A few weeks into the season and the shape of the national picture is starting to emerge (slightly, let’s get too silly about early results). Some preseason favorites are humming exactly as advertised, a few dark horses are pawing at the gate, and a handful of early contenders are discovering that February optimism and March reality are not always the same thing. Across DII, DIII and the NAIA, pitching staffs are setting the tone, offenses are either detonating or recalibrating, and the Top 25 is already beginning to feel less theoretical and more earned.
DII
UT Tyler is performing as predicted with a 12-2 start that includes a series win at Angelo State. The Patriots’ offense has not exactly been knocking the cover off the ball, but the pitching staff has been stingy, holding opponents to a .228 batting average.
They have not faced a ranked opponent yet, but Tampa has been rolling through its schedule. The Spartans’ pitching staff has been especially dominant, allowing more than one run in just four of 11 games. That is not much margin for error if you are standing in the opposite batter’s box.
Aside from a one-run loss to Barry on a Monday afternoon, Catawba has been flawless. The Indians have notched a pair of shutouts against Tusculum, an extra-innings win at Belmont Abbey, and most recently a sweep of Mars Hill.
North Greenville already has 29 home runs in just 14 games. CJ Dean and Josh Foulks are batting a combined .465 with 13 home runs, while Bennett Roemer has been dominant on the mound. In 21 innings, he has allowed just 12 hits and struck out 31.
With a .381 team average following last weekend, Belmont Abbey has been on an offensive tear. Senior Joe Whitaker has five doubles and five home runs in 44 at-bats, slugging .932. The starting pitching has also been excellent, giving the Crusaders balance on both sides.
Minnesota State has won three of four, including a pair against Indianapolis. The Mavericks will face new NSIC member Jamestown at a neutral site in Rapid City before traveling to Omaha to play UMary. A little road mileage this early never hurts.
After dropping two of three to open the season against Cal State Monterey Bay, Point Loma has surged. The Sea Lions just completed back-to-back four-game sweeps of Hawai’i Pacific and Chaminade.
Seton Hill opened 5-1 with wins over Findlay and Charleston. The Griffins have the week off before heading to Florida for a spring break trip featuring Minnesota State, Ashland, Rollins and others.
After taking three of four from Northwood and sweeping Cedarville, Grand Valley State sits at 6-1. The Lakers face Hillsdale College in a four-game set this week. Evan Morrison is hitting .606 with four doubles, three triples and four home runs, and he has added four stolen bases for good measure.
Colorado Mesa split with Cal Poly Pomona but has since won 10 straight, defeating Quincy and MSU Billings along the way. The Mavericks host Augustana this week in what should be a strong early-season test.
It has been business as usual for Central Missouri, whose winning culture persists year after year. Aside from a lopsided opening-weekend loss to North Greenville, the Mules have been scoring runs in bunches.
Pittsburg State is the top-ranked undefeated team. The Gorillas handled Southern Arkansas with ease and outscored their opposition 68-6 in four games at the Edmond First Pitch Classic. Jadyn McNealy already has 17 stolen bases with a .533 on-base percentage. Catchers might want to keep the throw-downs loose.
The start has been disappointing for East Stroudsburg, with two losses to Molloy and a split against Pitt-Johnstown. A series against Saint Anselm this week presents an opportunity to recalibrate.
Young Harris continues its ascent into the upper tier of DII baseball. In addition to a series win at Florida Southern, the Mountain Lions swept Southern Wesleyan and Barton to open Conference Carolinas play.
After its first four games were canceled, Lenoir-Rhyne has wasted no time making up ground. The Bears are 9-1 with wins over Columbus State, Wingate and Carson-Newman.
Angelo State earned a win over top-ranked UT Tyler but dropped the series. The Rams rebounded by taking three of four from Oklahoma Christian to improve to 10-4.
Francis Marion has won 11 consecutive games and is scoring at an impressive clip. Their first significant measuring stick arrives this weekend when they host North Greenville.
With series sweeps over CSU San Bernardino and Vanguard, along with a split against Azusa Pacific, Westmont stands at 9-2. Freshman Matt Vazquez owns a 0.57 ERA through three outings and is holding opponents to a .132 average.
Remaining undefeated after a road trip to Colorado Mesa would be a significant accomplishment for Augustana, which has yet to lose while facing Minnesota Duluth and Bemidji State.
The early returns for Wingate are promising. The Bulldogs have a series win over Millersville, took two of three against Sunshine State Conference opponents, outslugged Mount Olive, and competed well against Lenoir-Rhyne.
Cal State Monterey Bay opened with a series win over Point Loma and followed with another over Northwest Nazarene during Valentine’s Day weekend. They return to action against Fresno Pacific this week.
The West Alabama Tigers are off to a strong 12-1 start, though the schedule has not been particularly demanding. Games against Spring Hill and Christian Brothers should keep the win column active.
With series wins over Lander and Mississippi College, along with a split against Young Harris, North Georgia enters the rankings. If the offense finds another gear and the back end of the rotation tightens, the Nighthawks could make considerable noise.
Barry holds an 11-3 record but has yet to leave home. The Buccaneers visit Embry-Riddle next weekend for a three-game set, which should provide a clearer evaluation.
Harding’s use of the “Bisons” nickname instead of “Bison” remains a topic of debate. Linguistics aside, the 8-4 start has been solid, if not spectacular.
Dropped Out:
Florida Southern’s four consecutive series losses are difficult to ignore, with both the offense and pitching struggling. Davenport has also stumbled, winning just two of seven to begin the season.
| Rk. | School | State | Record | Prev. |
| 1 | Texas Tyler Patriots | TX | 12-2 | 1 |
| 2 | Tampa Spartans | FL | 11-0 | 2 |
| 3 | Catawba Indians | NC | 11-1 | 3 |
| 4 | North Greenville Trailblazers | SC | 13-1 | 7 |
| 5 | Belmont Abbey Crusaders | NC | 9-3 | 4 |
| 6 | Minnesota State Mavericks | MN | 3-1 | 5 |
| 7 | Point Loma Sea Lions | CA | 12-3 | 8 |
| 8 | Seton Hill Griffins | PA | 5-1 | 9 |
| 9 | Grand Valley State Lakers | MI | 6-1 | 10 |
| 10 | Colorado Mesa Mavericks | CO | 10-2 | 11 |
| 11 | Central Missouri Mules | MO | 11-2 | 12 |
| 12 | Pittsburg State Gorillas | KS | 13-0 | 13 |
| 13 | East Stroudsburg Warriors | PA | 3-4 | 6 |
| 14 | Young Harris Mountain Lions | GA | 11-3 | 14 |
| 15 | Lenoir-Rhyne Bears | NC | 9-1 | 15 |
| 16 | Angelo State Rams | TX | 10-4 | 16 |
| 17 | Francis Marion Patriots | SC | 13-1 | 19 |
| 18 | Westmont Warriors | CA | 9-2 | 18 |
| 19 | Augustana Vikings | SD | 8-0 | 20 |
| 20 | Wingate Bulldogs | NC | 10-4 | 21 |
| 21 | Cal State Monterey Bay Otters | CA | 8-3 | 23 |
| 22 | West Alabama Tigers | AL | 12-1 | 25 |
| 23 | North Georgia Nighthawks | GA | 12-4 | NR |
| 24 | Barry Bucs | FL | 11-3 | NR |
| 25 | Harding Bisons | AR | 8-4 | 24 |
| NR | Florida Southern Moccasins | FL | 17 | |
| NR | Davenport Panters | MI | 22 |
NAIA
Nine of Tennessee Wesleyan’s 13 wins have come either by double digits or via shutout. However, the Bulldogs lost the only time they faced a current Top 25 opponent, a 15-13 slugfest against Cumberlands. The top spot in the NAIA rankings could be up for grabs this week, as TWU hosts Georgia Gwinnett midweek and a surprisingly strong Montreat club riding a 13-game winning streak.
LSUS’s multi-season win streak finally came to an end this month with losses to Central Missouri and Missouri Baptist. Nonetheless, the Pilots still look like a strong contender to return to Lewiston. They’ve swept four from Hope International, three from Arizona Christian, and last week outscored Xavier (LA) 55-0 in three games to move to 14-2. That differential is less a stat line and more a warning label.
Taylor frontloaded its schedule with tough contests in Arizona and Florida and returned home unscathed. With the Trojans back in the Midwest, it is unlikely this experienced club will suffer many setbacks before postseason play. They are reinforcing their status as NAIA elite.
Despite only managing a series split with Oklahoma Wesleyan, it has been largely business as usual for Southeastern, now 12-4. The Fire recently won a series over Marian that included two mercy-rule victories. With no games scheduled until next month, they will have ample time to prepare for Peru State next week.
Cumberlands burst out to a 10-0 start with several lopsided wins, including that 15-13 victory over top-ranked Tennessee Wesleyan. However, they dropped all three home contests to Indiana Tech over the weekend. A quick regroup is needed with Indiana Southeast visiting midweek and a road series at Reinhardt this weekend.
Georgia Gwinnett is 13-1 under new head coach Tommy Goodale. The Grizzlies have not faced the most imposing schedule yet, but that changes quickly with Tennessee Wesleyan coming to town midweek. Next week they travel to Tennessee for a road test against the Bulldogs.
Johnson opened the season by winning three of four at OUAZ and has continued to stack victories. The 12-1 Royals swept Northwestern Ohio and Reinhardt, establishing themselves as legitimate contenders. With a dominant pitching staff, they could extend their winning streak deep into March.
With three wins, including one over LSUS, at the Cajun Collision, plus two more over Williams Carey, Missouri Baptist looks sharp early. A snowstorm canceled two games in what would have been a revealing series against Doane, but the Tigers won the lone contest played, 18-11.
While Hope International has six early losses, four came on the road at LSUS and should not be viewed as major blemishes. Two of those were decided by late go-ahead runs in the eighth inning. HIU was then routed by Texas A&M Texarkana, but that came with a physically and emotionally taxed pitching staff facing the defending national champions. Timing matters.
With a series win over Reinhardt and a sweep of Indiana Southeast, Loyola entered last week on a roll. They won the opener at St. Thomas, but the Bobcats took the final three games to claim the series. The Wolfpack’s offense has performed well; the pitching staff needs to elevate its consistency.
Series against the University of the Southwest and Doane were canceled to begin Kansas Wesleyan’s season. The matchup with the Tigers would have been especially illuminating. The next measuring stick for the Coyotes arrives in a couple of weeks when they host Oklahoma Wesleyan.
It is difficult to be disappointed with an 8-4 record, but Webber International is not yet firing on all cylinders. Two losses came on the road at Faulkner, so there is little cause for concern. A four-game set against Morningside this week should provide clarity for both programs.
Despite dropping two of its first three, Doane has performed largely as expected. The Tigers own a win over A&M-Victoria, swept four from Oklahoma City, and defeated Missouri Baptist. Weather has interfered with multiple contests, including games against Kansas Wesleyan and another pair versus MBU.
William Carey has two home losses to Missouri Baptist, but that is hardly alarming given the Spartans’ quality. The Crusaders’ upcoming series with Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College will be a key early test in the Southern States Athletic Conference race.
The verdict remains out on whether St. Thomas is officially “back,” but momentum is building. After series wins over McPherson, Oakland City and Brewton-Parker, the Bobcats were swept by Taylor before rebounding to take three of four from Loyola last weekend.
Keiser dropped a pair of road games at Faulkner, which is understandable, but also lost two to Brewton-Parker, which raises more questions. Upcoming contests against Midland and Mount Marty should help the Seahawks regain footing before Sun Conference play begins.
Oklahoma Wesleyan lost significant talent in the offseason, but Ashton Luera and Alex Garcia have anchored the rotation while Wally Diaz fuels the offense. Luera and Garcia have combined for 30⅓ innings, allowing just 14 hits while striking out 49 with a 0.59 ERA. Diaz has been outstanding since transferring from Connors State. OKWU split with Southeastern, dominated Bethany in KCAC play, and rallied past Mission.
A preseason oversight, Texas Wesleyan has been the most dominant team in the NAIA thus far. The Rams enter the week 16-1 after winning 15 consecutive games following an opening split with A&M-Victoria. A weekend matchup with Mid-America Christian looms large.
There are no marquee wins yet for Louisiana Christian, but the Wildcats are compensating with volume and are nearing 20 victories already. Kade Linn has been exceptional, striking out 30 in 21 innings while allowing just 13 hits.
Faulkner opened the season with wins over Webber International and Keiser but dropped games to a volatile Reinhardt squad and split with Indiana Southeast. The ceiling remains intriguing.
Oklahoma Wesleyan is not the only KCAC program off to a strong start. Ottawa sits at 13-2 behind a pitching staff holding opponents to a .219 batting average and an offense stealing more than four bases per game. Jeremy Freeman Jr., who swiped 41 bags last season, already has 12, while redshirt sophomore Dylan Snead has 13.
Had Southwestern Christian taken its series from Mid-America Christian, the Eagles’ 12-4 mark would carry more weight. They have won games but have not faced a particularly demanding schedule. Their lone contest against a ranked opponent, Mission, resulted in a loss. Statement opportunities arrive this week against Science and Arts.
Concordia is 7-3 with wins over Oklahoma City and Bellevue. Those victories may not carry the same national heft they once did, but the Bulldogs appear steady. A matchup with Graceland this week should provide little resistance.
A 12-4 start is solid for Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, though the schedule has not been especially punishing. The Stallions recently lost a series to NCCAA member Ft. Lauderdale. The next two weeks, featuring a trip to William Carey and a home series against Loyola, will reveal more about their postseason trajectory.
A&M-Victoria has wins over Doane and OLLU, along with a couple of unexpected losses. The Jaguars’ starting pitching has been excellent, with three members of the rotation carrying ERAs of 3.00 or lower.
Dropped: Reinhardt’s three losses to Johnson are understandable, but the additional seven defeats are not. Morningside opened 7-1 before dropping four straight. Mission’s preseason ranking has not aged well, as the Patriots sit at 7-8 despite some strong individual performances. OLLU’s 9-7 record might have survived another week if not for two home losses to John Melvin University. UNOH began the year with three narrow road losses to Johnson and later dropped two of three to Indiana Southeast.
| Rk. | School | State | Record | Prev. |
| 1 | Tennessee Wesleyan Bulldogs | TN | 13-2 | 1 |
| 2 | LSU Shreveport Pilots | LA | 14-2 | 2 |
| 3 | Taylor Trojans | IN | 12-1 | 4 |
| 4 | Southeastern Fire | FL | 12-4 | 5 |
| 5 | Cumberlands Patriots | KY | 10-3 | 7 |
| 6 | Georgia Gwinnett Grizzlies | GA | 13-1 | 8 |
| 7 | Johnson Royals | TN | 12-1 | 9 |
| 8 | Missouri Baptist Spartans | MO | 7-2 | 10 |
| 9 | Hope International Royals | CA | 9-6 | 3 |
| 10 | Loyola Wolf Pack | LA | 12-5 | 6 |
| 11 | Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes | KS | 11-2 | 12 |
| 12 | Webber International Warriors | FL | 8-4 | 11 |
| 13 | Doane Tigers | NE | 7-2 | 14 |
| 14 | William Carey Crusaders | MS | 11-5 | 13 |
| 15 | St. Thomas Bobcats | FL | 11-7 | 17 |
| 16 | Keiser Seahawks | FL | 10-4 | 15 |
| 17 | Oklahoma Wesleyan Eagles | OK | 11-4 | NR |
| 18 | Texas Wesleyan Rams | TX | 16-1 | NR |
| 19 | Louisiana Christian Wildcats | LA | 18-2 | NR |
| 20 | Faulkner Eagles | AL | 9-4 | 21 |
| 21 | Ottawa Braves | KS | 13-2 | NR |
| 22 | Southwestern Christian Eagles | OK | 12-4 | 22 |
| 23 | Concordia Bulldogs | NE | 7-3 | 23 |
| 24 | Abraham Baldwin Stallions | GA | 12-4 | 24 |
| 25 | A&M Victoria Jaguars | TX | 11-7 | 20 |
| DROP | Our Lady of the Lake Saints | TX | 25 | |
| DROP | Reinhardt Eagles | GA | 16 | |
| DROP | Morningside Mustangs | IA | 18 | |
| DROP | Northwestern Ohio Racers | OH | 19 | |
| DROP | Mission Patriots | MO | 25 |
NCAA DIII
The season just started, but Lynchburg can already claim a pair of significant wins, rolling past Cortland and Salisbury. The Hornets host York this week.
Endicott split a game against Mississippi University for Women, which is not a great start. However, the win was a dominant 10-0 result in which senior Brady Stuart threw a seven-inning no-hitter.
Denison opened with a win over Christopher Newport and a loss to Salisbury.
UW-Whitewater won the opener at Trinity but dropped the next three, two by a single run. The Warhawks are close enough to taste it, but close only counts in horseshoes and ninth-inning regrets.
Salve Regina lost its first game to Catholic but handled Dickinson and Stevens in week one.
Moravian was routed by Salisbury by a combined score of 43-0 in two games. The Gulls added a win over Denison, but were mercy-ruled by Lynchburg.
Trinity opened with a statement series win over the defending national champion Warhawks. The Tigers host Babson this week.
To start the season, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps won series over Mary Hardin-Baylor and Occidental. CMS has a home-and-home series with Chapman this weekend.
Kean is 4-1, with the lone loss coming against the ascending Alvernia Golden Wolves. The Cougars have a brutal stretch coming fast with games scheduled against Cortland and Trinity.
Last year’s championship-series runner-up Messiah dropped two close games at Randolph-Macon. The Falcons play at Johns Hopkins and Christopher Newport this week.
Cortland began its imposing schedule with a win over Marietta and losses to Christopher Newport and Lynchburg. Additional games against ranked teams Denison and Rowan were canceled due to weather.
Johns Hopkins beat Rutgers-Newark by three touchdowns and a safety, edged Baldwin Wallace, and lost to St. John Fisher. (Not sure the football team can claim that last one.)
Case Western swept Oswego State to remain undefeated in a week where almost everyone else picked up at least one loss. Sometimes the best strategy is simply not cooperating with the chaos.
They lost their season opener to Chicago, but Centre won its next five to improve to 5-1. The Colonels play Wheaton, Brevard and Dominican this weekend. Not all at once. That would be crazy.
No official games yet for Rowan, and none scheduled in the coming week. At this point the Profs might be the most well-rested team in the Top 25. Fresh legs are undefeated.
It’s hard to gauge Pomona-Pitzer this early. The Sagehens are 7-4, with a mix of blowouts for and blowouts against.
The official sleeper pick of the season, Keene, opens this week at Methodist.
Penn State Harrisburg closed its opening weekend with a comfortable 18-3 win at North Carolina Wesleyan to secure the series victory.
Belhaven outscored East Texas Baptist 19-4 over the weekend to improve to 4-0.
East Texas Baptist opened well but was swept by Belhaven and now sits at 4-4.
Baldwin Wallace rolled Alfred State, edged St. John Fisher, and nearly rallied to beat Johns Hopkins.
Weather postponed much of Alvernia’s start, but the Golden Wolves did notch an upset win over Kean.
No games yet for the Coast Guard Bears. They play Rutgers-Newark and Stevens this weekend. Anchors up and finally underway.
Gettysburg has shut out opponents in two of its three games and also doubled up William Peace 10-5.
New to the Top 25 is Cal Lutheran, which has series wins over McMurry, Pacific Lutheran and Caltech.
Dropped: Webster is hitting .232 through six games while allowing opponents to bat .316. Early season grace only stretches so far.
| Rk. | School | State | Record | Prev. |
| 1 | Lynchburg Hornets | VA | 4-1 | 1 |
| 2 | Endicott Gulls | MA | 1-2 | 2 |
| 3 | Denison Big Red | OH | 1-1 | 3 |
| 4 | Trinity Tigers | TX | 3-1 | 7 |
| 5 | Salve Regina Seahawks | RI | 2-1 | 5 |
| 6 | Salisbury Seagulls | MD | 3-1 | 6 |
| 7 | UW-Whitewater Warhawks | WI | 1-3 | 4 |
| 8 | Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Stags | CA | 4-2 | 8 |
| 9 | Kean Cougars | NJ | 4-1 | 9 |
| 10 | Messiah Falcons | PA | 0-2 | 10 |
| 11 | Cortland State Red Dragons | NY | 1-2 | 11 |
| 12 | Johns Hopkins Blue Jays | MD | 2-1 | 12 |
| 13 | Case Western Reserve Spartans | OH | 3-0 | 13 |
| 14 | Centre Colonels | KY | 5-1 | 14 |
| 15 | Rowan Profs | NJ | 0-0 | 15 |
| 16 | Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens | CA | 7-4 | 16 |
| 17 | Keene Owls | NH | 0-0 | 17 |
| 18 | Belhaven Blazers | MS | 4-0 | 20 |
| 19 | Penn State Harrisburg Lions | PA | 2-1 | 19 |
| 20 | Baldwin Wallace Yellow Jackets | OH | 2-1 | 22 |
| 21 | Alvernia Golden Wolves | PA | 1-0 | 23 |
| 22 | Gettysburg Bullets | PA | 3-0 | 25 |
| 23 | Cal Lutheran Kingsmen | CA | 8-1 | NR |
| 24 | Coast Guard Bears | CT | 0-0 | 24 |
| 25 | East Texas Baptist Tigers | TX | 4-4 | 21 |
| DROP | Webster Gorloks | MO | 18 |