Top 25 Tracker (May 16)
1. Florida
Last Week: 3-1
Overall: 43-9, 18-8 in SEC (12-6 vs. Top 25)
Weekend Series: 10-2-1
Another test passed for the Gators, as they took two of three from Vanderbilt and moved into sole possession of first place overall in the Southeastern Conference. The news wasn’t all good, as they lost slugging first baseman Peter Alonso to a broken bone in his hand on Friday, though there’s hope he’ll return in the postseason.
RESULTS
May 10: South Florida: W 11-4
May 13-15: (12) Vanderbilt: W 4-2, L 5-0, W 10-6
UPCOMING
May 19-21: @ (8) Louisiana State
2. Texas A&M
Last Week: 2-1
Overall: 39-11, 18-9 in SEC (9-7 vs. Top 25)
Weekend Series: 12-1
The Aggies won a series from South Carolina for the first time since joining the SEC. Pitching was again at the forefront, as A&M’s arms limited the Gamecocks to just eight hits over the first two games combined. The Aggies will face a top-10 opponent for the third straight week when Mississippi comes to College Station on Thursday.
RESULTS
May 13-15: @ (8) South Carolina: W 3-0, W 5-2, L 10-7
UPCOMING
May 17: Sam Houston State
May 19-21: (6) Mississippi
3. Mississippi State
Last Week: 4-0
Overall: 37-14-1, 18-9 in SEC (12-8 vs. Top 25)
Weekend Series: 9-1
The Bulldogs tore Auburn’s pitching apart, hitting .372 collectively for the weekend as they piled up 30 runs on 45 hits. With the sweep of Auburn, MSU has won all five of its road series in SEC play for just the second time ever, and it’s also swept consecutive SEC series for the first time since 2003.
RESULTS
May 11: @ Troy: W 7-3
May 13-15: @ Auburn: W 4-0, W 16-6, W 10-3
UPCOMING
May 19-21: Arkansas
4. Miami
Last Week: 5-0
Overall: 40-9, 19-6 in ACC (10-4 vs. Top 25)
Weekend Series: 11-2
Miami clinched its third straight ACC Coastal Division title with a sweep of Pittsburgh, highlighted by Jacob Heyward’s walk-off homer on Saturday. The Canes have won 10 of their last 11 as they get ready to face reeling rival Florida State to end the regular-season.
RESULTS
May 9: @ Georgia Tech: W 17-6
May 10: Bethune-Cookman: W 14-7
May 13-15: Pittsburgh: W 7-6, W 4-3 (11 innings), W 8-4
UPCOMING
May 17: Florida Gulf Coast
May 19-21: @ (14) Florida State
5. Texas Tech
Last Week: 1-0
Overall: 38-13, 17-4 in Big 12 (9-3 vs. Top 25)
Weekend Series: 8-2-1
Even though it only played one game, Texas Tech had an eventful week. While Tech was off over the weekend, losses by Oklahoma State and Texas Christian clinched the outright Big 12 regular-season title for the Red Raiders, just their third ever and their first since 1997.
RESULTS
May 10: @ Abilene Christian: W 7-2
UPCOMING
May 19-21: West Virginia
6. Mississippi
Last Week: 3-0
Overall: 39-13, 17-10 in SEC (6-8 vs. Top 25)
Weekend Series: 9-3
Henri Lartigue’s walk-off three-run homer on Saturday finished off a sweep of Kentucky, the Rebels’ fourth straight series win. Ole Miss wraps up its regular-season home schedule with a 26-6 mark in Oxford, and it’s just a game behind Texas A&M and Mississippi State for the SEC West lead going into a season-ending showdown in College Station.
RESULTS
May 12-14: Kentucky: W 3-1, W 14-2, W 7-5
UPCOMING
May 17: @ Arkansas State
May 19-21: @ (2) Texas A&M
7. Louisville
Last Week: 4-0
Overall: 42-10, 19-8 in ACC (11-7 vs. Top 25)
Weekend Series: 9-4
Louisville’s rotation of Brendan McKay, Drew Harrington and Kyle Funkhouser combined to work 21 2/3 innings and allowed just three runs on 13 hits against a dangerous offense in North Carolina State. Winners of 12 of their last 13, the Cardinals have opened up a two-game lead in the ACC Atlantic with one series to go and look like they’re peaking at the right time.
RESULTS
May 10: @ (12) Vanderbilt: W 8-5
May 13-15: (13) North Carolina State: W 2-0, W 4-2, W 6-1
UPCOMING
May 17: Indiana
May 19-21: @ Wake Forest
8. Louisiana State
Last Week: 5-0
Overall: 36-16, 17-10 in SEC (5-8 vs. Top 25)
Weekend Series: 9-4
The Tigers have gone on a tear, winning their last eight games. They did it all on the road this week, taking down Notre Dame in a two-game midweek set and stifling a high-powered Tennessee offense thanks to strong efforts from Alex Lange and Jared Poche’. The Tigers are hot at the right time—No. 1 Florida is coming to town next.
RESULTS
May 11: @ Notre Dame: W 1-0 (11 innings), W 3-2 (7 innings)
May 13-15: @ Tennessee: W 2-1, W 11-3, W 10-7
UPCOMING
May 17: Northwestern State
May 19-21: (1) Florida
9. Virginia
Last Week: 2-1
Overall: 33-18, 16-11 in ACC (5-5 vs. Top 25)
Weekend Series: 7-4
The reigning national champs are playing like, well, the reigning champs. The Cavaliers have won their last four ACC series and had won eight games in a row before Georgia Tech took a slim victory Sunday. The Cavaliers have put themselves in position to host and have entered the national seed conversation.
RESULTS
May 13-15: Georgia Tech: W 6-3, W 9-4, L 5-4
UPCOMING
May 17: Richmond
May 19-21: Virginia Tech
10. South Carolina
Last Week: 2-2
Overall: 38-13, 17-9 in SEC (9-6 vs. Top 25)
Weekend Series: 7-5-1
The Gamecocks have scored four runs or less in eight of their last 10 games, though their bats did come alive on Sunday as they avoided a sweep against Texas A&M, led by two home runs from Dom Thompson-Williams. They’ve lost their last two series now and are just 1-3-1 in their last five.
RESULTS
May 10: Presbyterian: W 3-1
May 13-15: (2) Texas A&M: L 3-0, L 5-2, W 10-7
UPCOMING
May 17: The Citadel
May 19-21: @ Alabama
11. Tulane
Last Week: 4-1
Overall: 35-15, 13-6 in AAC (5-1 vs. Top 25)
Weekend Series: 9-1-2
Finally, there’s some separation in the tightly packed American Athletic Conference. After wrestling first place away from Cincinnati, the Green Wave has built at least some padding in the conference, leading second-place East Carolina by one and a half games after a series win against Memphis. Tulane will try to seal the deal at Houston this weekend.
RESULTS
May 10: New Orleans: W 5-2
May 11: Southern: W 14-2
May 13-15: Memphis: W 1-0, L 8-1, W 9-5
UPCOMING
May 19-21: @ Houston
12. Vanderbilt
Last Week: 1-3
Overall: 37-15, 15-12 in SEC (8-11 vs. Top 25)
Weekend Series: 8-5
No team in the country had a tougher slate of games this week than the Commodores, who played the top two teams in the RPI. Thanks to a shutout by righthander Kyle Wright on Saturday, Vanderbilt avoided a winless week. The ‘Dores will look to finish the regular season on a strong note against Auburn.
RESULTS
May 10: (9) Louisville: L 8-5
May 13-15: @ (1) Florida: L 4-2, W 5-0, L 10-6
UPCOMING
May 17: Morehead State
May 19-21: Auburn
13. Southern Mississippi
Last Week: 2-1
Overall: 36-15, 20-7 in CUSA (5-3 vs. Top 25)
Weekend Series: 10-2
Look out for Southern Miss, the first-place team in Conference USA and a team that continues to steadily climb the RPI. The Golden Eagles dropped the first game to a tough Louisiana Tech team this weekend but quickly recovered, pitching their way past the Bulldogs to take the series.
RESULTS
May 13-15: Louisiana Tech: L 7-5, W 6-3, W 2-0
UPCOMING
May 17: Louisiana-Monroe
May 19-21: @ Florida International
14. Florida State
Last Week: 1-4
Overall: 33-17, 15-8 in ACC (7-5 vs. Top 25)
Weekend Series: 10-3
FSU lost a weekend series to Duke for the first time since 1994, and it only just avoided a sweep by holding on for a one-run win on Sunday. The Seminoles picked a bad time for their worst week of the season, ceding valuable ground in the ACC and national seed races, and with No. 4 Miami coming to Tallahassee, reversing their momentum won’t be easy.
RESULTS
May 10: @ Jacksonville: L 6-2
May 11: Florida Gulf Coast: L 11-8 (10 innings)
May 13-15: @ Duke: L 5-4, L 3-1, W 4-3
UPCOMING
May 17: @ Stetson
May 19-21: (4) Miami
15. Texas Christian
Last Week: 1-2
Overall: 34-14, 12-9 in Big 12 (3-2 vs. Top 25)
Weekend Series: 8-4
The Frogs continue to scuffle, losing two of three to one of the Big 12’s bottom-tier teams in Baylor, their third straight series loss in conference play. TCU finds itself clinging to third place in the Big 12 heading into the final weekend, just a half game ahead of West Virginia.
RESULTS
May 10: Stephen F. Austin: PPD
May 13-15: @ Baylor: L 4-3, L 8-5, W 7-3
UPCOMING
May 17: Stephen F. Austin
May 19-21: Kansas State
16. Rice
Last Week: 1-2
Overall: 32-16, 19-7 in CUSA (5-5 vs. Top 25)
Weekend Series: 9-2-1
The Owls were unable to play a compete week, as the Owl-on-Owl battle with Florida Atlantic lost a game due to weather. That lost game could prove significant, as Rice trails Southern Miss in the Conference USA standings by just a half game. The Owls can thank ace Jon Duplantier for their win against FAU. He struck out 11 in a dominant effort.
RESULTS
May 10: Houston: L 10-0
May 13-15: (17) Florida Atlantic: W 9-1, L 10-3, CCD
UPCOMING
May 17: vs. Houston @ Sugar Land, Texas
May 19-21: @ Louisiana Tech
17. Florida Atlantic
Last Week: 1-2
Overall: 34-15, 18-8 in CUSA (6-4 vs. Top 25)
Weekend Series: 9-2-1
The Owls got in just three games in the week due to weather, losing to a hot Ohio State team midweek and splitting with Rice in an important Conference USA battle. The Owls could’ve used the full three games against Rice, as they’ve now slipped in the conference standings to fourth place.
RESULTS
May 11: @ Ohio State: L 10-2
May 13-15: @ (14) Rice: L 9-1, W 10-3
UPCOMING
May 19-21: Western Kentucky
18. Cal State Fullerton
Last Week: 2-1
Overall: 32-17, 14-4 in Big West (3-3 vs. Top 25)
Weekend Series: 9-4
Cal State Fullerton continued its strong finishing kick, as it traveled to UC Santa Barbara and won its fifth straight weekend series. The Titans have a three-game lead on rival Long Beach State in the Big West Conference with six games to play. Their strong run has their RPI up to 28 according to WarrenNolan.com, putting them in position to host a regional.
RESULTS
May 13-15: @ (24) UC Santa Barbara: L 3-2, W 18-2, W 6-3
UPCOMING
May 20-22: Hawaii
19. North Carolina State
Last Week: 0-3
Overall: 32-17, 13-12 (4-5 vs. Top 25)
Weekend Series: 7-4
N.C. State was without head coach Elliott Avent on the weekend after he was bit by a copperhead snake. Fortunately, Avent is expected to make a full recovery. The Wolfpack will look to recover, too, after getting swept at the hands of Louisville. The team will finish the regular season against rival North Carolina.
RESULTS
May 13-15: @ (9) Louisville: L 2-0, L 4-2, L 6-1
UPCOMING
May 19-21: North Carolina
20. Oklahoma State
Last Week: 2-2
Overall: 32-17, 13-8 in Big 12 (4-8 vs. Top 25)
Weekend Series: 8-4
This weekend was Oklahoma State’s last chance to make up ground in the Big 12 standings to first-place Texas Tech, but the Cowboys couldn’t get it done against rival Oklahoma, losing the Bedlam series to their rivals for the first time since 2010. They roughed up Alec Hansen on Saturday but otherwise struggled to solve Oklahoma’s pitching.
RESULTS
May 10: Dallas Baptist: W 8-7 (11 innings)
May 13-15: vs. Oklahoma: L 9-1, W 10-9, L 3-1
UPCOMING
May 17: @ Oral Roberts
May 19-21: Kansas
21. Minnesota
Last Week: 3-0
Overall: 33-15, 15-5 in Big Ten (2-1 vs. Top 25)
Weekend Series: 9-3
Just a week after falling out of first place in the Big Ten Conference after a series loss to Indiana, Minnesota is back atop the standings thanks to a sweep at Purdue. The Golden Gophers hold a tenuous half-game lead on the Hoosiers, setting up a big final weekend in the conference.
RESULTS
May 13-15: @ Purdue: W 4-3 (10 innings), W 14-4, W 3-0
UPCOMING
May 17: @ South Dakota State
May 19-21: Ohio State
22. Coastal Carolina
Last Week: 2-1
Overall: 36-15, 18-3 in Big South (2-3 vs. Top 25)
Weekend Series: 8-1
With a series win at Charleston Southern, Coastal Carolina clinched the Big South Conference regular season title. It’s the Chanticleers’ 16th and final Big South championship, as they will join the Sun Belt Conference next season. But first, Coastal Carolina will look to complete a perfect 8-0 record this year in Big South series this weekend against Campbell.
RESULTS
May 13-15: @ Charleston Southern: L 6-4, W 9-3, W 6-0
UPCOMING
May 17: UNC Wilmington
May 19-21: Campbell
23. Clemson
Last Week: 3-2
Overall: 34-18, 13-14 in ACC (4-8 vs. Top 25)
Weekend Series: 9-4
In its final nonconference series of the season, Clemson sandwiched routs around a walk-off loss at Georgia Southern. The Tigers have won three straight series heading into their regular-season finale at Notre Dame.
RESULTS
May 10-11: College of Charleston: W 13-4, L 11-4
May 13-15: @ Georgia Southern: W 12-1, L 7-6, W 17-4
UPCOMING
May 17: Charleston Southern
May 19-21: @ Notre Dame
24. Bryant
Last Week: 3-1
Overall: 39-10, 22-4 in NEC (1-0 vs. Top 25)
Weekend Series: 10-1
Bryant clinched its fifth straight Northeast Conference regular season championship with a series win against Central Connecticut State. The Bulldogs have won eight straight series, a streak that dates back to mid-March. During that run, Bryant is 30-6.
RESULTS
May 13-15: Central Connecticut State: W 9-1, L 8-4, W 9-2, W 9-3
UPCOMING
May 17: @ Massachusetts-Lowell
May 20-22: @ Mount St. Mary’s
25. Long Beach State
Last Week: 3-0
Overall: 31-18, 11-7 in Big West (2-2 vs. Top 25)
Weekend Series: 11-2
With a sweep of San Jose State, Long Beach State extended its winning streak to five games and reached the 30-win mark for the second time in eight years. The Dirtbags return to Big West Conference play this weekend with a trip to UC Davis. Long Beach is in second place in the league, trailing Cal State Fullerton by three games with six to play, including a final weekend showdown with the Titans.
RESULTS
May 13-15: San Jose State: W 6-2, W 2-0, W 6-2
UPCOMING
May 17: @ Loyola Marymount
May 20-22: @ UC Davis
DROPPED OUT
Washington
Last Week: 1-2
Overall: 28-18, 14-10 in Pac-12 (1-2 vs. Top 25)
Weekend Series: 10-2-1
The Huskies had their brief moment in the sun at the top of the Pac-12 standings, but that conference continues to confound, as the Huskies dropped a series to last-place Washington State. The series loss came after series wins on the road against California and Southern California. It doesn’t make much sense, but not much has made sense in the Pac-12 this season.
RESULTS
May 13-15: Washington State: L 9-3, L 7-2, W 6-4
UPCOMING
May 16: Northern Colorado
May 20-22: Stanford
Arizona
Last Week: 1-2
Overall: 32-18, 15-12 in Pac-12 (8-1 vs. Top 25)
Weekend Series: 7-4
Coming off a sweep of Oregon State last weekend, Arizona was unable to keep that momentum going against its in-state rival. The series loss dealt a blow to the Wildcats’ Pac-12 Conference title hopes, as they are 1 1/2 games out of first place going into their final conference series. Arizona will look to get back on track this week at Oregon.
RESULTS
May 13-15: Arizona State: L 5-2, W 4-2, L 5-1
UPCOMING
May 20-22: @ Oregon
UC Santa Barbara
Last Week: 1-3
Overall: 32-15-1, 10-8 in Big West (6-5 vs. Top 25)
Weekend Series: 7-4-1
UC Santa Barbara lost the final two games of its series against Cal State Fullerton and has now lost three of its last four series. During that stretch, the Gauchos are 7-8 and have fallen to third place in the Big West Conference, four games behind the Titans. UCSB will head to UC Irvine this weekend, looking for its first road series win since the first weekend of April.
RESULTS
May 10: Cal State Bakersfield: L 5-4
May 13-15: (22) Cal State Fullerton: W 3-2, L 18-2, L 6-3
UPCOMING
May 17: @ UCLA
May 20-22: @ UC Irvine
Creighton
Last Week: 1-3
Overall: 33-13, 11-3 in Big East (0-0 vs. Top 25)
Weekend Series: 11-2
Creighton suffered walk-off losses at Xavier on back-to-back days to lose the series, its first weekend series loss since Opening Weekend at Fresno State. Before this weekend, the Bluejays had never lost a Big East Conference series since joining the league for the 2014 season. With a week left in the regular season, Creighton and Xavier are tied atop the standings at 11-4 in the Big East.
RESULTS
May 10: @ Wichita State: L 7-3
May 13-15: @ Xavier: W 4-2, L 6-5, L 6-4
UPCOMING
May 17: Nebraska-Omaha
May 17: Nebraska
May 19-21: @ St. John’s
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