This could be our biggest week yet across the Division II baseball landscape. Half of the PerfectGame.org Top 25 will be taking on quality competition, and we are bound to have some shake-ups somewhere along the way with this many high-quality teams facing off in one week. We have a pair of series' this week that feature Top 25 teams squaring off against each other, but our Marquee Match-Up of the Week heads in to the Southeast for a key conference series between two of the top teams in the nation, record-wise, early on in the season:
Lander (21-5, 12-3 PBC) at #6 Columbus State (20-5, 8-1 PBC)
Game One: Friday, 3/18, 6:00 PM ET (Live Stats | Video | Audio)
Game Two: Saturday, 3/19, 6:00 PM ET (Live Stats | Video | Audio)
Game Three: Sunday, 3/20, 1:00 PM ET (Live Stats | Video | Audio)
Projected Pitching Match-Ups
Game One: LU Will Jones (3-2, 4.30) vs CSU Caleb Kutsche (2-0, 3.66)
Game Two: LU Sam Linn (3-0, 4.21) vs CSU Albert Harless (3-0, 5.12)
Game Three: LU JD Waite (3-1, 4.32) vs CSU Brandon Koehler (5-0, 3.79)
(Projected pitching match-ups are based solely on previous rotation schedules and should not be considered official in any way.)
Control of the PBC for the rest of the season would seem to be up for grabs in this match-up. If there's one thing we can be fairly certain of, it is that we should expect a lot of runs to cross the plate this weekend. Despite their great records, Lander is carrying a team ERA of 3.99, while CSU has tallied a team ERA of 5.54.
The highlight of this series is going to be at the plate, where CSU's team batting average of .343 carries a fairly significant advantage over Lander's team average of .283. Among national rankings, CSU finds themselves in the top 15 across Division II in a bevy of categories, including leading the country in walks, ranking second in runs scored, third in home runs, fourth in hits, fifth in home runs per game and runs per game, eighth in on-base percentage, 13th in slugging percentage and just on the outside at 16th for batting average. They are in the top two of the PBC in every one of those categories.
For Lander, they are second in the country in walks (just behind CSU) and third in hit-by-pitches. They rank third in home runs, fifth in home runs per game, and 11th in runs scored. I think you can see where this series might be heading.
This series will feature the national leaders in a pair of pitching categories, however. CSU's Brandon Koehler is one of 19 players with five victories in Division II, which leads the way, while Lander's closer Brandon White leads the country in saves with seven.
When it comes to the Peach Belt standings, these are the top two teams entering the weekend. USC Aiken is just behind them at 11-4 in the conference, and there is a healthy drop off to the rest of the league. For all intents and purposes, the winner of this series should be in the drivers seat for the remainder of the season.
Although they aren't being granted the label as our Marquee Match-Up of the Week, we do have a pair of weekend series' in Division II that feature top-25 opponents squaring off:
#19 UC San Diego (17-7, 7-5 CCAA) vs #12 Cal Poly Pomona (15-6, 7-3 CCAA)
Game One (at CPP): Saturday, 3/19, 9:00 PM ET (Live Stats | Audio)
Game Two (at UCSD): Sunday, 3/20, 5:00 PM ET (Live Stats | Video)
Game Three (at UCSD): Sunday, 3/20, 8:00 PM ET (Live Stats | Video)
Game Four (at CPP): Monday, 3/21, 9:00 PM ET (Live Stats | Audio)
Projected Pitching Match-Ups
Game One: UCSD Jack Rupe (3-1, 2.70) vs CPP Ryan Olson (3-0, 1.93)
Game Two: UCSD Preston Mott (0-0, 2.92) vs CPP Max Bethell (2-2, 2.33)
Game Three: UCSD Alon Leichman (2-1, 2.84) vs CPP Michael Koval (3-0, 2.16)
Game Four: UCSD John Erhardt (1-0, 3.60) vs CPP Peter Bayer (1-1, 5.06) or Tyler Rowe (3-0, 3.57)
(Projected pitching match-ups are based solely on previous rotation schedules and should not be considered official in any way.)
Running *extremely* contrary to our last series, this should be a series of stellar pitching throughout the weekend. It is a match-up between two of the three best teams in the west region, and the staffs certainly lead the way for both of them. UCSD's staff has compiled a 3.51 team ERA, compared to CPP's 3.01, led by Ryan Olson, who may be the top pitcher in the country this year. Olson, a junior, has yet to lose a decision at the Division II level since transferring from San Diego, a perfect 15-0 so far in his CPP career. He shared "ace" status with Cody Ponce last year, a compensatory pick in the 2015 MLB Draft, and put up better numbers nearly across the board than Ponce did.
While the Tritons don't have a Justin Donatella toeing the rubber for a guaranteed win every weekend, they are getting by on a solid team effort on the mound. There is almost no drop-off between their #1 starter and #4 starter, and each gives their opportunistic offense a chance to win.
With all that said about the pitching staffs, it isn't as if the offense is left for naught. UCSD's Jack Larsen is putting together one of the best all-around seasons at the plate this year in the region, batting .362 with 11 extra base-hits among his 34, 23 RBI, and a .596 slugging percentage. For CPP, the big bat is that of Jared James, batting .378 with seven doubles, six home runs, 21 RBI, a .716 slugging percentage and a .505 on-base percentage, which by far leads the team. He has drawn 16 walks (and four HBP's) compared to only nine strikeouts on the year.
These two squads find themselves #1 and #2 in the CCAA South division. While they should both run away with the top two spots in their division, they are also trying to keep pace with Sonoma State (6-3) and CSU Monterey Bay (4-2) in the North.
#7 Quincy (10-3) at #21 Southern Indiana (11-4)
Game One: Saturday, 3/19, 7:00 PM ET (Live Stats | Audio)
Game Two: Sunday, 3/20, 1:00 PM ET (Live Stats | Audio)
A short series (and non-conference) will give us a chance to see possibly the two best teams in the Midwest region in action. The Hawks, considered the regional favorites by many before the season, have lived up to expectations for the most part. USI got off to a bit of a slow start, but has won eight of their last nine to submit their name as a serious contender yet again.
So far, it is looking like the GLVC is going to be the dominant conference in the region. They currently occupy the top three spots in the NCBWA Midwest Regional poll (Quincy, USI, Indianapolis), with Missouri-St. Louis at 6th despite holding the best record in the region at 10-1 so far. With these two teams garnering all seven first-place votes in the region, it is safe to say that although it is only two games, this should tell us who the leader in the clubhouse might be as they head in to conference play.
And here are a bevy of other spectacular Division II baseball series' from around the country this weekend:
Nova Southeastern (12-10, 3-3 SSC) at #4 Tampa (20-1, 6-0 SSC)
Game One: Friday, 3/18, 6:00 PM ET (Live Stats | Video)
Game Two: Saturday, 3/19, 1:00 PM ET (Live Stats | Video)
Game Three: Saturday, 3/19, 4:00 PM ET (Live Stats | Video)
Colorado Mines (13-7, 6-2 RMAC) at #5 Colorado Mesa (18-3, 8-0 RMAC)
Game One: Friday, 3/18, 8:05 PM ET (Live Stats | Video | Audio)
Game Two: Saturday, 3/19, 3:00 PM ET (Live Stats | Video)
Game Three: Saturday, 3/19, 6:00 PM ET (Live Stats | Video)
Game Four: Sunday, 3/20, 2:00 PM ET (Live Stats | Video)
#8 Missouri Southern (13-4, 5-4 MIAA) at Missouri Western (14-6, 6-3 MIAA)
Game One: Friday, 3/18, 5:00 PM ET (Live Stats)
Game Two: Saturday, 3/19, 2:00 PM ET (Live Stats)
Game Three: Sunday, 3/20, 2:00 PM ET (Live Stats)
#9 California Baptist (20-5, 10-1 PacWest) at Hawaii Pacific (15-7, 7-5 PacWest)
Game One: Wednesday, 3/23, 12:00 AM ET (Live Stats)
Game Two: Wednesday, 3/23, 10:00 PM ET (Live Stats)
Game Three: Thursday, 3/24, 12:30 AM ET (Live Stats)
Game Four: Friday, 3/25, 12:00 AM ET (Live Stats)
West Georgia (15-6, 6-6 GSC) at #10 West Florida (14-10, 8-4 GSC)
Game One: Saturday, 3/19, 3:00 PM ET (Live Stats | Video)
Game Two: Saturday, 3/19, 6:00 PM ET (Live Stats | Video)
Game Three: Sunday, 3/20, 2:00 PM ET (Live Stats | Video)
North Alabama (14-7, 7-5 GSC) at #11 West Alabama (20-4, 10-2 GSC)
Game One: Saturday, 3/19, 3:00 PM ET (Live Stats | Video | Audio)
Game Two: Saturday, 3/19, 6:00 PM ET (Live Stats | Video | Audio)
Game Three: Sunday, 3/20, 2:00 PM ET (Live Stats | Video | Audio)
Bloomsburg (10-5, 0-0 PSAC) vs #15 East Stroudsburg (15-2, 0-0 PSAC)
Game One (at ESU): Friday, 3/18, 1:00 PM ET (Live Stats)
Game Two (at ESU): Friday, 3/18, 3:00 PM ET (Live Stats)
Game Three (at Bloomsburg): Saturday, 3/19, 1:00 PM ET (Live Stats)
Game Four (at Bloomsburg): Saturday, 3/19, 3:00 PM ET (Live Stats)
North Georgia (13-9, 6-6 PBC) at #16 USC Aiken (19-5, 11-4 PBC)
Game One: Friday, 3/18, 6:00 PM ET (Live Stats | Video)
Game Two: Saturday, 3/19, 2:00 PM ET (Live Stats | Video)
Game Three: Sunday, 3/20, 1:00 PM ET (Live Stats | Video)
#17 Florida Southern (15-6, 3-3 SSC) at Embry-Riddle (17-8, 4-5 SSC)
Game One: Friday, 3/18, 6:00 PM ET (Live Stats | Video | Audio)
Game Two: Saturday, 3/19, 1:00 PM ET (Live Stats | Video | Audio)
Game Three: Saturday, 3/19, 3:00 PM ET (Live Stats | Video | Audio)
Seton Hill (12-4, 0-0 PSAC) vs #23 Mercyhurst (10-5, 0-0 PSAC)
Game One (at Mercyhurst): Friday, 3/18, 1:00 PM ET (Live Stats)
Game Two (at Mercyhurst): Friday, 3/18, 3:00 PM ET (Live Stats)
Game Three (at Seton Hill): Saturday, 3/19, 1:00 PM ET (Live Stats | Audio)
Game Four (at Seton Hill): Saturday, 3/19, 3:00 PM ET (Live Stats | Audio)
#25 Alabama-Huntsville (17-8, 9-3 GSC) at Delta State (14-9, 7-5 GSC)
Game One: Saturday, 3/19, 3:00 PM ET (Live Stats | Video | Audio)
Game Two: Saturday, 3/19, 6:30 PM ET (Live Stats | Video | Audio)
Game Three: Sunday, 3/20, 3:00 PM ET (Live Stats | Video | Audio)
Angelo State (13-8, 6-2 LSC) at West Texas A&M (17-5, 6-2 LSC)
Game One: Friday, 3/18, 7:30 PM ET (Live Stats | Video | Audio)
Game Two: Saturday, 3/19, 5:00 PM ET (Live Stats | Video | Audio)
Game Three: Saturday, 3/19, 7:30 PM ET (Live Stats | Video | Audio)
Game Four: Sunday, 3/20, 2:00 PM ET (Live Stats | Video | Audio)
Lincoln Memorial (16-6, 7-2 SAC) at Catawba (13-10, 5-4 SAC)
Game One: Friday, 3/18, 6:00 PM ET (Live Stats | Video)
Game Two: Saturday, 3/19, 1:00 PM ET (Live Stats | Video)
Game Three: Saturday, 3/19, 4:00 PM ET (Live Stats)
St. Mary's (13-10, 1-2 Heartland) at Lubbock Christian (16-5, 2-1 Heartland)
Game One: Friday, 3/18, 4:00 PM ET (Live Stats | Video)
Game Two: Friday, 3/18, 6:00 PM ET (Live Stats | Video)
Game Three: Saturday, 3/19, 2:00 PM ET (Live Stats | Video)
Tusculum (17-6, 4-2 SAC) at Coker (17-9, 4-2 SAC)
Game One: Friday, 3/18, 3:00 PM ET (Live Stats | Video)
Game Two: Saturday, 3/19, 12:00 PM ET (Live Stats | Video)
Game Three: Saturday, 3/19, 3:00 PM ET (Live Stats | Video)
Nebraska-Kearney (10-8, 7-2 MIAA) at Central Missouri (9-7, 7-2 MIAA)
Game One: Friday, 3/18, 5:00 PM ET (Live Stats | Audio)
Game Two: Saturday, 3/19, 3:00 PM ET (Live Stats | Audio)
Game Three: Sunday, 3/20, 2:00 PM ET (Live Stats | Audio)
Erskine (20-8, 7-2 Conference Carolinas) at Barton (17-6, 7-2 Conference Carolinas)
Game One: Friday, 3/18, 2:30 PM ET (Live Stats)
Game Two: Saturday, 3/19, 12:00 PM (Live Stats)
Game Three: Saturday, 3/19, 2:00 PM ET (Live Stats)
Benedict (12-6, 2-1 SIAC) at Paine (14-9, 3-0 SIAC)
Game One: Saturday, 3/19, 12:00 PM ET
Game Two: Saturday, 3/19, 2:00 PM ET
Game Three: Sunday, 3/20, 1:00 PM ET
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