2012 Gainesville Super Regional

Super Regional Notes

Super Regional Picks

NCAA Interactive Bracket

1. Florida Gators

Gainesville, Florida

At-large bid from SEC, Won Gainesville Regional

2012 record: 18-12, 45-18 (tied for second in Eastern Division)

Head coach: Kevin O’Sullivan (Virginia, 1991)

Record at school: 221-100, 5 years

Overall record: Same

Assistant coaches: Brad Weitzel, Craig Bell, Don Norris

Team offense: .281, 370 R, 71 HR, .448 SLG%, .360 OBP, 60-86 SB

Team pitching: 2.85 ERA, 565 IP, 507 H, 127 BB, 471 K

Top hitters: Daniel Pigott (.321/7/38/11-16 SB), Mike Zunino (.316/18/60/27 2B), Preston Tucker (.316/15/46/16 2B), Brian Johnson (.310/5/40/12 2B), Nolan Fontana (.294/9/30/13-14 SB), Casey Turgeon (.286/4/29)

Top pitchers: Greg Larson (6-0, 1.31, 48 IP, 32 H, 10 BB, 34 K), Steven Rodriguez (3-2, 2.08 4 SV, 60.2 IP, 45 H, 13 BB, 79 K), Austin Maddox (3-3, 2.24, 12 SV, 52.1 IP, 39 H, 10 BB, 55 K), Hudson Randall (8-2, 2.83, 86 IP, 78 H, 10 BB, 57 K), Jonathon Crawford (6-2, 2.92, 71 IP, 62 H, 23 BB, 65 K), Karsten Whitson (3-0, 3.31, 32.2 IP, 37 H, 16 BB, 18 K), Brian Johnson (8-4, 3.56, 86 IP, 79 H, 15 BB, 68 K)

Last NCAA Appearance: 2011 (3-0 at Gainesville Regional, 2-1 at Gainesville Super Regional, 3-2 at College World Series – 0-2 in Championship Round)

Notes: Florida is in a Super Regional for the fourth straight year. The Gators rolled through their Regional, including a pair of wins over ACC champ Georgia Tech. Freshman second baseman Casey Turgeon was named Most Outstanding Player, going 6 for 10 (.600) with a homer and five RBI. He also had a leaping catch on the final out of Friday’s no-hitter by Jonathan Crawford against Bethune-Cookman. All-American catcher Mike Zunino is a finalist for the Johnny Bench Award for the nation’s top backstop, and a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award for the top amateur baseball player in the country. Zunino has 18 home runs, the top mark in the SEC and tied for fifth nationally. He’s slugging at a .667 clip, 13th in the country. Zunino was the first college player selected in the 2012 MLB Draft, going No. 3 to Seattle. Nolan Fontana leads the Gators with a .414 OBA and has 46 walks compared to 25 strikeouts. Preston Tucker broke Brad Wilkerson’s school mark in RBI early in the season, and late in the year, he became the hits leader, breaking Mark Ellis’ record of 319. The Gators again are filthy on the mound, ranking fifth in ERA (2.85) and second in BBs per 9, with just two per game. They walked just two and struck out 20 in 27 Regional innings. They have worked around injuries, particularly to Karsten Whitson, taking advantage of a deep and talented bullpen led by Greg Larson, Steven Rodriguez and Austin Maddox. Opponents are hitting .240 off the Gators, a year after hitting .240 during the regular season last year.

North Carolina State Wolfpack

Raleigh, North Carolina

At-large bid from ACC. Won Raleigh Regional

2012 record: 19-11, 43-18 (second in Atlantic Division)

Head coach: Elliott Avent (VCU, 1984)

Record at school: 598-380, 16 years

Overall record: 823-589, 24 years

Assistant Coaches: Tom Holiday, Chris Hart, Brian Ward

Team offense: .298 BA, 428 R, 42 HR, .439 SLG%, .377 OBP%, 100-121 SB

Team pitching: 3.50 ERA, 550.1 IP, 466 H, 227 BB, 527 K

Top hitters: Ryan Mathews (.336/17/62), Danny Canela (.342/6/44), Trea Turner (.344/5/42/56-60 SB), Chris Diaz (.356/1/55/25 2B/8-11 SB)

Top pitchers: Carlos Rodon (9-0, 1.61 ERA, 111.2 IP, 71 H, 41 BB, 132 K), Ethan Ogburn (5-3, 3.23 ERA, 86.2 IP, 81 H, 18 BB, 70 K), Chris Overman (0-1, 6 SV, 3.00 ERA, 33 IP, 27 H, 14 BB, 42 K), Anthony Tzamtis (5-5, 3.84 ERA, 63.1 IP, 46 H, 39 BB, 63 K)

Last NCAA Appearance: 2011 (0-2 in Columbia Regional)

Notes: The Wolfpack fought back from the losers’ bracket--defeating Sacred Heart, dropping a game to Vanderbilt, topping UNC Wilmington, and beating Vanderbilt twice to lock up a spot in the Gainesville Super Regional. The Wolfpack trailed Vanderbilt 7-3 in the eighth inning of an elimination game before scoring three in the eighth and three in the ninth to win 9-7. Carlos Rodon was named the ACC Pitcher of the Year, ACC Freshman of the Year, and named one of three finalists for the Golden Spikes Award. Shortstop Chris Diaz and outfielder Ryan Mathews also earned First Team All-ACC honors. Freshman third baseman Trea Turner is a huge threat one the base paths, as he has stolen 56 bases in 60 attempts. Head coach Elliot Avent is the winningest coach in program history with 598 victories and has led the Wolfpack to nine NCAA tournament appearances in 10 years.