Kleberg Bank College Classic: Star Power
CORPUS CHRISTI - When you see the Whataburger Field stadium lights burning on February 25-26-27, their candlepower will be augmented by some of college baseball's brightest stars.
The First Kleberg Bank College Classic, hosted by the Corpus Christi Hooks and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, welcomes UConn, Indiana and Oregon State to the Sparkling City.
Tickets are on sale at the Whataburger Field box office, on-line at cchooks.com and by calling 361-561-HOOK. Three-day adult packages are just $24, a great value! Youth packages are $12, with daily ticket pricing $10 and $5, respectively.
Indiana consensus All-America outfielder Alex Dickerson, the reigning Big Ten player-of-the-year, joins fellow USA Baseball 2010 National Team members Matt Barnes, a right-handed pitcher, and outfielder George Springer, both of Connecticut.
Team USA fell in the gold medal game of the World University Baseball Championships to Cuba, 4-3, in 10 innings at Tokyo on August 7. The Americans finished with a 16-3 record.
Dickerson hit .419 with 24 home runs and 75 RBI for the 28-27 Hoosiers in 2010. Barnes went 8-3 and posted a 3.92 earned run average for Jim Penders' club, which finished 23rd nationally after hosting the NCAA regional at Norwich, Conn. The Huskies' final mark: 48-16.
Springer (.337/18/62/33 steals) is one of four returning UConn players who swiped 24 or more bases.
Matt Boyd was a two-way freshman phenom for the Beavers. His 7-1 record and 1.90 ERA topped 32-24 OSU. The lefty also batted .264/3/19.
Islanders first baseman Trey Hernandez earned All-Southland Conference honors as a junior. His numbers were .361/17/63.
UConn appears to be loaded with eight returning everyday players and deep veteran pitching (five starters) for Penders, who earned BIG EAST coach-of-the-year honors last spring.
Like the Huskies, A&M-Corpus Christi brings back eight regulars and 19 lettermen under fourth-year coach Scott Malone.
Here's the schedule:
Friday, February 25
UConn vs. Oregon State, 2:30 p.m.
Indiana vs. A&M-Corpus Christi, 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, February 26
UConn vs. Indiana, 2 p.m.
Oregon State vs. A&M-Corpus Christi, 6 p.m.
Sunday, February 27
Indiana vs. Oregon State, 11 a.m.
UConn vs. A&M-Corpus Christi, 3 p.m.
UCONN HUSKIES
City/State: Storrs, Connecticut
Founded: 1881
Enrollment: 16,795
School Colors: Navy & White
Home Field: J.O. Christian Field
Conference: Big East
Athletics Website: UConnHuskies.com
COACHING STAFF
Head Coach: Jim Penders
Alma Mater (year): UConn (1994)
Record at School (seasons): 244-164-2 (seven)
Overall Record (seasons): same
Assistant Coaches: Justin Blood, Steven Malinowski, Chris Podeszwa
TOP RETURNING PLAYERS
Nick Ahmed, SS, .300/4/43/34SB (All-BIG EAST)
John Andreoli, OF, .362/1/37/24SB
Matt Barnes, RHP, 8-3/3.92 (All-BIG EAST)
Dan Feehan, RHP, 2-0/3.30/3S
Billy Ferriter, OF, .363/0/30/33SB
Elliot Glynn, LHP, 7-3/2.99 (Padres 49th round 2010; All-BIG EAST)
Greg Nappo, LHP, 8-5/4.44
Mike Nemeth, 1B, .386/15/84 (All-BIG EAST; ABCA All-America)
Scott Oberg, RHP, 5-2/1.94
George Springer, OF, .337/18/62/33SB (Twins 48th round 2008; All-BIG EAST)
Robert Van Woert, RHP, 6-1/4.84
Kevin Vance, INF/RHP, .322/7/35; 1-0/2.41/8S (All-BIG EAST)
Everyday Players Returning: 8
Everyday Players Lost: 1
Lettermen Returning: 19
Lettermen Lost: 4
2010 RECAP
Overall Record: 48-16
Home Record: 19-4
Road Record: 21-6
Neutral Record: 8-6
Conference Record (finish): 20-6 (2nd)
Conference Tournament Record: 4-2
Postseason Record (site): 1-2 (Norwich Regional)
Highest Final Ranking: 23rd USA Today/ESPN Coaches
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INDIANA HOOSIERS
City/State: Bloomington, Indiana
Founded: 1820
Enrollment: 40,354
School Colors: Cream and Crimson
Home Field: Sembower Field
Conference: Big Ten
Athletics Website: IUHoosiers.com
COACHING STAFF
Head Coach: Tracy Smith
Alma Mater (year): Miami, Ohio (1989)
Record at School (seasons): 132-153 (five)
Overall Record (seasons): 449-373-1 (14)
Assistant Coaches: Ty Neal, Ben Greenspan
TOP RETURNING PLAYERS
Matt Carr, RHP, 3-2/5.74
Alex Dickerson, OF, .419/24/75 (Nationals 48th round 2008; All-Big Ten)
Micah Johnson, INF, .312/11/42 (2010 Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-America)
Drew Leininger, LHP, 9-3/4.04
Josh Lyon, C, .371/11/39 (All-Big Ten)
Jerrud Sabourin, 1B/LHP, .394/7/45; 1-1/5.09/1S (All-Big Ten)
Everyday Players Returning: 7
Everyday Players Lost: 2
Lettermen Returning: 25
Lettermen Lost: 19
2010 RECAP
Overall Record: 28-27
Home Record: 12-7
Road Record: 6-14
Neutral Record: 10-6
Conference Record (finish): 12-12 (T5th)
Conference Tournament Record: 1-2
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OREGON STATE BEAVERS
City/State: Corvallis, Oregon
Founded: 1868
Enrollment: 20,100
School Colors: Orange and Black
Home Field: Goss Stadium
Conference: Pacific-10
Athletics Website: osubeavers.com
COACHING STAFF
Head Coach: Pat Casey
Alma Mater (year): George Fox (1990)
Record at School (seasons): 537-338-4 (16)
Overall Record (seasons): 708-451-5 (23)
Assistant Coaches: Marty Lees, Pat Bailey, Nate Yeskie
TOP RETURNING PLAYERS
Carter Bell, INF, .254/2/15 (Giants 22nd round 2008)
Matt Boyd, LHP/INF, 7-1/1.90; .264/3/19 (All-Pac-10)
Sam Gaviglio, RHP, 3-4/5.60/2S (Rays 40th round 2008)
Dylan Jones, LHP/OF, 1-0/2.37; .329/0/7
Andrew Susac, C, .260/2/13 (Phillies 16th round 2009; All-Pac-10)
2010 RECAP
Overall Record: 32-24
Home Record: 21-11
Road Record: 7-11
Neutral Record: 4-2
Conference Record (finish): 12-15 (T7th)
Postseason Record (site): 1-2 (Gainesville Regional)
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TEXAS A&M-CORPUS CHRISTI
City/State: Corpus Christi, Texas
Founded: 1947
Enrollment: 9,650
School Colors: Blue and Green
Home Fields: Chapman Field, Whataburger Field
Conference: Southland
Athletics Website: goislanders.com
COACHING STAFF
Head Coach: Scott Malone
Alma Mater (year): McMurry (1998)
Record at School (seasons): 62-104-2 (three)
Overall Record (seasons): same
Assistant Coaches: Chris Ramirez, Marty Smith
TOP RETURNING PLAYERS
Bobby Buckner, INF, .278/5/30/5SB
Omar Garcia, C, .327/1/17
Trey Hernandez, INF, .361/17/63 (All-Southland)
Adam Hoelscher, LHP, 2-3/4.47
Matt Holland, INF, .357/3/22/5SB
Jeramie Marek, INF, .283/1/23
Caleb Marx, INF, .343/1/19/9SB
Weston Montgomery, INF, .303/1/19
Jacob Perales, OF, .298/7/24
Chris Vergne, OF, .305/5/42/6SB
Everyday Players Returning: 8
Everyday Players Lost: 1
Lettermen Returning: 19
Lettermen Lost: 8
2010 RECAP
Overall Record: 20-33-1
Home Record: 13-12
Road Record: 5-17-1
Neutral Record: 2-4
Conference Record (finish): 10-22-1 (11th)