The Clemson Tigers are no longer in the top five of one of the major college baseball Top 25 rankings following their three-game weekend sweep at Wake Forest.
In fact, they’re barely in the top 10 of Baseball America’s new Top 25 rankings, released Monday, May 13.
The Tigers (37-13 overall, 17-10 ACC) fell all the way to No. 10 in the rankings. They’d been ranked No. 4 the previous week before their first series sweep of the year Sunday in Winston-Salem.
Notes Baseball America’s Teddy Cahill and Peter Flaherty:
“After scoring four runs in the ninth inning in Tuesday’s win against Charlotte, Clemson was soundly swept at Wake Forest. Outside of Ethan Darden, no starter was able to make it out of the fifth inning. The Tigers’ bats also struggled mightily and on the weekend hit just .202. Outfielder Tristan Bissetta was the team’s lone bright spot, as he hit two home runs and accounted for five of the team’s 10 RBIs. Clemson will look to bounce back this weekend at home against Boston College.”
A total of three ACC teams moved ahead of Clemson in Baseball America’s rankings, including North Carolina. The Tar Heels (39-11, 20-7) checked in at No. 4 after completing a sweep of Louisville on Sunday. UNC has won nine of its last 10 games and holds a three-game lead over Clemson in the ACC standings with a week to play.
Wake Forest (36-16, 15-12) also leapt Clemson in Baseball America’s rankings, as did NC State (29-19, 14-12). The Demon Deacons jumped eight spots to land at No. 7 while the Wolfpack moved up four spots to No. 9 after winning two of three from Virginia in Charlottesville.
Other teams that passed Clemson in Baseball America’s rankings were No. 2 Kentucky, which had been ranked sixth, as well as No. 6 Georgia (previously No. 14) and No. 8 Oregon State (previously No. 11).
Things weren’t nearly as bad for Clemson in D1Baseball’s new Top 25 rankings Monday. In those rankings, the Tigers fell only two spots to No. 4 and remained the highest-ranked ACC team. Similarly, Clemson fell two spots to No. 7 in the NCAA’s RPI rankings this week.
North Carolina moved up four spots to No. 7 in D1Baseball’s rankings with Wake Forest right behind the Tar Heels at No. 8. Florida State (37-12) checked in at No. 10.
Tennessee (42-10) remained No. 1 in both D1Baseball’s Top 25 and Baseball America’s rankings after winning two of three at Vanderbilt over the weekend. Kentucky (37-11) moved up to No. 2 while Arkansas (42-10) moved up two spots to No. 3. Texas A&M (42-10) rounded out D1Baseball’s top five.
UP NEXT
Clemson visits Coastal Carolina in midweek play Tuesday. First pitch against the Chanticleers is scheduled for 6 p.m. EDT. The game can be seen on ESPN+.