By Aaron Kirby
Louisville (46-10 overall; 4-0 week; RPI#13) ends the regular season as the clear #1 ranked mid-major. The Cardinals have the longest current win streak in the country at 16 games including a 6-3 win at Ohio St Tuesday and 3 more in series sweep of Pittsburgh (5-2 Thursday, 12-4 Friday, 7-4 Saturday). With the sweep the Cardinals clinched the Big East regular season title winning by 2 games over both Pittsburgh and Seton Hall.
Good Weeks
- Mercer (42-14 overall; 3-0 week; RPI#27)-The Bears clinched the A-Sun regular season title with a sweep at North Kentucky.
- New Mexico (35-18 overall; 3-0 week; RPI#47)-The Lobos ran away with the MWC regular season title at 25-5 in league play winning the league by 7 games over 2nd place UNLV. New Mexico swept their final MWC series at San Diego St in week 14 by scores of 14-6, 3-1 and 11-7.
- Indiana (40-13 overall; 2-2 week; RPI#14)-The Hoosiers won the Big Ten outright for the first time since 1932 with their 8-1 win at Ohio St on Saturday.
- Austin Peay (42-13 overall; 4-0 week; RPI#29)-The Governors won their final 12 regular season games including winning 9-2 at Memphis Tuesday and sweeping SIU Edwardsville in OVC play this week. With the sweep Austin Peay finished the season in 2nd place in the OVC to help their atlarge resume.
- Sam Houston St (36-18 overall; 3-0 week; RPI#40)-The Bearkats swept Central Arkansas (Thursday 7-3, Friday 4-0 and 6-5 Saturday) and won the Southland regular season by 3 games. Sam Houston St finished the seasoning winning 14 of 15 to get themselves in position to receive an atlarge if they fail to win the SLC tourney.
- Florida Atlantic (35-20 overall; 4-0 week; RPI#34)-The Owls finished the regular season strong, winning final 7 games including 4-3 win vs UCF Tuesday and sweeping their Sun Belt series at FIU, to get back into the NCAA postseason mix.
- Western Carolina (38-18 overall; 2-1 week; RPI#51)-The Catamounts finished the regular season 21-3 since April 6th including 16 of 17 Southern Conference games on their way to winning the SoCon regular season by 4 ½ games. WCU won 2 of 3 at Appalachian St to end the season taking the first two of series 23-5 and 9-1 before falling 9-8 in season finale.
- Troy (39-16 overall; 2-2 week; RPI#31)-The Trojans lost 6-4 at UAB Tuesday before traveling to South Alabama and taking 2 of 3 to share the Sun Belt regular season title at 20-10 with South Alabama.
- Illinois (33-16 overall; 2-1 week; RPI#30)-The Illini finished the regular season strong winning 2 of 3 at Minnesota and securing a spot in the 6 team Big Ten tourney. Despite the 5th place finish in the Big Ten the Illini are in good position for an NCAA berth with a RPI#30.
 Bad Weeks
- South Alabama (40-16 overall; 1-2 week; RPI#16)-The Jaguars needed to win 2 of 3 at home vs Troy to win the Sun Belt regular season title outright and to possibly host a regional. After winning the opener 8-1 on Thursday the Jaguars dropped the final two games of the series 8-3 and 6-3.
- UNCW (37-19 overall; 1-3 week; RPI#25)-The Seahawks got beat up at Coastal 15-3 Tuesday before backing their way into the regular season title in the Colonial losing 2 of 3 at Hofstra. Despite the series loss at Hofstra the Seahawks still won the league by 1 ½ games over 2nd place William & Mary. Since April 27th UNCW is just 4-8 overall including losing 2 of 3 at Towson and losing 2 of 3 at Hofstra.
Enter Top 25
- BYU (30-19 overall; 4-0 week; RPI#62) enter the rankings for the first time in 2013 at #21. The Cougars have won 6 in a row including an 11-1 win vs Utah and sweeping Saint Mary’s this week. They have played their way into the atlarge picture finishing 3rd in the WCC and a current RPI#62.
- Illinois St (32-18 overall; 3-0 week; RPI#70) also enter the rankings for the first time this year at #24. The Redbirds swept their final MVC series at Southern Illinois winning the MVC regular season title one game in front of Wichita St.
Dropped out
- #20 Notre Dame (31-23 overall; 2-2 week; RPI#49)-The Irish once considered a lock for a regional now must win the Big East tourney to get in. ND won 13-10 at Western Michigan Tuesday before losing 2 of 3 at Cincinnati in final Big East series.
- #24 Belmont (37-18 overall; 1-3 week; RPI#71)-The Bruins lost 6-1 at Vanderbilt Tuesday and lost 2 of 3 at Tennessee Tech.
News and Notes
Savannah St (34-25) earned the MEAC automatic berth Sunday with a 1-0 win in 10 innings over Bethune-Cookman. Jr RHP Kyle McGowin improved to 12-1 while throwing 144 pitches in a 10 inning complete game scattering 7 hits while striking out 11.
Army (29-21) earned the Patriot Leagues automatic berth sweeping Holy Cross in the championship series Sunday winning game one 9-4 and winning game two 5-4. Sophomore 3B Harold Earls had a one out bunt single and stole second and third before sophomore DH Mark McCants singled him home in the bottom of 9th for a 5-4 walk off win.
Active winning streaks
Louisville-16
Austin Peay-12
Sacred Heart-12
Campbell-9
Army-8
Northern Colorado-8
CBD Mid-Major Top 25 Week 14 |
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Rnk |
School |
Record |
Pvs |
Wk |
Weeks Results for 5/13-5/19 |
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#1 |
Louisville |
46-10 |
#1 |
4-0 |
1-0 at Ohio St; 3-0 Pittsburgh; |
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#2 |
Mercer |
42-14 |
#3 |
3-0 |
3-0 at Northern Kentucky; |
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#3 |
New Mexico |
35-18 |
#5 |
3-0 |
3-0 at San Diego St |
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#4 |
South Alabama |
40-16 |
#2 |
1-2 |
1-2 Troy; |
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#5 |
Indiana |
40-13 |
#4 |
2-2 |
0-1 at Kentucky; 2-1 at Ohio St; |
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#6 |
Austin Peay |
42-13 |
#6 |
4-0 |
1-0 at Memphis; 3-0 SIU Edwardsville; |
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#7 |
Sam Houston State |
36-18 |
#9 |
3-0 |
3-0 Central Arkansas; |
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#8 |
Coastal Carolina |
35-19 |
#7 |
3-1 |
1-0 UNCW; 2-1 at Charleston Southern; |
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#9 |
San Diego |
32-22 |
#8 |
1-1 |
0-1 at UC Riverside; 1-0 at UC Irvine |
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#10 |
Louisiana |
38-17 |
#11 |
3-0 |
3-0 at Louisiana Monroe; |
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#11 |
Florida Atlantic |
35-20 |
#16 |
4-0 |
1-0 Central Florida; 3-0 at FIU; |
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#12 |
Western Carolina |
38-18 |
#14 |
2-1 |
2-1 at Appalachian St; |
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#13 |
Troy |
39-16 |
#15 |
2-2 |
0-1 at UAB; 2-1 at South Alabama; |
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#14 |
Florida Gulf Coast |
37-18 |
#12 |
3-1 |
0-1 South Florida; 3-0 Stetson |
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#15 |
Gonzaga |
32-18-1 |
#10 |
0-2 |
0-2 at Oregon; |
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#16 |
Campbell |
46-9 |
#18 |
3-0 |
3-0 New Orleans; |
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#17 |
Seton Hall |
35-17 |
#19 |
2-1 |
2-1 St Johns; |
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#18 |
UNCW |
37-19 |
#13 |
1-3 |
0-1 at Coastal Carolina; 1-2 at Hofstra; |
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#19 |
Creighton |
30-16 |
#21 |
2-2 |
0-1 Nebraska; 2-1 Missouri State; |
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#20 |
Illinois |
33-16 |
#25 |
2-1 |
2-1 at Minnesota; |
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#21 |
BYU |
30-19 |
NR |
4-0 |
1-0 Utah; 3-0 St Mary’s; |
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#22 |
San Francisco |
32-21 |
#22 |
1-0 |
1-0 San Jose State |
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#23 |
UNLV |
36-18 |
#23 |
2-1 |
2-1 at Air Force; |
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#24 |
Illinios St |
32-18 |
NR |
3-0 |
3-0 at Southern Illiniois; |
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#25 |
Pittsburgh |
40-15 |
#17 |
0-4 |
0-1 Kent St; 0-3 at Louisville; |
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Dropped Out |
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#20 |
Notre Dame |
31-23 |
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#24 |
Belmont |
37-18 |
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Others Receiving Votes |
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North Florida |
38-17 |
|
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Tennessee Tech |
39-15 |
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South Florida |
35-20 |
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Bryant |
40-15 |
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SE Louisiana |
33-22 |
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Wichita St |
34-25 |
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William & Mary |
35-20 |
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St Louis |
36-18 |
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Delaware |
33-20 |
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Savannah St |
34-25 |
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*RPI’s from www.boydsworld.com