Recruiting coordinator Eric Bakich of Vanderbilt has kicked off recruiting season with a bang.  Today, it was reported that stellar defensive shortstop Anthony Gomez of top ranked Don Bosco high school of New Jersey committed to the Commodores.  Gomez, a sure handed, line-drive hitting shortstop standing 6′ 180, is the third ‘09-’10 recruit known to have committed to Vanderbilt and Tim Corbin.  He received a Perfect 10 rating from Perfect Game. 

Last week, TCBB scribe Don Boyles tipped off that Connor Harrell, a physical specimen and top outfielder had committed to the Commodores.  PG rates Harrell the #65 prospect in the class and awarded him a Perfect 10 rating as well.  The Kinkaid School product is a strapping 6′3″ 190lb speed demon, clocking a 6.66 time in the 60 yard run at PG’s National Showcase.  Read the rest of this entry »

Former ASU Coach Bobby Winkles talks College Baseball (The Desert Sun)

Tulane’s Jones Promotes Chad Sutter to Associate Head Baseball Coach (Official Tulane Site)

Ryan Wilkes won a Rawlings Gold Glove (Kypost.com)

Dayton added four players for 2009. (Official Dayton Site)

MSU’s Connor Powers to take part in Cape Cod Baseball League Home Run Derby (Official Mississippi State Site)

Falmouth edged Harwich in Cape Cod League action (CodBall)

Stowell continues to dominate the Cape Cod League (Cape Cod Times)

FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE

Max Most, Staunton, OF, Jr., Port Washington, N.Y. (Old Dominion)
Most was an on-base machine for the Braves, reaching safely in 20 of 29 plate appearances for a .690 on-base percentage. The ODU Monarch led the league with a .571 batting average, going 12-for-21 with two doubles. He scored seven runs, drove in four, and led the league with eight walks. Adding to his arsenal, Most also shared the league lead with six steals. For the season, he is batting .364 with 25 runs, 10 doubles, 15 RBIs, 21 walks, 19 steals, and a .447 on-base percentage. Read the rest of this entry »

Lubbock, Texas - As eight teams load up and head to Omaha to continue the quest for the College Baseball National Championship, eight players are named as semi-finalists for the Brooks Wallace National Player of Year Award. College baseball has produced a fine class of young men to represent the “Wallace Watch” from the pre-season release to where it stands today.
Read the rest of this entry »

FROM CBB NEWS SOURCES

University of Kentucky baseball head coach John Cohen has resigned as coach of the Wildcats, and associate head coach Gary Henderson has been promoted to the top spot, Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart announced Friday afternoon.

Henderson, UK’s associate head coach and pitching coach for the past five years, becomes the 25th head coach in the 104-year history of Wildcat baseball. Henderson has been a cornerstone in the success of the UK program over the past five years, helping transform the Wildcats into an annual national contender. Henderson’s 2008 staff was the best in the Southeastern Conference, pacing the conference with a 3.71 team ERA, ranking as the second-best ERA in school history.

Read the rest of this entry »

By Thomas Nelshoppen of The Baseball Zealot

Kentucky 12 Michigan 6

I had been warned in the past that the deeper you go into Michigan’s rotation, the suspect it gets. It was never more evident than in the Michigan-Kentucky game on Sunday. Kentucky scored 7 runs in their first inning and added two more in the second. Michigan starter Jeff DeCarlo gave up a hit, a wild pitch and two walks before getting yanked in favor of Ben Jenzen. Jenzen didn’t fare much better. He gave up three consecutive doubles to Collin Cowgill, Brian Spear and Chris Wade which quickly made it 5-1 Kentucky. Wildcat Troy Frazier topped off the first with a two-run homer. Read the rest of this entry »

By: Thomas Nelshoppen of The Baseball Zealot
We start to see some players shine in day 2 at Ann Arbor. Players like Arizona’s C.J Ziegler and Kentucky’s Sawyer Carrol really came through for their teams. But first, some unfinished business between Michigan and Kentucky from the night before.

Michigan 7 Kentucky 5

Michigan and Kentucky had to attend to their suspended game from Friday night. Michigan came in with in a 5-1 lead thanks to Zach Putnam’s 5-inning performance the night before. Read the rest of this entry »

By Thomas Nelshoppen of The Baseball Zealot

Weather had played major tricks to us college baseball fans in the Midwest. There must have been a record number of postponements, cancellations and suspensions. Unfortunately, the rains came to Ann Arbor Friday evening and interfered with the Regional games. At least, Arizona and Eastern Michigan got their full game in so let’s start with them Read the rest of this entry »

By: Thomas Nelshoppen of The Baseball Zealot
Last week at the Big Ten Tournament, Michigan’s bat boy was wearing a jersey with “692″ on the back of it. The reference was lost on me till later when I read that is the exact mileage from Ann Arbor to Omaha.

When you set your goals, set them high.

Michigan (45-12) will put that all to the test as they host a NCAA Regional Tournament at Fisher Stadium beginning this Friday. They received a #2 seed and in fact, are the only #2 seed hosting a regional tournament this year. They will begin the tourney by facing #3 seed Kentucky (42-17). #1 seed Arizona will take on #4 seed Eastern Michigan (25-32). Read the rest of this entry »

FROM CBB NEWS SOURCES

Vanderbilt 7 South Carolina 5

HOOVER, Ala. — Nick Christiani allowed just one run on five hits in 6.1 innings and Vanderbilt used two two-run homers to power past South Carolina 7-5 Friday afternoon at the SEC Tournament at Regions Park.

VU improved to 39-19 and eliminated the Gamecocks who fell to 38-21 on the year. The Commodores will face tourney nemesis Ole Miss tomorrow at 10 a.m. in the semifinal round and will have to beat the Rebels twice in order to advance to the conference championship game for the third straight year. It will mark the fourth time the two schools have met in the tourney since 2006. Read the rest of this entry »

FROM CBB NEWS SOURCES

South Carolina 11 Florida 3

Hoover, Ala. - South Carolina scored five runs in both the second and eighth innings and behind a solid seven inning effort from senior right-hander Nick Godwin earned an 11-3 win over Florida on day two of the SEC Tournament in an elimination game. Carolina junior first baseman became the seventh player in SEC history to record 60 or more career homers and also set a South Carolina career record for RBI with 200 in his three seasons with the Garnet & Black. Carolina improves to 38-20 on the year with the loss dropping Florida to 34-22 this season. The Gamecocks will meet the loser of the LSU-Vanderbilt game on Friday afternoon with first pitch scheduled for 4 pm ET and the game broadcast live on FSN South and the Gamecock Radio Network. Read the rest of this entry »

Game 1: LSU 5, USC 4

LSU rallied for 4 runs in the ninth and Blake Dean hit a walk off shot in the 10th as LSU stunned USC with a major come from behind win in the SEC tournament opener.

Game 2: Vandy 7, UF 3

Vanderbilt avenged a Florida sweep last weekend that knocked VU completely out of the NCAA hosting picture by sending Florida to the loser’s bracket behind 14 singles and steady, if imperfect relief pitching by Drew Hayes, Richie Goodenow and Russell Brewer.

Game 3: Ole Miss 4, UGA 1

Is UGA mailing in the tournament? A presumptive national seed, Georgia fell to Ole Miss 4-1 in their first game in the SEC tourney. But the #1 seed had the unenviable task of facing pre-season all-American Lance Lynn, who struck out 12 of the 27 batters he faced. Fuller Smith and Jordan Henry had 3 hits apiece for the Rebs.

Game 4: Kentucky 9 Alabama 3

Making his first career start senior Aaron Lovett tossed a complete-game and senior outfielder Sawyer Carroll set the school record for RBI in a season, as the No. 19 Kentucky Wildcats pounded No. 29 Alabama 9-3, in front of 11,967 fans during the first round of the 2008 Southeastern Conference Tournament at Regions Park.

Full SEC recaps of the day’s action.

The SEC Conference Tourney starts up tomorrow with a double elimination tournament taking place in Hoover Alabama. The University of South Carolina will take on LSU at 10 am, Vanderbilt against Florida at 1 pm, Ole Miss against Georgia at 5 pm, and the nightcap will be Alabama playing Kentucky at 8 pm. Read the rest of this entry »

FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Georgia junior shortstop Gordon Beckham was selected 2008 SEC Baseball Player of the Year, fellow senior closer Joshua Fields was named SEC Pitcher of the Year and Auburn first basemen Hunter Morris was named SEC Freshman of the Year by a vote of the league’s 12 head baseball coaches. The coaches also tabbed Georgia skipper David Perno as SEC Coach of the Year. Beckham was also named SEC Baseball Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Read the rest of this entry »

FROM CBB NEWS SOURCES

Wednesday, May 21
Game 1 10:00 a.m. #7 South Carolina vs. #2 LSU [CSS HD] (XM 199)
Game 2 1:00 p.m. #6 Vanderbilt vs. #3 Florida [CSS HD] (XM 199)
Game 3 5:00 p.m. #8 Ole Miss vs. #1 Georgia [CSS HD]
Game 4 8:00 p.m. #5 Alabama vs. #4 Kentucky [CSS HD] Read the rest of this entry »