OREGON ST. NO. 1 IN COLLEGIATE BASEBALL POLL

TUCSON, Ariz. — Oregon State is ranked No. 1 for the first time this season in the latest Collegiate Baseball NCAA Division I baseball poll presented by Big League Chew bubble gum.

The Beavers, winners of seven straight and nine of their last 10, jumped one spot after Virginia lost to Old Dominion, 8-1 in its only game last week. The Cavaliers slipped to second.  Oregon State leads the Pac-12 Conference with a 17-4 record. The Beavers have a superb defense with only 37 errors in 42 games. OSU has only allowed 14 stolen bases in 32 attempts. The pitching staff has a 2.18 ERA.

Poll Notes: Several other teams have been red-hot. Texas Christian has won 12 straight and 19 of its last 20, Louisville 10 in a row, U.C. Irvine and Vanderbilt seven consecutive, Florida, Oklahoma St. and San Diego six straight, St. John’s and Duke 9 of their last 10 and Indiana 5 in a row and 11 of its last 12.

In key series over the past weekend, Florida swept three games at Alabama, Louisiana St. lost two of three at Texas A&M, Mississippi won two of three at home against Arkansas, Oklahoma State swept a 3-game series at home against Arizona State, South Carolina lost two of three at Georgia, Houston won two of three at home against Central Florida, U.C. Irvine swept a 3-game home series against U.C. Santa Barbara, Texas lost two of three at West Virginia and Mississippi State swept a 3-game series at Auburn.

Four teams fell out of the top 30 in Southern California (1-3 last week), Arizona State (1-3), UNLV (1-2), and Seton Hall (2-2). New to the poll is St. John’s (30-15), San Diego (33-16), Houston (35-13) and Duke (29-18).

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

Collegiate Baseball NCAA Division I Poll
(As of May 5, 2014)

National Players Of The Week

• RF Casey Fletcher, Illinois: Fletcher had a remarkable week as he went 8-for-17 with 5 home runs, 10 RBI and two walk-off hits. He posted a 1.353 slugging percentage to lead Illinois to four wins. Fletcher became the seventh player in school history to hit three homers in a game when he did it against Southern Illinois.

• C Shaun Chase, Oregon: Chase was 7-for-11 at the plate and belted 3 homers, including a grand slam, 1 double and 7 RBI as he scored 4 runs and stole a base for good measure, his first one at Oregon.

• 2B Daniel Nevares, Binghamton: Nevares hit .471 with 6 extra base hits, including a trio of home runs, and recorded 12 RBI over 4 games. He had a slugging percentage of 1.294.

• 3B Connor Panas, Canisius: Panas went 8-for-11 at the plate with 3 homers and 10 RBI over 3 games.

• 1B Nic Wilson, Georgia State: Wilson tied the school and Sun Belt Conference record with 3 home runs during a 15-10 win over South Alabama. He now has 16 homers on the season to rank third in the nation.

• SS Trea Turner, N.C. State: Turner was not retired a single time in his first 10 plate appearances during a 3-game series against Coastal Carolina. Overall, he was 9-for-11 with 4 walks. He also was 6-for-6 in stolen bases.

• OF Michael Suchy, Florida Gulf Coast: Suchy was 8-for-12 at the plate with 3 homers, 2 doubles and 8 RBI.