Diamond Dogs Retain Top Spot In Baseball America Poll
May 25, 2016 | Baseball
The Bulldogs registered a series-clinching 7-6 win over Louisiana State atAlex Box Stadium Sunday afternoon to improve to 19-1 overall and 4-1 inSoutheastern Conference play.
Senior shortstop Thomas Berkery provided the game-winning blow for theBulldogs ?€? a bases-loaded sacrifice fly in the 10th inning that propelledState to its second SEC series win in as many weeks and their first serieswin at Alex Box Stadium since 2000. Berkery (.403) enters this week'scompetition riding a 17-game hitting streak.
The series win at LSU helped the Bulldogs maintain their No. 1 position inBaseball America's weekly national rankings. Cal State Fullerton (20-7) andGeorgia Tech (20-4) were second and third. MSU also climbed to No. 2 in theweekly rankings compiled by Tucson-based Collegiate Baseball newspaper.Florida State (25-2), with wins in 22 of its last 23 games, leads that poll.
The SEC is well-represented in this week's national rankings. Behindtop-ranked MSU are No. 5 South Carolina (22-3), No. 13 Arkansas (20-5), No.15 Florida (17-11), No. 16 Louisiana State (19-7), No. 20 Kentucky (20-5),No. 21 Tennessee (17-7) and No. 22 Georgia (17-5). Two other league teamsnot ranked in that poll appear in the Collegiate Baseball rankings - No. 16Alabama (19-8) and No. 17 Vanderbilt (17-7).
Mississippi State reaches the midpoint of its 2006 home baseball schedulethis week when the Bulldogs play host to Birmingham-Southern (13-8) in apair of midweek contests. MSU and BSC meet Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. and closeout their two-game set with a 4 p.m. game Wednesday. Junior righty JonCrosby (2-0, 2.65) is due to open on the mound Tuesday for MSU opposite BSCsophomore lefty Blake Martin (2-1, 2.52).
BASEBALL AMERICA Poll
Team W-L
1. Mississippi State (19-1)
2. Cal State Fullerton (20-7)
3. Georgia Tech (20-4)
4. Florida State (25-2)
5. South Carolina (22-3)
6. Rice (20-8)
7. North Carolina (20-5)
8. Nebraska (17-3)
9. Clemson (16-6)
10. Texas (19-10)
11. Tulane (17-9)
12. Oregon State (15-7)
13. Arkansas (20-5)
14. Arizona State (21-7)
15. Florida (17-1)
16. Louisiana State (19-7)
17. Wichita State (21-5)
18. Oklahoma (18-5)
19. Pepperdine (18-11)
20. Kentucky (20-5)
21. Tennessee (17-7)
22. Georgia (17-5)
23. Virginia (22-5)
24. Winthrop (21-5)
25. Miami (23-7)
Dropped Out: Stanford (17), North Carolina State (20), Baylor (22).
Collegiate Baseball Poll
Rank School (Record)
1. Florida State (25-2)
2. Mississippi State (19-1)
3. Nebraska (17-3)
4. Georgia Tech (20-4)
5. South Carolina (22-3)
6. Cal State Fullerton (20-7)
7. Rice (20-8)
8. North Carolina (20-5)
9. Clemson (16-6)
10. Texas (19-10)
11. Miami, Fla. (23-7)
12. Arizona State (21-7)
13. Wichita State (21-5)
14. Virginia (22-5)
15. Louisiana State (19-7)
16. Alabama (19-8)
17. Vanderbilt (17-7)
18. Oregon State (15-7)
19. Georgia (17-5)
20. Arkansas (20-5)
21. Kentucky (20-5)
22. Tennessee (17-7)
23. Oklahoma (20-6)
24. Baylor (16-8)
25. James Madison (19-5)
26. Winthrop (21-5)
27. Old Dominion (25-3)
28. Washington St. (20-6)
29. Missouri (15-8)
30. Tulane (17-9)
