2012 DeMarini CF5 Fastpitch Softball Bat

Introducing DeMarini's 2012 CF5 Fastpitch Softball bats, available now from The Sportstation.

Diamond Demo: Wall Crashing

MLB Network's Eric Byrnes sacrifices his body to demonstrate his wall-crashing technique.

2011 CWS Champions University of South Carolina

The University of South Carolina defeated the University of Florida 5-2 to repeat as college baseball champion.

The Gamecocks won the best-of-three College World Series final against their Southeastern Conference rival by two games to none for their record-extending 16th straight victory in the National Collegiate Athletic Association tournament.

In a season where small ball out shadowed home runs, the new Rawlings BBCA bat helped South Carolina repeat as CWS champion. Aerospace grade 5150 alloy formulation provides unparelleled durability, even in the most extreme playing conditions. Rawlings new pOp Technology isolates the added weight to a smaller region on the barrel than seen on other BBCOR bats, which translates into a lower swing weight.

Schutt Sports: Helmets - ION 4D

The Schutt ION 4D™ is unlike any helmet that’s ever been designed before. The sleek, aggressive styling of the shell includes the Schutt Energy Wedge Faceguard attachment system. The faceguard is integrated right into the shell and is stronger and more durable than classic faceguards! The ION 4D also features TPU cushioning it eliminates any break-in period and makes it the most comfortable helmet you’ll ever wear – right out of the box!


Better Impact Absorption
In game-like conditions, when the temperature inside your helmet can rise in excess of 115°, the performance of TPU Cushioning remains consistent. Traditional foam padding, on the other hand, performs worse. And adaptive, air-filled pockets? Not even in the same ball park.

Better Heat Management
Keeping cool and fresh on the field is at the top of every player’s list. The open-air sides of TPU Cushioning, along with the channels weaving in and out throughout the cushion, do a great job of circulating air throughout the interior of the helmet. Traditional foam padding, however, is like wrapping a blanket of insulation around your head. Restrictive black bonnets don’t do very much for keeping you cool either.

Better Hygienics
TPU Cushioning is virtually impervious to mold, mildew, fungus and bacteria. Traditional foam padding, on the other hand, can be a breeding ground for all kinds of nasty stuff. No matter how well you maintain helmets with foam padding, they can become infested and need to be replaced. With the TPU Cushioning in your helmet, that’s no longer a concern.

Better Resiliency
Unlike traditional foam padding, TPU Cushioning is ready to wear (comfortably) right out of the box. There’s no breaking-in period, like you have with foam. TPU Cushioning doesn’t take a compression set like traditional foam padding. Nor does TPU break down like foam – even after thousands of impacts.

AiR Maxx (TPU) Jaw Pad 
The same great protection in the rest of your helmet is now available in an all-new jaw pad! The AiR Maxx Jaw Pad, available  exclusively from Schutt, is a TPU jaw pad that combines the comfort and fit of a soft, vinyl-covered pad with the better protection of TPU Cushioning.

Moisture Management Pad
Wrapping around the front section of the SUREFIT™ air liner, the moisture management pad wicks sweat away from your forehead, keeping your vision clear. Easy to maintain, just wash it and let air dry.

SUREFIT Air Liner
The two-piece air liner is the secret behind the fit and comfort of our helmets. With two inflation ports, the SUREFIT™ Air Liner gives you a precise custom fit and is made from a soft, but durable anti-microbial material.

Valve Attachment System
This new hook and loop attachment system locks the inflation valves into place. There’s no more struggling to keep the valve aligned to the helmet shell.

Quarter Turn Release
The all-new attachment system for faceguards! The faceguard is locked into place but – if needed – a simple quarter turn releases the faceguard! Swift and easy access in an injury situation.

Energy Wedge Faceguard
Truly unique to the game of football, the Energy Wedge Faceguard acts as a shock absorber for the ION 4D™, absorbing up to 15% more impact from direct  frontal impacts than traditional faceguards. The Energy Wedge faceguard is stronger than traditional faceguards and gives you a wide, unobstructed view of the entire field.

Chin Strap Attachment
Because the Energy Wedge faceguard is stronger than traditional faceguards, the chin strap can be attached “through the faceguard.” Other attachment methods, such as the 4-Point High, can still be used as the ION 4D™ is pre-scored for the installation of chin strap snaps.

Titanium Guards
The Ultimate Helmet deserves the Ultimate Faceguard! Titanium faceguards are nearly 50% lighter than normal faceguards and stronger than stainless steel! Now, thanks to the all-new Ti-JXT Technology from Schutt, titanium faceguards for the ION 4D™ are more affordable than ever.

Nose Bumper 
We’ve changed the nose bumper/faceguard retainer on the ION 4D™ so that it now more closely resembles and performs like traditional nose bumpers.

Unobstructed View
The Schutt ION 4D features a wide panoramic view that provides dramatically better vision

Large Ventilation Holes
Six crown vent holes provide maximum air flow.

Evoshield Wrist Guard System

Product Overview

Evoshield Wrist Guard System…Exceptional Protection. Exceptional Comfort! Evoshield Wrist Guard Systems feature: Unique protective guard covers your wrist and lower forearm Offers exceptional protection while batting and sliding Durable compressive neoprene band construction Lightweight material is 1/4″ thin Polymer backing and breathable mesh casing for added comfort Moisture absorbing soft inner lining Slide on styling Comfortable to wear while providing excellent protection Shield insert permanently hardens to custom form to you Easy to use – air activated insert molds in 20 minutes Dispersion Technology (DSP) allows impact energy to disperse across all 5 layers Helps to reduce the extent of injury Colors: Black Navy Red Royal White Sizes: Small (up to 6″) Medium (up to 7″) Large (up to 7.5″) X-Large (up to 8″) Evoshield Wrist Guard System…Worn By Collegiate & MLB Players!

Why home runs are way down at CWS

Reposted from espn.go.com


Home runs are down at the 2011 College World Series -- way down. Headed into the start of the finals on Monday in Omaha, Neb., only seven home runs have been hit in 12 games, compared to 32 in 14 games in 2010.

This dramatic power outage coincides with the cross-town move from Rosenblatt Stadium to TD Ameritrade Park. The dimensions of the two parks are virtually the same, and the change of venue has nothing to do with the drop in home runs. Nor is it due to an isolated cluster of unusually strong pitching performances.

The difference is in the (BBCOR) bats.

On Jan. 1, the NCAA implemented a long-anticipated new standard for regulating the performance of bats. The NCAA originally sent a memorandum to bat manufacturers on Sept. 16, 2008, explaining the intention to achieve “wood-like performance in non-wood bats.” The details of how the NCAA bat standards changed are rather involved, but the net effect is quite simple: The bats are less “bouncy,” and balls come off the bats slower.

According to Dr. Alan Nathan, a baseball physicist who also serves as a member of the NCAA Baseball Research Panel, the NCAA changed the way it measures bats in order to provide a more consistent performance limit (for a detailed explanation of the old and new measurement methods, read Dr. Nathan's article). The limit for non-wood bats was set at a level that is just barely “bouncier” than the bounciest wood bats available.

Nathan’s research has indicated that restricting bats via the new standard lowers the batted ball speed by about 6 mph for a typical fly ball of 380-400 feet.

Visit espn.go.com for the rest of the story.

Virginia vs. South Carolina Rematch

Last night the Virginia Cavaliers unleashed their bats against California during the elimination game.  Virginia jumped on California in the top of the 3rd scoring two runs and then put up an additional 4 runs in the top of the 6th and 2 run in the 8th.  California could not match Virginia’s hitting nor pitching.  Tyler Wilson, Virginia’s starting pitcher, pitched one of his best games of the season limiting the team to 5 hits and no runs.  You could tell that Virginia was pumped up and ready to play beating California 8-1.  Their win pushed them one step closer to making to the Championship Series.  There is one team that stands in their way which is Rawlings team South Carolina.  So yes, you are reading this correctly.  WE WILL HAVE A RAWLINGS TEAM IN THE MEN’S COLLEGE WORLD SERIES!!

TONIGHT: University of Virginia vs. University of South Carolina – 6 p.m. (Central) ESPN

TOMORROW: (If Virginia wins tonight) -  6 p.m. (Central) ESPN2

MONDAY: Rawlings Team vs. Vandy/Florida 7 p.m. (Central) ESPN

TUESDAY: Rawlings Team vs. Vandy/Florida 7 p.m. (central) ESPN