Baseball Factory Alumni Lead Teams in College World Series
The 2016 College World Series Championship Series features two teams who traveled similar roads to the finals. The Arizona Wildcats lost their second game of the CWS to Oklahoma State, 1-0. After defeating UC Santa Barbara to make it to the final four teams, the Wildcats had to beat the team who shut them out only a few nights prior.
JJ Matijevic, DH, Arizona
Arizona DH JJ Matijevic helped slug the Wildcats to back-to-back wins over Oklahoma State to advance to the championship series. The sophomore went 4-for-7 with two walks and a double in the two games against Oklahoma State.
Baseball Factory coaches saw Matijevic at a 2013 National Tryout in Pittsburgh, PA.
| Round/Game | H-AB | R | 2B | HR | RBI | BB |
| Regional vs. Sam Houston State | 1-4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Regional vs. Louisiana-Lafayette | 1-4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Regional vs. Sam Houston State | 1-4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Regional vs. Louisiana-Lafayette | 0-4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Regional vs. Louisiana-Lafayette | 1-3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Super Reg. vs. Mississippi State | 1-3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Super Reg. vs. Mississippi State | 1-4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| CWS vs. Miami | 1-3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| CWS vs. Oklahoma State | 0-4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| CWS vs. UC Santa Barbara | 1-3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| CWS vs. Oklahoma State | 3-5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| CWS vs. Oklahoma State | 1-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Total | 12-43 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 4 |
Similarly to Arizona, the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers lost their second game of the CWS to TCU. After defeating Texas Tech to advance as one of the final four teams remaining, the Chanticleers had to defeat the red-hot Horned Frogs two times in a row.
Michael Paez, SS, CCU
Coastal Carolina junior shortstop Michael Paez (who was drafted in the fourth round by the New York Mets) helped the Chanticleers to the CWS Championship Series, as the team defeated TCU twice over the weekend to advance. On the season, Paez slashed .286/.378/.532 with 18 doubles and 15 homers.
Baseball Factory coaches saw Paez at the 2013 Under Armour Memorial Day Classic
| Round/Game | H-AB | R | 2B/3B | HR | RBI | BB |
| Regional vs. St. Mary’s | 2-4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Regional vs. NC State | 1-4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Regional vs. NC State | 0-4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Regional vs. NC State | 1-3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Super Reg. vs. LSU | 1-5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Super Reg. vs. LSU | 1-5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| CWS vs. Florida | 2-5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| CWS vs. TCU | 2-4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| CWS vs. Texas Tech | 0-3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| CWS vs. TCU | 1-3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| CWS vs. TCU | 0-4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Total | 11-44 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 8 |
Two Baseball Factory alumni played integral parts in leading the Horned Frogs to an impressive postseason run, despite its back-to-back losses over the weekend.
Luken Baker, DH, TCU
Freshman DH Luken Baker has recorded a hit in every postseason game for TCU except one. On the season, the slugger is slashed .379/.483/.577 with a 1.060 OPS, 11 HR, 16 doubles and 62 RBI. Baker was also one of the best pitchers for the Horned Frogs (1.70 ERA, 47.2 IP, 41 SO) before an arm injury put him on the shelf as a pitcher.
Baseball Factory coaches saw Baker at the 2012 Team One Futures Series and the 2014 Under Armour All-America Game, powered by Baseball Factory.
| Round/Game | H-AB | R | 2B | HR | RBI | BB |
| Regional vs. ORU | 1-3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Regional vs. Gonzaga | 2-3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Regional vs. ASU | 2-4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Super Reg. vs. Texas A&M | 2-4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| Super Reg. vs. Texas A&M | 1-4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Super Reg. vs. Texas A&M | 1-4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| CWS vs. Texas Tech | 2-5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| CWS vs. Coastal Carolina | 3-3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| CWS vs. Coastal Carolina | 0-4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| CWS vs. Coastal Carolina | 1-4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 15-39 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 6 |
Jared Janczak, P, TCU
Redshirt TCU freshman Jared Janczak continued his postseason success with an eight-strikeout, two-run (one-earned) performance in 4.2 innings against Texas Tech. The season ended on a sour note for Janczak, as he was the losing pitcher in the last game of the season for TCU on short rest.
The right-hander still ended the season with impressive numbers with a 2.64 ERA with 80 strikeouts and a .248 batting-average-against in 82.2 innings.
Baseball Factory saw Janczak at a 2012 National Tryout in Houston, TX.
| Round/Game | IP | H | R | ER | SO-BB | Decision |
| Regional vs. Gonzaga | 5.2 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 7-1 | x |
| Super Reg. vs. Gonzaga | 7.2 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 4-3 | W |
| CWS vs. Texas Tech | 4.2 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 8-1 | x |
| CWS vs. Coastal Carolina | 3.0 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3-2 | L |
| Total | 21.0 | 22 | 10 | 9 | 22-7 | 1-1 |
Thomas Hatch, P, OK St.
Oklahoma State Cowboys ace Thomas Hatch continued his impressive season in the postseason, as he threw a complete-game shutout in a win over UC Santa Barbara in the first game of the CWS. Hatch had yet to give up a run since the NCAA tournament began before the last game of the season for Oklahoma State, a loss to Arizona on short rest.
On the season, Hatch owned a 9-3 record with a 2.14 ERA over 130.1 innings.
Baseball Factory coaches first saw Hatch at an Edmond (Oklahoma City) Under Armour Baseball Factory National Tryout in 2011. Hatch also attended a 2012 Under Armour Baseball Factory College PREP in 2012 and the 2012 Under Armour All-America Game. Hatch was also named to the 2013 Baseball Factory Top 100, powered by Under Armour.
| Round/Game | IP | H | R | ER | SO-BB | Decision |
| Regional vs. Nebraska | 7.0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 10-2 | W |
| Super Reg. vs. South Carolina | 7.0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3-2 | W |
| CWS vs. UC Santa Barbara | 9.0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 7-1 | W |
| CWS vs. Oklahoma State | 2.0 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 0-2 | L |
| Total | 25.0 | 20 | 4 | 4 | 20-7 | 3-1 |
A pair of UC Santa Barbara pitchers proved their worth in the CWS.
Shane Bieber, P, UCSB
Junior Shane Bieber (who was selected in the fourth round by the Cleveland Indians) threw eight innings of one-run ball as a tough-luck loser to Oklahoma State.
On the season, Bieber went 12-4 with a 2.74 ERA over 134.2 innings pitched, while Davis posted a 7-4 record.
Baseball Factory coaches saw Bieber at the 2012 Under Armour So Cal Classic
| Round/Game | IP | H | R | ER | SO-BB | Decision |
| Regional vs. Washington | 7.1 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 5-2 | x |
| Super Reg. vs. Louisville | 7.0 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 7-1 | W |
| CWS vs. Oklahoma State | 8.0 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 6-0 | L |
| Total | 22.1 | 22 | 4 | 4 | 18-3 | 1-1 |
Noah Davis, P, UCSB
Freshman standout Noah Davis was the winning pitcher in the Gauchos’ second game in the CWS.
The right-hander allowed one run in six innings, as UCSB defeated Miami. UCSB was eliminated two days later when they lost an elimination game to Arizona.
Baseball Factory coaches saw Davis at the 2013 Under Armour Southwest Championships.
| Round/Game | IP | H | R | ER | SO-BB | Decision |
| Regional vs. Xavier | 6.0 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 6-2 | W |
| Super Reg. vs. Louisville | 5.1 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 4-2 | x |
| CWS vs. Miami | 6.0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3-2 | W |
| Total | 17.1 | 18 | 8 | 8 | 13-6 | 2-0 |
Zack Collins, C, Miami
While the Miami Hurricanes were eliminated after its first two games in the CWS, it wasn’t without an outstanding performance by star catcher Zack Collins (who was drafted by with the No. 10 overall pick by the White Sox). The junior got on base six out of eight chances, with a double, a home run and two RBI. On the season, Collins slashed .363/.544/.668 with 16 homers and 78 walks in 62 games.
Baseball Factory coaches first saw Collins at the Team One Futures Game in 2010. Collins also attended the Team One Futures Game in 2011, the 2012 Team One Florida Showcase and the 2012 Under Armour All-America Game.
| Round/Game | H-AB | R | 2B | HR | RBI | BB |
| Regional vs. Stetson | 1-3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Regional vs. Long Beach St. | 0-5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Regional vs. Long Beach St. | 2-3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Super Reg. vs. Boston College | 1-3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| Super Reg. vs. Boston College | 2-4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Super Reg. vs. Boston College | 0-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| CWS vs. Arizona | 1-3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| CWS vs. UC Santa Barbara | 2-2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Total | 9-25 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 12 |
Peter Alonso, 1B, Florida
Despite losing its first two games of the CWS, No. 1 overall seed Florida had two Baseball Factory alumni who stood out. Junior first baseman Peter Alonso (who was drafted in the second round by the New York Mets) slugged a two-run home run to almost comeback from a 3-0 deficit in an elimination game loss to Texas Tech.
Alonso slashed .374/.469/.659 with a 1.128 OPS with 18 doubles and 14 home runs on the season.
Alonso was seen at a 2010 Under Armour Baseball Factory College PREP in Tampa, Florida and at the 2010 Freshman/Sophomore Classic in Arizona and at the 2011 Team One South event.
| Round/Game | H-AB | R | 2B | HR | RBI | BB |
| Regional vs. Bethune Cookman | 3-4 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| Regional vs. Uconn | 2-5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Regional vs. Georgia Tech | 3-5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Super Reg. vs. Florida State | 0-3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Super Reg. vs. Florida State | 3-4 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Super Reg. vs. Florida State | 2-4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| CWS vs. Coastal Carolina | 1-4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| CWS vs. Texas Tech | 2-3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Total | 16-32 | 11 | 5 | 4 | 14 | 3 |
Alex Faedo, P, Florida
Sophomore Alex Faedo was a tough-luck loser in that game, as the right-hander threw 7.2 innings while giving up only two runs and striking out nine.
On the season, Faedo owned a 13-3 record with a 3.18 ERA and 133 strikeouts in 104.2 innings pitched.
Baseball Factory coaches also saw Faedo at the 2012 Under Armour Invitational.
| Round/Game | IP | H | R | ER | SO-BB | Decision |
| Regional vs. Georgia Tech | 8.0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 10-1 | W |
| Super Reg. vs. Florida State | 4.0 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4-3 | L |
| CWS vs. Texas Tech | 7.2 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 9-0 | L |
| Total | 18.0 | 17 | 7 | 6 | 19-5 | 1-0 |
Game 1 of the CWS Championship Series between Coastal Carolina and Arizona is tonight at 7 p.m. on ESPN. Game 2 will be Tuesday at 8 p.m. on ESPN, and the if-necessary Game 3 will be Wednesday at 8 p.m. on ESPN.
