2014 Baton Rouge Regional

(capsules compiled by Sean Ryan, Phil Stanton, Colin Graves, John Whittle, Matt Mullen)

1. LSU Tigers

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Automatic bid from SEC

2014 record: 29-5-1, 44-14-1

Head coach: Paul Mainieri (Florida International, 1980)

Record at school: 359-147-3 (eight years)

Overall record: 1,223-639-8 (32 years)

Assistant coaches: Alan Dun, Javi Sanchez

Team offense: .286 BA, 375 R, 38 HR, .416 SLG%, .368 OBP%, 45-67 SB

Team pitching: 2.42 ERA, 524.2 IP, 402 H, 164 BB, 420 K

Top hitters: Andrew Stevenson (.328/0/32 8-12 SB), Conner Hale (.314/4/27), Kade Scivicque (.310/6/30), Alex Bregman (.301/6/44)

Top pitchers: Aaron Nola (10-1, 1.49 ERA, 109 IP, 65 H, 26 BB, 127 K), Jared Poche’ (9-3, 2.21 ERA, 85.2 IP, 64 H, 25 BB, 51 K), Kyle Bouman (5-2, 2.34 ERA, 57.2 IP, 47 H, 14 BB, 32 K), Joe Broussard (3-1, 0.89 ERA, 8 SV, 30.1 IP, 16 H, 15 BB, 31 K)

Last NCAA appearance: 2013 (3-0 at Baton Rouge Regional, 2-0 at Baton Rouge Super Regional, 0-2 at College World Series)

Notes: LSU is hosting a Regional for the 22^nd time in program history and second straight after missing out on the NCAA Tournament altogether in 2011. The Tigers swept through the postseason last year until going two-and-out in the College World Series. LSU has made 16 appearances in the College World Series with six national championships, the most recent coming to cap the 2009 season. The Tigers are entering the tournament hot after winning the SEC Tournament in Hoover, Ala., with a 2-0 win over Florida. It was the school’s 11th conference tournament title and LSU has won eight straight games overall. Right-handed pitcher Aaron Nola was the 2013 SEC Pitcher of the Year and is a projected first-round pick in the MLB Draft next week. His only loss of the season came in a 2-1 defeat against Florida in March. Tyler Moore was named the Most Valuable Player in the SEC Tournament as he raised his batting average to .307 on the year with five home runs and 34 RBI. Shortstop Alex Bregman, the National Freshman of the Year by various publications in 2013, was one of nine Tigers named to the SEC All-Tournament team.

2. Houston Cougars

Houston, Texas

Automatic bid - won American tournament

2014 record: 14-9, 44-15 (third)

Head coach: Todd Whitting (Houston, 1995)

Record at school: 82-89-1, 4 years

Overall record: 82-89-1, 4 years

Assistant coaches: Trip Couch, Frank Anderson, Mike Taylor

Team offense: .281 BA, 308 R, 17 HR, 81-107 SB

Team pitching: 2.20 ERA, 524 IP, 429 H, 103 BB, 390 K

Top hitters: Casey Grayson (.335/6/48/16 2B), Kyle Survance (.315/2/29/30-37 SB), Michael Pyeatt (.305/1/18), Justin Montemayor (.304/1/30), Frankie Ratcliff (.281/2/24/17-21 SB), Josh Vidales (.278/0/29/11-14 SB)

Top pitchers: Chase Wellbrock (4-0, 12 SV, 1.15 ERA, 39 IP, 33 H, 5 BB, 33 K), Tyler Ford (8-0, 4 SV, 1.26 ERA, 64.1 IP, 41 H, 5 BB, 43 K), Jake Lemoine (6-6, 2.35 ERA, 95.2 IP, 81 H, 23 BB, 82 K), Jared West (2-2, 2.64 ERA, 47.2 IP, 36 H, 18 BB, 39 K), Aaron Garza (8-4, 2.65 ERA, 98.1 IP, 86 H, 29 BB, 56 K)

Last NCAA Appearance: 2008 (3-2 at College Station Regional)

Notes: Houston won the inaugural American Athletic Conference championship, its first tournament title since 2008. The Cougars have not faced Bryant in baseball. The Cougars are making their 19th NCAA Tournament appearance. UH has advanced to the Super Regionals three times, the last coming in 2003. The Cougars have posted 44 wins, their highest total since a program-record 48 in 2002. Houston was 27-5 in non-conference contest and led the nation in non-conference RPI. The pitching staff is second in the nation in WHIP (1.02) and walks allowed per nine innings (1.77) as well as fourth in ERA (2.20). Sophomore Jake Lemoine was named one of 20 finalists for The Premier Player of College and was selected to represent the USA Collegiate National Team. Sophomore Justin Montemayor was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District Team.

3. Bryant Bulldogs

Smithfield, Rhode Island

Automatic Bid – Won NEC Tournament

2014 record: 19-5, 42-14 (first in NEC)

Head Coach: Steve Owens (St. Lawrence 1987)

Record at School: 150-76 (four years)

Overall Record: 737-365 (23 years)

Assistant Coaches: Ryan Fecteau, Kyle Pettoruto

Team Offense: .304 BA, 383 R, 39 HR, 96-115 SB

Team Pitching: 2.93 ERA, 472.1 IP, 389 H, 163 BB, 391 K

Top hitters: Carl Anderson (.318/7/40/29-32 SB), Matt Albanese (.329/2/36), John Mullen (.301/4/36), Robby Rinn (.309/2/36), Buck McCarthy (.353/4/29), Tom Gavitt (.325/6/29), Jordan Mountford (.312/4/25)

Top pitchers: Kevin McAvoy (9-1, 2.81 ERA, 93 IP, 74 H, 25 BB, 88 K), Craig Schlitter (10-1, 1.95 ERA, 87.2 IP, 71 H, 17 BB, 69 K), Vaughn Hayward (9-2, 2.41 ERA, 1 SV, 71 IP, 63 H, 23 BB, 47 K), Kyle Wilcox (3-2, 3.09 ERA, 58.1 IP, 43 H, 35 BB, 46 K), Jack Patterson (3-0, 34.1 IP, 27 H, 18 BB, 35 K), Trevor Lacosse (4-3, 2.94 ERA, 8 SV, 33.2 IP, 28 H, 11 BB, 39 K)

Last NCAA Appearance: 2013 (1-2 at Manhattan Regional)

Notes: Bryant returns to the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year, as Robby Rinn had a three-run triple in the 12^th inning of the NEC championship game against Sacred Heart. A year ago, the Bulldogs upended Arkansas the first day of the tourney before losing two games. Coach Steve Owens guided Le Moyne to three NCAA Regionals from 2003 to 2007 and is a member of the St. Lawrence Hall of Fame – he was a two-time MVP in baseball and was the football team’s leading rusher and had 18 TDs during his junior and senior years. The Bulldogs are talented and experienced on the mound. Senior Craig Schlitter is 20-5 over the past two years and 28-13 in his career, and junior Kevin McAvoy is 21-5 in his career. Vaughn Hayward is a transfer from Holy Cross who tripled his innings in 2014 and piled up nine wins.

4. Southeastern Louisiana Lions

Hammond, Louisiana

Automatic bid – won Southland Conference Tournament

2014 Record: 18-12, 37-23 (Fifth in Southland)

Head Coach: Matt Riser (Tulane, 2007)

Record at School: 37-23, first year

Overall Record: 37-23, first year

Assistant Coaches: Daniel Latham, Zack Zulli, Barrett Morgan

Team offense: .291 BA, 35 R, 14 HR, 77-123 SB

Team pitching: 2.95 ERA, 528.2 IP, 509 H, 162 BB, 397 K

Top hitters: Jameson Fisher (.394/0/37), Andrew Godbold (.348/8/57), Brett Hoffman (.321/1/41), Daniel Midyett (.299/0/31), Jacob Seward (.286/0/22), Sam Roberson (.281/3/25)

Top pitchers: Mason Klotz (1-0, 1.54 ERA, 5 SV, 23.1 IP, 19 H, 14 BB, 24 K), Matt Pittari (0-0, 1.24 ERA, 1 SV, 29 IP, 29 H, 11 BB, 15 K), Andro Cutura (10-2, 1.72 ERA, 99.2 IP, 78 H, 19 BB, 95 K), Dylan Hills (6-3, 1.89 ERA, 5 SV, 38 IP, 30 H, 11 BB, 38 K), Kyle Cedotal (3-3, 2.14 ERA, 42 IP, 38 H, 13 BB, 26 K), Tate Scioneaux (7-6, 3.11 ERA, 104.1 IP, 94 H, 20 BB, 72 K)

Last NCAA appearance: 1994 (0-2 at Baton Rouge Regional)

Notes: The Lions are back in the tourney for the first time since 1994 and will return to Baton Rouge, where they played the last time they were in the field. Southeastern Louisiana was playing in the Southland title game for the third straight year and finally pulled it off, thanks in large part to Tate Scioneaux who threw 5.2 innings against Sam Houston State, and then on one day’s rest, tossed 5.1 innings in the final for his first save of the year. He was named the tourney’s Most Outstanding Player. First-year coach Matt Riser was a star at Tulane, helping the Green Wave to the 2005 College World Series. He took over for Jay Artigues when Artigues became the school’s athletic director after the fall had started. Outfielder Andrew Godbold hit .420 in junior college before arriving at SELA and is the cousin of Andre Thornton, a member of the Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame. Junior right-hander Andro Cutura was the Southland Conference Freshman of the Year two years ago but battled injuries most of last year during a 1-4 campaign.