Rusin faces familiar foe

FRIDAY

NCAA Regional: Kentuckyat Michigan

When: 7 p.m.

Pitchers: UK, Chris Rusin (6-2); Michigan, Zach Putnam (8-0)

Radio: WLAP 630-AM

KENTUCKY

Regional seed: No. 3

Coach: John Cohen

Record: 42-17

Conference: Southeastern

How the Wildcats got here: At-large selection.

What to watch: UK, coming off back-to-back losses in the SEC Tournament, has not lost more than three in a row this season (swept by LSU and at Georgia). The Cats are outhitting opponents .320 to .265. UK averages 8.2 runs and 11 hits a game, to 4.5 and 9.1 for opponents. National Player of the Year candidates Sawyer Carroll and Collin Cowgill lead the Cats. Carroll led the SEC with a .416 batting average, setting a school record of 78 RBI. His 16 homers were second only to Cowgill's 18. Cowgill also led UK with 75 runs and 23 stolen bases. Both players have more walks than strikeouts -- 40-33 for Carroll, 48-46 for Cowgill. 2B Ryan Wilkes is batting .374 and has not committed an error. SS Chris Wade has an SEC-leading 23 doubles. LH Chris Rusin (6-2, 2.84) leads the staff in innings pitched (82 1/3) and strikeouts (65). Andrew Albers leads in wins (7) and saves (4). Greg Dombrowski (5-1, 4.17) is UK's career leader in winning percentage.

Best-known baseball alums: Include Cy Young Award winner Brandon Webb, Gold Glove 2B Doug Flynn and World Series champions Flynn (Reds) and Jim Leyritz (Yankees).

NCAA history: UK is making its sixth NCAA appearance and second in three years. The Cats were regional runners-up in 1988 and 2006.

MICHIGAN

Regional seed: No. 2

Coach: Rich Maloney

Record: 45-12

Conference: Big Ten

How the Wolverines got here: Big Ten tournament (and regular-season) champs.

What to watch: Michigan is outhitting opponents .315 to .246, averaging 7.9 runs and 10.7 hits per game to 4.4 runs and 7.7 hits against. 1B/C Nate Recknagle tops the Wolverines in average (.372), runs (55), hits (77), homers (23), RBI (68), total bases (157) and slugging (.758). He also has more walks (32) than strikeouts (30). Draft-eligible players include RHP/OF/1B Zach Putnam, rated No. 50 in the draft class by Baseball America. He is batting .309 with nine homers and 47 RBI, while going 8-0 with a 2.64 ERA and 74 strikeouts. RHP Chris Fetter is 10-1 with a 2.39 ERA, leading the team in complete games (4), innings pitched (86 2/3) and strikeouts (75).

Best-known baseball alums: Former Cincinnati Reds SS Barry Larkin and 3B Chris Sabo. Larkin (1985) is among seven first-round draft picks. The others: Jim Abbott (1988), Rich Stoll (1983), David Parrish (2000) and Rich Leach, Steve Howe and Steve Perry (all 1979).

NCAA history: This is Michigan's 21st NCAA appearance and fourth in a row. The Wolverines won their eighth regional title last year, at Vanderbilt, but were ousted in the super regional by national champion Oregon State. Michigan has made it to the College World Series six times, winning 1962.

ARIZONA

Regional seed: No. 1

Coach: Andy Lopez

Record: 38-17

Conference: Pac-10

How the Wildcats got here: At-large selection.

What to watch: CF T.J. Steele is rated by Baseball America among the top three collegiate players in ”top tools“ categories of best athlete, fastest baserunner and best defensive player. Draft-eligible players include a pair of Wildcat pitchers listed among Baseball America's top 100: No. 26 RH Ryan Perry (5-3, 3.21) and No. 60 LH Daniel Schlereth (2-0, 1.73). Overall, Arizona is batting .306, averaging 7.1 runs and 10.6 hits per game. Seven regulars are batting over .300, led by true freshman Bryce Ortega's .345. Four Cats have 10 or more homers, led by C.J. Ziegler with 19. Arizona has 78 stolen bases in 102 attempts, topped by Steele's 20-for-22. Wildcat pitchers led the Pac-10 with a 3.91 ERA, with 514 strikeouts to 179 walks.

Best-known baseball alums: Long-time big-league OF Kenny Lofton, Padres closer Trevor Hoffman and Yankees up-and-comer Shelley Duncan are the recent big names. A blast from the past: Cardinals pitcher Joe Magrane, from Morehead.

NCAA history: Arizona is making its second straight NCAA appearance and its fifth in seven seasons under Andy Lopez. Overall, the Wildcats will be making their 34th post-season appearance. They have won 15 regional titles and one super regional, advancing 15 times to the College World Series. Arizona has three national titles (1976, 1980, 1986) and is a three-time national runner-up.

EASTERN MICHIGAN

Regional seed: No. 4

Coach: Jake Boss

Record: 25-32

Conference: Mid-American

How the Eagles got here: MAC tournament champions.

What to watch: Senior 1B Steve Bradshaw leads EMU starters in batting (.385), slugging (.569), on-base percentage (.481) and fielding (.994), as well as hits (84), doubles (21), RBI (53) and total bases (124). Zack Leonard leads in homers (9), Kyle Rhoad in runs (58) and stolen bases (19). Two pitchers have five wins each, Matt Shoemaker and Sean Hoffman. Closer Robert Wendzicki has three wins and nine saves. Eastern is hitting .297 as a team, averaging 6.8 runs and 10.3 hits per game. The pitching staff has a 7.65 ERA, with opponents batting .323 and averaging 8.3 runs.

Best-known baseball alums: Bob Welch, 1990 Cy Young Award winner for Oakland A's; Bob Owchinko, 1977 National League Rookie Pitcher of the Year with Padres.

NCAA history: This is Eastern Michigan's sixth NCAA berth. In 1970, when the team was known as the Hurons, Eastern won the NAIA championship. EMU won NCAA regionals in 1975 and 1976, finishing second to Arizona at the 1976 College World Series.

Mark Maloney