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College  | Rankings | 5/3/2017

DII, NAIA, DIII rankings: May 3

Photo: IU Southeast Athletics




April 26 Rankings

For a number of NAIA teams, when the final out was made in last weekend’s games, it signified the end of their school’s season. For the teams who weren’t fortunate enough to tally as many wins as they hoped and qualify for the postseason, there are no more games remaining on their schedule. Likewise, the end of their season is rapidly approaching or has already come to a close for an increasing number of number of NCAA D-II and D-III clubs as well. The end is nigh.

For the majority of teams listed in the Top 25 rankings they can reasonably rest assured that they have some more baseball left in their tank. They’ve qualified for conference tournaments and most likely will be playing in their division’s national tournament as well. Along with this week’s update a special look will be made at a trio of teams in each division whose postseason forecast is still a bit cloudy.

For each of the three mentioned they’re not worried about their conference tournament; they’ve already reached that mile marker. Instead they’re hoping their final destination will be further into the future with an opportunity to play in regionals, and hopefully in final series. Keep a special eye on these clubs and see if their postseason outcome keeps pace with their high-minded aspirations. 

Rankings are based on games through Sunday, April 30.


NCAA Division II

Cal Baptist Lancers
CBU has weekly received perpetual consideration for rankings inclusion since the preseason, but for one reason or another has consistently remained on the outside looking in. They’ve accumulated an enviable résumé of wins which includes defeats of Colorado Mesa, Dixie State, Azusa Pacific and Point Loma, however they sport some curious losses as well, namely a recent pair to Holy Names, which has inevitably kept them out. Nevertheless, after their sweep of Hawai?i Hilo last weekend Cal Baptist claims an open spot in the rankings vacated by Central Missouri. As the currently fifth-ranked team from the West Region the Lancers are relatively assured of a spot in the extended postseason and should sleep easy, but a trio of wins over Concordia would certainly seal the deal.

Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles
With their rotation returning following a second trip to the D-II Championship Series in three years the Eagles were on the shortlist of preseason favorites to make yet another trip to the finals. Despite the optimistic prognostication and a preseason top 15 ranking, USI’s season hasn’t gone accordingly. They started the season with a unScreagle-like 12-14 record, but their fortunes have seen quite the turnaround since early April. The Eagles have gone 17-2 since then which includes an impressive four-game, two shutout sweep of Indianapolis last weekend. USI very well may be the best team in the Midwest, but overcoming their clunky start in the eyes of some pollsters has been a difficult obstacle. USI finishes the regular season with a much-win series against St. Joseph’s College, one which will be emotionally charged as they’re the last home games for the Pumas whose entire school is being shuttered after the season.

New Haven Chargers
With a 22-9 overall record and a second place position in the NE-10 Southeast Division the Chargers have postseason credentials, but need a little more oomph to make sure they get to play in the East Region tournament. Their sweep of Le Moyne last week helped their chances considerably, but New Haven could really put the invite in the bag this week with a midweek win over current division standings’ pole sitter Southern Connecticut State combined with a sweep of conference also ran American International. The Chargers have a pair of top shelf starters in Tim Kennedy and David Palmer who could make them very, very dangerous in the postseason as two quick wins in a tournament are a immeasurable advantage.


Rk. Prev. School ST Record Week
1 1 Tampa Spartans FL 32-11 3-0
2 2 North Georgia Nighthawks GA 40-8 4-0
3 3 Chico State Wildcats CA 38-7 4-0
4 4 Emporia State Hornets KS 37-9 3-1
5 5 Mercyhurst Lakers PA 34-4 3-1
6 6 USC Aiken Pacers SC 36-11 2-0
7 8 Colorado Mesa Mavericks CO 37-9 3-1
8 10 Dixie State Trailblazers UT 35-10-1 4-0
9 7 Lubbock Christian Chaparrals TX 33-12 1-2
10 9 Mount Olive Trojans NC 46-8 4-1
11 11 Angelo State Rams TX 36-10 4-0
12 12 Azusa Pacific Cougars CA 38-8 4-0
13 17 Nova Southeastern Sharks FL 31-15 3-0
14 19 Minnesota State Mavericks MN 38-7 4-0
15 20 West Chester Golden Rams PA 30-7 4-0
16 16 Delta State Statesman MS 36-11 2-2
17 15 Southern Arkansas Muleriders AR 36-12 3-2
18 13 Florida Southern Moccasins FL 30-13 0-3
19 14 UC San Diego Tritons CA 29-14 1-3
20 18 Georgia College Bobcats GA 31-13 1-2
21 25 Southern New Hampshire Penmen NH 33-6 6-0
22 21 Northwood Wolves MI 35-11 2-2
23 22 West Texas A&M Buffs TX 31-13 2-2
24 24 Belmont Abbey Crusaders NC 33-16 3-1
25 NR Cal Baptist Lancers CA 31-15 4-0

Dropped out: Central Missouri (23).



NAIA

University of the Cumberlands Patriots
The Patriots looks like a national postseason shoo-in a couple of weeks ago, but after being swept by another bubble team, Campbellsville, their postseason prospects were put into a bit of a pickle. Their ace Noah Gapp suffered a loss and was roughed up for six earned runs in seven innings by an extremely under .500 Shawnee State team which required the Pats to take the next two to earn a spot in the Mid-South Conference Tournament. The Pats took the series, but will still likely need some tournament W’s to earn an invite into the NAIA postseason. They really, really, really could use Gapp to establish his commanding first half of the season form. While his ERA is a still impressive, 2.15, that number has doubled over his last 30 innings on the mound.

LSU Alexandria Generals
The Generals are another team riding a second half surge into the postseason. After sweeping LSUS last weekend LSUA claimed their third straight River City Athletic Conference Regular Season Championship, an outcome that didn’t seem likely mid-March following an embarrassing 20-7 mercy-run loss to Texas A&M Texarkana which left them with a respectable yet unremarkable 18-14 record. Their 15-5 record since then typically would make them a postseason lock, but the Generals haven’t been performing in their matchups against ranked opposition. LSUA suffered a four home game sweep to Faulkner (two of which by 10 runs) and another four to William Carey (two of which by at least nine). Had the Generals been able to capture a least one of those games their long-term postseason prospects would be much more optimistic.

Indiana Southeast Grenadiers and Point Park Pioneers
The Grenadiers and Pioneers recently split a pair of doubleheaders to shed little light on which River States Conference team is superior. Point Park won the regular season conference title, however IU Southeast has better non-conference results with wins over Huntington and Campbellsville. Both schools have all-round ability, which could carry them far in the postseason if they can click on all cylinders. Point Park ranks among the national leaders in batting average and fielding percentage (with a good pitching staff to boot) and the Grenadiers are amongst the leaders in scoring ability with a team fearless and opportunistic on the basepaths.


Rk. Prev. School ST Record Week
1 1 Oklahoma Wesleyan Eagles OK 44-9 3-0
2 2 Oklahoma City Stars OK 41-8 0-0
3 3 Bellevue Bruins NE 47-7 5-0
4 4 Faulkner Eagles AL 43-10 3-0
5 5 Northwestern Ohio Racers OH 39-10 3-0
6 6 Southeastern Fire FL 44-8 2-0
7 8 Middle Georgia State Knights GA 40-12 3-0
8 13 Texas Wesleyan Rams TX 41-11 5-0
9 9 Webber International Warriors FL 36-13 0-1
10 10 Keiser Seahawks FL 36-16 0-0
11 11 St. Thomas Bobcats FL 34-15 0-0
12 12 Missouri Baptist Spartans MO 35-12 0-0
13 14 William Carey Crusaders MS 36-15 5-0
14 15 Indiana Tech Warriors IN 37-10 3-0
15 7 Tennessee Wesleyan Bulldogs TN 35-18 1-4
16 16 USAO Drovers OK 39-13 0-0
17 17 Tabor Bluejays KS 38-13 4-1
18 18 Clarke Crusaders IA 41-10 2-1
19 21 Davenport Panthers MI 36-13 4-0
20 20 Georgia Gwinnett Grizzlies GA 35-19 3-1
21 22 Biola Eagles CA 34-16 2-1
22 25 Concordia Cardinals MI 41-9 4-0
23 23 Menlo Oaks CA 33-16 1-1
24 NR Indiana Southeast Grenadiers IN 42-11 6-0
25 NR Cumberlands Patriots KY 39-15 3-1

Dropped out: Bryan (19), Huntington (24).


NCAA Division III

Linfield Wildcats
Despite starting the season with an unimpressive 8-7 record, Linfield has established themselves as one of the top teams in the western time zone.  The Wildcats won both the regular season and NWC tournament titles thanks to a standout statistical performer both on offense and on the mound. Scott Hilpert is leading the team with a .383 batting average and his 12 home runs tie him for third in D-III. Meanwhile on the mound Cason Cunningham has a 1.92 ERA and has struck out 100 batters in 79 2/3 innings while rudely allowing opposition to a measly 40 hits.

St. Scholastica Saints
The Saints are routinely one of the most difficult teams to gauge as they constantly compile an ultra high winning percentage, yet many of the wins come at the expense of their less-than-spectacular Upper Midwest Athletic Conference opposition. St. Scholastica went 15-1 last season in the UMAC and are currently 12-0 with several lopsided wins. Just last Saturday the Saints crumpled Northwestern Minnesota by a combined score of 33-3 in two mercy rule shortened contests. Nevertheless, even if they score half the runs they’re accustomed to going forward, they should have the ability to get earn some wins in the NCAA’s as they’re averaging a robust nine wins per game on the season.

Wartburg Knights
The Knights started the season ranked, but like many of the teams listed above, had a irksome start to the spring and looked like a non-contender. Wartburg was once 7-7 but now boasts a 26-10 overall record, going 19-3 since their woeful start to once again top the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Just last week they demonstrated their prowess in a series against Central College, punctuated with a 15-0 thrashing in the finale. The Knights, while not having won a regional as of late, are nonetheless never a pushover in the extended postseason. In their last three appearances they’ve managed a win and could easily earn more if a few balls bounce their way.


Rk. Prev. School ST Record Week
1 3 Oswego State Lakers NY 28-8 5-0
2 2 Birmingham-Southern Panthers AL 32-6 2-0
3 1 Shenandoah Hornets VA 33-6 2-3
4 5 Cortland State Red Dragons NY 33-7 4-0
5 4 Wooster Fighting Scots OH 24-5 3-1
6 6 Centenary Gents LA 34-8 3-1
7 7 UW-Whitewater Warhawks WI 26-6 3-1
8 8 Tyler Texas Patriots TX 33-6 2-1
9 9 LaGrange Panthers GA 38-4 0-0
10 10 La Roche Redhawks PA 26-6 4-2
11 13 Tufts Jumbos MA 25-5-1 4-0
12 12 Salisbury Seagulls MD 31-9 1-1
13 11 Randolph-Macon Yellow Jackets VA 25-12 1-2
14 14 Emory Eagles GA 27-12 0-0
15 15 Johns Hopkins Blue Jays  MD 32-6 4-0
16 16 St. John Fisher Cardinals NY 27-7 4-1
17 17 UT Dallas Comets TX 31-9 3-0
18 18 Washington Bears MO 20-8 0-0
19 19 Cal Lutheran Kingsmen CA 28-10 2-1
20 21 Southern Maine Huskies ME 25-8 4-1
21 22 Washington & Jefferson Presidents PA 26-7 3-0
22 23 St. Joseph’s Monks ME 30-6 4-0
23 20 Salve Regina Seahawks  RI 30-7 3-2
24 25 Concordia University Chicago Cougars IL 24-11 2-0
25 24 Linfield Wildcats WA 30-13 2-2

Dropped out: None.



College | Story | 5/25/2026

Field of 64 Projections

Vincent Cervino
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The 2026 season was one of the most exciting and unpredictable editions of college baseball in recent memory, and as quickly as it flew by, we are ready to start the “Road to Omaha”.  After hours of deliberation, we are ready to release our projected region field and “Field of 64” as we see it.  The UCLA Bruins (51-6) start us off as the anticipated No. 1 National Seed as they put the finishing touches on a historic season, including a 27-game win streak, a Big 10 Regular Season title and Big 10 Tournament championship.  The Big 10 looks like they will have (4) teams in the field, with (3) host sights, representing the West Coast well.  The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (48-9) should secure the No. 2 Nation Seed and lead the charge for (8) teams from the ACC in the field with (3) of them securing host opportunities.  Meanwhile, the Georgia...
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East Memorial Day Scout Notes: Days 1-2

Perfect Game Staff
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‘27 IF Braylon Sheffield (FL) with an absolute 🚀 here, launching high off the RCF wall for a 3B. Super polished LH stick; hit over .400 last year on the circuit. #GoHoos commit. #EastMemorial pic.twitter.com/mdehqpR5v5 — Perfect Game Florida (@Florida_PG) May 23, 2026 Braylon Sheffield (2027, Fort Myers, Fla.) got the event started with the loudest swing of the night on Friday at Terry Park, rocketing a triple off the wall in the stadium. Sheffield, ranked 121 and committed to Virginia, is a super polished left-handed hitter with left side of the infield projection long term. The swing is tension-free with loose wrists and he generates easy bat speed with already present power to the pull side. This blast came inches away from being a home run and hitting a ball that far at Terry Park stadium is a significant shot. Sheffield also tripled in his second game of the weekend at...
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West Memorial Day Scout Notes: Days 1-2

Tyler Henninger
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Colton Floyd (‘27,AZ) just misses a HR here. Can really impact the baseball & shows over the fence power potential. Took 3 QAB’s today. He’s the #1 ranked 3B in the state and #4 in the country. #MDWest https://t.co/ReMh7D0v4y pic.twitter.com/w1dzssSy8N — Perfect Game Four Corners (@PG_FourCorners) May 23, 2026 Colton Floyd, 3B, Chandler, AZ. Canes West National (2027) Floyd is a high-upside prospect with physical tools and burgeoning power. His combination of size, bat speed, and raw strength makes him one of the top power-hitting third basemen in the country. Currently ranked the #1 third baseman in Arizona and #4 nationally in his class. With continued refinement of his approach and defensive consistency, he has all the ingredients to be a middle-of-the-order bat at Texas A&M and a legitimate MLB Draft prospect JJ Utash (‘27,AZ) with a triple here....
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Memorial Day Classics Set to Kick Off

Perfect Game Staff
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Southeast Memorial Day East Cobb Baseball will welcome more than 100 teams spanning the 13-17u age groups this weekend as summer baseball gets underway with the highly anticipated PG Southeast Memorial Day Classic, commencing on Thursday, May 21st. This weekend’s annual premier event will feature 11 nationally ranked teams across the five age groups with the No. 9 16u East Cobb Astros headlining the 17u division alongside top prospects such as No. 11 ranked Bryan Johnson Jr. And No. 22 ranked Georgia Tech commit, Malachi Butler. The No. 34 17u ranked 643 DP Cougars will also be a squad to watch as they will look to challenge the Astros for the championship amongst the other 14 17u division teams. While the oldest division will draw lots of attention with highly touted prospects, the 16u field is stacked with 29 total teams including three nationally ranked clubs. Over 30 top 1000...
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Northeast High School Notebook: May 22

Anthony Gambardella
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‘26 RHP Hunter Brown (@NHLionsBaseball - NJ) struck out 1️⃣5️⃣ thru 6 IP w/ 0 BB & 2 H allowed. FB lived 90-92, T93 w/ ASR & late life. Froze bats with his 11/5 CB both early/late in counts (2600rpm). Mixed in fading CH & short/tight SL. #WeAre commit. @PG_Draft#PGHS @PG_Scouting pic.twitter.com/NbSSOmCyD0 — Perfect Game Mid-Atlantic (@PGMidAtlantic) April 23, 2026 Hunter Brown - 2026 RHP, North Hunterdon Reg (N.J.) was utterly dominant in his start against Franklin last month, tossing six shutout innings with 15 strikeouts, zero walks and just two hits allowed. The 6-foot-5 215-pound right-hander has pitched to a 0.97 ERA this spring with 78 punchouts over 36 innings of work. Brown has been one of the many northeast arms receiving increasingly more buzz ahead of the MLB Draft this July. Brown’s heater lived in the low-90s throughout the duration of his...
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Ron Wolforth
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DII/DIII/NAIA Rankings Update: May 20

Nick Herfordt
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John Coppolella
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Jheremy Brown
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College Players of the Week: May 19

Vincent Cervino
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May 19th Perfect Game/Co-Players of the Week:  Carson Tinney, C, Texas  The Texas Longhorns just finished off another stellar regular season and are heading to Hoover for the SEC Conference Tournament as the No. 2 Seed this week.  To secure their 2nd place finish, they had to sweep Missouri at home last weekend and did so in large part to the power bat of Carson Tinney.  The 6-4/240 catcher from Castle Pines, CO transferred to Austin after two sensational seasons at Notre Dame and has thrived in his draft year.  In the 3-game set, Tinney collected 7 hits in 13 at-bats, scoring 5 runs, with a double, 3 home runs and he drove in 10 runs all told.  With some of the most prodigious power in the college game this year, Tinney is now slashing .321/.695/.473 with 10 doubles an incredible 20 home runs and 54 RBIs while playing in the most spacious ballpark in the...
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