Top 25 Tracker (March 20)
SEE ALSO: Top 25
Top 25 Tracker, powered by Louisville Slugger, recaps last week’s action and looks ahead to this week.
1. Louisville
Last week: 4-0
Overall: 19-0, 6-0 in ACC (1-0 vs. Top 25)
Weekend series: 3-0
The Cardinals continued their best-ever start by sweeping Boston College. The 19 victories in a row is the second-longest winning streak in school history, behind only the 22 consecutive wins from 1956-58. They have outscored their opponents 169-43 this season. In Saturday’s win, sophomore righthander Kade McClure did not allow a baserunner through the first 5.1 innings. Brendan McKey update: He’s hitting .481/.592/.759 with four HR, and 4-0, 0.36 with a 41-6 strikeout-walk ratio in 25 IP.
Results:
March 15: Xavier: W 13-4
March 17-19: Boston College: W 6-0, W 6-4, W 5-3
Upcoming:
March 21: @ Cincinnati
March 24-26: @ N.C. State
2. Oregon State
Last week: 3-0
Overall: 17-1, 3-0 in Pac-12 (0-0 vs. Top 25)
Weekend series: 3-0
The Beavers finished a sweep of Arizona State behind redshirt junior righthander Jake Thompson, but perhaps more importantly, they rank No. 1 in RPI, according to WarrenNolan.com. It’s the first sweep of ASU since 1966. The Beavers’ pitching staff, in 27 innings over the three games, struck out 31 with just six walks and limited Arizona State to nine hits and a run.
Results:
March 16-18: @ Arizona State: W 2-0, W 10-1, W 4-0
Upcoming:
March 24-26: vs. Arizona
3. Texas Christian
Last week: 2-2
Overall: 14-5, 2-1 in Big 12 (3-0 vs. Top 25)
Weekend series: 3-1
TCU fell short of the sweep Sunday as Kansas got no-hit ball over seven innings from sophomore righthander Jackson Goddard. The Horned Frogs had their own near no-no on Saturday when redshirt sophomore Jared Janczak retired the first 22 hitters.
Results:
March 14: @ Long Beach State: L 7-0
March 17-19: Kansas: W 3-1, W 5-1, L 4-3
Upcoming:
March 21: @ Abilene Christian
March 24-26: vs. (21) Oklahoma State
4. Louisiana State
Last week: 4-1
Overall: 16-5, 3-0 in SEC (0-2 vs. Top 25)
Weekend series: 3-0
The scoreless streak for senior lefthander Jared Poche’ ended at 32 during the sweep of Georgia, but he allowed just one run and improved to 5-0, 0.25. LSU took advantage of a Georgia pitching staff that combined to walk 21 batters and hit 12 with pitches in the series. Antoine Duplantis enjoyed a remarkable week, batting .425 (10-for-23) in five games with two doubles, one homer, 14 RBIs, seven runs and a .536 on-base percentage.
Results:
March 14: Louisiana College: W 13-0
March 15: New Orleans: L 7-4 (15)
March 17-19: Georgia: W 22-9, W 5-1, W 7-6
Upcoming:
March 22: SE Louisiana
March 24-26: vs. (13) Florida
5. Cal State Fullerton
Last week: 5-0
Overall: 14-5, 0-0 in Big West (3-1 vs. Top 25)
Weekend series: 4-0-1
Junior lefthander John Gavin punctuated the sweep of New Mexico with a career-high 14 strikeouts in a 1-0 win. The Titans rallied from three runs down Saturday behind the bullpen; Erik Cha, Dillon Brown and Brett Conine combined to pitch 6.0 scoreless innings. Fullerton has won 10 of 11—nine against teams that made regionals last year.
Results:
March 14: San Jose State: W 6-1
March 15: (12) Arizona: W 4-0
March 17-19: New Mexico: W 2-1, W 5-4, W 1-0
Upcoming:
March 21: @ San Diego
March 24-26: @ Long Beach State
6. Clemson
Last week: 4-1
Overall: 16-4, 5-1 in ACC (4-2 vs. Top 25)
Weekend series: 4-1
Senior lefthander Pat Krall dealt seven strong innings Sunday to beat Adam Haseley and clinch the series against Virginia. The Tigers rapped out 14 hits in the rubber game, with three players with three each. The series win capped a nice comeback from the 2-0 blanking in Friday’s opener. Catcher Chris Williams hit .421 (8-for-19) with three HR, 10 RBIs, a 1.000 slugging percentage and .478 OBP while catching all 45 innings on the week.
Results:
March 14-15: Yale: W 10-6, W 10-8
March 17-19: (15) Virginia: L 2-0, W 7-6, W 12-1
Upcoming:
March 21: @ College of Charleston
March 24-26: vs. Boston College in Kingston, R.I.
7. South Carolina
Last week: 3-0
Overall: 14-5, 3-0 in SEC (3-3 vs. Top 25)
Weekend series: 4-1
The Gamecocks used a seven-run fifth to blow out the Volunteers and cap the sweep. Alex Destino doubled and homered in Sunday’s game. South Carolina won Saturday’s game despite being outhit 10-4 as Wil Crowe battled through 5.2 innings. The Gamecocks hit .297 on the weekend, have homered in seven straight games and have 13 home runs in that span.
Results:
March 14: Furman, ppd.
March 17-19: @ Tennessee: W 7-1, W 6-4 (10), W 10-2
Upcoming:
March 22: Charleston Southern
March 24-26: Alabama
8. Texas Tech
Last week: 3-1
Overall: 17-4, 3-0 in Big 12 (3-1 vs. Top 25)
Weekend series: 3-0
Freshman infielder Josh Jung was the star of Tech’s first-ever sweep of Texas. Jung had consecutive multi-hit games Saturday and Sunday, including three singles in the Sunday win. It’s the first three-game sweep of Texas in Red Raiders’ program history, and Texas Tech’s first 3-0 start in Big 12 play since 1999.
Results:
March 14: @ Texas-Arlington: L 5-1
March 17-19: @ Texas: W 2-1, W 2-1, W 8-5
Upcoming:
March 21-22: vs. UNLV
March 24-26: @ Wichita State
9. Arizona
Last week: 2-2
Overall: 15-4, 2-1 in Pac-12 (1-2 vs. Top 25)
Weekend series: 4-0
As you’d expect from one of the nation’s top-scoring offenses, the Wildcats scored plenty of runs but fell short of the sweep Sunday as they blew a 7-5 lead in the ninth.
Results:
March 15: @ (7) Cal State Fullerton: L 4-0
March 17-19: @ UCLA: W 19-4, W 4-3, L 8-7 (10)
Upcoming:
March 21: vs. New Mexico State
March 24-26: @ (2) Oregon State
10. North Carolina
Last week: 3-1
Overall: 15-5, 4-2 in ACC (2-1 vs. Top 25)
Weekend series: 4-1
The Heels rebounded from an early 4-0 hole in the rubber game to beat the Yellow Jackets 7-4. Junior shortstop Logan Warmoth had a double and triple in the rally and freshman Ashton McGee homered. Junior righthander Brett Daniel struck out nine in 4.1 scoreless relief innings to earn the win.
Results:
March 14: Maryland: W 9-2
March 17-19: @ Georgia Tech: W 6-5, L 4-2 (12), W 7-4
Upcoming:
March 22: @ (25) East Carolina
March 24-26: Miami
11. Mississippi
Last week: 3-1
Overall: 14-6, 2-1 in SEC (3-2 vs. Top 25)
Weekend series: 4-0
Mississippi began the week with two more shutouts and its scoreless innings streak reached 48 before Vanderbilt snapped it Saturday. After relying on their pitching much of the season, the Rebels showed they can with a shootout as well, coming back for a 10-8 victory in a wild game Sunday to clinch the series on opening weekend of SEC play. Ole Miss hits the road this week for its first true road games of the season, traveling on Tuesday to Memphis and then Kentucky for a weekend series.
Results:
March 14: vs. Nicholls State (Biloxi, Miss.): W 5-0
March 17-19: Vanderbilt: W 1-0, L 6-2, W 10-8
Upcoming:
March 21: @ Memphis
March 23-25: @ Kentucky
12. Florida Gulf Coast
Last week: 4-0
Overall: 18-3, 0-0 in Atlantic Sun (3-0 vs. Top 25)
Weekend series: 5-0
Florida Gulf Coast beat Florida State on Wednesday and completed its stretch of 13 straight games against teams that made the 2016 NCAA Tournament at 11-2. The Eagles stayed hot with a sweep of Rutgers, their second sweep in three weekends. FGCU will host South Florida on Tuesday in a midweek battle of hot teams.
Results:
March 15: (2) Florida State: W 5-2
March 17-19: Rutgers: W 5-2, W 13-4, W 8-3
Upcoming:
March 22: South Florida
March 24-26: Jackson State
13. Florida
Last week: 1-3
Overall: 13-8, 0-3 in SEC (1-0 vs. Top 25)
Weekend series: 4-1
Teddy Cahill has extensive coverage of the Gators’ sweep in Auburn. Surprisingly, Florida is 0-5 on the road.
Results:
March 14: (2) Florida State: W 1-0
March 17-19: @ Auburn: L 14-3, L 2-1, L 6-5
Upcoming:
March 21: vs. Stetson
March 24-26: vs. (4) LSU
14. Florida State
Last week: 1-4
Overall: 14-6, 3-2 in ACC (0-2 vs. Top 25)
Weekend series: 4-1
A bad weekend in Blacksburg was capped off by the program’s worst shutout defeat. Florida State led 10-2 on Saturday and was out-scored 28-2 the rest of the way. On the positive side, junior outfielder Rhett Aplin had three hits Sunday and is hitting a team-high .348. Outfielder Jackson Leuke remains sidelined with shin splints.
Results:
March 14: @ (5) Florida: L 1-0
March 15: (21) Florida Gulf Coast: L 5-2
March 17-19: @ Virginia Tech: W 9-2, L 13-12, L 17-0
Upcoming:
March 21: Jacksonville
March 24-26: @ Notre Dame
15. Louisiana-Lafayette
Last week: 2-2
Overall: 11-6, 2-1 in Sun Belt (0-0 vs. Top 25)
Weekend series: 4-0
The Ragin’ Cajuns escaped with a series win over Appalachian State on Handsome Monica’s squeeze bunt in the ninth on Sunday. That followed Saturday’s game in which the Mountaineers pounded four homers off Nick Lee and relievers in a 12-4 rout.
Results:
March 15: @ Louisiana Tech: L 6-5 (13)
March 17-19: Appalachian State: W 3-0, L 12-4, W 4-3
Upcoming:
March 21: Houston
March 22: Tulane
March 24-26: @ Troy
16. St. John’s
Last week: 2-0
Overall: 14-2, 0-0 in Big East (2-1 vs. Top 25)
Weekend series: 1-0
After a storm in the Northeast scuttled St. John’s plans for a home opening series against Holy Cross, the Red Storm quickly altered course and moved south for another weekend tournament. St. John’s picked up two more wins and John Valente stayed hot at the plate, extending his hitting streak to 28 games. The Red Storm will hope for better weather this week, as it tries again for a home opener in Queens.
Results:
Sean McGrath Invitational, Norfolk, Va.
March 17: Iona: W 4-3
March 18: Massachusetts-Lowell: W 6-3
Upcoming:
March 21: @ Fairfield
March 22: St. Peter’s
March 25-26: Maine
17. Stanford
Last week: 0-0
Overall: 11-5, 0-0 in Pac-12 (1-2 vs. Top 25)
Weekend series: 2-1-1
Stanford took the week off in preparation for finals. The Cardinal return to action this weekend with a series against Utah, the defending Pac-12 champion. Stanford’s pitching staff has been stout this season, compiling a 2.82 team ERA and holding opponents to a .207 batting average.
Results:
Off
Upcoming:
March 24-26: Utah
18. Missouri
Last week: 4-0
Overall: 19-1, 3-0 in SEC (0-0 vs. Top 25)
Weekend series: 4-0
Missouri opened SEC play with a sweep at Alabama to extend its winning streak to 19 games, tied with Louisville for the longest in the country. The Tigers’ winning streak also matches the longest in program history, a mark previously set by the 1964 team. Coming off just its third conference sweep since joining the SEC in 2013, Missouri will look to stay hot with two teams from the Natural State visiting Columbia this week, first Arkansas-Little Rock on Tuesday, followed by Arkansas on the weekend.
Results:
March 15: Chicago State: W 7-6 (13)
March 17-18: @ Alabama: W 3-0, W 7-4, W 9-5
Upcoming:
March 21: Arkansas-Little Rock
March 24-26: Arkansas
19. Virginia
Last week: 2-2
Overall: 15-5, 2-4 in ACC (2-4 vs. Top 25)
Weekend series: 1-2
After a strong start to ACC play Friday behind Pavin Smith, Virginia fell on its face on Saturday and Sunday, culminating in a 12-1 loss as it was shut down by Pat Krall. Junior lefthander Adam Haseley was hit hard Sunday to take his first loss.
Results:
March 13: Monmouth: W 10-0
March 17-19: @ (9) Clemson: W 2-0, L 7-6, L 12-1
Upcoming:
March 21-22: Towson
March 24-26: Duke
20. Baylor
Last week: 2-2
Overall: 16-4, 1-2 in Big 12 (2-1 vs. Top 25)
Weekend series: 3-1
After a midweek victory at Dallas Baptist, Baylor opened Big 12 play with a series loss, its first of the season. The Bears lost the first two games to the Mountaineers, their first back-to-back losses this season. Baylor rebounded to win the series finale, and will look to carry that momentum into another tough week that includes the return game against DBU and a weekend series with red-hot Oklahoma.
Results:
March 15: @ Dallas Baptist: W 4-1
March 17-19: West Virginia: L 7-1, L 6-5, W 5-1
Upcoming:
March 21: Dallas Baptist
March 24-26: Oklahoma
21. Oklahoma State
Last week: 5-0
Overall: 14-6, 0-0 in Big 12 (0-1 vs. Top 25)
Weekend series: 3-1
With a midweek sweep of New Mexico and a weekend sweep of Northwestern State, Oklahoma State completed its first perfect week of the season and extended its winning streak to seven games. Things will get much tougher for the Cowboys this week, however. Oklahoma visits Stillwater on Tuesday for a nonconference edition of the Bedlam Rivalry. Oklahoma State then travels to Texas Christian for a weekend series to open Big 12 play.
Results:
March 14-15: New Mexico: W 3-0, W 13-0
March 17-19: Northwestern State: W 6-3, W 7-2, W 15-4
Upcoming:
March 21: (24) Oklahoma
March 24-26: @ (3) Texas Christian
22. Washington
Last week: 3-0
Overall: 12-6, 3-0 in Pac-12 (0-0 vs. Top 25)
Weekend series: 3-0-2
In a rematch of last season’s de facto Pac-12 championship series, Washington got some revenge to open conference play this season. After losing the series in Salt Lake City on the final weekend of the regular season last year, the Huskies swept the Utes in Seattle. After its first sweep of the season, Washington will hit the road this week for two midweek games at Gonzaga, followed by a series at Oregon.
Results:
March 18-19: @ Utah: W 3-1, W 4-3 (10), W 4-1
Upcoming:
March 21-22: @ Gonzaga
March 24-26: @ Oregon
23. Michigan
Last week: 3-1
Overall: 15-4, 0-0 in Big Ten (0-0 vs. Top 25)
Weekend series: 2-0-1
After playing its first 15 games away from Ann Arbor, Michigan returned home this weekend and took three of four from Northern Illinois, finishing the weekend with a doubleheader sweep Sunday. Saturday’s loss snapped the Wolverines’ six-game winning streak, but they have won 13 of their last 15 games. Michigan will now travel to Maryland to begin Big Ten Conference play against the preseason favorite.
Results:
March 16-19: Northern Illinois: W 7-4, L 8-5, W 7-4, W 8-3
Upcoming:
March 22: Western Michigan
March 24-26: @ Maryland
24. Oklahoma
Last week: 4-1
Overall: 21-3, 0-0 in Big 12 (2-1 vs. Top 25)
Weekend series: 4-0
After opening the season with a 19-game homestand, Oklahoma hit the road for the first time last week, spending the week in Georgia. The Sooners lost the first game of the trip, but bounced back to win four straight and have now had four straight perfect weekends. Oklahoma will stay on the road this week for a tough test. The Sooners have a nonconference midweek game against rival Oklahoma State on Tuesday, followed by a trip to Baylor, which is also off to a hot start this season.
Results:
March 14: @ Georgia Tech: L 2-0
March 15: @ Georgia State: W 5-4
March 17-19: @ Kennesaw State: W 5-2, W 17-9, W 14-4
Upcoming:
March 21: @ (21) Oklahoma State
March 24-26: @ (20) Baylor
25. East Carolina
Last week: 1-3
Overall: 13-7, 0-0 in American (0-0 vs. Top 25)
Weekend series: 2-2
A lousy weekend ended in an 8-2 loss Sunday as Mercer’s J.T. Thomas continued to haunt the Pirates with his third homer of the series. It’s the second sweep for the Pirates.
Results:
March 14: @ Duke: W 9-4
March 17-19: Mercer: L 10-7, L 7-5, L 8-2
Upcoming:
March 21: @ Elon
March 22: North Carolina
March 24-26: Towson
DROPPED OUT
Coastal Carolina
Last week: 1-2
Overall: 12-9, 1-2 in Sun Belt (0-0 vs. Top 25)
Weekend series: 1-1
Coastal Carolina traveled to Texas State last weekend for its first series road series of the season and its first ever series as a member of the Sun Belt Conference. Texas State came from behind to win both Friday and Sunday, claiming the series victory. Coastal will try to get back on track at home this week against Arkansas State.
Results:
March 17-19: @ Texas State: L 5-4 (14), W 4-3, L 10-7
Upcoming:
March 24-26: Arkansas State
Texas A&M
Last week: 0-4
Overall: 14-7, 0-4 in SEC (1-1 vs. Top 25)
Weekend series: 3-1
It was a week to forget for Texas A&M. First, the Aggies lost a taut 4-3 game Tuesday against archrival Texas. Then, they were swept at home by Kentucky on opening weekend of SEC play, giving up 24 runs on the weekend. A&M faces another tough week, as it hosts Rice on Tuesday before traveling to Vanderbilt for a weekend series. The Commodores are also coming off an SEC series loss, giving the series a sense of urgency.
Results:
March 14: @ Texas: L 4-3
March 17-19: Kentucky: L 6-0, L 7-6, L 11-7
Upcoming:
March 21: Rice
March 24-26: @ Vanderbilt
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