning thriller, the second-longest NCAA Tournament game. Kent State takes a 20-game win streak to Eugene. Kent State is making its 12th NCAA appearance overall and fourth straight. Scott Stricklin, 2012 MAC Coach of the Year, has led the Golden Flashes to 40-plus wins for the second straight year and ninth time in program history. Kent State won an unprecedented fourth straight MAC Tournament title. The Golden Flashes are 41-1 when leading after eight, 25-1 when scoring seven or more runs and 36-4 when allowing four runs or less. Senior LHP David Starn, the 2012 MAC Pitcher of the Year, owns the school's career records in pitching wins (28), strikeouts (338) and innings pitched (329) and is the two-time defending MAC Tournament MVP. Starn was picked in the seventh round of the 2012 MLB Draft by the Atlanta Braves. Junior 1B George Roberts earned 2012 MAC Player of the Year honors after leading the conference in RBI (62). Senior shortstop Jimmy Rider is the MAC's all-time hits king with 329 career base knocks. Brian Clark was named to the 2012 Collegiate Baseball/Louisville Slugger Freshman All-America Team.