Previewing the Tucson Regional
By Ricky Widmer
After a strong showing in their last ten games of the regular season, Arizona earned the fourteenth overall seed out of the field of 64 in the College World Series. Arizona won eight out of their last regular season games and finished the year as a co-champion with UCLA in the Pac-12 conference. Arizona will now prepare for a double elimination regional featuring three other very well-rounded baseball teams.
Tucson, Arizona will welcome schools from Arizona, New Mexico, Kentucky, and Missouri. Between all four of these teams, this regional includes a Pac-12 co-champion, a West Atlantic Conference regular season champion, a Big East regular season champion, and a Big 12 Conference Tournament champion. The winner of this regional will take on the winner from the Chapel Hill Regional hosted by North Carolina. Here are the schools:
- Record: 38-17 overall, 20-10 Pac-12
- Head Coach: Andy Lopez
11th season with Arizona, 1,042-647-7 overall (29 years) - Starting Ace: Kurt Heyer (#26, RHP)
15 starts, 11-2, 2.03 ERA, 6 complete games, 91 strikeouts, 20 walks - Player to Watch: Robert Refsnyder (#2, OF)
.359 average, 57 RBIs, 6 home runs, 12 stolen bases, 19 strikeouts, has started in all 55 games - Team Batting Average: .325 / Team ERA: 4.04
Season Notes: Have won eight out of their last ten games, Pac-12 co-champion with UCLA, lost to UCLA twice and Oregon twice, swept Stanford, and swept by the New Mexico State Aggies in a two game series in March.
- Record: 35-22 overall, 11-7 WAC
- Head Coach: Rocky Ward (16th season with New Mexico State/13th season as head coach)
- Starting Ace: Ryan Beck (#36, LHP)
15 starts, 5-6, 4.22 ERA, 94 strikeouts, 37 walks - Player to Watch: Zac Fisher (#24, C)
.363 average, 58 RBIs, 6 home runs, 35 strikeouts, has started all 57 games - Team Batting Average: .308 / Team ERA: 5.50
Season Notes: Have swept Arizona (two game series), swept Louisiana Tech, and swept San Jose State this season. After winning the WAC regular season crown, the Aggies lost two straight games in the WAC Conference Tournament against Fresno State (WAC Conference Tournament Champion) and Louisiana State.
- Record: 39-20 overall, 18-10 Big East
- Head Coach: Dan McDonnell
6th season with Louisville, 893-497-2 overall (29 years) - Starting Ace: Justin Amlung (#36, RHP)
15 starts, 8-4, 2.36 ERA, 100 strikeouts, 23 walks - Player to Watch: Stewart Ijames (#5, OF)
.258 average, 12 home runs, 60 RBIs, 43 strikeouts, 31 walks, has started all 59 games - Team Batting Average: .292 / Team ERA: 3.36
Season Notes: The Louisville Cardinals earned their fifth NCAA bid in six years. The Louisville Cardinals have only swept one team all season (Cincinnati) and defeated #1 Kentucky in a 12-0 shut out. The Cardinals won their first game of the Big East Conference Tournament, but then lost two straight to Connecticut and South Florida.
- Record: 32-26 overall, 10-14 Big 12
- Head Coach: Tim Jamieson
18th season with Missouri, 571-414-2 overall - Starting Ace: Rob Zastryzny (#8, LHP)
16 starts, 5-5, 3.84 ERA, 71 strikeouts, 29 walks - Player to Watch: Dane Opel (#47, OF)
.292 average, 45 RBIs, 11 home runs, 53 strikeouts, 21 walks - Team Batting Average: .274 / Team ERA: 4.06
Season Notes: After losing nine games out of their last fourteen regular season games, the Tigers won four straight Big 12 Conference Tournament games to earn an automatic NCAA bid. The Tigers have swept only two teams this season (Charlotte and Kansas State) and have only been swept twice (Baylor and Arkansas).
REGIONAL SCHEDULE
Friday, June 1st
- 4:00 p.m. (PT) – GAME 1: Louisville vs New Mexico State (ESPNU)
- 8:00 p.m. (PT) – GAME 2: Missouri vs Arizona (ESPNU)
Saturday, June 2nd
- 4:00 p.m. (PT) – GAME 3: Game 1 Loser vs Game 2 Loser (ESPNU)
- 8:00 p.m. (PT) – GAME 4: Game 1 Winner vs Game 2 Winner (ESPNU)
Sunday, June 3rd
- 4:00 p.m. (PT) – GAME 5: Game 3 Winner vs Game 4 Loser (ESPN3)
- 8:00 p.m. (PT) – GAME 6: Game 5 Winner vs Game 4 Winner (ESPN3)
Monday, June 4th
- 8:00 p.m. (PT) – GAME 7: Game 6 Rematch (if necessary) (ESPNU)
ESPNU and ESPN3 have national broadcast rights for the college baseball regionals, and the Tucson regional was selected to be shown.
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