Collegiate Baseball Div 1 Poll (5-22-23)

WAKE FOREST NO. 1 IN CB’S LATEST POLL

TUCSON, Ariz. — Wake Forest (45-9) is ranked No. 1 for the third straight time in Collegiate Baseball’s NCAA Division I baseball poll presented by Big League Chew bubble gum.

The Demon Deacons, which beat Virginia Tech. two of three over the weekend, became the first team since North Carolina in 2017 to win all 10 ACC series in a season. They also set a program record for regular-season wins with 45.

Wake Forest leads all NCAA Div. I schools in seven categories, including ERA (2.72), hits allowed per nine innings (6.57), shutouts by pitching staff (9), strikeout-to-walk ratio (4.41), strikeouts per nine innings (12.0), WHIP (1.03) and win-loss percentage (.833).

In key series across the USA, Arkansas lost two of three at Vanderbilt, Stanford swept Washington St. on the road three games, Florida took two of three at Kentucky, Louisiana St. won two of three at Georgia, Miami (Fla.) won two of three at home against Duke, Virginia swept three at Georgia Tech., Texas swept three at home against West Virginia, Oklahoma St. took two of three at Oklahoma, Clemson swept three against North Carolina at home, Tennessee took two of three at South Carolina, Alabama swept three against Mississippi at home and Auburn swept three at Missouri.

Poll Notes: Several teams are on impressive winning streaks, including Oral Roberts (15), Clemson (12), Virginia (9), Auburn (8) and Coastal Carolina (7).

Two teams fell out of the top 30 in Kansas St. (1-2 last week, lost 4 of last 5) and Kentucky (1-2 last week, lost 4 of last 6).

New to the poll is Texas (38-18, 15-9 Big 12 tied for first place, 5 straight wins) and Auburn (33-19-1, 17-13 SEC, 8 straight wins).

The Collegiate Baseball newspaper poll is the oldest college baseball poll. Its birth took place during the 1959 college baseball season.

Collegiate Baseball’s
NCAA Div. I Baseball Poll
(As of May 22, 2023)
Presented Bywww.bigleaguechew.com

Rank Team (Record) Points PVS
  1. Wake Forest (45-9) 493 1
  2. Stanford (37-14) 491 3
  3. Florida (42-13) 489 4
  4. Arkansas (39-15) 486 2
  5. Louisiana St. (42-13) 483 5
  6. Virginia (44-11) 480 7
  7. Clemson (39-17) 477 11
  8. Miami, Fla. (37-18) 475 6
  9. Indiana St. (38-14) 474 9
10. Oral Roberts (43-11) 470 12
11. Coastal Carolina (37-17) 468 13
12. Southern Mississippi (37-16) 465 14
13. Texas (38-18) 462
14. Oklahoma St. (37-16) 460 10
15. Vanderbilt (37-17) 458 15
16. Auburn (33-19-1) 455
17. Oregon St. (39-16) 452 18
18. West Virginia (39-16) 450 8
19. Alabama (38-17) 448 19
20. Connecticut (40-13) 445 20
21. Dallas Baptist (42-13) 442 22
22. Maryland (37-19) 438 23
23. Kent St. (40-14) 435 24
24. East Carolina (41-15) 431 25
25. Tennessee (38-18) 427 29
26. South Carolina (38-17) 425 16
27. Duke (35-19) 422 17
28. U.C. Santa Barbara (35-17) 421 27
29. Boston College (34-17) 420 30
30. Campbell (41-13) 416 21

Collegiate Baseball’s
National Players Of The Week
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DH Taylor Smith, Texas-San Antonio: Smith went 9-for-20 while launching six home runs, a triple, a double and 10 RBI. Three of Smith’s six home runs came during an 18-16 win over Louisiana Tech, tying the program record for homers in one game. His six home runs on the week brought his season total to 17, one shy of the program record.

1B/OF Brandon Pimentel, Texas Rio Grande Valley: Pimentel went 12-for-14 with 5 home runs, 1 double, 15 RBI and scored 10 runs with 4 walks. He collected 3 hits in each of his 4 games.

DH Eric Toth, Mercer: Toth belted 5 homers over 4 games with 6 RBI and 7 runs scored as he went 7-for-17. He has now hit at least 1 home run in 5 consecutive games.

RHP Jake Bockenstedt, Southern Illinois-Edwardsville: Bockenstedt teamed with pitcher Hayden Cooper to throw the 11th no-hitter in school history during a 4-0 win over Lindenwood. Bockenstedt went the first 8 innings and allowed no hits with 8 strikeouts. Cooper closed out the no-no with 3 strikeouts over one inning.  

3B Austin Deming, Brigham Young: Deming had a huge 3-game series against Pepperdine as he went 7-for-12 with 4 home runs, 2 doubles, 11 RBI, scored 7 runs and walked 3 times.  

RHP Paul Skenes, Louisiana St.: Skenes worked 7 innings against Georgia and struck out 12 batters. He leads the nation with 164 strikeouts. He has been one of Collegiate Baseball’s National Players of The Week eight times this season which has never been accomplished before.

C Ethan Hibbard, Fairfield: Hibbard belted 4 homers with 7 RBI and 9 runs scored during a 3-game sweep of Iona. He also drew 4 walks as he went 6-for-9.  

RHP Omar Serrano, San Diego St.: Serrano only allowed 1 hit in 6 1/3 innings of work against New Mexico with 8 strikeouts and didn’t allow a run.  

3B Danny Lynch, Southern Mississippi: Lynch established a school record with 2 grand slams and tied another with 8 RBI during an 11-9 win over Louisiana-Lafayette.  

RHP Tanner Hall, Southern Mississippi: Hall threw 8 scoreless innings against Louisiana-Lafayette and struck out 12 as he only allowed 3 hits. At one point, he retired 16 batters in a row  

SS Jimmy Allen, Western Michigan: Allen went 7-for-11 with 5 doubles, 4 runs scored and 5 RBI as Western Michigan took 2 of 3 from Central Michigan.  

RHP Rhett Lowder, Wake Forest: Lowder struck out a career-high 12 Virginia Tech. batters over 6 innings and only yielded 1 walk. The first seven outs of his outing came via the strikeout.