Collegiate Baseball Div. I Poll 3-19-12

FLORIDA NO. 1 IN COLLEGIATE BASEBALL POLL

TUCSON, Ariz. — The University of Florida (19-1) has been ranked No. 1 in the latest NCAA Division I baseball poll by Collegiate Baseball newspaper.

The Gators, ranked No. 1 six consecutive polls, have won a school-record 17 in a row. Over the past weekend, Florida swept a 3-game series against Vanderbilt.

Poll Notes: Several other teams have been impressive. Kentucky (21-0) is still unbeaten after winning three straight games at home against two-time defending national champion South Carolina (previously ranked No. 2) over the past weekend.

The Wildcats now own the third longest winning streak in Southeastern Conference history behind only the 23-game streak from 2010 NCAA champion LSU and the 22-game streak from South Carolina’s 2000 team. Kentucky is the only undefeated team in NCAA Division I baseball. After the impressive trio of wins, Kentucky jumped from 16th to second in the poll this week while South Carolina slipped to sixth. Arkansas and Texas Christian have each won 9 in a row while N.C. State has won 10 of its last 11.

Four teams fell out of the poll, including Oklahoma (5 straight losses), Wake Forest (2-3 last week), California (0-4), and Texas Tech. (2-4). New to top 30 this week is Texas Christian, Texas (won 5 in a row), Baylor (swept a 3-game series against Texas Tech.) and Appalachian St. (17-3 overall). In other key series over the past weekend, UCLA beat Arizona St. two of three, N.C. State swept a 3-game series against Wake Forest, Texas swept three from Oklahoma and Oregon St. swept three from California.

The Collegiate Baseball newspaper poll is the oldest college baseball poll. Its birth took place during the 1957 college baseball season.

(Top 30 Agate Follows)

 

“LOUISVILLE SLUGGER‘S” NATIONAL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

RHP Chris Stratton, Mississippi St.: Stratton struck out a career-best 17 batters against Louisiana St. over 8 2/3 innings in a no-decision start. He fanned all nine LSU starters in the lineup, struck out two Tiger batters three times and recorded a trio of 3-strikeout innings. His 17 strikeouts is the most by a Bulldog pitcher since 1992.

RHP Ben Bullard, Alabama Birmingham: Bullard tied a school record with 15 strikeouts during 8 2/3 innigs against Michigan. He struck out at least one batter in eight of the nine innings he worked.

RHP Matthew Reckling, Rice: Reckling struck out a career-high 13 batters over 6 innings during a 12-1 win over Grambling.

RHP Marcus Stroman, Duke: Stroman struck out 13 batters over 7 innings during a 5-1 win over Miami, Fla. From the fourth through the seventh innings, he struck out nine of the final 14 batters he faced.

	LF Zach Taylor, Armstrong Atlantic St.: Taylor hit .545 (12-for-22) with 19 RBIs over 5 games for the Pirates. He collected 2 homers, 2 doubles, 2 triples and 24 total bases on the week and scored 11 runs.
	1B Zach Stephens, Tennessee Tech: Stephens hit 4 homers in 4 games last week as he collected 8 RBIs and scored 7 runs. Stephens has now hit a home run in his last five games.