March 23, 2009
DURHAM, N.C. - Baylor climbed one spot to No. 8 in this week's Baseball America Top 25, released by the publication Monday. The Bears (14-5, 3-3) are the highest ranked Big 12 Conference team after going 4-1 last week wins over then-No. 3 Texas A&M and Texas State, and a series win over Texas Tech.
Cal State Fullerton moved into the No. 1 spot, becoming the fifth team to hold the top spot this season. Texas, which held the top spot each of the past two weeks, dropped to ninth after an 0-4 week that included losing at Rice and getting swept at Kansas. LSU, Arizona State Rice and North Carolina followed Cal State Fullerton in the top five, respectively. Georgia landed at No. 6, followed by Miami-FL, Baylor, Texas and UC Irvine.
Other Big 12 teams in this week's Top 25 are 12th-ranked Oklahoma, 15th-ranked Texas A&M and 23rd-ranked Oklahoma State. Oklahoma climbed one spot after taking two of three at Kansas State. Texas A&M fell 12 spots after dropping two midweek games at home against New Mexico and losing two of three at Missouri. Oklahoma State fell four spots, splitting a pair of midweek games against Eastern Illinois and dropping two of three at Nebraska.
Elsewhere, Baylor climbed five spots to No. 17 in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches' Poll. The Bears are the third-highest ranked Big 12 team in that poll behind No. 8 Texas and No. 11 Oklahoma. Baylor also climbed four spots to No. 11 in the Collegiate Baseball Top 30.
Baylor returns to action Tuesday, traveling to Huntsville, Texas, for a midweek game at Sam Houston State. First pitch between the Bears and the Bearkats is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CDT at Don Sanders Stadium on the Sam Houston State campus. Baylor will send either right-hander Willie Kempf (0-1, 4.82 ERA) or right-hander Jon Ringenberg (0-0, 7.20 ERA) to the mound.
BASEBALL AMERICA TOP 25
March 23, 2009
1. Cal State Fullerton (16-3)
2. LSU (17-5)
3. Arizona State (17-3)
4. Rice (14-6)
5. North Carolina (17-4)
6. Georgia (19-2)
7. Miami-FL (18-4)
8. BAYLOR (14-5)
9. Texas (14-6)
10. UC Irvine (12-6)
11. Georgia Tech (16-2)
12. Oklahoma (20-5)
13. Georgia Tech (16-2)
14. Arkansas (16-4)
15. Texas A&M (16-9)
16. TCU (13-6)
17. Pepperdine (16-6)
18. Coastal Carolina (18-4)
19. Cal Poly (14-4)
20. UC Santa Barbara (12-4)
21. New Mexico (22-3)
22. East Carolina (16-4)
23. Oklahoma State (15-7)
24. Virginia (19-2)
25. Minnesota (13-6)
2009 Baylor opponents in bold.
