MSBaseball.com http://www.msbaseball.com Mississippi State Basebase Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:11:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 en hourly 1 College Baseball Power Rankings: Separating The Winners From The Losers http://www.msbaseball.com/news/fan-news/college-baseball-power-rankings-separating-the-winners-from-the-losers/ http://www.msbaseball.com/news/fan-news/college-baseball-power-rankings-separating-the-winners-from-the-losers/#comments Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:11:38 +0000 Allen J. Kha http://bleacherreport.com/articles/359917-college-baseball-power-rankings-separating-the-winners-from-the-losers College baseball may be about series wins, but the best teams have to win every game they should win. The beauty of college baseball is that although any team can win on any given day, the best teams will usually always prevail against much worse teams. The best teams always end up in Omaha.

While losses are inevitable, No. 1 Virginia (9-2) cannot lose to the likes of Wright State with ace Danny Hultzen on the mound. While Virginia completed the Virginia tournament, which pitted the Cavaliers against Ivy champion Dartmouth and the Horizon League's best team (and at-large CWS participant), Wright State, with an impressive 3-1 record, No. 3 Florida State's (10-0) dominance over No. 4 Florida and previously-No. 29 Georgia disallows Virginia from dropping non-conference games against unranked opponents.

Anyway, this last weekend in college baseball gave us a true glimpse of the teams we should expect in Omaha, and those who will struggle this season. Teams like Virginia, Florida State, Florida, and Texas asserted themselves as the most elite, while Big West powerhouses Cal State Fullerton and UC Irvine are falling by the wayside.

This considered, on to the power rankings, which should describe the best 20 teams in the nation:

1) Florida State, 10-0, Rivals No. 3, ACC

Florida State combination of form and talent makes them the top team in the nation. An impressive win against then-No. 5 (now No. 4) Florida demonstrated that Florida State was better than its otherwise easy non-conference schedule indicated, while an absolutely dominant series sweep over previously-No. 29 Georgia affirmed that.

Stephen Cardullo and Tyler Holt were dominant over the weekend, and have been throughout the season as a whole. The Florida State lineup looks extremely scary, and the rotation concerns should be eased if the Seminoles can put up more than 10 runs per game with regularity.

Impressive Wins: Series vs. No. 29 Georgia, Game vs. No. 5 Florida

Could Do Better: The bats were quiet against Matt Loosen of Jacksonville, the A-Sun's best pitcher. They still did manage to win, though.

Ways to Keep Ranking: Keep on winning, which means taking the series at home against Virginia this weekend.

2) Virginia, 9-2, Rivals No. 1, ACC

Virginia may be considered the best team in the nation to many fans and sports sites, to my extreme pleasure, but they aren't the best team form-wise.

While Virginia finished its tournament 3-1 and beat two good teams in Dartmouth and Wright State, Virginia racked up one loss over the weekend. A top team like Virginia can oft afford taking a loss like that in its non-conference schedule.

Florida State differentiates itself from Virginia by finding a win to win against against a top pitcher in a close game. Although Alex Kaminsky is a top pitcher, Virginia cannot lose with Danny Hultzen on the mound. Virginia cannot waste great pitching performances when they theoretically can't with the offense they possess.

Virginia redeemed itself against Kyle Hendricks, the Ivy League pre-season All-American pitcher who scouts flocked to watch, but must find ways to consistently dominate good pitchers on inferior teams.

Impressive Wins: Games vs. Ivy League-favorite Dartmouth, Win vs. Horizon League-favorite Wright State

Could Do Better: Virginia has a dearth of power hitters. Every man in the Cavaliers' lineup can hit consistently and spray the ball, but there is absolutely no home run power in the lineup.

Against good pitchers, the likes of Proscia, Parker, and Hicks have come up empty in terms of power. It's extremely frustrating as a Virginia fan seeing balls fall short on the warning track. I understand that Davenport Field is a pitcher's park with its big alleys, but the corners aren't home-run prohibitive and should suit pull hitting.

Jarrett Parker, in particular, need to buck up and hit again. Virginia is also a bit streaky in their hitting (although this point is a bit of a stretch because Virginia has consistently had 6-plus-run innings, which demonstrates more skill than luck), which needs to improve. Virginia can't have offensive showings like it had against Wright State.

Ways to Improve Ranking: Take the series against Florida State this weekend and keep on winning. Find a semblance of a power-hitting game.

3) Florida, 7-2, Rivals No. 4, SEC

Florida has exceeded all expectations in establishing itself as a top national team. Although they endured a disappointing loss against Florida State, they quickly bounced back against then-No. 10 Miami.

Super-freshman Nolan Fontana particularly impresses with his 8-14 showing against top-teams Florida State and Miami. Florida's lineup has been impressive this year and pulled the Gators and their less-than-impressive pitching to victories.

Impressive Wins: Series win vs. No. 13 Miami

Could Do Better: Their next homestand (rest of the OOC schedule) is weak, and their schedule insofar minus this past week is weak (although we can't blame them for USF struggling).

Ways to Improve Ranking: Run the table in their out-of-conference schedule and establish their pitching (which was questioned before the season).

4) Clemson, 9-1, Rivals No. 11, ACC

Clemson deserves more respect than they currently get; although they were considered an Omaha favorite, they deserve recognition as a top-five team. They swept a really good Wright State team (that Virginia only split) and took the series against then-No. 24 South Carolina.

Clemson's lineup is extremely balanced, and Kyle Parker and Jeff Schaus look extremely impressive.

Impressive Wins: Series win vs. No. 29 South Carolina

Could Do Better: The bullpen and bottom half of the lineup can improve.

Ways to Improve Ranking: Keep on winning, which means beating a resurgent and surprisingly good NC State squad this weekend.

5) Arizona State, 11-0, Rivals No. 6, Pac-10

We knew Arizona State would be good, but I never expected the Sun Devils to handle the Pat Murphy saga so seamlessly and gracefully. Credit manager Tim Esmay for this seamless transition.

ASU has been ridiculously dominant, winning by more than five runs seven times. Their extremely weak non-conference schedule diminishes their success, though.

Impressive Wins: Win vs. No. 18 Oregon State, Win vs. FIU

Could Do Better: Nothing of note.

Ways to Improve Ranking: Sweep a great Auburn squad and Cal State Fullerton.

6) LSU, 11-0, Rivals No. 2, SEC

Great team (and defending national champions) playing a crappy schedule. As you can see, I don't reward top teams playing crappy schedules. LSU beat a really good Pepperdine team twice, but their otherwise weak schedule diminishes their success.

The next two series against a great Kansas team and No. 14 Arkansas should show the Tigers' mettle.

7) Texas, 8-3, Rivals No. 5, Big 12

What a difference a few weeks make. The disaster against New Mexico has been more or less forgotten with wins over Stanford, No. 15 Rice, and Missouri. Last weekend's tournament against Rice, Houston (loss) and Missouri was definitely testy, but the Longhorns prevailed in better shape than they were previously. Jordan Etier looks extremely impressive.

Texas needs to slug through the rest of its weak non-conference schedule and brace for Rice and Oklahoma in the beginning and middle of its conference schedule.

8) Georgia Tech, 10-1, Rivals No. 7, ACC

This poor-schedule thing has been a theme with some of the top teams. You can't blame some of these top teams for scheduling cupcakes when they have their conference games (especially in the ACC), but Georgia Tech insofar has an inflated record.

Deck McGuire, however, is a pleasure to watch. From a Virginia fan's perspective, it's a shame that he's not a Cavalier, considering his Richmond roots.

Georgia Tech just needs to win every game this month, until they face a true opponent in No. 11 North Carolina at the end of March.

9) Arkansas, 8-2, Rivals No. 14, SEC

Arkansas is a team with a reputation (they did in fact beat Virginia last year) that has affirmed its dominance with a solid schedule this year. By demolishing Kansas and taking the series against a good Cal Golden Bears team, they have catapulted themselves into the SEC-contenders talk.

The Razorbacks are definitely ready to face LSU in two weeks.

10) Coastal Carolina, 10-1, Rivals No. 13, Big South

The Chanticleers have been impressive this season. They have demonstrated great balance and have played a solid schedule insofar (out of necessity).

I'm looking forward to the San Diego series at the end of the month.

11) East Carolina, 7-3, Rivals No. 10, C-USA

ECU has done itself extremely well after the season-opening series loss to Virginia. They looked impressive in their series win over South Carolina two weeks ago, although the games were testy and very close.

I'm looking forward to the Pepperdine series this weekend. If ECU can win the series, they will definitely move up the rankings and earn more national respect.

12) Rice, 7-5, Rivals No. 9, C-USA

They beat Houston, TCU and Texas Tech last weekend, and lost a 2-1 heartbreaker to Texas. They look good and have been resurgent over the past two weeks. Stanford's success has vindicated Rice's series loss to them as well.

I'm looking forward to Rice's next two series against Cal and San Diego. Wins in both series should leave them in good shape for the national-seed talk.

13) TCU, 8-2, Rivals No. 12, Mountain West

Solid team, solid schedule. No wins against amazing teams (Cal State Fullerton doesn't count), but no bad losses. TCU just needs to keep winning until next month's matchup against San Diego State.

14) UCLA, 9-0, Rivals No. 16, Pac-10

They look extremely impressive. Good squad, good wins so far. They will look to pull away in the Pac-10, and establish themselves as the best team on the West Coast.

15) Louisville, 11-0, Rivals No. 8, Big East

Blah schedule will change though when they face Ole Miss this weekend. They possess an extremely balanced lineup, and look great as a team.

16) Kentucky, 9-1, Rivals No. 19, SEC

James Paxton? Blah, the Wildcats don't need him. Lost to talented San Diego State team, but beat San Diego and look really good on offense. Their win against Coastal Carolina in the beginning of the season alongside the rest of their resume makes them a team to watch.

17) Mississippi, 9-2, Rivals No. 22, SEC

Great team, great reputation, poor schedule. They did beat a good Tulane team last weekend though, and will look to sway poll-voters with a series win against Louisville this weekend.

18) North Carolina, 10-1, Rivals No. 18, ACC

I'm sure the Tar Heels scheduled easy out-of-conference to make up for the loss of Ackley. Their record is inflated by their poor schedule, but they did sweep a decent Michigan team. Their loss today to William & Mary (makes UNC 10-2) hurts the Heels a lot.

They will look to make a statement against Florida State in two weeks.

19) Texas A&M, 9-2, Writers' Poll No. 29, Big 12

For a team of their baseball stature, the Aggies are doing really well. Their good performance in the Baylor Classic propels them to this ranking, despite their generally weak schedule insofar.

Texas A&M will need to make a statement against a really good Washington State squad that beat an extremely respected Bethune-Cookman squad twice this weekend.

20) Oklahoma, 11-1, Writers' Poll No. 19, Big 12

The Sooners are still riding the momentum of the San Diego State sweep, only losing to a really good Jacksonville squad.

The Sooners will have the opportunity to make a national statement when they play a game against No. 16 UCLA this weekend.

 

Honorable mentions who have demonstrated good form over the past week (in no particular order): San Diego (WCC), Ohio State (Big 10), San Diego State (MWC), Oregon State (Pac-10), Stanford (Pac-10)

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Image courtesy of Florida State Athletics (www.seminoles.com).

Read more College Baseball news on BleacherReport.com

]]> College baseball may be about series wins, but the best teams have to win every game they should win. The beauty of college baseball is that although any team can win on any given day, the best teams will usually always prevail against much worse teams. The best teams always end up in Omaha.

While losses are inevitable, No. 1 Virginia (9-2) cannot lose to the likes of Wright State with ace Danny Hultzen on the mound. While Virginia completed the Virginia tournament, which pitted the Cavaliers against Ivy champion Dartmouth and the Horizon League's best team (and at-large CWS participant), Wright State, with an impressive 3-1 record, No. 3 Florida State's (10-0) dominance over No. 4 Florida and previously-No. 29 Georgia disallows Virginia from dropping non-conference games against unranked opponents.

Anyway, this last weekend in college baseball gave us a true glimpse of the teams we should expect in Omaha, and those who will struggle this season. Teams like Virginia, Florida State, Florida, and Texas asserted themselves as the most elite, while Big West powerhouses Cal State Fullerton and UC Irvine are falling by the wayside.

This considered, on to the power rankings, which should describe the best 20 teams in the nation:

1) Florida State, 10-0, Rivals No. 3, ACC

Florida State combination of form and talent makes them the top team in the nation. An impressive win against then-No. 5 (now No. 4) Florida demonstrated that Florida State was better than its otherwise easy non-conference schedule indicated, while an absolutely dominant series sweep over previously-No. 29 Georgia affirmed that.

Stephen Cardullo and Tyler Holt were dominant over the weekend, and have been throughout the season as a whole. The Florida State lineup looks extremely scary, and the rotation concerns should be eased if the Seminoles can put up more than 10 runs per game with regularity.

Impressive Wins: Series vs. No. 29 Georgia, Game vs. No. 5 Florida

Could Do Better: The bats were quiet against Matt Loosen of Jacksonville, the A-Sun's best pitcher. They still did manage to win, though.

Ways to Keep Ranking: Keep on winning, which means taking the series at home against Virginia this weekend.

2) Virginia, 9-2, Rivals No. 1, ACC

Virginia may be considered the best team in the nation to many fans and sports sites, to my extreme pleasure, but they aren't the best team form-wise.

While Virginia finished its tournament 3-1 and beat two good teams in Dartmouth and Wright State, Virginia racked up one loss over the weekend. A top team like Virginia can oft afford taking a loss like that in its non-conference schedule.

Florida State differentiates itself from Virginia by finding a win to win against against a top pitcher in a close game. Although Alex Kaminsky is a top pitcher, Virginia cannot lose with Danny Hultzen on the mound. Virginia cannot waste great pitching performances when they theoretically can't with the offense they possess.

Virginia redeemed itself against Kyle Hendricks, the Ivy League pre-season All-American pitcher who scouts flocked to watch, but must find ways to consistently dominate good pitchers on inferior teams.

Impressive Wins: Games vs. Ivy League-favorite Dartmouth, Win vs. Horizon League-favorite Wright State

Could Do Better: Virginia has a dearth of power hitters. Every man in the Cavaliers' lineup can hit consistently and spray the ball, but there is absolutely no home run power in the lineup.

Against good pitchers, the likes of Proscia, Parker, and Hicks have come up empty in terms of power. It's extremely frustrating as a Virginia fan seeing balls fall short on the warning track. I understand that Davenport Field is a pitcher's park with its big alleys, but the corners aren't home-run prohibitive and should suit pull hitting.

Jarrett Parker, in particular, need to buck up and hit again. Virginia is also a bit streaky in their hitting (although this point is a bit of a stretch because Virginia has consistently had 6-plus-run innings, which demonstrates more skill than luck), which needs to improve. Virginia can't have offensive showings like it had against Wright State.

Ways to Improve Ranking: Take the series against Florida State this weekend and keep on winning. Find a semblance of a power-hitting game.

3) Florida, 7-2, Rivals No. 4, SEC

Florida has exceeded all expectations in establishing itself as a top national team. Although they endured a disappointing loss against Florida State, they quickly bounced back against then-No. 10 Miami.

Super-freshman Nolan Fontana particularly impresses with his 8-14 showing against top-teams Florida State and Miami. Florida's lineup has been impressive this year and pulled the Gators and their less-than-impressive pitching to victories.

Impressive Wins: Series win vs. No. 13 Miami

Could Do Better: Their next homestand (rest of the OOC schedule) is weak, and their schedule insofar minus this past week is weak (although we can't blame them for USF struggling).

Ways to Improve Ranking: Run the table in their out-of-conference schedule and establish their pitching (which was questioned before the season).

4) Clemson, 9-1, Rivals No. 11, ACC

Clemson deserves more respect than they currently get; although they were considered an Omaha favorite, they deserve recognition as a top-five team. They swept a really good Wright State team (that Virginia only split) and took the series against then-No. 24 South Carolina.

Clemson's lineup is extremely balanced, and Kyle Parker and Jeff Schaus look extremely impressive.

Impressive Wins: Series win vs. No. 29 South Carolina

Could Do Better: The bullpen and bottom half of the lineup can improve.

Ways to Improve Ranking: Keep on winning, which means beating a resurgent and surprisingly good NC State squad this weekend.

5) Arizona State, 11-0, Rivals No. 6, Pac-10

We knew Arizona State would be good, but I never expected the Sun Devils to handle the Pat Murphy saga so seamlessly and gracefully. Credit manager Tim Esmay for this seamless transition.

ASU has been ridiculously dominant, winning by more than five runs seven times. Their extremely weak non-conference schedule diminishes their success, though.

Impressive Wins: Win vs. No. 18 Oregon State, Win vs. FIU

Could Do Better: Nothing of note.

Ways to Improve Ranking: Sweep a great Auburn squad and Cal State Fullerton.

6) LSU, 11-0, Rivals No. 2, SEC

Great team (and defending national champions) playing a crappy schedule. As you can see, I don't reward top teams playing crappy schedules. LSU beat a really good Pepperdine team twice, but their otherwise weak schedule diminishes their success.

The next two series against a great Kansas team and No. 14 Arkansas should show the Tigers' mettle.

7) Texas, 8-3, Rivals No. 5, Big 12

What a difference a few weeks make. The disaster against New Mexico has been more or less forgotten with wins over Stanford, No. 15 Rice, and Missouri. Last weekend's tournament against Rice, Houston (loss) and Missouri was definitely testy, but the Longhorns prevailed in better shape than they were previously. Jordan Etier looks extremely impressive.

Texas needs to slug through the rest of its weak non-conference schedule and brace for Rice and Oklahoma in the beginning and middle of its conference schedule.

8) Georgia Tech, 10-1, Rivals No. 7, ACC

This poor-schedule thing has been a theme with some of the top teams. You can't blame some of these top teams for scheduling cupcakes when they have their conference games (especially in the ACC), but Georgia Tech insofar has an inflated record.

Deck McGuire, however, is a pleasure to watch. From a Virginia fan's perspective, it's a shame that he's not a Cavalier, considering his Richmond roots.

Georgia Tech just needs to win every game this month, until they face a true opponent in No. 11 North Carolina at the end of March.

9) Arkansas, 8-2, Rivals No. 14, SEC

Arkansas is a team with a reputation (they did in fact beat Virginia last year) that has affirmed its dominance with a solid schedule this year. By demolishing Kansas and taking the series against a good Cal Golden Bears team, they have catapulted themselves into the SEC-contenders talk.

The Razorbacks are definitely ready to face LSU in two weeks.

10) Coastal Carolina, 10-1, Rivals No. 13, Big South

The Chanticleers have been impressive this season. They have demonstrated great balance and have played a solid schedule insofar (out of necessity).

I'm looking forward to the San Diego series at the end of the month.

11) East Carolina, 7-3, Rivals No. 10, C-USA

ECU has done itself extremely well after the season-opening series loss to Virginia. They looked impressive in their series win over South Carolina two weeks ago, although the games were testy and very close.

I'm looking forward to the Pepperdine series this weekend. If ECU can win the series, they will definitely move up the rankings and earn more national respect.

12) Rice, 7-5, Rivals No. 9, C-USA

They beat Houston, TCU and Texas Tech last weekend, and lost a 2-1 heartbreaker to Texas. They look good and have been resurgent over the past two weeks. Stanford's success has vindicated Rice's series loss to them as well.

I'm looking forward to Rice's next two series against Cal and San Diego. Wins in both series should leave them in good shape for the national-seed talk.

13) TCU, 8-2, Rivals No. 12, Mountain West

Solid team, solid schedule. No wins against amazing teams (Cal State Fullerton doesn't count), but no bad losses. TCU just needs to keep winning until next month's matchup against San Diego State.

14) UCLA, 9-0, Rivals No. 16, Pac-10

They look extremely impressive. Good squad, good wins so far. They will look to pull away in the Pac-10, and establish themselves as the best team on the West Coast.

15) Louisville, 11-0, Rivals No. 8, Big East

Blah schedule will change though when they face Ole Miss this weekend. They possess an extremely balanced lineup, and look great as a team.

16) Kentucky, 9-1, Rivals No. 19, SEC

James Paxton? Blah, the Wildcats don't need him. Lost to talented San Diego State team, but beat San Diego and look really good on offense. Their win against Coastal Carolina in the beginning of the season alongside the rest of their resume makes them a team to watch.

17) Mississippi, 9-2, Rivals No. 22, SEC

Great team, great reputation, poor schedule. They did beat a good Tulane team last weekend though, and will look to sway poll-voters with a series win against Louisville this weekend.

18) North Carolina, 10-1, Rivals No. 18, ACC

I'm sure the Tar Heels scheduled easy out-of-conference to make up for the loss of Ackley. Their record is inflated by their poor schedule, but they did sweep a decent Michigan team. Their loss today to William & Mary (makes UNC 10-2) hurts the Heels a lot.

They will look to make a statement against Florida State in two weeks.

19) Texas A&M, 9-2, Writers' Poll No. 29, Big 12

For a team of their baseball stature, the Aggies are doing really well. Their good performance in the Baylor Classic propels them to this ranking, despite their generally weak schedule insofar.

Texas A&M will need to make a statement against a really good Washington State squad that beat an extremely respected Bethune-Cookman squad twice this weekend.

20) Oklahoma, 11-1, Writers' Poll No. 19, Big 12

The Sooners are still riding the momentum of the San Diego State sweep, only losing to a really good Jacksonville squad.

The Sooners will have the opportunity to make a national statement when they play a game against No. 16 UCLA this weekend.

 

Honorable mentions who have demonstrated good form over the past week (in no particular order): San Diego (WCC), Ohio State (Big 10), San Diego State (MWC), Oregon State (Pac-10), Stanford (Pac-10)

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Image courtesy of Florida State Athletics (www.seminoles.com).

Read more College Baseball news on BleacherReport.com

]]> http://www.msbaseball.com/news/fan-news/college-baseball-power-rankings-separating-the-winners-from-the-losers/feed/ 0 Michael Goodnight of Houston Named C-USA Pitcher of the Week http://www.msbaseball.com/news/fan-news/michael-goodnight-of-houston-named-c-usa-pitcher-of-the-week/ http://www.msbaseball.com/news/fan-news/michael-goodnight-of-houston-named-c-usa-pitcher-of-the-week/#comments Mon, 08 Mar 2010 20:29:05 +0000 Robert Kelly http://bleacherreport.com/articles/359087-houstons-goodnight-named-c-usa-pitcher-of-the-week (Photo by Darla Tamulitis-La Vita Loca Photography, Copyright 2010, All Rights Reserved)

 

Leading the University of Houston to a 1-0 win over No. 3 Texas at the Houston College Classic, sophomore pitcher Michael Goodnight was named the Conference USA Pitcher of the Week.

 

The Houston native went seven innings against the Longhorns, giving up two hits with nine strikeouts and four walks.

 

The win gave Goodnight the first shutout of his career.

 

For his performance, Goodnight was also named to the Houston College Classic All-Tournament Team.

 

Houston recorded back-to-back shutouts for the first time since 1998 following a defeat of Missouri on Friday.

 

Houston will next hit the road for a three-game series against Cal Poly on March 12-14.

Read more College Baseball news on BleacherReport.com

]]> (Photo by Darla Tamulitis-La Vita Loca Photography, Copyright 2010, All Rights Reserved)

 

Leading the University of Houston to a 1-0 win over No. 3 Texas at the Houston College Classic, sophomore pitcher Michael Goodnight was named the Conference USA Pitcher of the Week.

 

The Houston native went seven innings against the Longhorns, giving up two hits with nine strikeouts and four walks.

 

The win gave Goodnight the first shutout of his career.

 

For his performance, Goodnight was also named to the Houston College Classic All-Tournament Team.

 

Houston recorded back-to-back shutouts for the first time since 1998 following a defeat of Missouri on Friday.

 

Houston will next hit the road for a three-game series against Cal Poly on March 12-14.

Read more College Baseball news on BleacherReport.com

]]> http://www.msbaseball.com/news/fan-news/michael-goodnight-of-houston-named-c-usa-pitcher-of-the-week/feed/ 0 Houston College Classic: Houston Defeats Texas Tech 15-8 http://www.msbaseball.com/news/fan-news/houston-college-classic-houston-defeats-texas-tech-15-8/ http://www.msbaseball.com/news/fan-news/houston-college-classic-houston-defeats-texas-tech-15-8/#comments Mon, 08 Mar 2010 03:30:26 +0000 Robert Kelly http://bleacherreport.com/articles/358652-houston-college-classic-houston-defeates-texas-tech-15-8 (Photo by Darla Tamulitis-La Vita Loca Photography, Copyright 2010, All Rights Reserved)

 

Using 10 runs in the bottom of the second inning, the Houston Cougars closed out their appearance in the 2010 Houston College Classic with a 15-8 victory over Texas Tech.

 

The Cougars bats exploded for 16 hits in the win, scoring all their runs in the first three innings.

 

They first got on the board on a M.P. Cokinos single to right field, which resulted in the first two runs. The Red Raiders answered back when Michael Reed doubled to right field to send two runs home .

 

The Cougars then exploded for 10 runs in the bottom of the second. Cokinos added three more RBI to his total with a three-run home run to left field. His total of five RBI in the game tied the Houston College Classic record.

 

The 10 run inning for the Cougars also established a new Classic record.

 

Houston added two more runs in the bottom of the third to close out their scoring.

 

The Red Raiders scored three runs in the third and three more in the eighth to close out their scoring.

 

Taylor Hammack was credited with the win; his first of the season, while Tech’s Louis Head was given the loss.

 

Hammack saw action for 2.2 innings, giving up two hits while striking out three and walking three.

 

Head, who dropped to 1-1 for the season, pitched for 1.1 innings, giving up six runs off four hits while raising his ERA to 8.71.

 

Houston is now 5-5 for the season and will head out on a 10-game road trip beginning Mar. 12. They will play a two game series against Cal Poly followed by one game against Sam Francisco on Mar. 16.

 

They will then play a single game against California on Mar. 17 and finish up the road trip with a three game series against Arizona State.

 

The Cougars return home on Mar. 24 against Stephen F. Austin in a 3:00pm game.  

 

Read more College Baseball news on BleacherReport.com

]]> (Photo by Darla Tamulitis-La Vita Loca Photography, Copyright 2010, All Rights Reserved)

 

Using 10 runs in the bottom of the second inning, the Houston Cougars closed out their appearance in the 2010 Houston College Classic with a 15-8 victory over Texas Tech.

 

The Cougars bats exploded for 16 hits in the win, scoring all their runs in the first three innings.

 

They first got on the board on a M.P. Cokinos single to right field, which resulted in the first two runs. The Red Raiders answered back when Michael Reed doubled to right field to send two runs home .

 

The Cougars then exploded for 10 runs in the bottom of the second. Cokinos added three more RBI to his total with a three-run home run to left field. His total of five RBI in the game tied the Houston College Classic record.

 

The 10 run inning for the Cougars also established a new Classic record.

 

Houston added two more runs in the bottom of the third to close out their scoring.

 

The Red Raiders scored three runs in the third and three more in the eighth to close out their scoring.

 

Taylor Hammack was credited with the win; his first of the season, while Tech’s Louis Head was given the loss.

 

Hammack saw action for 2.2 innings, giving up two hits while striking out three and walking three.

 

Head, who dropped to 1-1 for the season, pitched for 1.1 innings, giving up six runs off four hits while raising his ERA to 8.71.

 

Houston is now 5-5 for the season and will head out on a 10-game road trip beginning Mar. 12. They will play a two game series against Cal Poly followed by one game against Sam Francisco on Mar. 16.

 

They will then play a single game against California on Mar. 17 and finish up the road trip with a three game series against Arizona State.

 

The Cougars return home on Mar. 24 against Stephen F. Austin in a 3:00pm game.  

 

Read more College Baseball news on BleacherReport.com

]]> http://www.msbaseball.com/news/fan-news/houston-college-classic-houston-defeats-texas-tech-15-8/feed/ 0 Big Ten Tournament Playing Into Wisconsin’s Hands? http://www.msbaseball.com/news/fan-news/big-ten-tournament-playing-into-wisconsins-hands/ http://www.msbaseball.com/news/fan-news/big-ten-tournament-playing-into-wisconsins-hands/#comments Sun, 07 Mar 2010 02:24:10 +0000 Brandon Harrison http://bleacherreport.com/articles/358149-big-ten-tournament-playing-into-wisconsins-hands Now that the weather is warming up, the snow is beginning to melt and the birds are chirping, it can only mean one thing, March Madness is right around the corner!

March is one of the toughest months for me as a student to stay focused on my studies. The constant distraction of college basketball talk, games, and highlights gives me more than enough of a motive to put the books down.

While keeping up with all the 'madness,' and still managing to get my schoolwork done... I've been observing something happening in the Big Ten specifically.
Heading into the Big Ten Tournament, two of the three top teams in the conference are beginning to lose their stride.
Michigan State began the Big Ten season with an impressive 9-0 record and appeared to be ready to run away with the division title.
A tough second-half schedule and a brief absence of their senior leader, Kalin Lucas, quickly pulled the rising Spartans back down to earth.
Purdue was a gritty team that continued to mark their schedule with one impressive road win after another. Unlike Michigan State, Purdue held serve during the rough patches on their schedule and rose as high as No. 3 in the nation.
Unfortunately, their incredible run and great post-season potential took a hit when one of the team's impact players, junior forward Robbie Hummel, went down with an ACL tear.
Purdue was still in discussion for a possible No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, despite not having Hummel. But, it was unanimous that they would need a win at home against Michigan State and a strong showing in the Big Ten tournament. Michigan State easily defeated the injury-plagued Boilermakers 53-44.
Michigan State is still competing for a share of the Big Ten title (Ohio State locked up their share this past week) and will need to win out the rest of their season to do so. Michigan State won the first of their last two games, but in a surprisingly close contest.
The Spartans managed to pull off a two-point victory at home over the lowly Penn State Nittany Lions. Michigan State will now need to win their last game at home against Michigan to share the Big Ten title with Ohio State.
Now, to the whole point of this blog...I believe that the Wisconsin Badgers have as good of a chance as any to run the table next week in Indianapolis.
The Wisconsin Badgers seem to be firing on all cylinders over the past two games. Sure, one might argue that the last two games have been against Indiana and Iowa, two 'bottom feeders' of the Big Ten this season.
But, with the return of forward Jon Leuer and strong production from the senior backcourt (Bohannon and Hughes) the '09-'10 Badgers squad has looked as good as ever.
Jon Leuer seems to have officially shaken off his rust from the wrist injury. Leuer had a slow couple games against Minnesota and Northwestern, but looks to be back to his early-season form.
The presence of Leuer back on the court for the Badgers has been seen in many different aspects of his play. Leuer has been a lock for at least 12+ points, 5+ boards, and 3+ blocks.
It'll be interesting this next week to see how things all shake out and what the seeding will look like for the Big Ten Tourney. Regardless of the seeding, I feel Wisconsin and Ohio State may be the hottest teams heading in.
The late struggles of Purdue and Michigan state down the stretch may narrow down the tournament competition.
While I'm not saying to totally count out Purdue or Michigan State, what I am saying is you should expect a possible Wisconsin vs. Ohio State matchup to be the key game in the Big Ten Tournament.
Best case scenario; Wisconsin and Ohio State set on opposite ends of the bracket, getting the chance to work their way to the finals and duke it out for all the marbles!

Read more College Baseball news on BleacherReport.com

]]> Now that the weather is warming up, the snow is beginning to melt and the birds are chirping, it can only mean one thing, March Madness is right around the corner!

March is one of the toughest months for me as a student to stay focused on my studies. The constant distraction of college basketball talk, games, and highlights gives me more than enough of a motive to put the books down.

While keeping up with all the 'madness,' and still managing to get my schoolwork done... I've been observing something happening in the Big Ten specifically.
Heading into the Big Ten Tournament, two of the three top teams in the conference are beginning to lose their stride.
Michigan State began the Big Ten season with an impressive 9-0 record and appeared to be ready to run away with the division title.
A tough second-half schedule and a brief absence of their senior leader, Kalin Lucas, quickly pulled the rising Spartans back down to earth.
Purdue was a gritty team that continued to mark their schedule with one impressive road win after another. Unlike Michigan State, Purdue held serve during the rough patches on their schedule and rose as high as No. 3 in the nation.
Unfortunately, their incredible run and great post-season potential took a hit when one of the team's impact players, junior forward Robbie Hummel, went down with an ACL tear.
Purdue was still in discussion for a possible No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, despite not having Hummel. But, it was unanimous that they would need a win at home against Michigan State and a strong showing in the Big Ten tournament. Michigan State easily defeated the injury-plagued Boilermakers 53-44.
Michigan State is still competing for a share of the Big Ten title (Ohio State locked up their share this past week) and will need to win out the rest of their season to do so. Michigan State won the first of their last two games, but in a surprisingly close contest.
The Spartans managed to pull off a two-point victory at home over the lowly Penn State Nittany Lions. Michigan State will now need to win their last game at home against Michigan to share the Big Ten title with Ohio State.
Now, to the whole point of this blog...I believe that the Wisconsin Badgers have as good of a chance as any to run the table next week in Indianapolis.
The Wisconsin Badgers seem to be firing on all cylinders over the past two games. Sure, one might argue that the last two games have been against Indiana and Iowa, two 'bottom feeders' of the Big Ten this season.
But, with the return of forward Jon Leuer and strong production from the senior backcourt (Bohannon and Hughes) the '09-'10 Badgers squad has looked as good as ever.
Jon Leuer seems to have officially shaken off his rust from the wrist injury. Leuer had a slow couple games against Minnesota and Northwestern, but looks to be back to his early-season form.
The presence of Leuer back on the court for the Badgers has been seen in many different aspects of his play. Leuer has been a lock for at least 12+ points, 5+ boards, and 3+ blocks.
It'll be interesting this next week to see how things all shake out and what the seeding will look like for the Big Ten Tourney. Regardless of the seeding, I feel Wisconsin and Ohio State may be the hottest teams heading in.
The late struggles of Purdue and Michigan state down the stretch may narrow down the tournament competition.
While I'm not saying to totally count out Purdue or Michigan State, what I am saying is you should expect a possible Wisconsin vs. Ohio State matchup to be the key game in the Big Ten Tournament.
Best case scenario; Wisconsin and Ohio State set on opposite ends of the bracket, getting the chance to work their way to the finals and duke it out for all the marbles!

Read more College Baseball news on BleacherReport.com

]]> http://www.msbaseball.com/news/fan-news/big-ten-tournament-playing-into-wisconsins-hands/feed/ 0 Houston Downs No. 3 Texas 1-0 at Houston College Classic http://www.msbaseball.com/news/fan-news/houston-downs-no-3-texas-1-0-at-houston-college-classic/ http://www.msbaseball.com/news/fan-news/houston-downs-no-3-texas-1-0-at-houston-college-classic/#comments Sun, 07 Mar 2010 02:08:17 +0000 Robert Kelly http://bleacherreport.com/articles/358145-houston-downs-no-3-texas-1-0-at-houston-college-classic (Photo by Darla Tamulitis, La Vita Loca Photography, Copyright 2010, All Rights Reserved)

 

Scoring in the bottom of the 1st inning on a wild pitch by Brandon Workman, the Houston Cougars knocked off No. 3 Texas at the Houston College Classic.

 

The lone Cougar run scored went Blake Kelso bolted for home on Workman’s wild pitch. Kelso hit a triple in the bottom of the first to lead off the inning.

 

Michael Goodnight started the game on the mound for Houston; he saw seven innings of action while giving up only two hits on seven strikeouts and two walks.

 

Ty Stuckey can into the game in the 8th and recorded two strike outs in relief. Matt Creel finished the game on the mount, facing seven batters and striking out two.

 

Goodnight notched his second win of the season, while Creel got his second save.

 

Workman pitched the entire game of the Longhorns, striking out seven while giving up four hits.

With the win, Houston snapped a five-game losing streak against Texas, improving to 30-90-2 all time.

The Cougars are now 2-0 in the tournament and will face Texas Tech on Sunday, March 7 at 2:30 p.m.

 

Texas will conclude their tournament on Sunday with an 11:00 a.m. game against Big 12 foe Missouri.

Read more College Baseball news on BleacherReport.com

]]> (Photo by Darla Tamulitis, La Vita Loca Photography, Copyright 2010, All Rights Reserved)

 

Scoring in the bottom of the 1st inning on a wild pitch by Brandon Workman, the Houston Cougars knocked off No. 3 Texas at the Houston College Classic.

 

The lone Cougar run scored went Blake Kelso bolted for home on Workman’s wild pitch. Kelso hit a triple in the bottom of the first to lead off the inning.

 

Michael Goodnight started the game on the mound for Houston; he saw seven innings of action while giving up only two hits on seven strikeouts and two walks.

 

Ty Stuckey can into the game in the 8th and recorded two strike outs in relief. Matt Creel finished the game on the mount, facing seven batters and striking out two.

 

Goodnight notched his second win of the season, while Creel got his second save.

 

Workman pitched the entire game of the Longhorns, striking out seven while giving up four hits.

With the win, Houston snapped a five-game losing streak against Texas, improving to 30-90-2 all time.

The Cougars are now 2-0 in the tournament and will face Texas Tech on Sunday, March 7 at 2:30 p.m.

 

Texas will conclude their tournament on Sunday with an 11:00 a.m. game against Big 12 foe Missouri.

Read more College Baseball news on BleacherReport.com

]]> http://www.msbaseball.com/news/fan-news/houston-downs-no-3-texas-1-0-at-houston-college-classic/feed/ 0 Houston Downs Missouri 3-0 at Houston College Classic http://www.msbaseball.com/news/fan-news/houston-downs-missouri-3-0-at-houston-college-classic/ http://www.msbaseball.com/news/fan-news/houston-downs-missouri-3-0-at-houston-college-classic/#comments Sat, 06 Mar 2010 01:45:34 +0000 Robert Kelly http://bleacherreport.com/articles/357504-houston-downs-missouri-3-0-at-houston-college-classic (Houston pitcher Chase Dempsay went five innings for the Cougars, allowing only four hits. Photo by Darla Tamulitis-La Vita Loca Photography, Copyright 2010, All Rights Reserved)

Left fielder Caleb Ramsey went 2 for 3 with one stolen base and a triple to lead the Houston Cougars to a 3-0 win over the Missouri Tigers at the Houston College Classic at Minute Maid Park.

The Cy-Fair High School product also stole one base and scored a run to take the Cougars to 3-5 on the season and 1-0 in the tournament.

Chase Dempsey went five innings for the Cougars, allowing four hits, while striking out two and walking four.

Matt Creel came into the game in relief, pitching 1.3 innings with two strikeouts while allowing only a single.

Center fielder Joel Ansley got Houston on the scoreboard in the top of the first when he scored off a sacrifice fly by Matt Creel.

First baseman Matt Murphy scored the Cougars second run from second base off a Blake Kelso double.

The Cougars did not get on the board again until the eighth inning when Ramsey hit a triple to center field and scored on a M.P. Cokinos single to center field.

The Tigers were able to manage eight hits, but could not get any runs on the board.

Eric Anderson was credited with the loss, after pitching 5.2 innings, allowing six hits, and only striking out one.

The Cougars will now face the No. 3 Texas Longhorns on Saturday at 3:30pm. RHP Michael Goodnight (1-1, 6.52) will take the mount for the Cougars, while RHP Brandon Workman (1-0, 4.09) will pitch for the Longhorns

Read more College Baseball news on BleacherReport.com

]]> (Houston pitcher Chase Dempsay went five innings for the Cougars, allowing only four hits. Photo by Darla Tamulitis-La Vita Loca Photography, Copyright 2010, All Rights Reserved)

Left fielder Caleb Ramsey went 2 for 3 with one stolen base and a triple to lead the Houston Cougars to a 3-0 win over the Missouri Tigers at the Houston College Classic at Minute Maid Park.

The Cy-Fair High School product also stole one base and scored a run to take the Cougars to 3-5 on the season and 1-0 in the tournament.

Chase Dempsey went five innings for the Cougars, allowing four hits, while striking out two and walking four.

Matt Creel came into the game in relief, pitching 1.3 innings with two strikeouts while allowing only a single.

Center fielder Joel Ansley got Houston on the scoreboard in the top of the first when he scored off a sacrifice fly by Matt Creel.

First baseman Matt Murphy scored the Cougars second run from second base off a Blake Kelso double.

The Cougars did not get on the board again until the eighth inning when Ramsey hit a triple to center field and scored on a M.P. Cokinos single to center field.

The Tigers were able to manage eight hits, but could not get any runs on the board.

Eric Anderson was credited with the loss, after pitching 5.2 innings, allowing six hits, and only striking out one.

The Cougars will now face the No. 3 Texas Longhorns on Saturday at 3:30pm. RHP Michael Goodnight (1-1, 6.52) will take the mount for the Cougars, while RHP Brandon Workman (1-0, 4.09) will pitch for the Longhorns

Read more College Baseball news on BleacherReport.com

]]> http://www.msbaseball.com/news/fan-news/houston-downs-missouri-3-0-at-houston-college-classic/feed/ 0 Houston College Classic: The Eyes of College Baseball Are Upon You http://www.msbaseball.com/news/fan-news/houston-college-classic-the-eyes-of-college-baseball-are-upon-you/ http://www.msbaseball.com/news/fan-news/houston-college-classic-the-eyes-of-college-baseball-are-upon-you/#comments Fri, 05 Mar 2010 08:29:29 +0000 Matt L. Stephens http://bleacherreport.com/articles/356986-houston-college-classic-the-eyes-of-college-baseball-are-upon-you The eyes of the college baseball world will be on Houston, Texas this weekend as Minute Maid Park plays host to the annual Houston College Classic.

This year, Texas, Texas Tech, and Missouri from the Big 12 along with Conference USA's Houston and Rice and Mountain West Conference powerhouse TCU will throwdown in what's sure to hold an excitement level close to that of the NCAA Regionals.

The Rundown:

Favorites:

Despite half the schools competing belonging to the Big 12 Conference, the three favorites for this weekend's round robin are split between all three conferences represented.

The Texas Longhorns, Rice Owls, and TCU Horned Frogs are ranked Nos. 5, 10, and 16, respectively, in the latest Rivals.com Top 25 and are all favorites to win their leagues when the time comes in May.

Darkhorse:

If I had to pick a darkhorse for the Houston College Classic, it would have to be Texas Tech. The Red Raiders aren't exactly a baseball powerhouse but currently hold a 6-2 record and are averaging 9.4 runs per game. If they can keep with the solid bats, the boys from Lubbock might do damage.

Game to Watch:

TCU against Rice will be the final game of the Houston College Classic on Sunday night. Both teams are baseball powers every season, but neither come from a very strong conference. Whichever team is able to  pull out a win on Sunday on a neutral site will be able to point to it when the NCAA Tournament starts and the selection committee is picking national seeds.

Schedule:

Friday:

Noon - TCU vs. Texas Tech
3:30 p.m. - Houston vs. Missouri
7 p.m. - Rice vs. Texas

Saturday:

Noon - Missouri vs. TCU
3:30 p.m. - Houston vs. Texas
7 p.m. - Rice vs. Texas Tech

Sunday:

11 a.m. - Missouri vs. Texas
3:30 p.m. - Texas Tech vs. Houston
6 p.m. - TCU vs. Rice

 

Read more College Baseball news on BleacherReport.com

]]> The eyes of the college baseball world will be on Houston, Texas this weekend as Minute Maid Park plays host to the annual Houston College Classic.

This year, Texas, Texas Tech, and Missouri from the Big 12 along with Conference USA's Houston and Rice and Mountain West Conference powerhouse TCU will throwdown in what's sure to hold an excitement level close to that of the NCAA Regionals.

The Rundown:

Favorites:

Despite half the schools competing belonging to the Big 12 Conference, the three favorites for this weekend's round robin are split between all three conferences represented.

The Texas Longhorns, Rice Owls, and TCU Horned Frogs are ranked Nos. 5, 10, and 16, respectively, in the latest Rivals.com Top 25 and are all favorites to win their leagues when the time comes in May.

Darkhorse:

If I had to pick a darkhorse for the Houston College Classic, it would have to be Texas Tech. The Red Raiders aren't exactly a baseball powerhouse but currently hold a 6-2 record and are averaging 9.4 runs per game. If they can keep with the solid bats, the boys from Lubbock might do damage.

Game to Watch:

TCU against Rice will be the final game of the Houston College Classic on Sunday night. Both teams are baseball powers every season, but neither come from a very strong conference. Whichever team is able to  pull out a win on Sunday on a neutral site will be able to point to it when the NCAA Tournament starts and the selection committee is picking national seeds.

Schedule:

Friday:

Noon - TCU vs. Texas Tech
3:30 p.m. - Houston vs. Missouri
7 p.m. - Rice vs. Texas

Saturday:

Noon - Missouri vs. TCU
3:30 p.m. - Houston vs. Texas
7 p.m. - Rice vs. Texas Tech

Sunday:

11 a.m. - Missouri vs. Texas
3:30 p.m. - Texas Tech vs. Houston
6 p.m. - TCU vs. Rice

 

Read more College Baseball news on BleacherReport.com

]]> http://www.msbaseball.com/news/fan-news/houston-college-classic-the-eyes-of-college-baseball-are-upon-you/feed/ 0 Houston College Classic Kicks Off Baseball Season At Minute Maid Park http://www.msbaseball.com/news/fan-news/houston-college-classic-kicks-off-baseball-season-at-minute-maid-park/ http://www.msbaseball.com/news/fan-news/houston-college-classic-kicks-off-baseball-season-at-minute-maid-park/#comments Fri, 05 Mar 2010 06:19:11 +0000 Robert Kelly http://bleacherreport.com/articles/356943-houston-college-classic-kicks-off-baseball-season-at-minute-maid-park Begin Slideshow

]]> Begin Slideshow

]]> http://www.msbaseball.com/news/fan-news/houston-college-classic-kicks-off-baseball-season-at-minute-maid-park/feed/ 0 The Best Teams Step Up, The Elite Teams Leap Forward: Week Two Thoughts http://www.msbaseball.com/news/fan-news/the-best-teams-step-up-the-elite-teams-leap-forward-week-two-thoughts/ http://www.msbaseball.com/news/fan-news/the-best-teams-step-up-the-elite-teams-leap-forward-week-two-thoughts/#comments Tue, 02 Mar 2010 06:35:30 +0000 Allen J. Kha http://bleacherreport.com/articles/354973-the-best-teams-step-up-the-elite-teams-leap-forward-week-two-thoughts Although this college baseball season is still in its infancy, Week Two showed us a glimpse of this season's dynamic. The results this week, some resilient, others surprising, and the rest expected, perhaps even created a distinction between potential contenders and contenders.

After making a national statement of intent in last weekend's marquee series against then-No. 18 East Carolina, No. 1 Virginia (6-1) brought out the brooms and crushed a struggling Rhode Island squad.

Despite playing clearly inferior competition, Virginia demonstrated the same offensive balance it showed against East Carolina. Almost all Virginia offensive starters have hit above .300 this season insofar, and every batter found some way to contribute runs in last weekend's series.

Additionally, Danny Hultzen and Robert Morey dominated a Rhode Island lineup that simply did not have the bat speed to catch up to low-90s fastballs, while Cody Winiarski performed well enough to give Virginia fans confidence about his ability as a bona fide Sunday starter.

Other teams like No. 14 Coastal Carolina (7-1) and No. 12 Clemson (6-0) impressed against great and good opponents, respectively.

Comparatively speaking, other top teams such as No. 2 LSU (7-0), No. 3 Florida State (6-0), and No. 6 Arizona State (7-0) were not as impressive as Virginia in their wins or demonstration of team strength.

LSU won against William & Mary, but not as emphatically as Virginia beat Rhode Island. Florida State and Arizona State have demolished its competition insofar, but have yet to face a real challenge like Virginia has—this will change tomorrow though when the 'Noles face No. 4-ranked Florida (5-0).

These elite teams will eventually display their true colors in the face of adversity and a challenge.

Virginia has seemingly demonstrated its capacity as national championship favorites, while the likes of LSU and Florida State will show their true colors soon against Pepperdine and Florida, respectively.

It will be extremely interesting to follow tomorrow's Florida State-Florida game, considering this matchup will dictate bragging rights for the the state; considering Florida State's extreme advantage in prestige and performance in the state of Florida, it will be interesting to see the ramifications of a potential Florida win tomorrow.

Other teams that struggled in the first week seemingly showed their true colors in Week Two. No. 5 Texas and No. 11 East Carolina rebounded after poor showings in Week One, while previously-No. 9 (now No. 18) Cal State Fullerton continued to struggle last weekend against No. 16 TCU (5-1).

Texas was able to beat a good (previously No. 18) Stanford team through offensive balance. Stanford did a good job keeping Cameron Rupp in check, forcing the other players in the Texas lineup to step up and notch key hits. Texas, a team looking to respond to criticism that they cannot recover from the losses of Brandon Belt and company, responded.

Fullerton's failures have been a complete surprise, although their inability to fight back from adversity after falling behind late in games after the Arkansas disaster last season could explain their mental block. Christian Colon, as good as he is, cannot carry Fullerton to where they expect to be alone. Fullerton and Coach Serrano need to take note from Texas and buck up before their season spirals before their eyes.

Fullerton is lucky that UC Irvine's lack of success so far (against similarly-tough competition) and the fall of the Pac-10 from the pedestal after their great week last week are mitigating their failures.

Some Pac-10 teams have moved themselves towards the front of the pack, and garnered national spotlight.

No. 23 UCLA (6-0) (unfortunately) dominated the Dodgertown Classic, demonstrating itself as the best team in Los Angeles and perhaps the West Coast. Washington State (6-0), a good but not highly-esteemed team, has also done itself well by beating Texas Tech and a respected Bethune-Cookman team.

No. 22 Kentucky (6-0) also did really well last weekend, perhaps proving that they aren't missing James Paxton's talent (and distractions) too much and can seriously contend with teams like Ole Miss and LSU for SEC supremacy.

Other esteemed teams have moved back towards the middle of the pack, including Stanford (against Texas), USC (unfortunately against UCLA), and James Madison (albeit in a tough series; we'll see how their super-charged offense does against UVa).

Overall, it's been another great week in college baseball.

The teams that we thought would be ultimate contenders for Omaha have stepped forward, while other teams have battled against each other for national attention. It looks to be a good month of college baseball this March!

I'm going to start writing a weekly college baseball power rankings series, so I hope y'all look forward to that. Thanks!

Read more College Baseball news on BleacherReport.com

]]> Although this college baseball season is still in its infancy, Week Two showed us a glimpse of this season's dynamic. The results this week, some resilient, others surprising, and the rest expected, perhaps even created a distinction between potential contenders and contenders.

After making a national statement of intent in last weekend's marquee series against then-No. 18 East Carolina, No. 1 Virginia (6-1) brought out the brooms and crushed a struggling Rhode Island squad.

Despite playing clearly inferior competition, Virginia demonstrated the same offensive balance it showed against East Carolina. Almost all Virginia offensive starters have hit above .300 this season insofar, and every batter found some way to contribute runs in last weekend's series.

Additionally, Danny Hultzen and Robert Morey dominated a Rhode Island lineup that simply did not have the bat speed to catch up to low-90s fastballs, while Cody Winiarski performed well enough to give Virginia fans confidence about his ability as a bona fide Sunday starter.

Other teams like No. 14 Coastal Carolina (7-1) and No. 12 Clemson (6-0) impressed against great and good opponents, respectively.

Comparatively speaking, other top teams such as No. 2 LSU (7-0), No. 3 Florida State (6-0), and No. 6 Arizona State (7-0) were not as impressive as Virginia in their wins or demonstration of team strength.

LSU won against William & Mary, but not as emphatically as Virginia beat Rhode Island. Florida State and Arizona State have demolished its competition insofar, but have yet to face a real challenge like Virginia has—this will change tomorrow though when the 'Noles face No. 4-ranked Florida (5-0).

These elite teams will eventually display their true colors in the face of adversity and a challenge.

Virginia has seemingly demonstrated its capacity as national championship favorites, while the likes of LSU and Florida State will show their true colors soon against Pepperdine and Florida, respectively.

It will be extremely interesting to follow tomorrow's Florida State-Florida game, considering this matchup will dictate bragging rights for the the state; considering Florida State's extreme advantage in prestige and performance in the state of Florida, it will be interesting to see the ramifications of a potential Florida win tomorrow.

Other teams that struggled in the first week seemingly showed their true colors in Week Two. No. 5 Texas and No. 11 East Carolina rebounded after poor showings in Week One, while previously-No. 9 (now No. 18) Cal State Fullerton continued to struggle last weekend against No. 16 TCU (5-1).

Texas was able to beat a good (previously No. 18) Stanford team through offensive balance. Stanford did a good job keeping Cameron Rupp in check, forcing the other players in the Texas lineup to step up and notch key hits. Texas, a team looking to respond to criticism that they cannot recover from the losses of Brandon Belt and company, responded.

Fullerton's failures have been a complete surprise, although their inability to fight back from adversity after falling behind late in games after the Arkansas disaster last season could explain their mental block. Christian Colon, as good as he is, cannot carry Fullerton to where they expect to be alone. Fullerton and Coach Serrano need to take note from Texas and buck up before their season spirals before their eyes.

Fullerton is lucky that UC Irvine's lack of success so far (against similarly-tough competition) and the fall of the Pac-10 from the pedestal after their great week last week are mitigating their failures.

Some Pac-10 teams have moved themselves towards the front of the pack, and garnered national spotlight.

No. 23 UCLA (6-0) (unfortunately) dominated the Dodgertown Classic, demonstrating itself as the best team in Los Angeles and perhaps the West Coast. Washington State (6-0), a good but not highly-esteemed team, has also done itself well by beating Texas Tech and a respected Bethune-Cookman team.

No. 22 Kentucky (6-0) also did really well last weekend, perhaps proving that they aren't missing James Paxton's talent (and distractions) too much and can seriously contend with teams like Ole Miss and LSU for SEC supremacy.

Other esteemed teams have moved back towards the middle of the pack, including Stanford (against Texas), USC (unfortunately against UCLA), and James Madison (albeit in a tough series; we'll see how their super-charged offense does against UVa).

Overall, it's been another great week in college baseball.

The teams that we thought would be ultimate contenders for Omaha have stepped forward, while other teams have battled against each other for national attention. It looks to be a good month of college baseball this March!

I'm going to start writing a weekly college baseball power rankings series, so I hope y'all look forward to that. Thanks!

Read more College Baseball news on BleacherReport.com

]]> http://www.msbaseball.com/news/fan-news/the-best-teams-step-up-the-elite-teams-leap-forward-week-two-thoughts/feed/ 0 Seton Hall Can Still Give NCAA Seeding Committee Headaches http://www.msbaseball.com/news/fan-news/seton-hall-can-still-give-ncaa-seeding-committee-headaches/ http://www.msbaseball.com/news/fan-news/seton-hall-can-still-give-ncaa-seeding-committee-headaches/#comments Sun, 28 Feb 2010 20:55:15 +0000 jeff kalafa http://bleacherreport.com/articles/353961-seton-hall-can-still-give-ncaa-seeding-committee-headaches Even though Seton Hall lost another heartbreaker today—84-83 to Marquette in OT—there is still a chance they are going to give the NCAA seeding Committee headaches when it comes time to chose the 65 teams for this years tournament.

It's going to come down to the last three, and possibly four or five, games of their season.

With an overall record of 16-11, and 7-9 in Big East play, one would say the chances of the Pirates of making the NCAA tournament are probably not good at all—that may not be true.  If they win their last two games, and win at least one Big East tournament game, they could be sitting right on the bubble on selection Sunday.

The Hall's last two games are very winable, and winning one game in the Big East tournament is a good possibility also.

Rutgers and Providence, two Big East cellar dwellers, are Seton Hall's final two regular season opponents.  Even though both games are on the road, they're games that   Seton Hall should win.

If they win their final two, they will finish the regular season on a 6-2 run—the seeding committee likes to see teams finish strong.

This would bring their final regular season record to 18-11, but what would be more impressive would be a .500 record (9-9) in the Big East—It's not the ACC we're talking about!

They are going to get another cellar dweller in the first round of the Big East tournament.  They should win this game, and if they can win one more games in the Big East tournament—which would not be that hard to do—then they could end up firmly on the bubble, or in the tournament.

It's about what they've done throughout the season:  Unlike most teams from the other major conferences, Seton Hall doesn't have a "bad loss."

They have no bad losses and they have enough solid wins for the committee to take notice.  They have good wins over Cornell, Louisville, Cincinnati, Pitt, and Notre Dame—all these teams are headed to the tournament or are currently on the bubble.

What could make Seton Hall's case valid,  is not just the wins, but the close loses to good teams. 

Seton Hall might have played more overtime games than any other team in the country.  It's not good that they lost all of them, but they go down as what the seeding committee calls, "good losses."

Overtime losses to No. 7 West Virginia, Virginia Tech (21-7), Marquette (19-9, 10-6 in Big East), and South Florida (17-11, 7-9 in Big East) are all going to impress the seeding committee when their whole body of work is taken into consideration.

They also lost a close one to No. 14 Temple 71-65.

Two regular season wins and two conference tournament wins would bring the Pirates to that all important 20 win level (21-12), and a winning record in the Big East.

With so many Big East teams making a case to become tournament eligible, it's highly doubtful the committee will give consideration to another border-line team from this conference, but stranger things have happened on selection Sunday.

Read more College Baseball news on BleacherReport.com

]]> Even though Seton Hall lost another heartbreaker today—84-83 to Marquette in OT—there is still a chance they are going to give the NCAA seeding Committee headaches when it comes time to chose the 65 teams for this years tournament.

It's going to come down to the last three, and possibly four or five, games of their season.

With an overall record of 16-11, and 7-9 in Big East play, one would say the chances of the Pirates of making the NCAA tournament are probably not good at all—that may not be true.  If they win their last two games, and win at least one Big East tournament game, they could be sitting right on the bubble on selection Sunday.

The Hall's last two games are very winable, and winning one game in the Big East tournament is a good possibility also.

Rutgers and Providence, two Big East cellar dwellers, are Seton Hall's final two regular season opponents.  Even though both games are on the road, they're games that   Seton Hall should win.

If they win their final two, they will finish the regular season on a 6-2 run—the seeding committee likes to see teams finish strong.

This would bring their final regular season record to 18-11, but what would be more impressive would be a .500 record (9-9) in the Big East—It's not the ACC we're talking about!

They are going to get another cellar dweller in the first round of the Big East tournament.  They should win this game, and if they can win one more games in the Big East tournament—which would not be that hard to do—then they could end up firmly on the bubble, or in the tournament.

It's about what they've done throughout the season:  Unlike most teams from the other major conferences, Seton Hall doesn't have a "bad loss."

They have no bad losses and they have enough solid wins for the committee to take notice.  They have good wins over Cornell, Louisville, Cincinnati, Pitt, and Notre Dame—all these teams are headed to the tournament or are currently on the bubble.

What could make Seton Hall's case valid,  is not just the wins, but the close loses to good teams. 

Seton Hall might have played more overtime games than any other team in the country.  It's not good that they lost all of them, but they go down as what the seeding committee calls, "good losses."

Overtime losses to No. 7 West Virginia, Virginia Tech (21-7), Marquette (19-9, 10-6 in Big East), and South Florida (17-11, 7-9 in Big East) are all going to impress the seeding committee when their whole body of work is taken into consideration.

They also lost a close one to No. 14 Temple 71-65.

Two regular season wins and two conference tournament wins would bring the Pirates to that all important 20 win level (21-12), and a winning record in the Big East.

With so many Big East teams making a case to become tournament eligible, it's highly doubtful the committee will give consideration to another border-line team from this conference, but stranger things have happened on selection Sunday.

Read more College Baseball news on BleacherReport.com

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