Significant changes in rankings this early in the season are rare. Even if a top team suffers a few unexpected losses or a traditionally weaker team starts with impressive wins, it’s better to wait another week or two before making drastic changes in the rankings. Along with the latest update to the small school rankings, we also take a quick look at a team that was strongly considered for inclusion in the Top 25. While their early results are promising, they will need at least one more week of review before entering the rankings.
In 2013, Coker made history, blasting its way to the NCAA DII Baseball National Championship for the first time with a dazzling 38-win season. Along the way, the Cobras captured the Conference Carolinas tournament title and secured second place in the conference standings. But since that epic run, the team’s momentum has faltered. With just two winning seasons since then, and several tough years—including a dismal 13-35 finish in 2022—the Cobras have faced their share of struggles. That challenging season marked the debut of head coach Fico Kondla, a former Coker player and MVP of the team that reached Cary. But under his leadership, the Cobras are showing signs of revival. Last season, they finished with a solid 31-20 record, clinching seven out of ten series in the South Atlantic Conference.
This year, the Cobras are a force to watch. They’ve kicked off the season with a 12-4 record and are riding a scorching double-digit win streak after sweeping Ohio Dominican and Emory & Henry. Their success is driven by a dynamic, well-rounded attack—combining explosive offense and lockdown pitching.
Jaylen Mack has been nothing short of phenomenal. Last season, he earned accolades for his stellar defense behind the plate, throwing out 16 attempted base stealers with a near-perfect .995 fielding percentage. This year, he’s adding firepower at the plate, boasting a .434 batting average with four doubles, two triples, and two home runs. Alex Lazar, fresh off a solid freshman campaign, is elevating his game with a sizzling sophomore season, hitting .404 and swiping 13 bases. Meanwhile, centerfielder and leadoff hitter Ick Cirino is excelling with a .364 average, seven stolen bases, and a stellar .548 on-base percentage.
On the mound, Tyler Satterley is dominating with a 2.12 ERA over five appearances, earning three wins and a save. Cody Chapman, though carrying a 5.03 ERA, has been a strikeout machine with 26 Ks in just 19 ⅔ innings. Both pitchers have already delivered complete games, showcasing their reliability and grit.
This weekend, the Cobras will face their toughest competition of the season. They’ll square off against 12-2 Lenoir-Rhyne, who cracked the Perfect Game Top 25 this week. The outcome of this series could prove pivotal, as the winner will gain a significant edge in the race for the SAC title.
| Rank | School | State | Record | Last Wk | Prv Rk |
| 1 | Tampa Spartans | FL | 10-2 | 3-0 | 1 |
| 2 | Central Missouri Mules | MO | 8-2 | 1-0 | 2 |
| 3 | Angelo State Rams | TX | 14-2 | 3-0 | 3 |
| 4 | Point Loma Sea Lions | CA | 10-4 | 5-1 | 4 |
| 5 | East Stroudsburg Warriors | PA | 6-0 | 2-0 | 5 |
| 6 | Catawba Indians | NC | 10-4 | 3-1 | 6 |
| 7 | North Greenville Trailblazers | SC | 14-1 | 4-0 | 7 |
| 8 | Augustana Vikings | SD | 3-1 | 0-0 | 8 |
| 9 | Westmont Warriors | CA | 13-2 | 6-0 | 12 |
| 10 | Millersville Marauders | PA | 2-1 | 0-0 | 10 |
| 11 | Texas Tyler Patriots | TX | 13-2 | 4-0 | 13 |
| 12 | Florida Southern Moccasins | FL | 11-2 | 2-1 | 15 |
| 13 | Young Harris Mountain Lions | GA | 10-4 | 4-1 | 19 |
| 14 | West Chester Golden Rams | PA | 3-1 | 3-1 | 16 |
| 15 | Missouri Southern St. Lions | MO | 10-2 | 3-0 | 21 |
| 16 | Ashland Eagles | OH | 4-1 | 2-0 | 18 |
| 17 | Arkansas-Monticello Boll Weevils | AR | 9-3 | 3-2 | 17 |
| 18 | Minnesota State Mavericks | MN | 2-0 | 0-0 | 22 |
| 19 | Cal State Monterey Bay Otters | CA | 6-5 | 1-3 | 9 |
| 20 | Chico State Wildcats | CA | 8-5 | 1-3 | 14 |
| 21 | Colorado Mesa Mavericks | CO | 4-6 | 2-2 | 11 |
| 22 | UNC Pembroke Braves | NC | 8-5 | 1-3 | 20 |
| 23 | North Georgia Nighthawks | GA | 9-5 | 3-1 | 25 |
| 24 | Slippery Rock The Rock | PA | 3-1 | 3-1 | 24 |
| 25 | Lenoir-Rhyne Bears | NC | 12-2 | 2-1 | NR |
Drop: Georgia College
NAIA
One of this season’s most dominant teams, Texas A&M Texarkana has stormed out of the gate with a 14-2 record, ranking among the top six in the NAIA for most wins. What’s even more impressive is that this sizzling start has come under the guidance of neophyte interim head coach Chase Brewster, who stepped into the role just last November. Brewster’s impressive track record earned him another head coaching position with the Rockford Rivets in the Northwoods League. He’s joined by two other up-and-coming coaches—Drew Baumgartner, who is overseeing the pitching staff, and Wade Elliott, who jumped on board as the hitting and infield coach just last month.
While it’s too early to judge how much Brewster, Baumgartner, and Elliott have shaped the Eagles’ success, the early signs are promising. The season began with a bang, as they swept Evangel and clinched a series win over Friends. Last weekend, despite a loss in the opener of their road series at Huston-Tillotson, the Eagles bounced back in a big way, hammering out 28 runs across the next two games to claim the series. With upcoming home games against Jarvis Christian and Dakota State, expect their win total to keep climbing. The true test, however, will come in a few weeks when they face Houston-Victoria, who, after a scorching 15-2 start, cracked the Perfect Game rankings for the first time.
Though TAMUT’s schedule hasn’t been the most challenging so far, their performance on both sides of the ball is impossible to ignore. All seven players who have been in the starting lineup at least ten times are hitting over .300, and a quartet of Eagles are tearing it up with averages well over .400. Senior Brandon Riley, who struggled with a .230 average last season, has found his groove this spring, batting a scorching .533, including three home runs—just one shy of his total from his previous 145 games. Jose Parreno, a former starter at Antelope Valley before the school’s abrupt closure last March, has resurrected his career with a .425 average and 10 stolen bases in 15 games.
On the mound, Blake Taylor is having a breakout season. After posting ERA figures of 5.79 and 5.46 in his first two years, Taylor has flipped the script with a jaw-dropping 1.93 ERA in 28 innings, complemented by 20 strikeouts. This dominant performance underscores just how dangerous this Eagles squad is, and with Brewster at the helm, they’re making an early case as one of the most exciting teams to watch.
| Rank | School | State | Record | Last Wk | Prv Rk |
| 1 | LSU Shreveport Pilots | LA | 16-0 | 2-0 | 1 |
| 2 | Cumberlands Patriots | KY | 9-1 | 4-0 | 2 |
| 3 | Tennessee Wesleyan Bulldogs | TN | 12-3 | 4-0 | 3 |
| 4 | Georgia Gwinnett Grizzlies | GA | 12-2 | 3-1 | 4 |
| 5 | Reinhardt Eagles | GA | 14-0 | 4-0 | 5 |
| 6 | Webber International Warriors | FL | 14-2 | 4-0 | 6 |
| 7 | Missouri Baptist Spartans | MO | 5-3 | 0-0 | 7 |
| 8 | Arizona Christian Firestorm | AZ | 12-4 | 2-0 | 8 |
| 9 | Oklahoma Wesleyan Eagles | OK | 15-1 | 2-0 | 9 |
| 10 | Faulkner Eagles | AL | 11-2 | 4-1 | 10 |
| 11 | Loyola Wolf Pack | LA | 12-3 | 4-0 | 11 |
| 12 | Taylor Trojans | IN | 9-4 | 2-0 | 12 |
| 13 | Southeastern Fire | FL | 16-0 | 4-0 | 14 |
| 14 | Mid-America Christian Evangels | OK | 13-5 | 3-0 | 15 |
| 15 | Ottawa (OUAZ) Spirit | AZ | 15-3 | 2-2 | 17 |
| 16 | Central Methodist Eagles | MO | 6-4 | 0-2 | 13 |
| 17 | Hope International Royals | CA | 10-4 | 3-1 | 18 |
| 18 | Keiser Seahawks | FL | 9-0 | 1-0 | 20 |
| 19 | William Carey Crusaders | MS | 11-3 | 4-0 | 21 |
| 20 | Ottawa Braves | KS | 12-2 | 2-0 | 23 |
| 21 | Houston-Victoria Jaguars | TX | 15-2 | 3-0 | |
| 22 | USAO Drovers | OK | 10-7 | 2-1 | 22 |
| 23 | Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes | KS | 9-8 | 0-2 | 16 |
| 24 | Concordia Bulldogs | NE | 5-2 | 2-2 | 19 |
| 25 | Oakland City Mighty Oaks | IN | 6-4 | 2-0 | 25 |
Drop: Texas Wesleyan
DIII
Last season, the Berry Vikings posted a solid 28-14 overall record and claimed second place in the Southern Athletic Association, marking a respectable campaign. However, after a winless performance in the SAA tournament, their season ended without an NCAA postseason bid. With Birmingham-Southern closing its doors last year, the door is wide open for a new conference powerhouse—and Berry is primed to seize the opportunity. While Centre has already earned a spot in the Perfect Game Top 25, the Vikings could soon follow suit. A ranking would be their first since 2021.
Berry’s offense is on fire to start the season, smashing double-digit runs in eight of their first ten games. Last weekend, they racked up an astonishing 44 runs to their opponents’ 16 in a dominant three-game sweep.
The Vikings are hitting a blistering .371 through their first ten games, with several players putting up eye-popping numbers. Senior second baseman Joey Garcia is capping off a stellar career with his best season yet, hitting .513 and drawing 13 walks—just two shy of last year’s total despite having played in 43 games. His .655 on-base percentage is a monster stat. Leadoff hitter Alex Knapp has swiped nine bases and is batting .372, while Riley Uhls is raking with 23 hits in 46 at-bats, including eight doubles and two home runs.
Despite the offensive fireworks, Berry’s pitching staff needs to catch up if they hope to return to the postseason. Last season, the staff was solid, with Charles Stephenson earning SAA Pitcher of the Year honors. However, this year’s staff is struggling with a team ERA of 8.45—nearly double last season’s figure. There’s optimism for improvement, though. Cole Porter, who posted a 2.92 ERA in 26 appearances last season, has been hit hard this spring, allowing eight earned runs in just 5 ⅓ innings—matching his total from last year in nearly five times the innings. Tyler Cassidy, who logged 23 appearances and a 4.67 ERA last season, has seen his ERA soar to a staggering 14.40 early this year.
After impressive victories over Swarthmore, Pfeiffer, and Susquehanna at the 2025 D3 College Showcase, the Vikings will return home this weekend to host Belhaven for their first full home series of the season.
| Rank | School | State | Record | Last Wk | Prv Rk |
| 1 | Johns Hopkins Blue Jays | MD | 2-0 | 2-0 | 1 |
| 2 | Endicott Gulls | MA | 2-1 | 2-1 | 2 |
| 3 | UW-Whitewater Warhawks | WI | 0-0 | 0-0 | 3 |
| 4 | Denison Big Red | OH | 3-0 | 2-0 | 6 |
| 5 | Salve Regina Seahawks | RI | 2-0 | 2-0 | 5 |
| 6 | Lynchburg Hornets | VA | 5-1 | 2-0 | 4 |
| 7 | Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens | CA | 6-2 | 3-0 | 7 |
| 8 | Salisbury Seagulls | MD | 2-1 | 1-0 | 8 |
| 9 | La Verne Leopards | CA | 5-1 | 3-0 | 17 |
| 10 | Case Western Reserve Spartans | OH | 1-2 | 1-2 | 9 |
| 11 | UW LaCrosse Eagles | WI | 0-0 | 0-0 | 11 |
| 12 | Baldwin Wallace Yellow Jackets | OH | 1-1 | 0-1 | 12 |
| 13 | Cortland State Red Dragons | NY | 2-2 | 2-2 | 13 |
| 14 | Randolph-Macon Yellow Jackets | VA | 2-1 | 2-1 | 14 |
| 15 | Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Stags | CA | 1-1 | 1-1 | 15 |
| 16 | Penn State Harrisburg Lions | PA | 3-0 | 3-0 | 18 |
| 17 | Trinity Tigers | TX | 5-0 | 2-0 | NR |
| 18 | Christopher Newport Captains | VA | 4-3 | 0-3 | 16 |
| 19 | Babson Beavers | MA | 0-0 | 0-0 | 19 |
| 20 | Eastern Connecticut St. Warriors | CT | 0-0 | 0-0 | 20 |
| 21 | Rowan Profs | NJ | 0-0 | 0-0 | 21 |
| 22 | Coe Kohawks | IA | 0-0 | 0-0 | 22 |
| 23 | Centre Colonels | KY | 4-1 | 3-0 | 24 |
| 24 | East Texas Baptist Tigers | TX | 3-6 | 2-1 | 10 |
| 25 | Misericordia Cougars | PA | 3-2 | 3-0 | 23 |
Drop: Emory