2006 NCAA Division I baseball tournament

The 2006 NCAA Division I baseball tournament was held from June 2 through June 26, 2006. Sixty-four NCAA Division I college baseball teams met after having played their way through a regular season, and for some, a conference tournament, to play in the NCAA tournament. The tournament culminated with 8 teams in the College World Series at historic Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, Nebraska.

2006 NCAA Division I
baseball tournament

Season	2006
Teams	64
Finals site	Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium Omaha, NE
Champions	Oregon State (1st title)
Runner-up	North Carolina (5th CWS Appearance)
Winning coach	Pat Casey (1st title)
MOP	Jonah Nickerson (Oregon State)

After winning the regional and super regional rounds of the 2006 NCAA Division I baseball tournament, eight teams advanced to Omaha. Clemson, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, Cal State Fullerton, Oregon State, Rice, Georgia, and Miami (FL) all won their super-regionals and made the trip to the 2006 College World Series. Five national seeds advanced to Omaha: Clemson (1), Rice (2), Cal State Fullerton (5), Georgia (7), and Georgia Tech (8). Third-seeded Texas and sixth-seeded Nebraska both fell in the regionals, while the fourth seed Alabama lost in super regional play.

The first pitch of the 2006 CWS was Friday, June 16, at 1:00 PM CDT (18:00 UTC). The 2006 tournament was only the second time in CWS history in which 16 games were played (the other being the 2003 College World Series).

After losing their tournament opener to Miami (FL), the Oregon State Beavers staved off elimination for four straight games to win their bracket and advance to the championship series. The Rice Owls, who had not lost a three-game series all season, were shut out in consecutive games by the Beavers and failed to score in a CWS-record 23 innings. Oregon State advanced to face North Carolina in the final.

Opening ceremony of game 2 between Oregon State and North Carolina.

The best-of-three championship series featured Oregon State and North Carolina. Oregon State won the deciding game, 3–2, winning the school's first national title in baseball and its second NCAA championship overall. All games were televised on ESPN and ESPN2.

Oregon State set a CWS record by winning six elimination games (four in bracket play, two in the championship series) and also became the first team ever to lose twice in Omaha and still win the title. Oregon State is the only team besides Holy Cross in 1952 to win six games in the College World Series. Oregon State played in half (eight of 16) of the games in the tournament.

OSU pitcher Jonah Nickerson was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.

Five-time national champion LSU was left out of the field of 64, the first time since 1988 that the Tigers failed to qualify for a regional. LSU's overall record of 35–24 merited at-large consideration, but it was undone by poor performance in the Southeastern Conference, where the Tigers finished 8th out of 12 teams at 13–17. LSU won national championships in 1991, '93, '96, '97 and 2000 under Hall of Fame coach Skip Bertman, who was the school's athletic director at this time. Ten days after LSU's season ended, Bertman fired his successor, Smoke Laval, and hired Notre Dame coach Paul Mainieri.

Bids

Automatic bids

Conference champions from 30 Division I conferences earned automatic bids to regionals. The remaining 34 spots were awarded to schools as at-large invitees.

Conference School Berth type America East Maine Tournament champion ACC Clemson Tournament champion Atlantic Sun Stetson Tournament champion A-10 Saint Louis Tournament champion Big 12 Kansas Tournament champion Big East Notre Dame Tournament champion Big South UNC Asheville Tournament champion Big Ten Michigan Tournament champion Big West Cal State Fullerton Regular-season champion CAA UNC Wilmington Tournament champion Conference USA Rice Tournament champion Horizon League Wright State Tournament champion Ivy League Princeton Championship series winner MAAC Manhattan Tournament champion MAC Ball State Tournament champion Mid-Con Oral Roberts Tournament champion MEAC Bethune-Cookman Tournament champion Missouri Valley Evansville Tournament champion MWC TCU Tournament champion NEC Sacred Heart Tournament champion OVC Jacksonville State Tournament champion Pac-10 Oregon State Regular-season champion Patriot League Lehigh Tournament champion SEC Ole Miss Tournament champion SoCon College of Charleston Tournament champion Southland Texas–Arlington Tournament champion SWAC Prairie View A&M Tournament champion Sun Belt Troy Tournament champion WCC Pepperdine Championship series winner WAC Fresno State Tournament champion

Bids by conference

Conference	Total	Schools
Southeastern	8	Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, South Carolina, Vanderbilt
Atlantic Coast	7	Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Miami (FL), North Carolina, NC State, Virginia
Big 12	7	Baylor, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas
Conference USA	4	Houston, Rice, Southern Miss, Tulane
Pacific-10	4	Arizona State, Oregon State, Stanford, UCLA
WCC	3	Pepperdine, San Diego. San Francisco
Atlantic Sun	2	Jacksonville, Stetson
Big South	2	UNC Asheville, Winthrop
Big West	2	UC Irvine, Cal State Fullerton
Missouri Valley	2	Evansville, Wichita State
Southern	2	College of Charleston, Elon
Sun Belt	2	South Alabama, Troy
Western Athletic	2	Fresno State, Hawaii
America East	1	Maine
Atlantic 10	1	Saint Louis
Big East	1	Notre Dame
Big Ten	1	Michigan
Colonial	1	UNC Wilmington
Horizon	1	Wright State
Ivy	1	Princeton
Metro Atlantic	1	Manhattan
Mid-American	1	Ball State
Mid-Con	1	Oral Roberts
Mid-Eastern	1	Bethune Cookman
Mountain West	1	TCU
Northeast	1	Sacred Heart
Ohio Valley	1	Jacksonville State
Patriot	1	Lehigh
Southland	1	Texas–Arlington
Southwestern	1	Prairie View

National seeds

Bold indicates CWS participant.

1. Clemson
2. Rice
3. Texas
4. Alabama
5. Cal State Fullerton
6. Nebraska
7. Georgia
8. Georgia Tech

Regionals and super regionals

Bold indicates winner.

Clemson Super Regional

	First round					Second round					Regional finals						Super regionals
	1	Clemson	3
	4	UNC Asheville	0
						1	Clemson	13
						2	Elon	3
	3	Mississippi State	4
	2	Elon	5
											1	Clemson	8	—
	Clemson Regional–Doug Kingsmore Stadium
											3	Mississippi State	6	—
	4	UNC Asheville	4
	3	Mississippi State	5
						3	Mississippi State	12
						2	Elon	3
																	1	Clemson	11	6	—
																		Oral Roberts	8	5	—
	1	Oklahoma State	4
	4	Princeton	1
						1	Oklahoma State	4
						3	Oral Roberts	5
	3	Oral Roberts	411
	2	Arkansas	3
											3	Oral Roberts	9	—
	Fayetteville Regional–Baum Stadium
											1	Oklahoma State	2	—
	4	Princeton	2
	2	Arkansas	6
						2	Arkansas	5
						1	Oklahoma State	6

Houston Super Regional

	First round					Second round					Regional finals						Super regionals
	1	Rice	6
	4	Prairie View A&M	5
						1	Rice	7
						3	Baylor	2
	3	Baylor	3
	2	Arizona State	2
											1	Rice	7	—
	Houston Regional–Reckling Park
											3	Baylor	4	—
	4	Prairie View A&M	4
	2	Arizona State	13
						2	Arizona State	2
						3	Baylor	7
																	2	Rice	10	5	9
																		Oklahoma	4	11	5
	1	Oklahoma	5
	4	TCU	6
						4	TCU	8
						3	Wichita State	18
	3	Wichita State	2
	2	Houston	1
											3	Wichita State	7	6
	Norman Regional–L. Dale Mitchell Park
											1	Oklahoma	12	7
	1	Oklahoma	8
	2	Houston	1
						1	Oklahoma	15
						4	TCU	6

Corvallis Super Regional

	First round					Second round					Regional finals						Super regionals
	1	Texas	9
	4	Texas–Arlington	1
						1	Texas	8
						3	Stanford	18
	3	Stanford	7
	2	NC State	2
											3	Stanford	17	—
	Austin Regional–Disch–Falk Field
											2	NC State	7	—
	4	Texas–Arlington	5
	2	NC State	610
						2	NC State	6
						1	Texas	3
																		Stanford	3	0	—
																		Oregon State	4	15	—
	1	Oregon State	5
	4	Wright State	3
						1	Oregon State	11
						2	Kansas	3
	3	Hawaii	6
	2	Kansas	9
											1	Oregon State	12	—
	Corvallis Regional–Goss Stadium
											3	Hawaii	3	—
	4	Wright State	3
	3	Hawaii	5
						3	Hawaii	9
						2	Kansas	5

Tuscaloosa Super Regional

	First round					Second round					Regional finals						Super regionals
	1	Alabama	13
	4	Jacksonville State	1
						1	Alabama	4
						2	Troy	3
	3	Southern Miss	8
	2	Troy	10
											1	Alabama	14	—
	Tuscaloosa Regional–Sewell-Thomas Stadium
											2	Troy	5	—
	4	Jacksonville State	2
	3	Southern Miss	6
						3	Southern Miss	5
						2	Troy	6
																	4	Alabama	5	7	—
																		North Carolina	11	8	—
	1	North Carolina	15
	4	Maine	7
						1	North Carolina	14
						2	Winthrop	4
	3	UNC Wilmington	2
	2	Winthrop	14
											1	North Carolina	14	—
	Chapel Hill Regional–Boshamer Stadium
											2	Winthrop	2	—
	4	Maine	19
	3	UNC Wilmington	21
						3	UNC Wilmington	4
						2	Winthrop	5

Fullerton Super Regional

	First round					Second round					Regional finals						Super regionals
	1	Cal State Fullerton	6
	4	Saint Louis	1
						1	Cal State Fullerton	9
						2	Fresno State	2
	3	San Diego	8
	2	Fresno State	9
											1	Cal State Fullerton	10	—
	Fullerton Regional–Goodwin Field
											2	Fresno State	3	—
	4	Saint Louis	12
	3	San Diego	19
						3	San Diego	2
						2	Fresno State	9
																	5	Cal State Fullerton	7	9	—
																		Missouri	1	1	—
	1	Pepperdine	3
	4	Missouri	2
						1	Pepperdine	6
						2	UCLA	0
	3	UC Irvine	2
	2	UCLA	3
											1	Pepperdine	1	3
	Malibu Regional–Eddy D. Field Stadium
											4	Missouri	4	8
	4	Missouri	514
	3	UC Irvine	4
						4	Missouri	2
						2	UCLA	1

Oxford Super Regional

	First round					Second round					Regional finals						Super regionals
	1	Nebraska	1
	4	Manhattan	4
						4	Manhattan	2
						2	Miami (FL)	8
	3	San Francisco	2
	2	Miami (FL)	11
											2	Miami (FL)	10	—
	Lincoln Regional–Haymarket Park
											4	Manhattan	4	—
	1	Nebraska	1
	3	San Francisco	5
						3	San Francisco	4
						4	Manhattan	6
																		Miami (FL)	9	7	14
																		Ole Miss	11	0	9
	1	Ole Miss	3
	4	Bethune-Cookman	2
						1	Ole Miss	9
						3	South Alabama	7
	3	South Alabama	7
	2	Tulane	1
											1	Ole Miss	12	—
	Oxford Regional–Swayze Field
											2	Tulane	4	—
	4	Bethune-Cookman	7
	2	Tulane	12
						2	Tulane	18
						3	South Alabama	11

Athens Super Regional

	First round					Second round					Regional finals						Super regionals
	1	Georgia	11
	4	Sacred Heart	0
						1	Georgia	4
						2	Florida State	6
	3	Jacksonville	0
	2	Florida State	18
											2	Florida State	1	2
	Athens Regional–Foley Field
											1	Georgia	7	3
	4	Sacred Heart	3
	3	Jacksonville	4
						3	Jacksonville	8
						1	Georgia	15
																	7	Georgia	6	11	11
																		South Carolina	15	5	6
	1	Virginia	11
	4	Lehigh	5
						1	Virginia	2
						2	South Carolina	8
	3	Evansville	2
	2	South Carolina	4
											2	South Carolina	5	5
	Charlottesville Regional–Davenport Field
											3	Evansville	15	1
	4	Lehigh	6
	3	Evansville	10
						3	Evansville	15
						1	Virginia	5

Atlanta Super Regional

	First round					Second round					Regional finals						Super regionals
	1	Georgia Tech	7
	4	Stetson	5
						1	Georgia Tech	7
						2	Vanderbilt	2
	3	Michigan	2
	2	Vanderbilt	5
											1	Georgia Tech	8	—
	Atlanta Regional–Russ Chandler Stadium
											2	Vanderbilt	4	—
	4	Stetson	1
	3	Michigan	11
						3	Michigan	4
						2	Vanderbilt	5
																	8	Georgia Tech	5	12	—
																		College of Charleston	0	3	—
	1	Kentucky	1
	4	Ball State	3
						4	Ball State	0
						2	College of Charleston	11
	3	Notre Dame	4
	2	College of Charleston	516
											2	College of Charleston	7	—
	Lexington Regional–Cliff Hagan Stadium
											1	Kentucky	4	—
	1	Kentucky	10
	3	Notre Dame	4
						1	Kentucky	12
						4	Ball State	9

College World Series

Participants

School	Conference	Record (conference)	Head coach	CWS appearances	Best CWS finish	CWS record Not including this year
Clemson	ACC	52–14 (24–6)	Jack Leggett	10 (last: 2002)	3rd (1996, 2002)	9–20
Cal State Fullerton	Big West	48–13 (18–3)	George Horton	13 (last: 2004)	1st (1979, 1984, 1995, 2004)	32–21
Georgia	SEC	47–21 (18–12)	David Perno	4 (last: 2004)	1st (1990)	6–7
Georgia Tech	ACC	50–16 (19–11)	Danny Hall	2 (last: 2002)	2nd (1994)	4–3
Miami (FL)	ACC	41–22 (17–13)	Jim Morris	21 (last: 2004)	1st (1982, 1985, 1999, 2001)	45–34
North Carolina	ACC	50–13 (22–8)	Mike Fox	4 (last: 1989)	3rd (1978)	2–8
Oregon State	Pac-10	44–14 (16–7)	Pat Casey	2 (last: 2005)	7th (1952, 2005)	0–4
Rice	C-USA	55–11 (22–2)	Wayne Graham	4 (last: 2003)	1st (2003)	6–7

Bracket

	First round					Second round					Semifinals						Finals
	1	Clemson	8
	8	Georgia Tech	4
						1	Clemson	0
							North Carolina	2
		North Carolina	7
	5	Cal State Fullerton	5
												North Carolina	6	—
											5	Cal State Fullerton	5	—
	8	Georgia Tech	5
	5	Cal State Fullerton	7
						5	Cal State Fullerton	7
						1	Clemson	6
																		North Carolina	4	7	2
																		Oregon State	3	11	3
	2	Rice	6
	7	Georgia	4
						2	Rice	3
							Miami (FL)	2
		Miami (FL)	11
		Oregon State	1
											2	Rice	0	0
												Oregon State	5	2
	7	Georgia	3
		Oregon State	5
							Oregon State	8
							Miami (FL)	1

Championship series

Saturday 6/24

Championship Game #1: 6:00 PM

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Oregon State	0	0	1	0	0	2	0	0	0	3	9	0
North Carolina	2	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	x	4	10	1
WP: Jonathon Hovis (8–2)   LP: Joe Paterson (1–1)   Sv: Andrew Carignan (15) Home runs: OSU: Gillespie UNC: None

Note: 77 minute rain delay in top of 6th inning

Sunday 6/25

Championship Game #2: 6:00 PM

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
North Carolina	0	1	3	1	0	0	2	0	0	7	13	0
Oregon State	0	0	0	7	0	4	0	0	x	11	14	0
WP: Kevin Gunderson (3–2)   LP: Matt Danford (7–2) Home runs: UNC: Federowicz (2) OSU: Rowe

Monday 6/26

Championship Game #3: 6:00 PM

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
North Carolina	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	2	8	4
Oregon State	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	1	x	3	6	1
WP: Dallas Buck (13–3)   LP: Daniel Bard (9–4)   Sv: Kevin Gunderson (20)

All-Tournament Team

The following players were members of the All-Tournament Team.

Position	Player	School
P	Kevin Gunderson	Oregon State
	Jonah Nickerson (MOP)	Oregon State
C	Tim Federowicz	North Carolina
1B	Bill Rowe	Oregon State
2B	Justin Turner	Cal State Fullerton
3B	Shea McFeely	Oregon State
SS	Josh Horton	North Carolina
OF	Jay Cox	North Carolina
	Danny Dunn	Cal State Fullerton
	Cole Gillespie	Oregon State
DH	David Cooper	Cal State Fullerton

Tournament performance by conference

Conference	Tournament record	Percentage	Schools to super regionals	Schools to CWS
Pacific-10	14-6	0.700	Oregon St, Stanford	Oregon St
ACC	29-13	0.690	Clemson, Georgia Tech, Miami, North Carolina	Clemson, Georgia Tech, Miami, North Carolina
Big West	7-4	0.636	Cal State Fullerton	Cal State Fullerton
Mid-Con	3-2	0.600	Oral Roberts
SEC	21-16	0.568	Alabama, Georgia, Ole Miss, South Carolina	Georgia
Missouri Valley	5-4	0.556
Conference USA	10-9	0.526	Rice	Rice
Southern	4-4	0.500	College of Charleston
Western Athletic	4-4	0.500
Metro Atlantic	2-2	0.500
Big 12	15-16	0.484	Missouri, Oklahoma
Sun Belt	3-4	0.429
WCC	4-6	0.400
Big South	2-4	0.333
Big Ten	1-2	0.333
Colonial	1-2	0.333
Mid-American	1–2	0.333
Mountain West	1-2	0.333
Atlantic Sun	1-4	0.200
America East	0-2	0.000
Atlantic 10	0-2	0.000
Big East	0-2	0.000
Horizon	0-2	0.000
Ivy	0-2	0.000
Mid-Eastern	0-2	0.000
Northeast	0-2	0.000
Ohio Valley	0-2	0.000
Patriot	0-2	0.000
Southland	0-2	0.000
Southwestern Athletic	0-2	0.000

Notes on tournament field

• Lehigh, UNC Asheville, San Francisco, Prairie View, and Sacred Heart were making their first NCAA tournament appearance.