I know some people get tired of Murphy telling them the college landscape has changed hugely in the past 20 years, but it has, and Greenmachine points to one problem. Way fewer scholarships are available, too. Selection procedures for the tournament are often unfavorable to certain conferences.
Heck, ASU had recruited two or three stud HS pitchers for next year that got drafted and signed in the first two rounds this year. If Larish and Urquidez had signed last year as expected, no way this team could be here now, and Urk dropped 6 rounds as a result. I guess Averill and one of the relievers are debating about whether to return or not. (Since Averill was described as 'Very Average' by one scouting site, he may want to ride this out another year.) If Pedroia had stayed, this trip might have been a bit easier - but a guy like him had a limited shelf life as a high pick, and he had to take the opportunity.
You have to think games like these - the sheer determination and the fun they obviously have - will sway some youngsters, at least for the next year or two, just as U of A and Lopez attracted more kids after last year. Who wouldn't love to play this kind of baseball?
I rooted for U of A last year when they outlasted ASU (and I think Lopez is a very good coach), and as far as I'm concerned, when they aren't going head-to-head, it's about Arizona - the state - being represented well, not one school or another.