Tigers happy, but a lot of College Baseball is not

■ Tigers headed to Mississippi (PowerMizzou.com):

No one seems to know too much about the Hilltoppers of Western Kentucky. "Not a whole lot," Gibson said. "I mean I'm sure they won their conference. They have to be a decent team to be a three seed in a regional. We're going to attack them like we have been doing to other teams."

"Not a whole lot. I know that I hit a home run against them in 1980," coach Tim Jamieson said with a chuckle.

■ Catcher hopes to return for Missouri's appearance in NCAA regional (Columbia Missourian):

“Hopefully, I’ll be ready for Friday,” Coleman said. “That’s the goal.”

Coleman had two pins surgically removed from the injured hand last Thursday and immediately started trying to get his arm back in shape . Coleman plans to test out his arm, his swing and catching abilities in a scrimmage Tuesday.

“Throwing is a concern, but I think hitting is the biggest concern,” Coleman said.

■ CollegeBaseballBlog has a very informative NCAA Tourney Preview Chat, including a discussion about the Mississippi Regional:

• Colin Weber: What's the status of Scott Bittle (Ole Miss ace pitcher)?
  
• Brian Foley: Last I heard, but this was last week that they expected him out for a substantial amount of time...I think he has to be out this week. I think he has a strain in his arm according to Baseball America which got this quote from Coach Bianco
  
  "I’m not a doctor, but I was told it’s a strain," Ole Miss coach Mike Bianco said Friday afternoon. "We were told that with rest, there’s a very good chance his shoulder will be fine, and he will not need surgery."
  
• Donald Boyles: If Missouri can get by Western Kentucky as the three seed with out using Kyle Gibson, Then this sets up Missouri very well!
  
• Brian Foley: That is the most important thing here...whether or not Gibson pitches against Western Kentucky....Wade Gaynor of Western Kentucky has a .374 average and 22 homers so he can rake.
  
• Colin Weber: Can I do a "if" prediction? :) If Gibson pitches in the first game, I like Ole Miss. If Missouri can get by Western Kentucky without pitching Gibson, I like Missouri to win the regional.

■ Baseball America weighs on the NCAA Tournament selections, both in the College Baseball Blog and in a Podcast:

• Oklahoma State is a horrendous, horrendous choice as an at-large bid. . . . Oklahoma State went 5-6-2 in weekend series

• And Baylor gets in as well. So eight of the ten teams in the Big 12 are in regionals. Disgusting.

■ CollegeBaseball.Rivals.com weighs in with Selection committee makes puzzling decisions:

It was a big day for the Big 12 and not such a great day for others. Oklahoma earned a national seed that was somewhat deserving considering it established amazing consistency in Big 12 play. The committee, though, threw everyone for a loop by including Baylor and Oklahoma State – two bad and undeserving teams – in the regional field.

■ CollegeBaseballToday isn't much happier:

How hard can it be? Why is it that I am confident if you put me, Mark Etheridge, Aaron Fitt, Brian DeCaussin, Brian Foley, Phil Stanton, Sean Ryan, The Doctor of College Baseball, my dog… okay Kendall, you can join in too, and of course, Professor Glenn Tanner, into a room we could EASILY come up with a better field of teams? Mainly because we follow college baseball all season long.

■ The Kansas City Star talks about Eight Big 12 baseball teams selected for NCAA field:

The Big 12 landed a record eight teams on the 64-team bracket. A nod to selection-committee chairman Tim Weiser, the Big 12 deputy commissioner?

He can’t be in the room when teams from his conference are being discussed, but Big 12 coaches said throughout the league tournament in Oklahoma City last week the conference played stronger than ever.
. . .
This is Missouri’s seventh straight appearance in the NCAA. The Tigers made the super regional in 2006.

As good as the Big 12 has been this season, coaches know the conference ultimately will be judged on what happens over the next two weekends. No Big 12 team has reached the College World Series since Texas won the 2005 championship.

“We have to get some teams to Omaha,” Jamieson said.

■ An odd turn of phrase at TexasSports.com: With bases loaded and Texas up 4-1 and still no outs in the fourth, Ryan Clubb took the mound for Missouri, but was unable to coagulate the bleeding.