College | Rankings | 4/26/2017

DII, NAIA, DIII rankings: Apr. 26

Nick Herfordt

Photo: Colorado Mesa Athletics

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April 19 Rankings

With this week’s update we’re going streaking!

Running naked through campus is a surefire way to get noticed. The only thing more entertaining than seeing someone expectedly run around nude is watching the authorities awkwardly try to catch them.

Another kind of streaking, winning an extended number of games in a row, is another certain way to get attention. When teams reach double-digit wins in a row, especially at this time of the season, it’s a incomparable indicator that the club is a national contender. They shoot up national rankings and get an extra look (for better or worse) from their opposition.

When a team is on a hot streak the effects can flow through the clubhouse and elevate players’ games above and beyond their normal output. They’re like a train chugging down the tracks. When momentum is on their side, it’s gonna take something extra to slow them down.

In each of the three divisions a team currently in the midst of a winning streak is highlighted along with a shout out to another pair of schools who are also on the hot list. They’ll be looking to turn their late-season runs into conference and national titles as the last month of the season comes into view. For their sake, hopefully their undefeated run didn’t come too early.

Rankings are based on games through Sunday, April 23.

NCAA Division II

Colorado Mesa Mavericks
To start the season perpetual South Region powerhouse Colorado Mesa was a shadow of their usual self, muddling along with a pedestrian 13-8 record. It was only March 20 when they suffered their eighth loss, a number of defeats they didn’t reach until May 2 last spring and not until mid-May in 2015. To further punctuate their uncanny early results, a pair of those wins were against the University of Colorado Springs, an inexperienced team in their inaugural season which the Mavs would routinely rout. It appeared the preseason prediction of the Mavs being a top 10 team were unexpectedly inaccurate. Nevertheless, the Mavs have proven any report of their demise to be an exaggeration.

With a 16-5 mauling of Adams State Sunday, the Colorado Mesa Mavs are riding a robust 21-game winning streak. It has been a collaborate effort of victory, with all aspects of the team firing on all cylinders. The pitching staff has been phenomenal. Their staff 3.33 ERA is half that of their opposition and more than two runs lower than anyone else in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. As a team they’ve tossed seven shoutouts, two thrown by sophomore Kyle Leahy who has been one of D-II’s most outstanding pitchers. He has a 0.78 ERA (third in the nation), been credited with nine wins (tied for eighth) and is limiting opposition to a .185 average by only allowing six hits per nine innings. Offensively Bligh Madris is the latest name in an increasing list of mighty Maverick hitters as he his fifth in the nation at .447 with a dozen home runs and 50 RBI.

Their 26-2 conference title has already earned them their sixth straight RMAC regular season title and they’ll be heavy favorites to pair it with a tournament title as well. As long as they don’t suffer any surprising setbacks they’ll be in good shape to host their region and advance to the D-II CWS for the third time in eight years.

Mount Olive Trojans
UMO has won 12 in a row to firmly entrench themselves into the top 10. Trojan pitchers have a 2.99 ERA, which is seventh in that nation, and are 12th nationally with 61 team home runs. This would be a good year to see the Trojans advance to the D-II CWS as they wouldn’t be playing in their own backyard.

Minnesota State Mavericks
MSU has won 13 of 15 after starting the season 4-4. While the Mavericks are amassing an impressive win total, 13 of this season’s wins have been by one or two runs. For a school that usually clobbers opposing pitchers, that margin is as discomforting as their pitcher Ricky Digrugilliers’ name is to pronounce.

Rk.	Prev.	School	ST	Record	Week
1	1	Tampa Spartans	FL	29-11	2-1
2	2	North Georgia Nighthawks	GA	36-8	4-0
3	3	Chico State Wildcats	CA	34-7	3-0
4	4	Emporia State Hornets	KS	34-8	3-0
5	5	Mercyhurst Lakers	PA	31-3	4-1
6	6	USC Aiken Pacers	SC	34-11	4-0
7	9	Lubbock Christian Chaparrals	TX	32-10	3-0
8	10	Colorado Mesa Mavericks	CO	34-8	4-0
9	11	Mount Olive Trojans	NC	42-7	5-0
10	8	Dixie State Trailblazers	UT	31-10-1	2-1-1
11	7	Angelo State Rams	TX	32-10	3-2
12	12	Azusa Pacific Cougars	CA	34-8	3-1
13	13	Florida Southern Moccasins	FL	30-10	1-2
14	14	UC San Diego Tritons	CA	28-11	3-1
15	15	Southern Arkansas Muleriders	AR	33-10	1-3
16	16	Delta State Statesman	MS	35-9	3-1
17	17	Nova Southeastern Sharks	FL	28-15	3-0
18	20	Georgia College Bobcats	GA	30-11	2-1
19	19	Minnesota State Mavericks	MN	34-7	6-0
20	21	West Chester Golden Rams	PA	26-7	4-1
21	22	Northwood Wolves	MI	33-9	6-1
22	18	West Texas A&M Buffs	TX	29-11	2-2
23	23	Central Missouri Mules	MO	28-12	3-0
24	24	Belmont Abbey Crusaders	NC	30-15	4-0
25	NR	Southern New Hampshire Penmen	NH	29-7	4-1

Dropped out: Lynn (25).

NAIA

Northwestern Ohio Racers
The Racers extended their program-record winning streak to 19 games Sunday and with upcoming series against Cincinnati Christian, Marygrove and Siena Heights (three teams which are well below .500 for the season) there’s good reason to believe the wins will keep coming. The Racers started the season ranked eighth and moved into the top five this week. With a balanced roster with no notable holes, UNOH is on the short-short list of teams who will be favorites to take home the title.

The pitching staff has been, in a word, dominant. During their current winning streak UNOH hurlers have thrown seven shoutouts and amassed 12 on the season. Their ERA is the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter and their .229 opposing batting average ranks in the top ten nationally despite playing a schedule filled with the competitive ilk of Keiser, Indiana Tech, Georgia Gwinnett and Davenport. Few pitchers have been more impressive this season than Damon Proctor. His 10 wins are second in the NAIA and his 1.52 ERA is sixth. In 89 innings he’s totaled 102 strikeouts with only 24 walks and 62 hits allowed.

The offense is nearly as stellar, hitting .354 as a club and averaging a second-in-the-nation 9.37 runs scored per game. They have speed and power as well, which is another reason they lost only one of 26 conference contests. The only mark against them is that their schedule was extremely front-loaded when it comes to quality opponents. Nevertheless, it would be unwise to think the Racers don’t have an extra gear ready for the postseason.

Huntington Foresters
Until they were edged by Indiana Wesleyan Monday, the Foresters had won 18 of their last 19 games. With their sweep of Taylor last weekend HU assured themselves of a bid in the opening round of the NAIA national tournament as well as at least a share of the Crossroads League regular season title.

Lewis-Clark State Warriors
Since splitting a series with British Columbia in early April the Warriors have won 14 in a row, scoring double-digits in seven of those wins. If the beat downs continue it won’t justify their NAIA opening round exemption, but will make it a little bitter easier to swallow (but just a teeny tiny bit).

Rk.	Prev.	School	ST	Record	Week
1	3	Oklahoma Wesleyan Eagles	OK	41-9	3-1
2	1	Oklahoma City Stars	OK	41-8	1-3
3	4	Bellevue Bruins	NE	40-7	3-0
4	2	Faulkner Eagles	AL	40-10	2-2
5	6	Northwestern Ohio Racers	OH	36-10	4-0
6	8	Southeastern Fire	FL	42-8	4-1
7	7	Tennessee Wesleyan Bulldogs	TN	34-14	3-0
8	9	Middle Georgia State Knights	GA	37-12	2-0
9	5	Webber International Warriors	FL	36-12	1-3
10	11	Keiser Seahawks	FL	36-16	3-1
11	10	St. Thomas Bobcats	FL	34-15	0-1
12	12	Missouri Baptist Spartans	MO	35-12	4-1
13	13	Texas Wesleyan Rams	TX	36-11	4-0
14	20	William Carey Crusaders	MS	31-15	2-1
15	14	Indiana Tech Warriors	IN	34-10	3-1
16	16	USAO Drovers	OK	38-13	3-0
17	17	Tabor Bluejays	KS	33-12	2-1
18	21	Clarke Crusaders	IA	39-9	5-1
19	19	Bryan Lions	TN	32-13	2-0
20	15	Georgia Gwinnett Grizzlies	GA	32-18	1-2
21	25	Davenport Panthers	MI	32-13	5-0
22	NR	Biola Eagles	CA	32-15	3-1
23	NR	Menlo Oaks	CA	32-15	4-1
24	NR	Huntington Foresters	IN	27-8	5-0
25	18	Concordia Cardinals	MI	37-9	3-0

Dropped out: Cumberland (22), Mobile (23), British Columbia (24).

NCAA Division III

Southern Maine Huskies
It look extra innings but the Huskies extended their winning streak to 15 games after upending Plymouth State Sunday. With the win Southern Maine remained undefeated in the Little East Conference and pushed their record to 21-7 overall. It has been quite the turnaround for the team which was at .500 to start the month as they haven't lost since April 2 when they were foiled on both ends of a doubleheader against Wheaton.

A big part of the Huskies’ success has been a solid statistical performance by sophomore Jake Dexter who has been contributing both on the mound, in the field and in the batter’s box. For the season he’s hitting a second-on-the-team .371 as the team’s soft-handed second baseman, but he’s been even more impactful as the club’s closer. He’s appeared in 15 of the team’s 29 games, earning three wins and seven saves on the season. Last week he earned conference pitcher of the week honors after earning four saves and a win in his five pitching appearances. Over those 10 innings he had a 0.90 ERA and only allowed a handful of hits.

Despite Dexter’s dominance, the Huskies are far from being a one-man team. As a club they’re hitting .328 with freshman Dylan Hapworth topping the team at a .422 mark with eight home runs. Matt Correale has been a valuable member of the pitching staff, appearing in 20 games with a 2.54 ERA, and Dalton Rice is emerging to be one of the region’s best pitchers as he has fanned 44 in 40 1/3 innings with a 3.12 ERA.

With a roster full of underclassmen the Huskies seemed to be a season away from being a national contender, but their young arms and bats have developed quickly to put them in the Top 25 this week.

Salve Regina Seahawks
The Seahawks have won 13 of 14 and moved up to the 20th position in the rankings after a busy and fruitful week in which they impressively won seven games. In their breakout season Salve has seven players with at least 100 plate appearances batting over .300 and a pitching staff currently holding opposition to a .218 average.

Concordia University Chicago Cougars
The Cougars started the season ranked in the top 10, but quickly fell out after a sluggish 8-9 start. CU has rebounded of late, winning 12 of 14 including a mercy-rule win and shutout in their last two. With a 14-2 record they’ve captured the NACC regular season title and will be looking to add more hardware in the national postseason.

Rk.	Prev.	School	ST	Record	Week
1	1	Shenandoah Hornets	VA	31-3	4-0
2	2	Birmingham-Southern Panthers	AL	32-6	3-0
3	7	Oswego State Lakers	NY	23-8	4-1
4	5	Wooster Fighting Scots	OH	24-5	5-0
5	3	Cortland State Red Dragons	NY	29-7	1-2
6	6	Centenary Gents	LA	29-6	2-1
7	4	UW-Whitewater Warhawks	WI	23-5	3-2
8	8	Tyler Texas Patriots	TX	31-5	3-0
9	9	LaGrange Panthers	GA	38-4	3-0
10	12	La Roche Redhawks	PA	26-6	5-0
11	10	Randolph-Macon Yellow Jackets	VA	24-10	1-2
12	15	Salisbury Seagulls	MD	30-8	4-0
13	11	Tufts Jumbos	MA	21-5-1	3-2
14	13	Emory Eagles	GA	27-12	3-1
15	14	Johns Hopkins Blue Jays	MD	28-6	4-0
16	17	St. John Fisher Cardinals	NY	23-6	5-0
17	16	UT Dallas Comets	TX	28-9	3-1
18	20	Washington Bears	MO	20-8	2-0
19	21	Cal Lutheran Kingsmen	CA	26-9	4-0
20	24	Salve Regina Seahawks	RI	27-5	7-1
21	NR	Southern Maine Huskies	ME	21-7	5-0
22	NR	Washington & Jefferson Presidents	PA	23-7	5-2
23	NR	St. Joseph’s Monks	ME	26-6	6-2
24	NR	Linfield Wildcats	WA	28-11	4-1
25	NR	Concordia University Chicago Cougars	IL	22-11	5-1