Arizona State (48-13)

Coach:Pat Murphy (13th season).

CWS history: 20th appearance, five titles (last in 1981).

Key hitters: 1B Brett Wallace (.423, 16 HR, 78 RBI); C Kiel Roling (.373, 63 RBI); 2B Eric Sogard (.394, 58 RBI).

Fast pitch: No team in Omaha can match the Sun Devils' offense, No. 3 in hitting with a .350 average and six starters batting over .350. They are tops in runs per game (9.5) and fielding percentage (.978). ASU's top three pitchers are a combined 37-5. Two are southpaws. But the staff ERA is 4.06.

California-Irvine (45-15-1)

Coach: Dave Serrano (third season).

CWS history: First appearance.

Key hitters: 1B Taylor Holiday (.356, 41 RBI); 2B Cody Cipriano (.338, 32 RBI); SS Ben Orloff (.341, 20 SB).

Fast pitch: The Anteaters won't beat anyone with the long ball (35 home runs) but are adept at "small-ball" with 137 stolen bases (they attempted 187) and 114 sacrifice bunts. They have the NCAA career save leader in Blair Erickson and proven starters in Scott Gorgen and West Etheridge, but the third spot could be problematic.

Cal State-Fullerton (38-23)

Coach: George Horton (11th season).

CWS history: 15th appearance, four titles (last in 2004).

Key hitters: CF Clark Hardman (.391, 47 RBI); C John Curtis (.284, 45 RBI); OF/1B Nick Mahin (.287, 45 RBI).

Fast pitch: Fullerton brings the most modest offense to Omaha, ranking 205th of 283 teams in hitting (.280) and 102nd in scoring (6.4 runs per game). But Wes Roemer and Jeff Kaplan are a solid 1-2 punch on the mound; the staff ERA is 3.76, and the Titans don't beat themselves. Fullerton won the 2004 championship with this same mix of skills.

Louisville (46-22)

Coach: Dan McDonnell (first season).

CWS history: First appearance.

Key hitters: LF Isaiah Howes (.392, 18 HR, 67 RBI); CF Boomer Whiting (.367, 73 SB); 2B Logan Johnson (.364, 59 RBI).

Fast pitch: The Cardinals survived four elimination games to reach Omaha for the first time with an offense that can win with power (.312 team batting average with 70 home runs) or speed (153 stolen bases). Zack Pitts and Justin Marks are an effective right-left pitching combination with 18 wins and ERAs under 2.55, but depth after that is thin.

Mississippi State (38-20)

Coach: Ron Polk (28th season).

CWS history: Seventh appearance.

Key hitters: C Edward Easley (.363, 12 HR, 63 RBI); 1B Mitch Moreland (.338, 60 RBI); SS Brandon Turner (.397, 44 RBI).

Fast pitch: Polk, who ranks seventh in Division I victories with 1,350, has reached Omaha eight times with three teams but hasn't won a title. The Bulldogs win with offense, hitting .316 and averaging 7.1 runs. But they stole only 42 bases and committed 78 errors. No starting pitcher has an ERA below 4.24.

North Carolina (53-13)

Coach: Mike Fox (ninth season).

CWS history: Sixth appearance.

Key hitters: OF Dustin Ackley (.416, 111 hits, 66 RBI); SS Josh Horton (.331, 50 RBI); C Tim Federowicz (.357, 64 RBI).

Fast pitch: The Tar Heels boast the best pitching-hitting balance in Omaha, ranking sixth national in ERA (3.30) and 16th in batting average (.321). They are solid defensively and average almost eight runs a game. But UNC has hit one home run in 10 games going back to the ACC tournament and gave up 33 runs in its last five NCAA games.

Oregon State (44-18)

Coach: Pat Casey (13th season).

CWS history: Fourth appearance, one title (2006).

Key hitters: OF Mike Lissman (.323, 56 RBI); C Mitch Canham (.317, 9 HR, 54 RBI); SS Darwin Barney (.292, 48 RBI).

Fast pitch: The Beavers have only two full-time starters from last year's championship team. They have hit their stride in postseason after going 10-14 in the Pacific-10. Oregon State trails only Arizona State in fielding percentage and has a 3.51 ERA behind Mike Stutes, Daniel Turpen and Joe Paterson. But the Beavers had only 38 homers and batted .282.

Rice (54-12)

Coach: Wayne Graham (16th season).

CWS history: Sixth appearance, one title (2003).

Key hitters: 1B/P Joe Savery (.366, 57 RBI); SS Brian Friday (.342, 27 doubles); 2B Aaron Luna (.315, 11 HR, 61 RBI).