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Notes: Regional bids more merit-based
Written by NEIL WHITE AND RON MORRIS
nwhite@thestate.com rmorris@thestate.com
Posted on 06.02.09
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GREENVILLE, N.C. —- The Greenville Regional might serve as an example of how far college baseball has come in its bidding process for host schools.
It was not long ago when host sites oftentimes went to the highest bidder. Essentially, teams could buy their way to the next round of the tournament. Not anymore. Over the past several years, the NCAA has attempted to determine host sites based almost entirely on baseball merit.
East Carolina and South Carolina were both considered on the bubble to be among the 16 host teams for a regional. East Carolina entered the tournament with an RPI of 23, compared to USC's 25.
East Carolina's guaranteed bid to host the regional was $115,000. USC, which could submit a higher bid than ECU because it plays in a larger stadium, submitted a bid of $151,000.
Both schools' guarantee to the NCAA was based on the threshold to turn a profit, even though all profits beyond the guarantee are returned to the NCAA. Host schools make money on concessions and some parking.
"I feel real confident about (making a profit)," said Lee Workman, East Carolina associate athletics director.
Bradley banter. USC right fielder Jackie Bradley has developed a running banter with the East Carolina fans behind him on the berm at Clark-LeClair Stadium.
"He's about as good-natured an outfielder as we've seen all year," said Bill Fuller, 33, a Greenville resident and longtime East Carolina fan.
"There are some outfielders who never turn around and acknowledge the fans," said Fuller's sidekick, 39-year-old Danny Dally. "But he's been a lot of fun."
At one point during the weekend, an ECU fan yelled to Bradley that he was as athletic as Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James. Bradley has made two catches in the regional that robbed opponents of home runs and made another sliding catch along the right-field line.
"I'm a Lakers fan," Bradley yelled back to the fans, who in turn began calling the USC freshman a front-runner, accusing him of being a New York Yankees and Pittsburgh Steelers fan as well.
"Those fans are great," Bradley said. "They've been fun."
Thomas time. Seldom-used reserve catcher Brady Thomas has come up big in his past two pinch-hitting opportunities.
The junior transfer from Florida State hit a solo home run in the eighth inning off LSU's Louis Coleman in the 4-1 loss that eliminated USC in the Southeastern Conference tournament.
Thomas, pinch-hitting for ninth-place hitter Scott Wingo in the bottom of the ninth inning of Sunday's 8-6 loss to East Carolina, delivered a bases-loaded double that scored two runs.
Bird seed. Right-handed pitcher Steven Neff pitched 2ð innings in relief during USC loss to East Carolina on Sunday. That topped his season total of innings pitched by one-third of an inning. ... Four Gamecocks have started all 62 games this season: Whit Merrifield, DeAngelo Mack, Andrew Crisp and Bobby Haney. ... Crisp moved ahead of Mac White into third on the school's all-time games-played list with 237, placing him behind Michael Campbell (255) and Landon Powell (251). ... Merrifield is the only USC player to reach double figures in stolen bases this season, with 14.
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