Tigers Move Up Baseball Polls

by Press Release - Tue May 12 01:00:39 GMT-04:00 2009

U.C. IRVINE NO. 1 IN COLLEGIATE BASEBALL NEWSPAPER POLL

TUCSON, Ariz. - U.C. Irvine (37-11) has been ranked No. 1 for the fourth

straight time in "Collegiate Baseball" newspaper's NCAA Division I baseball

poll.

The Anteaters, which have won 18 of their last 20 games and seven in a row,

lead the Big West Conference with a 17-1 record.

POLL NOTES: Several other teams have been red-hot. Arizona St. won five

straight last week and is first in the Pac-10 with a 16-5 mark. Alabama made

a big move in the poll after sweeping three games from Arkansas and moving

to second in the Southeastern Conference with a 17-9 record as the Crimson

Tide jumped from 23rd a week ago to 10th this week. Another red-hot team is

Missouri which has won 10 of its last 12 conference games and sits in second

in the Big 12 Conference with a 16-11 record. The Tigers are 14th this week.

Five teams fell out of the top 30 in Oregon St. (2-2 last week, now in a tie

for fourth in the Pac-10), Kansas (2-2), Illinois (2-3), Kent St. (1-3), and

Ohio St. (2-3). New to the poll is Missouri, Minnesota (won 6 of last 7,

first place in Big Ten with 15-5 record), Louisville (won 7 of last 8),

Texas St. (won 6 in a row) and Indiana St. (won 13 of last 14).

The "Collegiate Baseball" newspaper poll is the oldest college baseball

poll. Its birth took place during the 1957 college baseball season.

Collegiate Baseball Newspaper's

NCAA Div. I Poll

(As of May 11, 2009)

Rank School (Record) Points Previous

1. U.C. Irvine (37-11) 492 1

2. Louisiana St. (38-14) 485 3

3. Arizona St. (38-11) 483 4

4. North Carolina (38-13) 482 2

5. Cal. St. Fullerton (36-13) 480 5

6. Texas (36-12-1) 477 8

7. Florida St. (36-14) 475 6

8. Georgia Tech. (33-12-1) 474 10

9. Rice (33-13) 472 7

10. Alabama (35-15) 469 23

11. Florida (35-17) 467 9

12. Virginia (37-10-1) 466 11

13. Mississippi (37-15) 463 12

14. Missouri (30-23) 459 -

15. Georgia (34-17) 457 14

16. Arkansas (31-17) 453 13

17. Clemson (34-17) 450 19

18. Kansas St. (38-13-1) 448 17

19. Texas A&M (33-18) 447 15

20. Oklahoma (37-16) 446 21

21. Miami, Fla. (32-18) 444 20

22. Cal Poly (33-15) 441 16

23. Texas Christian (31-14) 440 22

24. Minnesota (33-14) 438 -

25. Texas St. (37-12) 436 -

26. Indiana St. (33-14) 433 -

27. South Florida (31-19) 431 28

28. Louisville (36-14) 430 -

29. George Mason (38-9) 429 29

30. East Carolina (37-15) 427 30

Baseball America

DURHAM, N.C.⎯UC Irvine remained undefeated in weekend series by sweeping Pacific, allowing the Anteaters to clinch at least a share of the Big West title and remain at No. 1 in the Baseball America Top 25 rankings.

Louisiana State took two out of three from then-No. 11 Florida in a battle of the Southeastern Conference's top two teams. The Tigers took sole possession of first place in the SEC thanks to the series win and moved up to No. 2 in the rankings, while the Gators slid two spots to 13th. Several other teams moved up in the top 10, including Cal State Fullerton, which won a weekend series on the road against Cal Poly, which slid six spots to No. 18. Georgia Tech also scored an important series victory, winning two of three at home against Florida State to move up to No. 7 in the rankings.

Alabama was this week's biggest mover. The Crimson Tide swept then-No. 17 Arkansas over the weekend to vault nine positions all the way to No. 12. Other teams that made notable moves in the rankings include Oklahoma, which won a weekend series against Oklahoma State to move up three spots to No. 15, and East Carolina, which knocked off Houston on the road. The Pirates jumped four spots to No. 20.

Four teams joined the rankings this week, one for the first time all season. Big Ten-leading Minnesota returned to the rankings at No. 21 thanks to a road series win over Michigan. The Gophers are followed at No. 22 by Southern Conference leader Elon, which joined the rankings for the first time this year thanks to a road sweep against Western Carolina. Also rejoining the rankings for the first time since February are Louisville and Missouri, which won weekend series against St. John's and then-No. 23 Kansas, respectively.

The staff of Baseball America determines the Top 25 rankings. Records indicated are through games of May 10 and do not include ties.

Rk. Team W-L Last Prev.

1. UC Irvine 37-11 3-0 1

2. Louisiana State 38-13 2-1 3

3. Arizona State 38-11 5-0 5

4. Rice 33-13 2-2 2

5. Cal St Fullerton 36-13 4-1 6

6. Texas 36-12 3-1 8

7. Georgia Tech 33-12 2-1 9

8. North Carolina 38-13 3-2 4

9. Mississippi 37-15 1-2 7

10. Virginia 37-10 2-1 13