University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Golden Eagles Receive Highest Baseball Ranking In School History
4/5/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Golden Eagles Receive Highest Baseball Ranking In School History
HATTIESBURG, Miss. ? The Southern Miss baseball team, winner of six-straight, is ranked No. 11 by Sports Weekly/ESPN Coaches Poll and by Baseball America, No. 14 by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association and No. 18 by Collegiate Baseball.
This marks the highest ranking Southern Miss baseball has ever received, passing last year's mark of No. 12 by Baseball America on May 26, 2003, also setting the mark for the highest ranking in school history at that time. Three times during the 2003 season, the school record for highest ranking was broken, as the Golden Eagles were ranked No. 17 on May 12, No. 15 on May 19 and then No. 12 a week later.
The Golden Eagles (24-4, 7-2 in Conference USA) picked up four wins last week in as many games, beginning with a single-game over Mississippi Valley State on Tuesday and continuing with a three-game sweep over TCU. The league victories moved Southern Miss into the top of the league standings.
Southern Miss now holds the highest ranking of Conference USA teams, standing ahead of the league's other ranked teams, Tulane and East Carolina. The Green Wave is ranked No. 12 by Baseball America, No. 16 by the Sports Weekly/ESPN Coaches Poll, 18th by the NCBWA, and No. 22 in the Collegiate Baseball Poll. The Pirates are ranked 17th by Baseball America, 21st by the NCBWA, 22nd in the Coaches Poll and 28th by Collegiate Baseball. USF also is receiving votes in two of the four polls.
Southern Miss takes on intrastate rival Mississippi State in a two-game midweek series, Tuesday and Wednesday night, at Pete Taylor Park/Hill Denson Field. First pitch for both contests is set for 6:30 p.m.
