Welcome to another week of Perfect Game Small School baseball — and if you’re looking for clarity at the top, you’ve come to the wrong place. Across all three classifications, the No. 1 spot is very much an open question, and nobody is sleeping comfortably right now. In NCAA Division II, Pittsburg State is stumbling at precisely the wrong moment, leaving the door cracked wide open for hungry challengers to come knocking. In the NAIA, defending national champion LSU Shreveport has dropped four straight and suddenly looks far more vulnerable than a program of their pedigree ever expects to be. And in NCAA Division III, the race for the top ranking is less a competition and more a ten-car pileup of elite programs, none of whom have done enough to pull away — and all of whom have done plenty to deserve it. Three classifications, three vacancies at the top, and a whole lot of baseball left to play. Buckle up.
NCAA DII
Pittsburg State’s recent skid has been a jarring fall from grace for a team that looked every bit like a national title contender just weeks ago. The Gorillas rode elite production on both sides of the ball — timely hitting, a deep rotation, a humming bullpen — all the way to the top of the national rankings. Then the wheels came off.
Over their last nine games, PSU has stumbled to a 4–5 record, and the wounds have been especially deep in conference play. The most damaging stretch? A flat-out sweep at the hands of Northwest Missouri State — a series that didn’t just hurt the standings, it stung the pride. The finale told the whole ugly story: the Gorillas jumped out to a 6–0 lead, looked like they were ready to put the series to bed, and then watched it all unravel. Northwest chipped away, surged back, and walked it off 9–8 in extra innings. Gut punch doesn’t begin to cover it.
That collapse has become the defining image of PSU’s recent struggles — bullpen inconsistency, an inability to close out games, and a maddening habit of letting momentum slip through their fingers inning by inning. Even in tighter contests, like a gut-wrenching 2–1 loss, the Gorillas haven’t been able to deliver when it counts. For a team built on clutch execution, that’s a hard pill to swallow.
On the flip side, Northwest Missouri State is absolutely cooking right now. The Bearcats earned their first-ever Perfect Game Top 25 ranking off the back of that statement sweep, and they did it with style. Overcoming a six-run deficit in the finale before walking it off in the 11th inning? That’s not just a win — that’s a calling card. This is a team that doesn’t flinch.
Leading the charge has been Jeremiah Cabuyaban, a transfer from DI Arkansas State who has been an absolute menace at the plate. His .394 batting average and 12 home runs lead the team and have opponents game planning around him every single series. He’s been joined in the lineup by Frank Gall, a transfer from conference rival Missouri Western, who is hitting .368 with 21 extra-base hits and 17 stolen bases. Between the two of them, Northwest’s offense has gone from meh to downright relentless.
Now the Bearcats turn their attention to another top-10 test — Central Missouri — and a chance to announce themselves not just as a new face in the rankings, but as a genuine contender. The one thing standing between them and that conversation? The mound. A team ERA of 6.31 is a flashing red light that no amount of offensive firepower can ignore forever. If the pitching staff can tighten up, watch out — Northwest Missouri State might just be getting started.
| Rank | School | State | 2026 Record | Last Wk | Prev |
| 1 | Tampa Spartans | FL | 26-4 | 4-0 | 3 |
| 2 | Catawba Indians | NC | 26-6 | 3-1 | 4 |
| 3 | Colorado Mesa Mavericks | CO | 30-3 | 4-0 | 5 |
| 4 | Pittsburg State Gorillas | KS | 26-6 | 1-3 | 1 |
| 5 | Texas Tyler Patriots | TX | 26-8 | 4-0 | 7 |
| 6 | Point Loma Sea Lions | CA | 28-7 | 1-3 | 2 |
| 7 | North Greenville Trailblazers | SC | 28-7 | 3-1 | 6 |
| 8 | Central Missouri Mules | MO | 24-5 | 1-0 | 8 |
| 9 | Grand Valley State Lakers | MI | 24-4 | 4-0 | 9 |
| 10 | Belmont Abbey Crusaders | NC | 26-8 | 5-0 | 10 |
| 11 | Minnesota State Mavericks | MN | 18-6 | 3-0 | 11 |
| 12 | Lenoir-Rhyne Bears | NC | 25-6-1 | 3-1 | 12 |
| 13 | Wingate Bulldogs | NC | 26-8 | 3-1 | 13 |
| 14 | Francis Marion Patriots | SC | 27-7 | 3-1 | 14 |
| 15 | Young Harris Mountain Lions | GA | 27-7 | 4-1 | 15 |
| 16 | Seton Hill Griffins | PA | 21-5 | 5-0 | 17 |
| 17 | Augustana Vikings | SD | 21-6 | 3-1 | 18 |
| 18 | Westmont Warriors | CA | 20-6 | 3-1 | 19 |
| 19 | Angelo State Rams | TX | 23-11 | 3-1 | 21 |
| 20 | West Alabama Tigers | AL | 25-7 | 2-1 | 20 |
| 21 | West Florida Argos | FL | 26-6 | 3-0 | 22 |
| 22 | UNC Pembroke Braves | NC | 23-9 | 4-0 | 25 |
| 23 | North Georgia Nighthawks | GA | 28-8 | 3-1 | 24 |
| 24 | Cal State Monterey Bay Otters | CA | 22-8 | 1-3 | 23 |
| 25 | Northwest Missouri St Bearcats | MO | 23-9 | 3-1 | NR |
| DROP | East Stroudsburg Warriors | PA |
NAIA
If you blinked, you might have missed LSU Shreveport’s fall from invincibility — because it happened fast.
The defending national champions went undefeated during their title run last year, climbed back to No. 1 this season, and looked poised to make it a dynasty. Then came the last week of March, and suddenly the Pilots look very, very mortal. Four straight losses — the same number they accumulated over a staggering stretch spanning from May 15, 2024 all the way to March 21, 2026. Let that sink in. Four losses in four days to match four losses in nearly two years.
The damage was done primarily by Texas A&M–Victoria, who swept LSUS in a series that exposed cracks the Pilots hadn’t shown in a long, long time. Inconsistent pitching, a shortage of timely hits, and an uncharacteristic inability to close out games — it was everything LSUS is not supposed to be. Whether it’s fatigue, the pressure of being everybody’s white whale, or just a rough patch, the Pilots need answers — and fast.
Because UHV isn’t slowing down for anyone.
The Jaguars are on a 14-game winning streak and playing some of the most complete baseball in the country right now. They don’t just beat you — they beat you different ways. Tight 4–3 wins on composure and late-game pitching. Blowouts built on offensive explosions. A win over Division I Texas Southern sprinkled in for good measure. And now? The scalp of the No. 1 team in the NAIA hanging on the wall.
The engine behind UHV’s pitching dominance is Blane Zeplin, who has been something close to unhittable — 77 strikeouts in just 57 innings with a 2.37 ERA. Jacob Baker and Johnathon Jones have been right there alongside him, giving the Jaguars one of the most formidable staffs in the nation.
With depth, momentum, and the confidence that only comes from knocking off the best team in the country, Texas A&M–Victoria isn’t just holding their ranking — they’re making a move for the top spot. The throne is vacant. The Jaguars look ready to take it.
Here’s your proofread and spiced-up version:
| Rank | School | State | 2026 Record | Last Wk | Prev |
| 1 | Georgia Gwinnett Grizzlies | GA | 30-3 | 3-1 | 2 |
| 2 | Taylor Trojans | IN | 28-3 | 2-0 | 5 |
| 3 | Cumberlands Patriots | KY | 25-6 | 3-1 | 3 |
| 4 | LSU Shreveport Pilots | LA | 28-7 | 0-3 | 1 |
| 5 | Tennessee Wesleyan Bulldogs | TN | 28-9 | 4-0 | 6 |
| 6 | Southeastern Fire | FL | 25-9 | 2-2 | 4 |
| 7 | Johnson Royals | TN | 27-5 | 2-1 | 7 |
| 8 | Missouri Baptist Spartans | MO | 23-5 | 5-1 | 8 |
| 9 | Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes | KS | 27-6 | 3-1 | 10 |
| 10 | Loyola Wolf Pack | LA | 26-10 | 4-0 | 13 |
| 11 | Bellevue Bruins | NE | 27-3 | 5-0 | 14 |
| 12 | Hope International Royals | CA | 25-11 | 4-0 | 15 |
| 13 | William Carey Crusaders | MS | 24-11 | 2-2 | 11 |
| 14 | Lewis-Clark State Warriors | ID | 26-3 | 4-0 | 16 |
| 15 | A&M Victoria Jaguars | TX | 27-9 | 3-0 | 19 |
| 16 | St. Thomas Bobcats | FL | 21-13 | 2-2 | 17 |
| 17 | Keiser Seahawks | FL | 24-9 | 2-2 | 9 |
| 18 | Doane Tigers | NE | 22-7 | 4-0 | 21 |
| 19 | Ottawa Braves | KS | 28-7 | 1-2 | 12 |
| 20 | Texas Wesleyan Rams | TX | 28-6 | 2-1 | 20 |
| 21 | Louisiana Christian Wildcats | LA | 29-6 | 3-1 | 22 |
| 22 | Abraham Baldwin Stallions | GA | 25-11 | 2-2 | 18 |
| 23 | Concordia Bulldogs | NE | 21-11 | 4-0 | 24 |
| 24 | Our Lady of the Lake Saints | TX | 25-11 | 4-0 | 25 |
| 25 | Milligan Buffaloes | TN | 28-6 | 3-0 | NR |
| DROP | Huntington Foresters | x |
NCAA DIII
Sorting out the No. 1 spot in Division III right now is, frankly, a beautiful mess.
There’s no clear-cut favorite, no runaway freight train, no program that has separated itself from the pack and dared the rest to catch up. Instead, what we have is a crowded penthouse full of elite programs all making loud, compelling cases for the throne — and honestly? It’s must-watch baseball.
Lynchburg has done nothing to loosen its grip on the top spot since entering the year as the Perfect Game preseason No. 1. The Hornets have been a model of quiet, ruthless consistency — stacking wins, avoiding prolonged slumps, and refusing to hand critics any ammunition. But don’t mistake “consistent” for “comfortable.” Right on their heels, the Denison Big Red and Johns Hopkins Blue Jays have been every bit as dominant, combining gaudy records with the kind of all-around play that makes voters sweat come poll time.
The Salve Regina Seahawks and Salisbury Seagulls keep proving they belong in the same sentence as anyone in the country, racking up wins against quality competition week after week. And then there’s Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, bringing West Coast firepower into a conversation that could use a little sunshine.
Oh, and we’re not done. The UW-Whitewater Warhawks, Kean Cougars, and Rowan Profs are all sitting on résumés that, in a normal year, might make them the unanimous No. 1 with no debate whatsoever. The fact that they’re fighting for scraps of poll respect in this particular season says everything about how stacked the top of Division III baseball is right now.
That’s what makes this such a gloriously maddening pickle: there isn’t a wrong answer. Pick any of these programs and build a case — elite pitching depth, an explosive lineup, an uncanny knack for winning the close ones — and you’ll find the evidence to back it up.
For now, Lynchburg holds the top line by virtue of its preseason billing and unrelenting consistency. But the margin is razor-thin, the wolves are circling, and one bad weekend — or one statement series from any of the challengers — could reshuffle the entire hierarchy in an instant.
In DIII baseball right now, nobody is safe. And that’s exactly what makes it so fun.
| Rank | School | State | 2026 Record | Last Wk | Prev |
| 1 | Lynchburg Hornets | VA | 19-3-1 | 4-0 | 1 |
| 2 | Denison Big Red | OH | 17-1 | 3-0 | 2 |
| 3 | Johns Hopkins Blue Jays | MD | 19-4 | 3-0 | 3 |
| 4 | Salve Regina Seahawks | RI | 13-2 | 3-1 | 4 |
| 5 | Salisbury Seagulls | MD | 16-6 | 3-1 | 5 |
| 6 | Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Stags | CA | 18-6 | 2-1 | 6 |
| 7 | UW-Whitewater Warhawks | WI | 12-3 | 4-0 | 7 |
| 8 | Kean Cougars | NJ | 16-4-1 | 3-1 | 8 |
| 9 | Rowan Profs | NJ | 12-2 | 4-0 | 10 |
| 10 | Endicott Gulls | MA | 10-5 | 4-0 | 13 |
| 11 | Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens | CA | 17-7 | 3-0 | 12 |
| 12 | Bridgewater Eagles | VA | 20-4 | 3-1 | 14 |
| 13 | Shenandoah Hornets | VA | 22-4 | 3-1 | 17 |
| 14 | Baldwin Wallace Yellow Jackets | OH | 16-3 | 4-0 | 21 |
| 15 | Rhodes Lynx | TN | 17-5 | 2-1 | 16 |
| 16 | Christopher Newport Captains | VA | 18-6 | 3-1 | 18 |
| 17 | Cortland State Red Dragons | NY | 13-7-1 | 3-1 | 20 |
| 18 | Gettysburg Bullets | PA | 19-3 | 3-0 | 24 |
| 19 | Trinity Tigers | TX | 13-9 | 1-2 | 9 |
| 20 | Cal Lutheran Kingsmen | CA | 18-7 | 1-2 | 11 |
| 21 | Piedmont Lions | GA | 17-8 | 3-0 | NR |
| 22 | Washington Bears | MO | 18-5 | 3-2 | 22 |
| 23 | Belhaven Blazers | MS | 17-7 | 3-1 | 15 |
| 24 | Centre Colonels | KY | 15-7 | 1-2 | 19 |
| 25 | Messiah Falcons | PA | 12-8 | 3-1 | 23 |
| DROP | Roanoke Maroons |