We are nearly a month in to the 2017 Division II baseball season, and we will be getting our first taste of significant conference play this weekend through much of the country. For the Northern teams, a number of seasons will be starting. After this weekend, I believe every school in the nation will have hit the field for at least one game. Take a look at the top match-ups on the diamond this weekend, including a unique D2 Diamond Series of the Week.
Our highlighted, D2 Diamond Series of the Week this week is not a series, but rather a four-team round-robin. The #8 North Georgia Nighthawks are hosting the Nighthawks Nest Classic in Dahlonega, Ga., and it will feature three Top 25 squads. That will be the venue to watch as all four teams will face each other once each, leading to three ranked match-ups through the weekend.
Nighthawks Nest Classic
Friday, February 24
1:00 p.m. ET: #25 Quincy (3-1) vs #8 North Georgia (7-3) | Live Stats
6:00 p.m. ET: #20 Florida Tech (8-3) vs Albany State (0-8) | Live Stats
Saturday, February 25
12:00 p.m. ET: #20 Florida Tech (8-3) vs #8 North Georgia (7-3) | Live Stats
5:00 p.m. ET: Albany State (0-8) vs #25 Quincy (3-1) | Live Stats
Sunday, February 26
11:00 a.m. ET: #25 Quincy (3-1) vs #20 Florida Tech (8-3) | Live Stats
3:00 p.m. ET: Albany State (0-8) vs #8 North Georgia (7-3) | Live Stats
Below are a number of other match-ups throughout the country this weekend between high-quality opponents that you should be keeping an eye on.
#4 West Florida (7-4) at Valdosta State (9-3)
Gulf South Conference
Game One (Saturday, 2/25, 1 p.m. ET)
Game Two (Saturday, 2/25, 4:30 p.m. ET)
Game Three (Sunday, 2/26, 1 p.m. ET)
(No live coverage links available at time of publishing)
California Baptist (8-3) at #5 Colorado Mesa (5-4)
Game One (Friday, 2/23, 2:30 p.m. MT): CBU - 7, Colorado Mesa - 3 (Box Score)
Game Two (Saturday, 2/24, 12 p.m. MT): Live Stats | Live Video
Game Three (Saturday, 2/24, 3 p.m. MT): Live Stats | Live Video
Game Four (Sunday, 2/25, 12 p.m. MT): Live Stats | Live Video
Georgia College (7-2) at #23 Flagler (9-3)
Peach Belt Conference
Game One (Friday, 2/24, 7 p.m. ET): Live Stats | Live Video
Game Two (Saturday, 2/25, 2 p.m. ET): Live Stats | Live Video
Game Three (Sunday, 2/26, 12 p.m. ET): Live Stats | Live Video
#24 Henderson State (7-3) at Oklahoma Baptist (7-2)
Great American Conference
Game One (Friday, 2/24, 1 p.m. CT): Live Stats | Live Video
Game Two (Friday, 2/24, 4:30 p.m. CT): Live Stats | Live Video
Game Three (Saturday, 2/25, 1 p.m. CT): Live Stats | Live Video
Cal State East Bay (9-3) vs Cal State Monterey Bay (7-3)
California Collegiate Athletic Association
Game One @ CSMB (Friday, 2/24, 2 p.m. PT): Live Stats | Live Audio
Game Two @ CSEB (Saturday, 2/25, 11 a.m. PT): Live Stats
Game Three @ CSEB (Saturday, 2/25, 2:30 p.m. PT): Live Stats
Game Four @ CSMB (Sunday, 2/26, 12 p.m. PT): Live Stats | Live Audio
Stanislaus State (10-1) vs Chico State (7-4)
California Collegiate Athletic Association
Game One @ Chico (Friday, 2/24, 2 p.m. PT): Live Stats | Live Video | Live Audio
Game Two @ Chico (Saturday, 2/25, 12 p.m. PT): Live Stats | Live Video | Live Audio
Game Three @ Stanislaus (Sunday, 2/26, 1 p.m. PT): Live Stats | Live Video | Live Audio
Game Four @ Stanislaus (Sunday, 2/26, 4:30 p.m. PT): Live Stats | Live Video | Live Audio
Central Oklahoma (7-1) at Southwest Baptist (7-1)
Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletics Association
Game One (Friday, 2/24, 2 p.m. CT): Live Stats | Live Video
Game Two (Saturday, 2/25, 1 p.m. CT): Live Stats | Live Video
Game Three (Sunday, 2/26, 2 p.m. CT): Live Stats | Live Video
Cal State San Marcos (10-2) at UC San Diego (8-2)
California Collegiate Athletic Association
Game One (Thursday, 2/23, 7 p.m. PT): Live Stats | Live Video | Live Audio
Game Two (Friday, 2/24, 6 p.m. PT): Live Stats | Live Video
Game Three (Saturday, 2/25, 11 a.m. PT): Live Stats | Live Video
Game Four (Saturday, 2/25, 2 p.m. PT): Live Stats | Live Video
Delta State (8-2) at Lee (10-2)
Gulf South Conference
Game One (Saturday, 2/25, 2 p.m. ET): Live Stats | Live Video
Game Two (Saturday, 2/25, 5 p.m. ET): Live Stats | Live Video
Game Three (Sunday, 2/26, 1 p.m. ET): Live Stats | Live Video
As usual, we also present to you the schedule for every team in the most recent version of the PerfectGame.org Top 25, which you can see below.
1. Tampa (7-2): The Spartans will begin play in the best conference in the nation this weekend, as they head to Barry for a three-game series in Sunshine State Conference play.
2. Nova Southeastern (8-2): The same goes for NSU, who will head to Eckerd this weekend for three games to begin SSC play, as well.
3. USC Aiken (9-2): After a 19-10 win over Paine on Wednesday (Feb. 22), the Pacers are beginning Peach Belt Conference play with three games at home against Young Harris.
4. West Florida (7-4): The Argos have rebounded nicely lately, and they will continue Gulf South Conference play on the road at Valdosta State for three games this weekend.
5. Colorado Mesa (5-4): CMU has already begun its weekend series with California Baptist, falling 7-3 in the opener of the series on Thursday (Feb. 23). They'll have three more games with the Lancers this weekend to finish up non-conference play.
6. Dixie State (8-3): The Trailblazers are going to face the same test that Colorado Mesa did in a four-game split this past weekend. Dixie State will welcome in to town Montana State-Billings for three games.
7. Minnesota State (0-0): MSU finally opens up the season with a single game at U.S. Bank Stadium against Minnesota-Crookston.
8. North Georgia (7-3): The Nighthawks are hosting a pretty stellar tournament this weekend, as they will face #25 Quincy, #20 Florida Tech and Albany State, a single game each day, through the weekend.
9. Emporia State (7-2): Emporia will begin MIAA play this weekend with three games at home against Pittsburg State.
10. Point Loma (6-3): The Sea Lions have been impressive so far this year, and they'll be resting on their hard work so far, as they have the week off before beginning PacWest play next weekend against Hawaii Pacific at home.
11. Angelo State (9-1): Angelo is another team that will take this weekend off, before they face Eastern New Mexico at home next weekend in four games.
12. Lubbock Christian (8-4): The Chaps will face a stiff test this weekend with four games at home against Colorado State-Pueblo, and then they'll take on West Texas A&M in a single home game on Tuesday (Feb. 28).
13. Southern Indiana (1-2): USI returns from facing #1 Tampa to host their own tournament, where they will face #19 Wayne State (Mich.) on Friday (Feb. 24) and Notre Dame (Ohio) on Saturday (Feb. 25).
14. Franklin Pierce (0-1): The Ravens began their season with a loss on Thursday (Feb. 23) to Felician to begin the Ripken Experience in Myrtle Beach, S.C. FPU will have plenty of opportunities this weekend to rebound, as they'll face Queens (N.Y.) in a DH on Friday (Feb. 24), Wilmington in a single game on Saturday (Feb. 25) and LIU Post in a single game on Sunday (Feb. 26).
15. Cal Poly Pomona (5-7): CPP has struggled thus far, but they began CCAA play on Thursday (Feb. 23) with a victory over Cal State Dominguez Hills to begin their four-game weekend split series. They'll face CSU-DH again on Friday (Feb. 24) on the road, and then return home for a doubleheader on Saturday (Feb. 25).
16. Mercyhurst (2-1): The Lakers remain on the road to begin their season with three games at a neutral site against Post this weekend in North Carolina.
17. Azusa Pacific (10-1): Azusa will be riding its nine-game winning streak in to an off weekend before heading to Arizona for three games next weekend.
18. Florida Southern (8-2): Fresh off their annual exhibition against the Detroit Tigers, the Mocs will get right in to SSC play with three games on the road this weekend against Lynn, and a single game on Tuesday (Feb. 28) at home against Flagler.
19. Wayne State (Mich.) (2-1): The Warriors will be heading to Evansville, Ind. to take part in a Southern Indiana-hosted tournament, where they'll face #13 Southern Indiana on Friday (Feb. 24), St. Joseph's on Saturday (Feb. 25) and Indianapolis on Sunday (Feb. 26).
20. Florida Tech (8-3): One of the teams at the very competitive UNG tournament, the Panthers will face Albany State on Friday (Feb. 24), hosts #8 North Georgia on Saturday (Feb. 25) and #25 Quincy on Sunday (Feb. 26).
21. Millersville (5-2): The Marauders will hit the road this weekend for a pair of doubleheaders at Mars Hill.
22. Belmont Abbey (7-7): Belmont Abbey took a loss in a single game on the road on Wednesday (Feb. 22) against Francis Marion, 6-4, for their second straight defeat, but they will begin Conference Carolinas play this weekend with three games at home against King. They'll also take on Lander on the road for a non-conference tilt on Tuesday (Feb. 28).
23. Flagler (9-3): The Saints will begin conference play this weekend at home with three games against Georgia College. They'll hit the road for a single game at #18 Florida Southern on Tuesday (Feb. 28).
24. Henderson State (7-3): Yet another conference series on the docket, the Reddies will be on the road for three games at Oklahoma Baptist in Great American Conference play.
25. Quincy (3-1): The third of four ranked teams heading to UNG this weekend for a tournament, the Hawks will face hosts #8 North Georgia on Friday (Feb. 24), Albany State on Saturday (Feb. 25), and #20 Florida Tech on Sunday (Feb. 26).
No comments:
Post a Comment