The Road To Omaha: CWS 2012

[seawolf17]

Sure, this thread goes dead as soon as YOUR Stony Brook Seawolves get eliminated, but what if... they NEVER GET ELIMINATED?

SBU-LSU, 12pm EST, ESPN2.

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/8021668/previewing-weekend-super-regionals-ncaa-baseball-tournament

Stony Brook (50-12)

How they got here: The Seawolves won the America East regular-season and tournament titles, then beat host Miami, as the No. 4 seed, to open regional play. After a loss to UCF, Stony Brook twice avenged the defeat to win its first regional in four appearances.

Star player: Junior center fielder Travis Jankowski became the highest-drafted Stony Brook player ever as the Padres took him 44th overall in the supplemental portion of the first round Monday. Jankowski is hitting .417 with five homers and 46 RBIs.

Weapon: Lots of offense, led by Jankowski and third baseman William Carmona. Stony Brook ranks second nationally with a .336 batting average. It scored 10 runs or more in each of four regional wins and in six of seven postseason victories.

Weakness: It didn't matter much in Miami, but Baton Rouge is in a different league -- and Stony Brook has never played on this stage. The program had won one regional game in its history before last week. Experience matters with a trip to Omaha at stake.
LSU (46-16)

How they got here: The Tigers won the SEC outright to earn the No. 7 national seed. They swept through the Baton Rouge Regional, winning two games over Oregon State -- including a 10-inning 6-5 victory in to earn a super regional berth for the ninth time.

Star player: Junior left fielder Raph Rhymes leads the nation in hitting at .452 after flirting with .500 for much of the year. Rhymes was named the Southeastern Conference Player of the Year.

Weapon: The new Alex Box Stadium, opened in 2009, offers the most significant home-field advantage in the college game. LSU has led the nation in attendance for 14 straight seasons and has advanced to the CWS out of a home regional or super regional 13 times since 1986.

Weakness: The Tigers can score runs, ranking 28th nationally, but they're not a club that sits around and waits for the three-run homer to win. If LSU gets behind, Mason Katz, with 11 home runs, provides the only consistent source of power.

[bmfc1]

Good luck to Stony Brook.

I'm hoping that someone tells us which games feature Mets draftees, like this tweet:
Mets fans 6th round pick Jayce Boyd will be on ESPN2 tonight at 7pm vs. Stanford #Mets

[Guest Mets � Willets Point]

Are colleges that aren't from California, Texas, Florida, Louisiana & Arizona even allowed to win the College World Series?

[HahnSolo]

I don't know who the writer was on ESPN.com, but before the Miami regional, he said that Stony Brook was by far the best 4 seed in the tournament.

Good luck to the Wolves, sounds like if they bring their bats, they can play with anybody.

St. John's (who surprised and won the North Carolina regional as a 3-seed) is the other local in the super-regionals.

[seawolf17]

By the way, if you're not watching on ESPN2 this afternoon, I can't help you.

2-1 Stony Brook going to the bottom of the ninth.
Bot 9: game-tying HR
Top 10: tiebreaking HR
Bot 10: game-tying HR
Top 11: tiebreaking sac fly to short CF
Bot 11: game-tying HR

Rain delay before we hit the 12th, which is good because I'm going to have a heart attack.

[ashie62]

Mets � Willets Point wrote: Are colleges that aren't from California, Texas, Florida, Louisiana & Arizona even allowed to win the College World Series?

No..

but go Stony Brook..bet northeast team in some time.

[G-Fafif]

Are colleges that aren't from California, Texas, Florida, Louisiana & Arizona even allowed to win the College World Series?

Literal answer: South Carolina won the last two; Oregon State won in '06 and '07. And before that, the last time it wasn't one of those states was Oklahoma in 1994.

[ashie62]

They are playing now 4-4 ...rain delay in extras..

[Guest Mets � Willets Point]

G-Fafif wrote: Are colleges that aren't from California, Texas, Florida, Louisiana & Arizona even allowed to win the College World Series? Literal answer: South Carolina won the last two; Oregon State won in '06 and '07. And before that, the last time it wasn't one of those states was Oklahoma in 1994.

Yeah, being a little sarcastic, but there's definitely a warm-weather state advantage to college baseball.

[seawolf17]

Game called; we'll finish tomorrow at 11:00 EST, followed by game two at 12:00. (Assuming we get done with Game 1 in less than an hour.)

[Frayed Knot]

Mets � Willets Point wrote: Are colleges that aren't from California, Texas, Florida, Louisiana & Arizona even allowed to win the College World Series?

South Carolina is currently the two-time defending WS champs.
Oregon State pulled the double in 2006-2007
Other than those you have to go back a while to Oklahoma in '94 and Wichita State in 1989

So the answer to your question appears to be; Yes, but only on a token basis.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Man. MAN.

Rubber game.

[HahnSolo]

I didn't realize this, from the NY Times. They're no fluke:

Stony Brook has been one of college baseball�s best all-around teams this season. It was the only Division I team to rank in the top 10 in the nation in batting average, earned run average and fielding percentage.

[seawolf17]

I didn't realize this, from the NY Times. They're no fluke: Stony Brook has been one of college baseball�s best all-around teams this season. It was the only Division I team to rank in the top 10 in the nation in batting average, earned run average and fielding percentage.

The knock has been that because we're a northeast team, we're beating up on a weak conference. Well guess what? We've played seven games against elite teams, and we're 5-2. We're here to play. Respect all, fear none.

[metirish]

I watched the last few innings today in honor of you Wolf.....

exciting times for you, good stuff

[seawolf17]

Y'all might want to tune in ESPN News some time soon. We're making history, baby.

[G-Fafif]

Way to go, Wolves!

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Watched the last inning or two. Go you friggin' Wolves.

[ashie62]

Wolf..are you going?

[seawolf17]

I wish. I don't think it's in the budget. (Personally or professionally.)



The "ok" sign is actually significant: the pinky is for the America East, the ring finger is for the regionals, the middle finger is for the super regionals, and the "o" is for Omaha.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Wow. What a story.

[bmfc1]

My wife, Stony Brook alum, mentioned it last night without prompting.

[Frayed Knot]

First New York team to get to Omaha since 1980, and the first northeast team since '86

[Vic Sage]

dems my boys, baby!
go [crossout:k9hwav9v]Patriots[/crossout:k9hwav9v]... damn... SEAWOLVES!

[seawolf17]

We have some awesome alumni doing some innovative things. Fan site, run by a guy who graduated last year:

http://www.imaseawolf.com/

[Guest themetfairy]

seawolf - before leaving for work this morning, D-Dad asked me to congratulate you and wish the Seawolves luck in the CWS.

[Frayed Knot]

dl9hS8CcGVU

The Final Eight in Omaha (somewhere in middle America):

South Carolina
Kent State
Florida
Florida State
Stony Brook
Arizona
Arkansas
UCLA

Stony Brook v UCLA on Friday

[metirish]

Oh , so they are not in the actual final yet.

Forgive me for thinking they were .

Go Seawolves

[Frayed Knot]

The preliminary rounds were what just ended, those are for winners and wild cards in the various leagues throughout the country and are held at regional sites (home areas of the upper-ranked teams) in order to get down to the final eight. That's what Stony Brook just survived, beating several southern teams in a southern regional.

The surviving eight advance to the College World Series, the final double-elimination tourney held every year in Omaha, Nebraska. That gets underway on Friday.
Stony Brook is the first NYS team to make it to Omaha since St Johns in 1980. Kent State is the first from Ohio since 1970. The last team from the whole northeast was Maine in 1986.

[Edgy MD]

The 1970 Ohio Bobcats had Mike Schmidt. I imagine he could have taken a team from The New School to the NCAA finals.

I think that 1986 Maine team featured Mike Bordick.