The latest D2 Baseball Top 25 rankings have been released, and the competition is heating up as teams across the country battle for supremacy. Tampa retains the top spot with a 10-2 record, while several teams made significant jumps in the rankings.
Top 5 Overview
Tampa (10-2, SSC) – The reigning No. 1 remains firm at the top after another strong week, reinforcing their status as a perennial powerhouse. The Spartans swept Lynn in conference play and have won four straight.
Angelo State (13-2, LSC) – The Rams continue to impress with their consistency, hitting .387 as a team while outscoring opponents by over 100 runs. Stars like Weston Valasek, Jacob Guerrero, and Justin Harris have been on fire at the plate.
Central Missouri (6-2, MIAA) – The Mules hold steady with quality wins over Ashland and Jefferson. Chase Heath is hitting .448, and Evan O’Toole (Oklahoma State Transfer) has been dominant on the mound with a 2.08 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 13 innings.
North Greenville (14-1, CC) – The Crusaders climb one spot after sweeping previously ranked UNC Pembroke. Brett Blomquist (.465 AVG) and Brody Fowler (1.74 ERA, 27K-5BB) have been key contributors.
UT Tyler (13-2, LSC) – Jumping four spots, UT Tyler is making a strong case as a contender. Drew Schmidt (.481 AVG) and ace Rawley Hector (1.11 ERA, 27K) have been elite as they head into a major series against No.24 St. Edwards.
Notable Risers and Fallers
Florida Southern (11-2, SSC) made the biggest jump from No. 21 to No. 13, fueled by a series win over Florida Tech. Grant Thompson (.449 AVG) and Ahmad Fitts (5 HR) have been crucial.
Lenoir-Rhyne (12-2, SAC) climbed from No. 23 to No. 14 after taking two of three from Wingate.
Delta State (11-3, CCAA) cracked the rankings at No. 19 following a 10-game win streak.
Westmont (13-2, PW) and St. Edward’s (14-3, LSC) both enter at No. 21 and No. 24, respectively. Westmont has won 12 straight, while St. Edward’s boasts a strong Lone Star Conference resume.
Arkansas-Monticello (9-3, GAC) dropped from No. 14 to No. 18. Keep an eye on this squad full of talent as Chaz Poppy and Connor Irvine are playing well.
Chico State (8-5, CCAA) took the hardest fall from No. 13 to No. 23 after a tough series against San Francisco State.
Newcomers to the Rankings
Delta State (No. 19)
Westmont (No. 21)
St. Edward’s (No. 24)
Harding (No. 25)
Dropped from the Top 25
UNC Pembroke, Cal State Monterey Bay, Indiana (PA), and Colorado Mesa fell out.
Receiving Votes (RV) Notables
Belmont Abbey (10-4, CC), Embry-Riddle (8-2, SSC), Nova Southeastern (9-5, SSC), and San Francisco State (7-5, CCAA) all entered the "RV" category this week.
Pittsburg State (9-0, MIAA) – The only undefeated team among those receiving votes. They have two huge MIAA series upcoming, and it will tell us a lot about their squad.
Other teams I have my eye on, but no ranking/rv as of now: Flagler, Coker, Colorado Mesa, Cal Poly Pomona, Davenport, UVA-Wise, and CSUMB. While Georgia College, Maryville, and Lubbock Christian dropped out of RV this week, still going to be interesting to watch them. The rankings will start to hold more weight as we move into March and have a better idea about everyone.
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