Outfielder Cole Gillespie has led this electric offense all-season, and, at times, has carried the team. He leads the team in all major offensive categories, including batting average (.383), home runs (12), runs (73), hits (77), doubles (23) slugging percentage (.706) walks (41) and OBP (.502).

Scoring seven or more runs in 29 of their 52 regular season games, and losing only one of those games, the Beavers rode their phenomenal bats throughout the season, a trend they continued in the postseason, when they scored seven or more runs in two of their three regional matchups. OSU’s pitching was almost as dominant, allowing 3 or fewer runs in 26 of their 52 regular season games, losing only two of those. They did not skip a beat in the regional tournament, allowing three runs in each matchup and letting their offense take care of the rest.

The OSU Beavers look to be in great shape heading into the Super Regionals against a Stanford team they beat three consecutive times in the regular season, winning the season series by a collective score of 16-1. Johan Nickerson, the staff ace, who led starters in ERA (2.67) and led the team in strikeouts (105), allowed one run in seven innings in his lone appearance against Stanford this season. Dallas Buck, however, turned in the most dominant pitching performance of the three-game regular series against the Cardinals. He went 8 1/3 innings, giving up merely four hits. Stanford will likely see both starters in this series, although probable starters have not been officially announced. Mike Stutes, who allowed only three hits in 6 2/3 innings against them earlier in the season and notched the win against Hawaii in the Regional Championship, would most likely pitch the third and final game of their Super Regional contest, if necessary.

Gillespie, took a special liking to Cardinal pitching, going 7-for-10 in the season-series against them, scoring five runs to go along with his three RBI and a home run. First-baseman Bill Rowe, the hero from the Regional final with six RBI in the final game, went 5-for-9 with five RBI against Stanford pitching this year. Both should figure prominently in the Super Regional contest, as will second-baseman Chris Kunda, the Corvallis Regional’s Most Outstanding Player, whose bat found new life in the tournament, including a two-homer game against Kansas and a 3-for-5 showing in the final.

If Stanford cannot figure out the Beavers’ pitchers and hitters quickly, OSU will be prime position to be the only team from 2005 to return to Omaha and the College World Series.