2015 Stillwater Regional

(capsules compiled by Sean Ryan, Phil Stanton, Will Merritt, Jackson Proffitt, John Whittle)

 

1. Oklahoma State Cowboys

Stillwater, Oklahoma

At-large bid from Big-12

2015 record: 14-8, 37-18 (second) 

Head coach: Josh Holliday (Oklahoma State, 1999)

Record at school: 126-53 (3 years)

Overall record: same

Assistant coaches: Marty Lees, Rob Walton

Team offense: .279 BA, 369 R, 17 HR, .409 SLG%, .381 OBP%, 83-101 SB

Team pitching: 2.84 ERA, 500 IP, 438 H, 174 BB, 435 K

Top hitters: Corey Hassel (.305/3/33 12-16 SB), Ryan Sluder (.305/6/22), Tim Arakawa (.291/1/35), Dustin Williams (.287/6/36), Gage Green (.284/5/29 18-21 SB)

Top pitchers: Michael Freeman (10-2, 1.05 ERA, 102.2 IP, 67 H, 25 BB, 92 K), Trey Cobb (4-1, 2.44 ERA, 55.1 IP, 45 H, 17 BB, 49 K), Jon Perrin (6-4, 4.29 ERA, 77.2 IP, 74 H, 28 BB, 68 K), Koda Glover (2-2, 1.90 ERA, 5 SV, 23.2 IP, 20 H, 7 BB, 28 K)

Last NCAA appearance: 2014 (3-2 at Stillwater Regional)

Notes: The Cowboys of Oklahoma State enter the 2015 NCAA Tournament after falling just short of a regional title in last year’s tournament. Oklahoma State has been selected as a host site for the second straight season for the first round of the NCAA Tournament. They are 36-11 in regional games on their home field. The Cowboys closed out the season strong with ten players being named to the All-Big 12 conference teams, including three first team selections. Senior pitcher Michael Freeman was also named the Big-12 conference Pitcher of the Year, becoming only the second Oklahoma State player to ever win the award. Freeman leads the Big 12 in innings pitched, complete games, and opponents’ batting average with the opposition batting just .183 against him. Catcher Gage Green and infielder Donnie Walton join Freeman on the First team, with both being repeat selections.

 

2. Arkansas Razorbacks

Fayetteville, Arkansas

At-large bid from Southeastern Conference

2015 record: 35-22, 17-12

Head coach: Dave Van Horn (Arkansas (1988)

Record at school: 519-292, 13 years

Overall record: 1,104-532, 27 years

Assistant coaches: Tony Vitello, Dave Jorn

Team offense: .289 BA, 340 R, 49 HR, .435 SLG%, .381 OBP%, 48-70 SB

Team pitching: 4.16 ERA, 499.2 IP, 478 H, 247 BB, 425 K, BAA .257

Top hitters: Andrew Benintendi (.391/18/52), Tyler Spoon (.325/5/46), Rick Nomura (.312/4/15), Bobby Wernes (.291/4/26)

Top pitchers: Keaton McKinney (6-1, 3.14 ERA, 77.1 IP, 62 H, 32 BB, 42 K), Dominic Taccolini (6-4, 4.32 ERA, 77.0 IP, 67 H, 41 BB, 67 K), Trey Killian (2-4, 4.72 ERA, 68.2 IP, 76 H, 20 BB, 50 K), Zach Jackson (5-0, 2.25 ERA, 16 SV, 48.0 IP, 35 H, 33 BB, 70 K)

Last NCAA appearance: 2014 (Lost Charlottesville Regional)

Notes: Outfielder Andrew Benintendi was named SEC Player of the Year and has also been cited for early All-American honors. Benintendi is a well-rounded athlete though as he also averaged 25.5 points per game and earned Division III Co-Player of the Year honors his senior of high school in basketball. … Reliever Lance Phillips’ cousin, Dane, was a part of the 2011 Arkansas team in the fall and is now in the San Diego Padres organization. … Freshman Rick Nomura is the son of Ronald Nomura, was a catcher at the University of Hawaii and the USA Collegiate National Team in 1979.

 

3. Oral Roberts Golden Eagles

Tulsa, Oklahoma

Automatic bid from Summit League

2015 record: 25-5, 41-14 

Head coach: Ryan Folmar (Oklahoma State, 1997)

Record at school: 96-72 (three years)

Overall record: same

Assistant coaches: Ryan Neill, Sean Snedeker

Team offense: .321 BA, 404 R, 37 HR, .455 SLG%, .408 OBP%, 51-70 SB

Team pitching: 3.10 ERA, 479.2 IP, 453 H, 146 BB, 414 K

Top hitters: Matt Whatley (.343/5/44 15-20 SB), Anthony Sequiera (.343/10/54), Derrian James (.342/5/44), Audie Afenir (.340/3/42), Noah Cummings (.333/5/30)

Top pitchers: Xavier Altamirano (8-2, 2.94 ERA, 85.2 IP, 83 H, 14 BB, 81 K), Guillermo Trujillo (10-3, 4.03 ERA, 82.2 IP, 79 H, 25 BB, 68 K), Bryce Howe (4-1, 3.14 ERA, 51.2 IP, 48 H, 13 BB, 43 K), Anthony Sequiera (1-1, 1.50 ERA, 11 SV, 30 IP, 19 H, 11 BB, 38 K)

Last NCAA appearance: 2012 (1-2 Waco Regional)

Notes: Oral Roberts is back in the NCAA Tournament after not qualifying since 2012. They Golden Eagles won their sixteenth conference championship by defeating IPFW in the conference championship. This is the 25th time that the Golden Eagles have played in the NCAA Tournament, they have in 34-48 all-time record in the postseason. The Golden Eagles swept the postseason awards for the Summit League with Coach Folmar taking Coach of the Year, and senior Anthony Sequiera taking Player of the Year honors. Matt Whatley was named Rookie of the year and junior right-hander Xavier Altamirano was named Pitcher of the Year. This was the sixth time in school history that they had swept the conference awards and the first time since 2009. The Golden Eagles rounded out the night by occupying nine of the fourteen first team slots for All-Conference.

 

4. St. John's Red Storm

New York, New York

Automatic bid from Big East

2015 record: 14-3, 39-14 

Head coach: Ed Blankmeyer (Seton Hall, 1976)

Record at school: 686-419-3

Overall record: same

Assistant coaches: Mike Hampton, Corey Muscara

Team offense: .291 BA, 303 R, 19 HR, .380 SLG%, .378 OBP%, 39-67 SB

Team pitching: 3.84 ERA, 473.1 IP, 432 H, 186 BB, 401 K

Top hitters: Alex Caruso (.387/0/22), Matt Harris (.335/1/35), Robbie Knightes (.326/0/18), Zach Lauricella (.326/3/44), Michael Donadio (.313/1/29 8-11 SB)

Top pitchers: Ryan McCormick (10-1, 2.81 ERA, 86.1 IP, 71 H, 21 BB, 70 K), Cody Stashak (7-4, 3.32 ERA, 81.1 IP, 73 H, 23 BB, 66 K), Chris Kalica (4-2, 4.53 ERA, 53.2 IP, 54 H, 15 BB, 42 K), Thomas Hackimer (3-0, 1.89 ERA, 15 SV, 47.2 IP, 25 H, 21 BB, 51 K)

Last NCAA appearance: 2012 (3-2 Chapel Hill Regional)

Notes: St. John’s captured a conference-record eighth Big East Championship to earn the automatic bid from the conference to the NCAA Tournament. St. John’s ranks ninth all time with 35 NCAA tournament appearances. The Red Storm are riding a fifteen game winning streak heading into the tournament. Pitcher Ryan McCormick was unanimously named the Big East Pitcher of the Year as well as head coach Ed Blankmeyer earning Coach of the Year honors. McCormick becomes the fifth Red Storm pitcher to win the award after finishing top of the league in wins with nine, and fifth in ERA at 3.07. Joining McCormick on the first team was reliever Thomas Hackimer setting a school record for single-season saves with 15. The reliever ranked sixth in the league in strikeouts while only working 45.2 innings and held opponents to a .144 batting average.