Belmont’s pair of midweek wins over in-state rivals Vanderbilt (cb360 #7), 3–2, and [50] Memphis (3–1) highlighted notable results on April 13–15, in games involving CB360 Top–50 teams and other projected 2015 NCAA Tournament teams.
Belmont shortstop Kyle Conger delivered an early RBI double in the 3–2 win over Vanderbilt, then launched a 3-run home run in the Bruins 2–1 win over Memphis.
In addition to various upsets of CB360 Top–50 teams, there also were 10 marquee midweek matchups (head-to-head within the Top–50):
• at [2] UCLA … won 7–2 vs. [44] Cal State Fullerton
• at [34] Ohio State … won 2–0 vs. [4] Louisville
• at [5] Miami … won 4–2 vs. [22] UCF
• at [12] Florida St. … won 4–3 vs. [8] Florida (12)
• [38] Oral Roberts … won 15–5 at [13] Oklahoma St.
• [15] Dallas Baptist … won 7–5 at [37] Oklahoma
• at [43] Bradley … won 5–4 vs. [20] Iowa
• [26] Coll. Charleston … 8–3 at [21] Coastal Carolina
• at [28] Rice … won 11–0 vs. [29] Houston
• [45] San Diego State … won 4–3 vs. [32] UC Irvine
The Belmont wins over Vanderbilt – plus the above wins by OSU, FSU, ORU, Bradley, CofC and SDSU – were part of 13 total upset results involving CB360 Top–50 teams from April 13–15. The others:
• at Arizona … won 7–2 vs. [9] Arizona State
(ASU won series, 2–1)
• Arkansas–Little Rock … won 4–3 at [25] Missouri
• Toledo … won 5–0 at [31] Notre Dame
• at San Diego … won 6–1 vs. [42] Long Beach State
• Presbyterian … won 7–4 at [49] So. Carolina (10)
San Diego recently slipped out of the CB360 Top–50 but still is projected to be a 2015 NCAA qualifier. There were two other midweek games involving CB360 Top–50 teams vs. prospective NCAA Tournament squads (outside the top–50), as [19] Nebraska won 7–6 at Creighton (BIG EAST) and [47] Connecticut won 18–5 at Bryant (Northeast Conf.).
Other notable midweek losses by prospective NCAA Tournament teams (outside the CB360 Top–50):
• at Youngstown State … won 3–0 vs. Kent State (Mid-American)
• Jacksonville (AL) State … won 9–5 at Kennesaw State (Atlantic Sun)
• Univ. of the Pacific (UOP) … won 9–6 at Sacramento State (Western Athletic)
Additionally, several projected NCAA Tournament teams (outside the Top–50) registered notable midweek wins:
• at Kennesaw State (Atlantic Sun) … won 2–1 vs. Georgia
• Kent State (Mid-American) … won 1–0 at Pittsburgh
• Wright State (Horizon) … won 7–3 at Miami (OH)
• Alabama State (SWAC) … won 8–7 at Jacksonville (AL) State
There also was a midweek matchup between a couple projected NCAA Tournament teams (non-Top–50), as Southeastern Louisiana (Southland) won 5–3 at Louisiana-Lafayette (Sun Belt). A couple CB360 Top–50 teams notched wins over teams that are considered strong contenders for NCAA automatic bids, as [17] Florida Atlantic won 7–6 at Florida Gulf Coast (A-Sun) and [18] Maryland won 6–4 at Liberty (Big South).
Finally, three weekend series concluded on Monday (April 13), with [16] Illinois winning 2–1 vs. visiting Purdue to complete a sweep, as did [21] Coastal Carolina (6–2 at High Point). The other series that concluded on Monday was Arizona at ASU.
front-page photo of Kyle Conger courtesy of Belmont Athletics
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WEDNESDAY’S KEY GAMES (April 15, 2015)
(based on CB360 Top–50 Composite National Rankings)
Summit League favorite Oral Roberts boosted its NCAA at-large resume with a 15–5 midweek win at Oklahoma State.
• at [1] Texas A&M
… won 3–2 vs. Abilene Christian
• at [3] LSU … won 11–2 vs. Lamar
• at [5] Miami … won 4–2 vs. [22] UCF
• [38] Oral Roberts
… won 15–5 at [13] Oklahoma State
• [14] Missouri State … won 3–0 at Kansas
• [18] Maryland … won 6–4 at Liberty
• at [19] Nebraska
… won 8–6 vs. Neb.-Omaha
• at [20] Iowa ... won 9–1 vs. Cornell (Iowa)
• UNC Asheville … at [23] North Carolina – canc.
• Toledo … won 5–0 at [31] Notre Dame
• at [35] South Florida
… won 11–9 vs. Stetson
• at [39] Auburn
… won 10–5 vs. Alabama A&M
• at [41] Virginia
… won 3–2 vs. William & Mary
• [43] Bradley … won 12–11 at Northern Illinois
• [47] Connecticut … won 18–5 at *Bryant
• at [48] Mississippi … won 11–1 vs. Tennessee-Martin
• Belmont … won 3–1 at [50] Memphis
* Note: Bryant projected to earn NEC’s automatic NCAA bid.
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Other results for projected NCAA Tournament teams
(for conferences not in CB360 Top–50):
• Wright State (Horizon) … won 15–9 at Cincinnati
• Alabama State (SWAC) … won 8–7 at Jacksonville (AL) State
• at Rutgers … won 7–4 vs. Columbia (Ivy)
• at Kennesaw State (Atlantic Sun) … won 2–1 vs. Georgia
• at Stony Brook (America East) … won 6–4 vs. Long Island
• Canisius (Metro Atlantic) … won 7–5 at Buffalo
• at Saint Louis (Atlantic-10) … won 3–0 vs. Rockhurst
• at Youngstown State … won 3–0 vs. Kent State (Mid-American)
• Navy (Patriot) … won 15–7 at Delaware State
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TUESDAY’S KEY GAMES (April 14, 2015)
(based on CB360 Top–50 Composite National Rankings)
Ohio State‘s 2–0 midweek win over Louisville boosted the Big Ten Conference’s national profile another notch.
• at [2] UCLA
… won 7–2 vs. [44] Cal State Fullerton
• at [34] Ohio State
… won 2–0 vs. [4] Louisville
• [6] TCU … won 7–1 at Texas-Arlington
• Belmont … won 3–2 at [7] Vanderbilt
• at [12] Florida State
… won 4–3 vs. [8] Florida (12 inn.)
• [10] USC … won 2–0 at Pepperdine (12)
• [38] Oral Roberts
… at [13] Oklahoma State – ppd to April 15
• [15] Dallas Baptist
… won 7–5 at [37] Oklahoma
• [16] Illinois … won 7–3 at Illinois State
• [17] Florida Atlantic … won 7–6 at Florida Gulf Coast
• [18] Maryland … at Liberty – ppd to April 15
• [19] Nebraska … won 7–6 at *Creighton
• at [43] Bradley … won 5–4 vs. [20] Iowa
• [26] College of Charleston … won 8–3 at [21] Coastal Carolina
• at [23] North Carolina … won 1–0 vs. High Point (6 inn.)
• Georgia … at [24] Georgia Tech – ppd (makeup TBA)
• Arkansas–Little Rock … won 4–3 at [25] Missouri
• [27] UNC Wilmington … at East Carolina – ppd (makeup TBD)
• at [28] Rice … won 11–0 vs. [29] Houston
• [45] San Diego State … won 4–3 vs. [32] UC Irvine
• [33] Texas Tech … won 7–6 at Abilene Christian
• Stetson … at [35] South Florida – ppd to April 15
• [36] Oregon State … at Portland – ppd (makeup on May 17)
• Alabama State … at [39] Auburn – canc.
• [46] Radford … at [41] Virginia – canc.
• at *San Diego … won 6–1 vs. [42] Long Beach State
• [47] Connecticut … won 7–0 at Fairfield
• Presbyterian … won 7–4 at [49] South Carolina (10 inn.)
• [50] Memphis … won 10–5 at Austin Peay
* Note: USD projected to earn WCC’s automatic NCAA bid, as is Creighton in BIG EAST
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Other results for projected NCAA Tournament teams
(for conferences not in CB360 Top–50):
• Wright State (Horizon) … won 7–3 at Miami (OH)
• Southeastern Louisiana (Southland) … won 5–3 at Louisiana-Lafayette (Sun Belt)
• Jacksonville (AL) State … won 9–5 at Kennesaw State (Atlantic Sun)
• at Southeast Missouri State (Ohio Valley) … won 7–4 vs. Southern Illinois
• Kent State (Mid-American) … won 1–0 at Pittsburgh
• Univ. of the Pacific (UOP) … won 9–6 at Sacramento State (Western Athletic)
• at Jacksonville … won 16–0 vs. Bethune-Cookman (MEAC)
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Arizona closer/3B Bobby Dalbec made his first career start on the mound a memorable one, complementing his solid outing by launching two home runs as the ‘Cats rallied for a 7–2 win that averted the sweep vs. rival ASU.
MONDAY’S KEY GAMES
(April 13, 2015)
(based on CB360 Top–50 Composite National Rankings)
• at Arizona … won 7–2 vs. [9] Arizona State – ASU won series, 2–1
• at [16] Illinois … won 2–1 vs. Purdue
– Illini series sweep
• [21] Coastal Carolina … won 6–2 at High Point
– CC series sweep
• [40] Nevada … won 16–4 at San Francisco