Monday, May 5, 2008

 

TUSCULUM CLIMBS TO NO. 14 IN COLLEGIATE BASEBALL POLL

 

                TUCSON, Ariz. --- The Tusculum College baseball team has moved up three spots and is listed No. 14 in this week’s Collegiate Baseball Division II Coaches’ Poll announced officials Monday.

 

                The Pioneers (40-13) went 2-0 last week, sweeping a doubleheader against sixth-ranked (NAIA) University of the Cumberlands.  With the victory, Tusculum clinches its fourth straight 40-win season.

 

                Mount Olive holds down the No. 1 spot in the nation with its 49-5 record, followed by Delta State and Tampa.  Emporia State is up two spots to No. 4, while Abilene Christian slips one to fifth.  Sonoma State is sixth, followed by Southern Arkansas, Columbus State, UC San Diego and USC Aiken.  Valdosta State and CSU Chico are tied for 11th, followed by West Alabama in 13th and Tusculum in 14th.

 

                Mesa State and Wayne State (Neb.) are tied for 15th place, followed by St. Joseph’s (Ind.) and Nebraska-Omaha.  Catawba and Erskine are tied for 19th, followed by Ouachita Baptist, West Virginia State, Central Missouri, West Chester, North Georgia, Southern Indiana, Western Oregon, Bryant, Franklin Pierce and Wayne State (Mich.).

 

                Tusculum has already clinched an automatic berth for next week’s NCAA Division II Tournament (May 15-18).  Tournament site and pairings have yet to be determined.  The Pioneers will be making their fourth trip to the NCAA South Regional in the last six years.

 

- TC -

 

Collegiate Baseball Division II Coaches’ Poll

Rk.

Team

Record

Pts.

Prv.

1

Mount Olive

49-5

480

1

2

Delta State

42-8

464

2

3

Tampa

38-9-1

448

3

4

Emporia State

46-7

422

6

5

Abilene Christian

41-14

418

4

6

Sonoma State

42-12

408

5

7

Southern Arkansas

42-9

380

7

8

Columbus State

39-15

360

9

9

UC San Diego

41-14

356

8

10

USC Aiken

43-13

344

10

11

Valdosta State

35-17

304

11

 

CSU Chico

37-13

304

13

13

West Alabama

43-10

284

12

14

TUSCULUM

40-13

258

17

15

Mesa State

40-15

250

25

 

Wayne State (Neb.)

38-10

250

16

17

St. Joseph’s (Ind.)

41-14

216

14

18

Nebraska-Omaha

39-11

200

30

19

Catawba

38-16

186

21

 

Erskine

44-9

186

15

21

Ouachita Baptist

43-13

176

22

22

West Virginia State

36-12

134

27

23

Central Missouri State

38-14

132

23

24

West Chester

41-14

128

20

25

North Georgia

37-19

118

29

26

Southern Indiana

36-18

76

24

27

Western Oregon

36-18

56

NR

28

Bryant

38-17

40

26

29

Franklin Pierce

35-12-1

32

NR

 

Wayne State (Mich.)

30-15

32

18

Others Receiving Votes: Francis Marion 28, CSU-Stanislaus 26, St. Edward’s 20, Metro State 10, Ashland 10, Belmont Abbey 4, Grand Valley State 4, Shippensburg 4, Bellarmine 2, Carson-Newman 2, Nova Southeastern 1, Florida Southern 1, Lynn 1, Florida Tech 1, Georgia College & State University (1), UNC Pembroke 1, Montevallo 1, St. Mary’s (Texas) 1, Northern Kentucky 1.

Tusculum Opponents in Italics