Category: Baseball

Clemson “locked up” as top five national seed in new Field of 64 projection

Clemson Baseball: On3 Sports says the Tigers, ranked No. 4 in the latest USA TODAY Sports baseball coaches poll, are all but locked in as a top five national seed.

A 3-1 week that included a non-conference victory over Charlotte and a series win over Pitt in ACC play saw the Clemson Tigers climb two spots to No. 4 in the latest USA TODAY Sports baseball coaches poll for Week 12.

The Tigers (32-7 overall, 13-5 ACC) also stayed at No. 4 in the NCAA’s RPI rankings. Similar to NET rankings in men’s and women’s basketball, RPI measures not just a team’s won/loss record but its strength of schedule and other factors.

Only Texas A&M, Arkansas, and Kentucky have higher RPI rankings than Clemson. The Aggies and Razorbacks are ranked Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, in every major poll.

In On3’s latest Field of 64 projections for the NCAA Division I men’s baseball tournament, Clemson is ranked the third-highest national seed among projected host sites.

Finishing with a top eight national seed would ensure the Tigers of hosting a Super Regional at Doug Kingsmore Stadium, provided the team wins its four-team, double-elimination host site Regional. According to On3’s latest projections, Clemson is a cinch for a top five national seed.

Per On3’s Jonathan Wagner:

“Clemson is in a great position to host as a top three overall seed right now. The Tigers are 32-7 overall, 13-5 in the ACC and sit at No. 4 in RPI. At Wake Forest is their toughest weekend remaining, with Georgia Tech, Boston College and Louisville to round out the year. Clemson is essentially locked up as a top five seed as things currently stand, and they are joined by Mississippi State, Lamar and North Dakota State.”

Clemson resumes conference play Friday when the Tigers travel to Louisville.

UGA among top risers latest USA TODAY Sports baseball coaches poll

Georgia baseball rises in baseball coaches poll after winning second consecutive SEC series

The Georgia Bulldogs continued to rise in the baseball rankings after winning two consecutive SEC series. Georgia is the No. 17 team in the April 22 edition of the USA TODAY Sports baseball coaches poll, which is up six spots from last week. Only two teams (Oklahoma and NC State) increased their ranking in the coaches poll more than Georgia.

Georgia baseball went 2-1 over the last week. The Dawgs won two of three games against Ole Miss including a dominant 17-6 win. Star first baseman Charlie Condon continues to excel for Georgia. Condon has 26 home runs  and is batting .483 (both of these numbers are best in the country).

Georgia is 9-9 in conference play and 29-10 on the season. The Bulldogs have the second most home runs in the nation.

The SEC has four of the five top teams in the country in Kentucky, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Texas A&M. The SEC continues to be baseball’s strongest conference. However, the ACC is strong as well. Georgia will play the best team in the SEC and the best team in the nation this week.

Texas A&M remains the No. 1 team in the country with an impressive record of 35-5. Georgia baseball’s next game is against No. 5 Clemson at Foley Field in Athens, Georgia, at 6:00 p.m. ET on Friday, April 23. The Bulldogs play a three game series at No. 1 Texas A&M from Friday to Sunday.

How to watch Tennessee-Western Carolina baseball game

How to watch the Tennessee-Western Carolina baseball game on Tuesday.

No. 3 Tennessee (33-7, 12-6 SEC) will host Western Carolina (21-16, 6-6 SoCon) on Tuesday at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. Rankings reflect the USA TODAY Sports baseball coaches poll.

First pitch between the Vols and Catamounts is slated for 6 p.m. EDT and can be watched on SEC Network+. Myan Patel (play-by-play) and Caylan Arnold (analyst) will be on the call.

Tennessee leads the all time series against Western Carolina, 26-7, including a 19-4 record in Knoxville. The Vols defeated Western Carolina, 7-0, in the last meeting on March 21, 2023.

Tennessee has won the last nine meetings against the Catamounts, including six consecutive in Knoxville.

READ: Tennessee baseball career home run tracker

Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire

Christian Moore named National Player of the Week

Tennessee’s Christian Moore named National Player of the Week after winning series at Kentucky.

Tennessee junior Christian Moore was named National Player of the Week by Perfect Game and D1Baseball on Monday.

He was also named SEC Player of the Week after the Vols’ series win at Kentucky.

Moore recorded at least one hit and one RBI in all three games against the Wildcats. He went 8-for-11, recording four home runs, eight RBIs and five runs.

Moore totaled four hits, tying a career high on Saturday and Sunday. He hit three home runs and recorded six RBIs on Sunday to help Tennessee win the series, Kentucky’s first conference series loss of the 2024 season.

READ: Tennessee baseball career home run tracker

Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire

SEC names freshman Gavin Grahovac to as Freshman of the Week for the second consecutive week

Texas A&M freshman third baseman Gavin Grahovac was named the SEC Freshman of the Week after a strong series against Alabama

Texas A&M freshman Gavin Grahovac has taken charge of the starting third base position and is one of the better lead-off hitters in all of college baseball. He currently sits in the top ten in the SEC for the following categories: No. 3 runs scored (56), No. 7 hits (56), No. 11 doubles (12), No. 12 home runs (14) and No. 5 RBI (49).

The SEC recognized the freshman’s production after the big week by naming him SEC Freshman Player of the Week for the second consecutive week. Below is the excerpt from the release from the SEC officials:

Texas A&M’s Gavin Grahovac registered a .350/.409/.550 slash line to go along with a homer, seven RBI and seven runs scored to help the Aggies to a 3-1 record last week. In the series win at No. 12 Alabama, Grahovac was 6-for-16 with a double and home run. Six of the freshman’s seven RBI last week came in the series win against the Crimson Tide.

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WATCH: UNC outfielder Anthony Donofrio makes several stunning catches against Wolfpack

Anthony Donfrio is a highlight reel in right field for the UNC baseball team.

Graduate student Anthony Donofrio might just very well be the missing piece UNC’s baseball team needed in the outfield.

Donofrio, a Quinnipiac transfer who’s spending his last year of eligibility in Chapel Hill, starts in the outfield alongside fellow stars Vance Honeycutt and Casey Cook. Donofrio is a key member of the Diamond Heels’ powerful offense, being one of eight players to sport a .300 batting average (he’s hitting .309), while also adding four hone runs and 33 RBIs.

Donofrio has also proven his ability to be a lockdown defender like his outfield mates, recording a .968 fielding percentage.

Just look at some of Donofrio’s plays against NC State from over the weekend, including several highlight-reel catches and big throws.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C6EI4a4grvG/

Like the above Instagram caption says, the ACC unfortunately does not give out Defensive POTW awards in baseball.

Donofrio went a solid 3-for-5 at the plate, later scoring two runs in last Thursday’s 9-8 series-opening loss. He failed to notch a hit on Friday or Saturday, but managed three walks and two runs.

UNC could very well host a regional in the NCAA Tournament, which starts the last weekend of May. North Carolina will need continued production from Donofrio, plus improved pitching, if it wants to make a deep run.

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Duke pitcher Charlie Beilenson named ACC Pitcher of the Week

Duke pitcher Charlie Beilenson named ACC Pitcher of the Week.

Duke pitcher Charlie Beilenson was named the ACC Pitcher of the Week on Monday.

The Blue Devils reliever went 2-0 and added a save in three appearances, and he did not allow any earned runs across 6.2 innings on the mound. Beilenson kept batters guessing, racking up 10 strikeouts in his three outings.

Against Virginia Tech on Friday, he pitched a season-high four innings, allowed just one hit, and struck out five Hokies. He did not allow a hit in his other two outings this past week, including a perfect inning during Sunday’s deciding game.

The Blue Devils won all three games he pitched in, once against Gardner-Webb and twice against Virginia Tech as they won the series.

Duke’s three wins last week moved the Blue Devils to 29-11 for the year and 13-8 in ACC play. D1Baseball had the team sixth in their latest ranking.

Diamond Heels fall four spots in D1Baseball rankings

The UNC baseball team is running out of chances to win series against good teams. It has another golden chance this coming weekend against Virginia Tech.

Last weekend provided the UNC baseball team a golden opportunity to prove its worth as a Top 25 team.

The Diamond Heels made the short trip down to Raleigh, facing an NC State program that’s also amongst one of the ACC’s best. The Wolfpack are playing solid baseball this season, but with how good North Carolina’s been, it should’ve won the series handily.

Even though UNC remains two games ahead of archrival Duke for first place in the ACC Coastal Division, UNC proved there’s still questions surrounding its ability to beat tough competition, as it dropped two of three at NC State.

As a result, the Diamond Heels fell four spots – to 15th – in Monday’s D1Baseball rankings.

North Carolina (30-10, 15-6) left no doubt of its talent in Saturday’s series finale, dominating in a 14-3 victory behind reliable bats and a surprisingly good pitching performance. Star UNC center fielder Vance Honeycutt, a projected first-round pick in July’s MLB Draft, became the only player in ACC history to join the 50 home run-70 stolen base club during the finale.

The Diamond Heels have a super-winnable game against Gardner-Webb on Tuesday, April 23, then host a tough Virginia Tech squad this coming weekend for a 3-game series. The Hokies (25-12, 12-9) dropped out of this week’s rankings after spending most of 2024 ranked.

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

SEC dominates the top five of the latest USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll

The nation’s best conference boasts an impressive eight representatives in this week’s poll.

The SEC continues to prove why it is college baseball’s toughest conference.

Week 10’s USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll was released on Monday, and eight SEC programs occupy this week’s rankings. The heaviest representation can be seen in the top five, where four SEC teams reside.

Texas A&M remains the nation’s top team after taking two of three games from No. 18 Alabama in Tuscaloosa. No. 2 Arkansas also had an impressive weekend by winning their series at No. 21 South Carolina.

The weekend’s most impressive series win belongs to Tennessee, as the No. 3 Volunteers slowed down the No. 5 Kentucky Wildcats by winning two of three games in Lexington. Before last weekend’s series with Tennessee, Kentucky boasted a 14-1 SEC record through the first half of conference play.

Vanderbilt jumped four spots to No. 9 in this week’s rankings after taking two of three games over Florida while Georgia enjoyed a six-spot push after winning its home series over Ole Miss. South Carolina remains at No. 21 despite losing its series to Arkansas while Alabama falls to No. 18 after dropping a home series to Texas A&M.

Mississippi State is on the outside of this week’s poll. The Bulldogs received 45 votes in this week’s poll after it swept Auburn.

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on  X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__

Texas A&M baseball remains the top dog in the new USA TODAY Coaches Poll

Texas A&M was two runs shy of the sweep over Alabama last weekend, but they keep the top spot after a 3-1 week.

Texas A&M (35-5, 13-5 SEC) is an offensive juggernaut and did something that’s hard to do in SEC play, and that’s going on the road and win a series against a top-25 conference opponent. The Aggie baseball team started the week run-ruling Air Force 15-5 in a tune-up before they headed to Tuscaloosa to face Alabama which just knocked off the No. 1 team the weekend before.

Alabama showed why they are a dangerous team to face putting some pressure on the Aggies in the first two games, but the firepower of the Maroon and White was just too much to overcome. They outscored the Tide 28-14 through those two games to claim their fifth straight conference series win.

There was no doubt after Saturday afternoon that A&M would stay the No.1 team in the country. Even though Alabama did take game three in a 10-9 win the Aggies racked up 52 runs through four games with one run-rule victory during that span. Things are still looking good for A&M, but there is a lot of base left to be played and this sport can be very unforgiving at times.

Here are the complete Week 10 rankings.

Rank Team Record PTS 1st Prev Chg Hi/Lo
1
Texas A&M
 35-5 772 29 1 – 1/10
2
Arkansas
 34-6 735 1 2 – 1/5
3
Tennessee
 33-7 716 1 3 – 3/8
4
Clemson
 32-7 674 0 6
+2
 2/11
5
Kentucky
 32-7 637 0 5 – 5/NR
6
Duke
 29-11 593 0 8
+2
 6/14
7
East Carolina
 31-8 581 0 10
+3
 7/16
8
Vanderbilt
 29-11 513 0 12
+4
 3/14
9
Florida State
 31-8 503 0 7
-2
 7/NR
10
Oregon State
 30-9 497 0 4
-6
 2/10
11
Wake Forest
 26-13 449 0 13
+2
 1/22
12
Virginia
 30-11 426 0 8
-4
 8/15
13
UC Irvine
 28-8 372 0 16
+3
 13/NR
14
North Carolina
 30-10 371 0 11
-3
 7/17
15
Coastal Carolina
 27-12 330 0 20
+5
 15/21
16
Louisiana
 31-11 222 0 15
-1
 15/NR
17
Georgia
 29-10 189 0 23
+6
 17/NR
18
Oklahoma
 24-14 160 0 NR
+10
 18/NR
18
Alabama
 25-15 160 0 14
-4
 10/18
20
Arizona
 24-14 158 0 NR
+6
 20/NR
21
South Carolina
 27-13 146 0 21 – 14/NR
22
Oklahoma State
 26-14 133 0 17
-5
 17/NR
23
North Carolina State
 22-15 127 0 NR
+8
 14/NR
24
Oregon
 27-12 122 0 18
-6
 18/NR
25
Indiana State
 29-8 121 0 25 – 25/NR

Schools Dropped Out

No. 19 Dallas Baptist; No. 22 Virginia Tech; No. 24 West Virginia;

Others Receiving Votes

Dallas Baptist 94; Virginia Tech 64; Mississippi State 45; Texas Tech 40; UC Santa Barbara 25; West Virginia 20; Nebraska 18; UNCW 16; Utah 11; UCF 9; Georgia Tech 8; Lamar 5; Louisiana Tech 4; UTSA 3; Creighton 2; Western Kentucky 1; Troy 1; San Diego 1; Illinois 1;

 

Texas A&M will face Houston on Tuesday, April 23, at 6:00 p.m. CST, where the game will air on SEC Network+.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on Twitter: @whosnextsports1.