Post -- Watch out fans, there are a lot of big rumors coming from the LIU baseball program this week and we can't help but pay close attention to them.

1) Does Coach Rains finally have the group that can push them over the top?
Coach Rains enters his 5th year at the helm of the LIU program and has far exceeded the expectations. However, after 4 straight conference regular and tournament titles, the Sharks are rumored to have a different glow about them this year.

2) Can the rebuilt pitching staff provide the necessary innings?
Coach Rains set out to fully revamp a depleted pitching staff due to the draft as well as graduation. Losing almost 85% of last seasons production on the mound, the Sharks welcome in a hefty group of transfers as well as incoming freshman who are expected to compete immediately.

3) How much of a shake up will there be in the opening day lineup?
Coach Rains has loss a tremendous amount of his players to the draft and graduation from his first recruiting class. This year he has the challenge of fielding a team that replaces 6 everyday starters and 4 or the 5 starting pitchers. Does he have the depth to sustain this years tough schedule.

Coach Eli LeBlanc had a very successful year on the field, but a successful one off the field too. He finished 59-10 after losing to Virginia in the Super Regionals. He managed to finish first in the C-USA in both the regular season and conference tournament. He can't wait to see what this team is capable of next season!

National Signing Day Recap:

4 Star

RP Ben Yates
LF Emanuel Fuentes
C Arnoldo Moran

3 Star

SP Vaughn Vasquez
SP Clifton Coleman

2 Star

LF Jeremiah Frye
SS Barry Merritt
1B Jaime Alonso

The Season 10 Draft Draft Result

The Season 10 Draft is upon us once again. These are the players that will be leaving their school early to pursue their professional careers.

Welcome back to Omaha, Nebraska. Boy do we have some matchups for you. With a new sim comes a lot of newcomers. 5 new faces to reach the College World Series this year. Some familiar faces have hung up the cleats for the season already. Everything is on the line now 2 Losses and you’re done. It’s time to play ball.

Group A

Virginia

The defending Champions are lighting up the College Baseball world once again. The clear favorites in my eyes, but one game can change your whole trajectory now. Currently on a 34 game win streak. First matchup comes against an underrated SEC Tourney Champion South Carolina squad. I think they take this game and will be headed to back to back championships.

Ohio State

This Buckeyes squad ran the gauntlet once more this season. Didn’t have as great results as in the past but they ended up where the belonged again. TOSU is an Omaha regular now. The Season 7 champions look to make an upset in their group. It starts with a good Oklahoma club. They return an elite lineup at the plate and their pitching has been great for the matchups they’ve been in. This is a great team but is overshadowed by Virginia in the group, sometimes you need a little luck. That’s what it will take.

South Carolina

A somewhat surprise team here. First-timer Coach Thomas has his team rolling through the postseason. They swept the SEC tournament, and knocked out Oregon in the Super Regionals, a feat that hasn’t been done since Season 1. It was no fluke, this squad is very well rounded. The 6th best batting and the 10th best pitching team. Game 1 will tell us if they’re ready to make noise. I think they place 3rd though.

Oklahoma

The 2nd fresh face of this group. Coach FrogsAlot has been around the block, but has settled in Oklahoma. It’s been a great fit so far as Oklahoma took the Big12 Championship in his first season, as well as making it all the way here. Unfortunately for this Cinderella, I think this is where the story ends for them. I think this group is just too good for OU to run the gauntlet.

Group B

Florida

The Gators are hungry. After losing the Championship in game 3. Their 3rd straight trip to the CWS, and 5th overall. The inaugural Champs are back. They bring with them the top offense in the country and a solid pitching rotation to back that up. They did get swept by the Buckeyes early in the season, but bounced back and dominated everything until the conference Semis vs UK. I do think the odds are in favor of a championship rematch, can they get the outcome they want this time?

Long Island

The Sharks are in a frenzy. Welcome to the College World Series. This team has fought so hard the last few seasons to get here. It’s time to show up on the big stage now. A recent Big East transplant showed no signs of slowing down, taking the Big East Championship and Tournament. I think they can challenge for this group. We don’t really know Florida’s true strength, but I guess we can kinda say the same about LIU. This is gonna be an interesting group for sure.

Colorado

The lone PAC12 rep. Another fresh face. Coach Buff has been climbing the ranks for the past 2 seasons coming out of nowhere. They’ve had some ups and downs this season, but they deserve to be here. They took down CWS regulars in Xavier. They matchup with Florida in Game 1. If they can take that game, it could change this whole group.

Indiana

Last but not least we have Indiana. More new blood. Autumn Finley’s first season has been a great one. Where did he come from? It doesn’t matter, all that matters is that he’s here in the promised land. Time to make the most of it. They’ve got solid pitching and a good ability to generate runs. They will need it against the Sharks. The Sharks have dropped random games here and there, Indiana could change their fate with just one win. We’ll see what happens.

Charlottesville Regional:
#1: Virginia (3-0)
#2: South Florida (2-2)
#3 Memphis (1-2)
#4: Valparaiso (0-2)

Gainesville Regional
#1: Florida (3-0)
#2: UMass (2-2)
#3: Baylor (1-2)
#4: Jacksonville State (0-2)

Eugene Regional
#1: Oregon (3-0)
#2 Notre Dame (2-2)
#3: Arizona (1-2)
#4: Colgate (0-2)

Cincinnati Regional
#1: Xavier (3-0)
#2: Ole Miss (2-2)
#3: Austin Peay (1-2)
#4: Sam Houston State (0-2)

Long Island Regional
#1: Long Island (3-1)
#2: Kentucky (3-2)
#3: Texas State (1-2)
#4: Radford (0-2)

Columbus Regional
#1: Ohio State (3-0)
#2: Rice (2-1)
#3: Pacific (1-2)
#4: Creighton (0-2)

Stillwater Regional
#1: Northwestern (3-1)
#2: Oklahoma State (3-2)
#3: Iowa (1-2)
#4: North Kentucky (0-2)

New Brunswick Regional
#1: Rutgers (3-1)
#2: Maryland (3-2)
#3: San Antonio (1-2)
#4: The Citadel (0-2)

Norman Regional
#1: North Texas (4-1)
#2: Oklahoma (2-2)
#3: California (1-2)
#4: Cornell (0-2)

Las Vegas Regional
#1: UNLV (3-0)
#2: WMU (2-2)
#3: Oregon State (1-2)
#4: Miss State (0-2)

Bloomington Regional
#1: Indiana (3-1)
#2: UTEP (3-2)
#3: Arizona State (1-2)
#4: South Dakota (0-2)

University Park Regional
#1: Penn State (3-1)
#2: Texas Tech (3-2)
#3: Minnesota (1-2)
#4: Texas Southern (0-2)

Coral Gables Regional
#1: Miami (FL) (3-0)
#2: UCLA (2-2)
#3: Incarnate Word (1-2)
#4: Idaho (0-2)

Monroe Regional
#1: Morgan State (3-1)
#2: Texas (3-2)
#3: Binghampton (1-2)
#4: Monroe (0-2)

Boulder Regional
#1: Florida State (4-1)
#2: Colorado (2-2)
#3: Charleston (1-2)
#4: Cal-Fullerton (0-2)

Columbia Regional
#1: South Carolina (3-1)
#2: Iowa State (3-2)
#3: New Mexico State (1-2)
#4: Monmouth (0-2)

Charlottesville Super Regional
#1 Virginia (2-0) vs #51 Morgan State (0-2)

Gainesville Super Regional
#2 Florida (2-0) vs #26 Northwestern (0-2)

Eugene Super Regional
#3 Oregon (2-1) vs #24 North Texas (1-2)

Cincinnati Super Regional
#4 Xavier (2-0) vs #18 Florida State (0-2)

Long Island Super Regional
#5 Long Island (2-0) vs #16 South Carolina (0-2)

Columbus Super Regional
#6 Ohio State (2-0) vs #13 Miami (FL) (0-2)

New Brunswick Super Regional
#8 Rutgers (2-1) vs #12 Penn State (1-2)

Las Vegas Super Regional
#10 UNLV (2-1) vs #11 Indiana (1-2)

College World Series Group A
#1: Virginia (3-0)
#2: Long Island (2-2)
#3: Xavier (1-2)
#4: UNLV (0-2)

College World Series Group B
#1: Florida (3-1)
#2: Oregon (3-2)
#3: Ohio State (1-2)
#4: Rutgers (0-2)

National Championship
#1 Virginia (2-1) over #1 Florida (1-2)

Post -- Well Shark fans, the long awaited time of the year has fallen upon us once more. It is Playoff time in college baseball and the Sharks are in the hunt again. Coach Rains has the LIU Sharks hosting a regional and possibly more if they can take care of business. The Sharks have won the first two games they have played in a dominating fashion with wins of 9-0 and 10-0. We have become accustomed to scores like this under the leadership of Rains along with the trip into the college playoff scene. Driven by a strong Junior class, Rains first recruiting class at LIU, the Sharks are pushing hard to break the glass and make it to Omaha after falling just short last year.

The move to the Big East did not seem to change the course of the program in a negative way as many had predicted. Instead, the move seems to have only increased and built an even greater push for the LIU program. Coach Rains and the Sharks have now won three Regular Season and three Conference Tournament Championships in a row, two in the NEC and one in the Big East. The plans are in place to celebrate that accomplishment but will have to wait until the Sharks are done competing in Season 9.

AD Tooth spoke very highly of the state of the baseball program and reiterated the importance of trying to solidify Coach Rains as the face of the program. "We are currently in talks with some advisors as to what we can do to ensure that we are providing the support and encouragement to continue the growth that we have had under Coach Rains. He is a highly coveted coach around the country and we believe that we can provide everything and more to keep him here at LIU."

You can catch the Sharks later today as they prepare to play the winner of the elimination game between Kentucky and Texas State.

Coach Eli LeBlanc has recently left South Dakota for North Texas, after he went 0-2 in regional play. He comes to UNT with high hopes to make this team into a powerhouse!

The Season 9 Draft Draft Result

The Season 9 Draft is upon us once again. These are the players that will be leaving their school early to pursue their professional careers.