May 1st: Shockers, Tigers best of April

WSU catcher Charlie O'Brien

At the end of April, the LSU Tigers and WSU Shockers share a narrow lead over Miami and Texas A&M in this battle of great college teams.  The Shockers have three hitters among the league's top 10 in batting average, and another four in stolen bases, while three Tigers appear among the leaders in the home run category.  Wichita State catcher Charlie O'Brien has kept pace with Pete Incaviglia as the two lead the league in home runs with 8.  Only a game off the pace, the Miami Hurricanes have been led by Danny Matienzo's .362 average, 20+ steals from Jimerson and Mike Rodriguez, and several strong pitching performances, including Chris Sheffield with a league-best 0.78 ERA.  Texas A&M, a dark horse entry in this tourney as the only team not to appear in the CWS, boasts the league's top hitter in Chuck Knoblauch (.387) and the RBI leader, John Byington.  Sinking again into the cellar is Oklahoma State, despite strong offensive performances from Doug Dascenzo (.364, 19 SB) and Incaviglia.  Unfortunately for the Cowboys, none of their four frontline starters has an ERA lower than 4.60, and their full staff ERA of 4.96 is more than a run worse than any other team in the league.

College Greats League Standings

Year      Team                     W    L    PCT   GB   L10 
1997      LSU Tigers               18   10   .643  -    6-4 
1982      Wichita State Shockers   18   10   .643  -    6-4 
2001      Miami Hurricanes         17   11   .607  1.0  7-3 
1989      Texas A&M Aggies         16   12   .571  2.0  6-4 
1967      Arizona State Sun Devils 14   14   .500  4.0  6-4 
1983      Texas Longhorns          13   15   .464  5.0  3-7 
1995      Cal State Fullerton      12   16   .429  6.0  5-5 
1971      USC Trojans              12   16   .429  6.0  4-6 
1985      Miss State Bulldogs      11   17   .393  7.0  4-6 
1985      Oklahoma State Cowboys   9    19   .321  9.0  3-7 

College Greats League Leaders in Batting

**AVE**
Last           First     Team                     AVE  
Knoblauch      Chuck     Texas A&M Aggies         .387 
Dascenzo       Doug      Oklahoma State Cowboys   .364 
Matienzo       Danny     Miami Hurricanes         .362 
Ankrum         CJ        Cal State Fullerton Titan.349 
Hibbs          Loren     Wichita State Shockers   .348 
Clark          Will      Miss State Bulldogs      .340 
Byington       John      Texas A&M Aggies         .330 
Furniss        Eddy      LSU Tigers               .327 
Stephenson     Phil      Wichita State Shockers   .327 
Gaskell        Tim       Wichita State Shockers   .326 

**HR**
Last           First     Team                     HR  
Incaviglia     Pete      Oklahoma State Cowboys   8   
O'Brien        Charlie   Wichita State Shockers   8   
Koerner        Mike      LSU Tigers               6   
Clark          Will      Miss State Bulldogs      5   
Duke           Andy      Texas A&M Aggies         5   
Taylor         Terry     Texas A&M Aggies         5   
Mitchell       John      Miss State Bulldogs      4   
Olsen          DC        Cal State Fullerton Titan4   
Larson         Brandon   LSU Tigers               4   
Davis          Wes       LSU Tigers               4   

**RBI**
Last           First     Team                     RBI 
Byington       John      Texas A&M Aggies         38  
O'Brien        Charlie   Wichita State Shockers   37  
Incaviglia     Pete      Oklahoma State Cowboys   29  
Stephenson     Phil      Wichita State Shockers   25  
Tolentino      Jose      Texas Longhorns          21  
Morman         Russ      Wichita State Shockers   21  
Smith          Billy     Oklahoma State Cowboys   20  
Duke           Andy      Texas A&M Aggies         20  
Clark          Will      Miss State Bulldogs      19  
Koerner        Mike      LSU Tigers               19  

**BB**
Last           First     Team                     BB  
Clark          Will      Miss State Bulldogs      26  
Reid           Scott     Arizona State Sun Devils 26  
Morman         Russ      Wichita State Shockers   25  
Day            Mike      Oklahoma State Cowboys   24  
Dascenzo       Doug      Oklahoma State Cowboys   23  
Rodriguez      Mike      Miami Hurricanes         22  
Brown          Kevin     Miami Hurricanes         22  
Paulson        Joe       Arizona State Sun Devils 22  
Hibbs          Loren     Wichita State Shockers   22  
Stephenson     Phil      Wichita State Shockers   21  

**SB**
Last           First     Team                     SB  
Hibbs          Loren     Wichita State Shockers   28  
Jimerson       Charlton  Miami Hurricanes         24  
Rodriguez      Mike      Miami Hurricanes         21  
Dascenzo       Doug      Oklahoma State Cowboys   19  
Stephenson     Phil      Wichita State Shockers   19  
Thomas         Jim       Wichita State Shockers   16  
VanCleve       Dan       Miss State Bulldogs      13  
Rodriguez      Javy      Miami Hurricanes         13  
Brumley        Mike      Texas Longhorns          13  
Morman         Russ      Wichita State Shockers   13  

College Greats League Leaders in Pitching

**ERA**
Last           First     Team                     ERA  
Sheffield      Chris     Miami Hurricanes         0.78 
Chavez         Mark      Cal State Fullerton Titan0.98 
Schiraldi      Calvin    Texas Longhorns          1.29 
Busby          Steve     USC Trojans              1.31 
Pentland       Jeff      Arizona State Sun Devils 1.60 
Gentry         Gary      Arizona State Sun Devils 1.72 
Langston       Keith     Texas A&M Aggies         1.86 
Sonberg        Erik      Wichita State Shockers   2.01 
Bengochea      Kiki      Miami Hurricanes         2.02 
Daugherty      Brian     LSU Tigers               2.29 

**SO/9**
Last           First     Team                     SO/9 
Thompson       Doug      LSU Tigers               11.7 
Sheffield      Chris     Miami Hurricanes         10.9 
Gentry         Gary      Arizona State Sun Devils 10.4 
Giordanella    Joe       Oklahoma State Cowboys   10.3 
Oelkers        Bryan     Wichita State Shockers   10.2 
Lambert        Reese     Oklahoma State Cowboys   9.5  
Burgess        Tom       Arizona State Sun Devils 9.4  
Bengochea      Kiki      Miami Hurricanes         9.3  
Sonberg        Erik      Wichita State Shockers   9.1  
Pentland       Jeff      Arizona State Sun Devils 8.8  

**BB/9**
Last           First     Team                     BB/9 
Clemens        Roger     Texas Longhorns          0.5  
Silva          Ted       Cal State Fullerton Titan0.9  
Sogge          Mark      USC Trojans              1.3  
Coogan         Patrick   LSU Tigers               1.7  
Daugherty      Brian     LSU Tigers               1.8  
Sweet          Pat       Texas A&M Aggies         1.8  
Farmer         Tom       Miami Hurricanes         2.0  
Busby          Steve     USC Trojans              2.1  
Pentland       Jeff      Arizona State Sun Devils 2.2  
Walker         Brian     Miami Hurricanes         2.5  


**H/9**
Last           First     Team                     H/9  
Langston       Keith     Texas A&M Aggies         3.9  
Chavez         Mark      Cal State Fullerton Titan5.4  
Giordanella    Joe       Oklahoma State Cowboys   5.6  
Gentry         Gary      Arizona State Sun Devils 5.7  
Trapasso       Mike      Oklahoma State Cowboys   5.7  
Sheffield      Chris     Miami Hurricanes         6.0  
Schiraldi      Calvin    Texas Longhorns          6.4  
Oelkers        Bryan     Wichita State Shockers   6.5  
Raich          Eric      USC Trojans              6.7  
Pentland       Jeff      Arizona State Sun Devils 6.8  

**W**
Last           First     Team                     W   
Brown          Stan      Wichita State Shockers   6   
Pentland       Jeff      Arizona State Sun Devils 5   
Busby          Steve     USC Trojans              5   
Gentry         Gary      Arizona State Sun Devils 5   
Brantley       Jeff      Miss State Bulldogs      4   
Painich        Joey      LSU Tigers               4   
Debold         Luke      Miami Hurricanes         4   
Smith          Dan       Miami Hurricanes         4   
Raich          Eric      USC Trojans              4   
Schiraldi      Calvin    Texas Longhorns          4   

**SV**
Last           First     Team                     SV  
Huguet         George    Miami Hurricanes         9   
Killingsworth  Kirk      Texas Longhorns          7   
Demouy         Chris     LSU Tigers               7   
George         Jim       USC Trojans              7   
LaFever        Greg      Wichita State Shockers   6   
Centala        Scott     Texas A&M Aggies         5   
Dillon         Tom       Cal State Fullerton Titan4   
Dillard        Gordie    Oklahoma State Cowboys   4   
Guillory       Dan       LSU Tigers               3   
Daugherty      Brian     LSU Tigers               3