By: Aaron Kirby
Texas St (11-4) takes over the top spot.
The Bobcats, who had thrown 5 consecutive shutouts entering the week, picked up a 3-2 win vs Rice on Tuesday before taking 2 of 3 at UT-Arlington to start Southland play…….Stetson (12-3) who had held the top spot for the first 3 weeks dropped down to #2. The Hatters beat Maine 3-2 Tuesday and won 2 of 3 vs Harvard.
RISING
TCU (6-6) moved up one spot to #3 getting just 2 games in this week. The Horned Frogs beat Baylor mid-week and Texas Tech on Sunday. Fridays game vs Texas Tech was canceled and the two will play one more game on Monday.
Purdue (11-1) continues to role, moving up 2 spots to #4, winning all 3 games at Murray St.
College of Charleston (12-3) slides up 2 spots to #7 with a 5-0 week including wins vs Toledo, at Winthrop and sweep at Furman.
Pepperdine (11-4) moves up 5 spots to #9 after sweeping Rhode Island.
Samford (11-5) jumps up 5 spot to #10. The Bulldogs picked up wins vs Penn St and Jacksonville St during the week before traveling to Greensboro and winning 2 of 3 at UNCG to open SOCON play.
Appalachian St (13-2) has won 11 straight games including 4-0 this week climbing 6 spots to #13. The Mountaineers beat Duke 6-4 on Wednesday and swept Davidson over weekend. App needed extra innings Sunday to keep winning streak alive winning 5-4 in 10 innings. That streak will also be tested this week as they travel to Duke on Tuesday and South Carolina on Wednesday.
San Diego (12-4) also climbs 6 spots landing at #14. The Toreros traveled to Tennessee this week beating Lipscomb twice before taking 2 of 3 at Vanderbilt. San Diego is 11-2 since dropping the opening series at Sam Houston St with wins over Kansas St, Oregon St, UC Riverside, Cal Poly and two at Vanderbilt.
Liberty (16-2) continues to play very good baseball moving up 6 places to #16. The Flames won 10-6 at Old Dominion and 3 of 4 from St Johns. The 16 wins have them tied with Kentucky (16-0) for most in nation.
FALLING
Louisville (10-5) dip 3 spots to #6 with a 2-2 week. The Cardinals beat Indiana during week and lost 2 of 3 at The Alabama Baseball Tournament (7-3 vs Oral Roberts, 6-7 at Alabama, 4-9 vs ECU).
Troy (8-7) falls 6 spots to #11. The Trojans went 2-3 on the week to UAB Tuesday, beating ECU Wednesday and then lost 2 of 3 at home to Monmouth.
Gonzaga (10-3) slide 7 spots to #15. Gonzaga entered the week on a roll and undefeated. The Zags traveled to New Mexico, who went into weekend just 2-9, and got swept by the Lobos.
Florida Atlantic (10-7) moves down 4 spots to #17 going 2-3 on week including losing 2 of 3 to Rutgers.
Charlotte (9-7) tumbled 12 spots to #21. The 49ers did not pick up a win on the week going 0-4. Charlotte lost 5-1 at home to Holy Cross before traveling to Missouri and losing all 3 games.
OUT-(5)
#16 Georgia Southern (7-9) drop out of rankings with 1-3 week. The Eagles picked up a win at Charleston Southern Tuesday but got swept at Elon to open up SOCON play. With Sundays 7-6 loss in 11 innings the Eagles have now lost 8 of 10 games to fall out of rankings.
#18 Jacksonville (6-9) continues their rough start to 2012. The Dolphins went just 2-3 on week including losing 2 of 3 at home to Wagner.
#21 Creighton (7-6) drops out of rankings with a 2-3 week and finishing their West Coast trip at 4-6. The Blue Jays will play their first home game of 2012 this week after starting the season with 13 road games.
#24 SE Louisiana (11-5) had a rough week. The Lions drop out rankings with 2-3 week including opening Southland play losing 2 of 3 at Nicholls St.
#25 Hawaii (11-6) drops out after splitting 4 games with Central Michigan.
IN-(5)
Santa Clara (13-4) finally break into the rankings at #18 going 4-1 on week with wins over Cal Poly, Utah, Lehigh and Columbia. The team that was picked to finish last in the West Coast Conference would have been 5-0 on week if San Jose St did not score 2 runs in the btm of 9th on Sunday to take win away. Very impressive start to 2012 for the Fighting Steve Nash’s who ease into WCC play at San Diego this coming week.
Elon (10-5) join the rankings at #20. The Phoenix lost 3-0 to UNC on Wednesday but swept preseason SOCON favorite Georgia Southern over weekend. Elon has opened Southern Conference play 5-1 vs the 2 league favorites, taking 2 of 3 at CofC last week and sweeping GSU this week.
North Florida (11-4) comes in at #23 with a 4-0 week. The Ospreys won 19-1 at Florida A&M Tuesday and swept South Alabama over weekend. On Sunday redshirt freshman LF Garrick Ferguson hit a walk off grand slam in the 13th inning for a 7-3 win and complete the sweep of South Alabama.
Western Carolina (12-4) enter the rankings at #24 after a 4-1 week. The Catamounts beat Duke 12-4 on Tuesday and ETSU 7-3 Wednesday before taking 2 of 3 at The Citadel. For the week senior All-American 2B Ross Heffley hit .611(11-18) and his OB% was .750% (18-24). In the first 16 games he has 17 BB and 1 HBP with 0 Ks.
USC Upstate (12-1) enter the rankings at #25. The Spartans went 3-0 on week with wins vs Valparaiso, at Citadel, and at Charleston Southern. USC Upstate’s only loss of season is to 16-0 Kentucky.
Need to be mentioned
2 Northeast Conference schools traveled down south and picked up 2 impressive series wins. Monmouth (6-6) won 2 of 3 at Troy and Wagner (3-9) took 2 of 3 at Jacksonville.
| Mid-Major Top 25- Week 4 | ||||
| RNK | SCHOOL | (REC) | PVS | (WK) |
| Weeks Results 3/5-3/11 | ||||
| #1 | Texas St | (11-4) | #2 | (3-1) |
| 1-0 Rice; 2-1 at UT-Arlington; | ||||
| #2 | Stetson | (9-2) | #1 | (3-1) |
| 1-0 Maine; 2-1 Harvard; | ||||
| #3 | TCU | (6-6) | #4 | (2-0) |
| 1-0 Baylor; 1-0 Texas Tech; | ||||
| #4 | Purdue | (11-1) | #6 | (3-0) |
| 3-0 at Murray St; | ||||
| #5 | Missouri St | (12-4) | #7 | (3-1) |
| 1-0 Oklahoma St; 2-1 Southern Illinois-Edwardsville | ||||
| #6 | Louisville | (10-5) | #3 | (2-2) |
| 1-0 Indiana; 1-0 Oral Roberts; 0-1 at Alabama; 0-1 East Carolina | ||||
| #7 | College of Charleston | (12-3) | #9 | (5-0) |
| 1-0 Toledo; 1-0 at Winthrop; 3-0 at Furman; | ||||
| #8 | Dallas Baptist | (9-6) | #11 | (3-1) |
| 0-1 at Texas; 3-0 Houston Baptist; | ||||
| #9 | Pepperdine | (11-4) | #14 | (3-0) |
| 3-0 Rhode Island; | ||||
| #10 | Samford | (11-5) | #15 | (4-1) |
| 1-0 Penn St;1-0 Jacksonville St; 2-1 at UNCG; | ||||
| #11 | Troy | (8-7) | #5 | (2-3) |
| 0-1 UAB;1-0 East Carolina; 1-2 Monmouth; | ||||
| #12 | Kent St | (7-6) | #12 | (2-2) |
| 2-2 at New Mexico St | ||||
| #13 | Appalachian St | (13-2) | #19 | (4-0) |
| 1-0 Duke; 3-0 Davidson; | ||||
| #14 | San Diego | (12-4) | #20 | (4-1) |
| 2-0 at Lipscomb;; 2-1 at Vanderbilt; | ||||
| #15 | Gonzaga | (10-3) | #8 | (0-3) |
| 0-3 at New Mexico; | ||||
| #16 | Liberty | (16-2) | #22 | (4-1) |
| 1-0 at Old Diminion; 3-1 St Johns; | ||||
| #17 | Florida Atlantic | (10-5) | #13 | (2-3) |
| 0-1 at Florida; 1-0 Boston College; 1-2 Rutgers; | ||||
| #18 | Santa Clara | (13-4) | NR | (4-1) |
| 1-0 Cal Poly;1-0 Utah;1-0 Lehigh; 1-0 Columbia; 0-1 at San Jose St | ||||
| #19 | Stony Brook | (7-5) | #17 | (3-2) |
| 1-0 at Fairleigh Dickinson; 1-1 Kansas; 1-1 at Minnesota; | ||||
| #20 | Elon | (10-5) | NR | (3-1) |
| 0-1 North Carolina; 3-0 Georgia Southern | ||||
| #21 | FIU | (7-6) | #23 | (3-1) |
| 1-0 Boston College; 2-1 Fordham; | ||||
| #22 | Charlotte | (9-7) | #10 | (0-4) |
| 0-1 Holy Cross; 0-3 at Missouri; | ||||
| #23 | North Florida | (11-4) | NR | (4-0) |
| 1-0 at Florida A&M; 3-0 South Alabama | ||||
| #24 | Western Carolina | (12-4) | NR | (4-1) |
| 1-0 Duke; 1-0 ETSU; 2-1 at Citadel; | ||||
| #25 | SC-Upstate | (12-1) | NR | (3-0) |
| 1-0 Valparaiso; 1-0 at Citadel; 1-0 at Charleston Southern; | ||||
| dropped out | ||||
| #16 | Georgia Southern | (7-9) | ||
| #18 | Jacksonville | (6-9) | ||
| #21 | Creighton | (7-6) | ||
| #24 | SE Louisiana | (11-5) | ||
| #25 | Hawaii | (11-6) | ||
| BUBBLES | ||||
| Southern Illinois | (11-5) | |||
| SE Louisiana | (11-5) | |||
| Belmont | (9-7) | |||
| Hawaii | (11-6) | |||
| Sam Houston St | (9-6) | |||
| Coastal Carolina | (8-6) | |||
| Portland | (10-2) | |||
| Mercer | (12-5) | |||
| Wichita St | (10-7) | |||
| Louisiana Monroe | (11-6) | |||
33 comments
Brian are you kidding me?? You keep a team like Charlotte in there who went 0-4 last week and don’t think you should put Mercer in the poll?? The Bears just went on the road and won a game and almost the series against #23 nationally ranked Mississippi State this past weekend? I know its early but they have an RPI of 31 please explain I didn’t write last week because I didn’t think Mercer should be in the poll, but this week I believe they do.
Chim097:
Here’s a poll you might like, it has Mercer #2.
1) Every other mid-major team
2) Mercer
This is the only place we get mid-major coverage and debate so quit banging on MM25RSN.
LOL
On Warren Nolan you can look up what each teams opponents total W/L record is for games already played. While it may not mean much yet and will mean more probably for teams getting a bid. Still very interesting to see some of records so far and ill list some of teams we have discussed in here a little bit. And you Mercer boys will like it.
Mercer-(133-105)
S. Illinois-(102-94)
WCU-(101-99)
N. Florida-(80-107)
SC Upstate-(77-94)
Stony Brook-(74-71)
Charlotte-(61-110)
Other interesting ones:
Rice-(152-68)
Elon-(136-55)
Texas Pan American-(0-21)
Not worried about Mercer….they’ll show their stripes. We’ve only seen a glimspe at what these boys are capable of. Interesting to point out there competitions records. They’ve played a decent schedule and are sporting an RPI of 31 and leading the nation in home runs and hits.
Dont give Brian crap for that. Charlotte was probably a little too high. I assume you must be a Mercer fan but little confused because how can you put a team in the top 25 that has lost the last 2 weekend series? 2 weeks ago they lost 2 of 3 at High Point and lost 2 of 3 at Mississippi St. You might have had an argument 3 weeks ago but there is no way a team that has lost the last 2 weekends is going to enter the rankings.
Wow well not to make this personal which you clearly just did with that last comment, but first of all you aren’t the editor of this blog so please don’t try and justify anything on here. Secondly, Charlotte just got swept by a .500 Missouri team and why would you bring up High Point considering they crushed you guys 12-5 already this year?? In the future, please don’t make personal attacks on here because this is a great poll and this section is for fun debate that is all. Thank you
Actually, he is who writes the poll. I do NOT do the poll!
Brian Foley
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®
Actually, he is who writes the poll. I do NOT do the poll!
Brian Foley
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®
Im not sure really what i said that was personal especially the last sentence? I was telling you that Brian was not the one who did the rankings so no need to call him out. I am one who did the rankings so why can i not explain why i have someone ranked or do not have them ranked?
I assumed you were a Mercer fan stating their case their case. And i was just trying to point out that any team that has lost their last 2 weekend series is not going to enter this poll or any other poll for that matter.
High Point crushed you guys 12-5? This is also an assumption that you have to be talking about Charlotte because that is the only game High Point has won this year by that score. So again im confused.
Wow well not to make this personal which you clearly just did with that last comment, but first of all you aren’t the editor of this blog so please don’t try and justify anything on here. Secondly, Charlotte just got swept by a .500 Missouri team and why would you bring up High Point considering they crushed you guys 12-5 already this year?? In the future, please don’t make personal attacks on here because this is a great poll and this section is for fun debate that is all. Thank you
What’s your thoughts on the UALR Trojans so far in 2012? Are they approaching bubble status?
Arkansas Little Rock is on the larger sheet. They are off to a very good start at 12-4 but have not cracked that last 10 that are listed just yet. UALR has played a soft schedule but 12-4 is 12-4 so im paying attention but they are gonna have to win some Sun Belt games to get in. This weekend at Arkansas St will be a good test.
UNF, Charlotte, SC-Upstate in top 25 and Mercer not? Just wait until conference play starts. Mercer will chew up these guys. Stetson has to go to Macon for 3…..sweep?….? Give it time all you Mercer fans. This is a very good baseball team….watch out.
No one is saying that Mercer is not good. I will however dispute that Mercer is better than Stetson. Not a chance but in 3 weeks they play. Mercer needs to take care of Kennesaw St this weekend then we can talk about putting Mercer in. They would have been in last week if they had not lost 2 of 3 at High Point.
Just saying….UNF has not beaten a ranked team. Mercer has and the records are just about identical….11-4 versus 12-5. Mercer’s five losses have been by 2 runs or less.
The answer to why Mercer is not in right now is very easy. Do you think that a team can lose 2 weekend series in a row and get into any top 25? Just think about that. Losing a series or 2 and staying in the top 25 is alot different than losing and getting in.
So why is Charlotte in there at 9-7?….and went 0-4 over the weekend. It’s not like Mercer played a cupcake either….also you have to look at the way they are losing games….all very tight. The’ll earn the right….given some time.
I look at a lot of different factors when deciding who to place where. In Charlotte’s case they entered week 4 at #10 with a 9-3 record after a 4-1 week. Was the #10 ranking alittle high for them? Based on last weeks results losing at home to Holy Cross and losing all 3 games at Mizzo it probably was. However, i do not think a team should drop 16+ places for losing those games. The only time a team has dropped farther than the 12 they dropped this past week or from as high as they were to out was a couple few years ago i had Ohio St at like #8 and they lost to a DII and NAIA school in same week if i remember right.
Charlotte plays USC Upstate and hosts Dallas Baptist this weekend. So more than likely they will need to win the Dallas Baptist series to stay in. Depending on what other teams on bubble list.
USC Upstate lost at Furman 10-7 after losing at Charlotte 11-0 yesterday and Mercer beat Georgia St 11-0 tonight. Still have to take care of Kennesaw St this weekend. But SE Louisiana who dropped out just took 2 games vs Mississippi St this week.
Mercer is losing 9-4 at home to Kennessaw St tonight. If Mercer drops another weekend series they will not have a chance at top 25 again this week.
What’s keeping Southern Illinois out of the top 25? They’ve beaten Stetson and Northern Florida (both in the top 25) and we’re 4-1 last week. 6-0 in the last 2 week-ends. Feeling no love for the Dawgs!
I really like what Southern Illinois has done so far and they almost went in after what they did at Stetson and again this week. I do have them listed at the top of the bubble list for a reason. It was between them and USC Upstate for the last spot. I gave the edge to USC Upstate because they have 4 less losses and S. Illinois swept Jacksonville State who is 2-11 right now. Trust me i love to give teams like Southern Illinois love and they deserve it for the great start. Thats probably the biggest reason started doing this a few years ago cause no one talks about the Southern Illinois of the baseball world much, There are alot of great programs that get little to no attention.
How do you rank the mid-major conferences now that conference play is upon us?
Now that is a good question right there!! Your Sunbelt is a mess right now. No offense to Monmouth or Rutgers but they should not win series at Troy and FAU.
Without looking at any numbers ill say…..
1-West Coast Conference
2-Southern Conference
3-Sun Belt
4-A-Sun
5-Big East
6-WAC
7-Big Ten
8-Big South
That is not easy. The WCC is clearly #1 so far. Heck they are probably inside of the “Big 6” right now. When i get a minute ill check out Boyds ISR and RPI #s. How would you rank the conferences so far?
That will take some cyphering. Standby I’ll work on it during the day or two.
Heck no you can not do any research thats cheating.
I did list the teams by ISR over on rivals. It was pretty interesting but still to early for that. Since NCAA still uses RPI not ISR ill list conferences by RPI for this exercise. The ranking is their overall position among all. Its not too close to what i listed but the Boydsworld #s factor in every team of that conference. I was going off the # of good teams.
#5-WCC
#8-MVC
#9-SOCON
#10-WAC
#11-Southland
#12-A-Sun
#13-MTN West
#14-Sun Belt
#15-Big 10
Im going to job site so i expect your answer when i get back in a few hours!!!
Fine if I can’t use goesintas or cyphering here it comes:
Southern
WCC
Sun Belt
A -Sun
MVC
Southland
MWC
BIg 10
Big East
MAC
Big South
A-East
Horizon
If you want the secret formula you’ll have to ask.
Why did you put the SOCON #1?
SoCon has had 5 ranked teams WCC has 4.
SoCon has more teams without loosing records.
WCC second tier teams, BYU and Zaga couldn’t bust an egg against midweek SEC bullpens.
SoCon has 3 quality wins against the best conference, SEC.
WCC has 2 wins against SEC, lowly Vandy.
The WAC probably should go somewhere behind the Big South.
Thats a pretty good argument and im a SOCON guy. If you do not use sebaseball.com check out this link. JPK over there puts up some great charts with interconference #s. The WCC has played 7 games vs SEC and SOCON 10 games. I would have figured SOCON played alot more than WCC.
http://sebaseball.rivals.com/content.asp?SID=1048&CID=1332989
I’ve got sebaseball up and also find collegebaseballinsider.com helpful. But of course you guys are the best. See if you can get more players/coaches to blog or interview about their training history and techniques.
Florida Atlantic battling injuries. Lost leading hitter Alex Hudak and closer Hugh Adams, both all-conference selections; Saturday starter Jeremy Strawn; center-fielder Nathan Pittman; and second baseman Robert Buckley.
FAU certianly has responded this week taking the first 2 games at FIU.
Mercer lost again to Kennesaw St. 8-0 today
Campbell is 18-3
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