talent abounds

Postseason survivors tend to have outstanding players, and there will be some serious star power on the field today in Appleton, Wisc., when Millsaps College and Southern Maine meet in the NCAA Division III World Series. Both teams have four players on the d3baseball.com All-America chart — and note that the pool of D-III players is gianormous. Millsaps (38-12) features first-team All-America catcher Wes Perkins (.428, 60 RBIs): second-teamer Keith Shumaker (.374, 51 RBIs as a hitter, 6-1, 3.01 ERA as a hurler); third-team third baseman Stephen Gates (.368, 63 runs); and honorable mention second baseman Kevin Wall (.344). Southern Maine (42-8) is led by d3baseball.com player of the year Tucker White, an outfielder who batted .411 with 10 homers, 56 RBIs, nine triples and 35 stolen bases. Third baseman Nick Grady was a first-team pick, and left-hander Logan Carman (12-0) and DH Chris Bernard were on the second team. Millsaps, making its first CWS appearance under the very successful Jim Page, has drawn a tough opener. But count on the Majors to put up a good fight in this eight-team, double-elimination affair.