Athletics

LSU Shreveport tops the ranking for first time

April 03, 2012

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - LSU Shreveport (La.) became the third different team to take over the No. 1 ranking in the second edition of the 2012 NAIA Baseball Coaches' Top 25 Poll, the national office announced on Tuesday. The Pilots, who claim the top spot for the first time in program history, tallied 15 first-place votes and 523 points. LSU Shreveport is currently riding an 11-game win streak with victories coming against then-No. 19 Northwood (Texas), Huston-Tillotson (Texas) and SAGU (Texas). While on its current win streak, LSU Shreveport has outscored opponents 114-34.

As a team, the Pilots possess one of the nation's top offenses, ranking amongst the top 15 nationally in runs scored per game (9.5), RBIs per game (8.5), hits per game (11.6), team batting average (.350), runs scored (312), RBIs (279), slugging percentage (.516) and doubles per game (2.2).

Oklahoma City advances one spot to No. 2 with 493 points and one first-place vote. The Stars currently lead the Sooner Athletic Conference (SAC) with a 28-6 overall record and 16-2 mark in league play. Oklahoma City has lost only twice since March 1 and is currently riding a four-game win streak. 

Last week's No. 1 Lee (Tenn.) falls to No. 3 with 490 votes. The Flames have dropped two-straight, but still own a NAIA-best 35 victories on the season.

The rest of the top five remained unchanged with Embry-Riddle (Fla.) at No. 4 with 480 points and No. 5 Azusa Pacific garnering 475 points and two first-place votes.

Seven teams jumped at least two spots from last week, led by Southern Poly (Ga.) who rockets up five positions to No. 15. The Hornets have won nine of their last 10 games, including two from then-No. 18 Bethel (Tenn.) on March 27. Conversely, previously No. 17 Georgetown fell four spots to No. 21, while Tennessee Wesleyan dropped three positions from No. 7 to No. 10.

Campbellsville (Ky.), College of Idaho, Northwood and Bethel fall out of the Top 25 this week, while No. 16 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.), No. 19 Avila (Mo.), No. 23 Tabor (Kan.) and No. 24 The Master's (Calif.) appear for the first time this season.

The Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC) landed an NAIA-leading five teams among the Top 25: Lee, No. 6 Faulkner (Ala.), Southern Poly, No. 17 Auburn Montgomery (Ala.) and No. 22 Belhaven (Miss.). In addition to the SSAC, the SAC and the Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC) boast a trio of ranked programs.  

The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the conferences/independent/unaffiliated groupings. The Coaches' Top 25 Poll will be released on April 10. 

Notes: (All information dates back to 2000 season) LSU Shreveport (La.) earns the No. 1 ranking for the first time in program history ... Lee (Tenn.) has now been ranked for 56-consecutive polls ...The last time Lee went unranked was March 22, 2006 ... Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) leads all teams with 53 all-time No. 1 rankings, followed by Oklahoma City's 28 ... Lubbock Christian Texas comes in third with 13 appearances, followed by Embry-Riddle with 11, Cumberland (Tenn.) with four and Lee with three... Oklahoma City last went unranked in the 2009 preseason poll, but has been rated no lower than seventh since then ... No. 11 Concordia (Calif.) has vaulted into the Top 25 for the third time since being ranked No. 15 on March 7, 2007 ... No. 10 Tennessee Wesleyan is ranked for the third time since the first regular-season poll of last season ... No. 21 Georgetown, No. 25 Cal State San Marcos and No. 20 Judson (Ill.) each made their first all-time appearances in the March 27th poll ... Azusa Pacific's No. 5 ranking marks the first time the Cougars have been ranked amongst the top five since May 7, 2008.

Others receiving votes: South Carolina Beaufort 96; Rogers State (Okla.) 94; Campbellsville (Ky.) 77; College of Idaho 61; Bethel (Tenn.) 58; Madonna (Mich.) 55; MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) 46; Shorter (Ga.) 20; Texas at Brownsville 18; Bryan (Tenn.) 17; Bellevue (Neb.) 16; Missouri Baptist 14; Sterling (Kan.) 12; Taylor (Ind.) 10; Doane (Neb.) 7; Biola (Calif.) 3; Davenport (Mich.) 1; St. Catharine (Ky.) 1; Martin Methodist (Tenn.) 1; Brewton-Parker (Ga.) 1; British Columbia 1; Indiana Tech 1; Webber International (Fla.) 1; Fresno Pacific (Calif.) 1; Northwestern Oklahoma State 1; Union (Tenn.) 1; Texas Wesleyan 1; Talladega (Ala.) 1.