#1 LONG BEACH STATE VS. #4 FRESNO STATE
Long Beach State (37-19)
The Dirtbags are 37-19 and are the top seed in the Long Beach regional. LBSU boasts the Coach of the Year in Mike Weather, tri-Pitcher of the Year Andrew Liebel and co-Player of the Year in first baseman Shane Peterson. Peterson led the league in hitting with a .399 average and an .510 on base percentage. Liebel went 8-3 on the season with a 1.81 ERA in 109.2 innings pitched.
The Dirtbags earned a share of the Big West title and the automatic bid after taking two of three games from #8 Cal-State Fullerton to end the season.
Long Beach State has faced all of the participants in the regional this season recording a 1-6 record in the regular season. The Dirtbags lost all three games against Cal 6-1, 10-6 and 4-3, both meetings against San Diego 5-3 and 4-2, and split a pair of games with Fresno State winning 2-1 in Long Beach and losing 7-6 at Fresno.
Fresno State (37-27)
The Bulldogs earned the automatic bid out of the WAC after sweeping through the league tournament last weekend. The Bulldogs, like Long Beach State, boast the Player of the Year in Steve Susdorf, the Pitcher of the Year in Tanner Scheppers who is out for the season, and co-Coach of the Year Mike Batesole. Susdorf hit .398 during league play and had seven home runs and 47 RBIs.
The Bulldogs are 4-4 in the NCAA tournament under Mike Batesole and enter the Long Beach Regional as the only unranked team among the four regional participants.
Fresno State faced all of the participants in the regional this season compiling a 1-4 record against the teams. The Bulldogs dropped both meeting against Cal 14-4 and 5-4, their lone meeting with San Diego 5-2 and split their two games against Long Beach State, winning in Fresno 7-6 and falling at Long Beach 2-1.
Fresno State and Long Beach State will meet in the nightcap on Friday’s opening round. First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. PDT.
#2 SAN DIEGO VS. #3 CALIFORNIA
San Diego (41-15)
The Toreros are the West Coast Conference champions and earned the league’s automatic bid after defeating #18 Pepperdine in a three game sweep last weekend. San Diego boasts three Louisville Slugger All-Americans in junior left handed pitcher Brian Matusz (First Team), junior Josh Romanski (Third Team) and sophomore closer AJ Griffin (Third Team). Matusz is the WCC Pitcher of the Year after going 11-2 with a 1.88 ERA.
San Diego faced all the participants in the regional during the regular season and compiled a 3-1 record against the competition. The Toreros defeated Fresno State 5-2, defeated LBSU 5-3 and 4-2 and dropped their only meeting with Cal 5-0.
California (33-19-2)
The Golden Bears finished the season 4th in the PAC-10 and come into the regional having lost four of their last five games. First baseman David Cooper was selected to the Louisville Slugger All-American Third Team. Cooper hit .363 in the regular season with 19 home runs and 55 RBIs.
Cal has faced all the participants in the Long Beach regional during the regular season and compiled a perfect 6-0 record. The Bears defeated Fresno State 14-4 and 5-4, defeated Long Beach State in a series in Berkley 6-1, 10-6 and 4-3 and won 5-0 in their lone meeting with San Diego.
#2 San Diego and #3 Cal will face off in the opening game of the regional on Friday. The first pitch is set for 2:00 p.m. PDT.
Regional Schedule
Friday, May 30th
Game 1: 2:00 p.m. San Diego (2) vs. Cal (3)
Game 2: 6:00 p.m. Long Beach State (1) vs. Fresno State (4)
Saturday, May 31st
Game 3 – 2:00 p.m. Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2
Game 4 – 6:00 p.m. Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
Sunday, June 1st
Game 5 – 1:00 p.m. Winner Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4
Game 6 – 5:00 p.m. Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5
Monday, June 2
Game 7 – Time 6 p.m. IF NECESSARY
2008 NCAA Baseball Long Beach, CA Regional Headquarters
