Knights' Southpaw Dylan Stuart of UCR Named Big West Freshman Pitcher of the Year.

Thirteen Former or Future Knights to Compete in NCAA Regionals

Thirteen current or former Corvallis Knights will be chasing a national championship this week as the NCAA Division I tournament gets underway at different regional sites across the country.

Foremost among those with ties to the Knights are 11 members of the Oregon State Beavers. They tied for second in the Pacific-10 Conference and will play Arkansas-Little Rock at 6 p.m. Friday at Goss Stadium in the opening round of the Corvallis Regional.

The pitching staff is especially Knights-heavy. Alums Sam Gaviglio (2009, 11-2, 1.95), Josh Osich (2008, 6-4, 3.57), James Nygren (2009, 8-3, 3.18), Dylan Jones (2009-2010, 0-0, 0.00) and Matt Boyd (2010, 0-0, 1.55, 4 saves), and frosh 2011 Knights-to-be Ben Wetzler (6-3, 4.66) and Scott Schultz (3-0, 2.82) combined for 34 of the Beavers' 38 victories.

Former Corvallis Knights catcher Andrew Susac (2009, .325, 5 HR, 31 RBI) and infielders Jake Rodriguez (2010, .288), Carter Bell (2009, .288, 21 RBI) and Danny Hayes (2010, .267, 3 HR, 31 RBI) sparked the offense.

Gaviglio was named first-team All-Pac-10, while Susac, Bell and Boyd (pictured pitching for the Knights last summer) were honorable mention selections.

Catcher Corey Davis (2010) made an immediate impact at Wright State (Ohio), which captured the Horizon League postseason tournament title to clinch an NCAA berth. The Raiders will play host Texas A&M Friday at the College Station Regional. Davis is returning following the postseason.

Corey (.317, 8 HR, 40 RBI), a junior from Happy Valley, Oregon, was the Horizon League Newcomer of the Year, and a first-team All-Horizon League selection.

Veteran Knight Nick Hoover (2009-2010, 2-4, 3.69, 20 relief appearances) of UC Irvine looks to repeat his strong performance in the Los Angeles Regional as the Anteaters return to Jackie Robinson Stadium for the second consecutive year. Like Davis, Hoover will return to the Knights after the postseason.

While newcomer Dylan Stuart of UC Riverside will not be competing in a Regional, the southpaw from Riverside, California was named Big West Freshman Pitcher of the Year today. Stuart will report to the Knights for the team's non-league home game on Thursday, June 16.

Senior first baseman Dean Green (2008) of Barry University in Miami led the Bucs to a 40-17 record and to second place in the NCAA Division II South Regional.

Green was the Sunshine State Conference Player of the Year, an All-South Regional selection, and a first-team Division II All-American after hitting .400, with 22 doubles, 19 homers and 77 RBIs.

Here are the final stats for some other current or former Knights of note:

THOMAS MCCARTHY(3B, Kentucky, 2010): .371, 19 doubles, 7 HR, 39 RBIs, 8 stolen bases, All-SEC.
TYLER ANDERSON (LHP, Oregon, 2009): 8-3, 2.17, ERA, 15 starts, team-record 114 strikeouts in 107.2 innings, first-team All-Pac-10.
TAYLOR ARD (1B, Washington State, 2009): .337, 10 homers, 55 RBIs, 17 doubles, .557 slugging percentage, first-team All-Pac-10.
*NATE BLACKHAM (OF, Washington State): .400, four stolen bases.
EDDIE OROZCO (RHP, UC Riverside, 2008-09): 4-2, 2.54 in 10 starts, honorable mention All-Big West.
MATT ANDRIESE, (RHP, UC Riverside, 2009): 4-5, 2.91 with 70 strikeouts over 13 starts, honorable mention All-Big West.
DUSTIN EMMONS (RHP, UC Riverside, 2008-09): 6-3, 5.91.
*DYLAN STUART (RHP, UC Riverside): 1-1, 1.82, 17 relief appearances, 29.2 innings, 28 strikeouts.
*MITCH PATITO (RHP, UC Riverside, 2010): 1-3, 6 saves, 6.05, 18 relief appearances, 19.1 innings, 23 strikeouts.
*DAVID ANDRIESE (OF, UC Riverside, 2010): .304, 4 homers, 29 RBIs, honorable mention All-Big West.
RICHIE JIMENEZ (INF, UNLV, 2008-2009): .261, 2 homers, 27 RBIs, .963 fielding percentage, 145 assists.
MITCH HANIGER (OF, Cal Poly, 2010): .274, 14 doubles, 6 homers, 27 RBIs.
*JIMMY ALLEN (UTL, Cal Poly): .265, 11 doubles, 1 HR, 15 RBIs.
*CHASE JOHNSON (RHP, Cal Poly): 2-5, 3.67, 18 appearances, 49 innings pitched, 34 strikeouts.
AARON CORWIN (RHP, Texas Tech, 2010): 1-0, 3.28, 19 relief appearances.
BO ALTOBELLI (C, Texas Tech, 2010): .333, 1 homer, 24 RBIs, honorable mention All-Big 12.
MATT DUFFY (INF, Long Beach State, 2010): .266, 31 RBIs, second-team All-Big West.
KYLE KRAUS (RHP, Portland, 2009-2010): 6-5, 4.12, 14 starts, 102.2 innings pitched.
*CHRIS JOHNSON (RHP, Portland): 3-5, 3.56, 14 starts, 83.1 innings pitched, 58 strikeouts.
*KRAMER SCOTT (OF, Portland): .299, 9 doubles, 1 homer, 19 RBIs, 6 stolen bases.
*CHRIS MENDOZA (RHP, Santa Clara, 2010): 3-6, 5.62, 20 appearances.
*MICHAEL BLAKE (1B, Hawaii, 2010): .241, 23 RBIs.
*ERIC YOUNG (RHP, Delaware, 2009-2010): 5-2, 4.00, 13 starts, 72 innings pitched.
DANIEL DILLARD (OF, Western Oregon, 2010): .318, 10 homers, 55 RBIs, 19 steals, Great Northwest Conference Player of the Year.

*2011 Knights