By Aaron Kirby

For 2nd time in 3 weeks the lead story is a mid-major traveling to one of top programs in the country and not just winning a series but sweeping a series. In week 2 FGCU swept Florida in Gainesville and in week four UNLV (13-3) enter the rankings at #15 with an impressive 4-0 week. The Rebels have won 9 games in row including the last three this weekend at the Sunken Diamond. UNLV started the week with a 14-1 win vs Hawaii to finish their own tourney the Rebel Classic. Friday the Rebels capitalized on Stanford errors pushing across 2 runs in the 2nd, another in the top 5th and hung on for the 3-2 win despite another great game from Stanford’s Mark Appel (7.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 15 K). Saturday the Rebels pounded 15 hits in a 12-2 win and finished the sweep Sunday with a CG 2 hitter from So RHP John Richy (9.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K) in a 5-1 win.

Louisville (12-2) jumps up to #1 after sweeping Alabama. The Cardinals used a bases loaded walk in the 14th inning to win 4-3 on Friday Night. Saturday Louisville scored 6 runs in the btm of 7th on way to a 6-0 win. Junior RHP Jeff Thomas (7 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 K) improved to 4-0 on the season with the win. Thomas is off to great start (4-0, 0.73 ERA, 24.2 IP, 13 H, 8 BB, 29 K, B/AVG .155). Sunday Jr 3B Ty Young singled with bases loaded and one out in btm of 10th to complete the sweep with an 8-7 win over Alabama…………Missouri State (10-3) slides down one spot to #2 going 3-1 on the week. The Bears dropped a 5-4 game at Oklahoma State Tuesday before sweeping Northwestern over the weekend.

Up

Notre Dame (10-3)-The Irish continue to impress going 2-1 at the Dodgertown Classic in Los Angeles. Notre Dame opened the Classic on Friday with a 2-1 loss to UCLA in 10 innings but rebounded with a 2-1 win over Southern Cal Saturday. Sunday Notre Dame scratched a run across in the bottom of 9th to force extra innings and pinch hitter Kevin DeFilippis delivered a one out single to give the Irish a 6-5 win in 11 innings.

Florida Gulf Coast (13-3) climbs 5 spots to #6. The Eagles beat Michigan 11-6 on Monday, Bowling Green 7-0 Wednesday and swept Western Michigan over the weekend.

Indiana (8-3) moves up 7 places and into the top 5 at #5. It is March and Indiana is basketball country but the Indiana baseball team should also get some love. The Hoosiers won 2 of 3 at Florida winning 4-1 Friday, losing 6-4 Saturday and winning the series with a 7-4 win on Sunday. With the tough part of their schedule behind them the Hoosiers have put themselves in great position to grab a bid come May.

Austin Peay (13-2) enters the top 10 at #9 with a 5-0 week. The Governors beat Michigan State 10-7 and Western Kentucky 7-6 during the week and Wisconsin-Milwaukee 4-3, Creighton 9-8 and Arkansas-Little Rock 8-4 in their own tournament the Riverview Inn Classic.

UNCW (9-6)-The Seahawks opened the week with a 6-5 loss at College of Charleston but swept a VCU (9-3) club that entered the weekend undefeated at (9-0).

Louisiana (13-3) -The Rajin’ Cajuns won 2 of 3 at Southern Miss. After dropping the opener 9-2 Friday night Louisiana outscored USM 22-5 in the final 2 games, winning 13-4 Saturday and 9-1 Sunday.

Down

Sam Houston St (8-7) drops 4 spots to #10 after a 2-2 week. The Bearkats picked up nice 3-0 win at Rice on Wednesday before losing 2 of 3 at home to UCONN.

Pepperdine (7-8) falls 6 to #11 with a winless week. Since winning 2 of 3 at Texas A&M two weeks ago the Waves have lost 6 of 7 games including being swept at home by a Seton Hall (3-9) club who entered the weekend series winless.

Middle Tennessee State (10-5) drops all the way to #25 after going 1-3 at home vs Lipscomb and Xavier. The Blue Raiders started the week with a 3-2 loss vs Lipscomb on Wednesday and then dropped the first two games to Xavier before winning 24-4 on Sunday to salvage one game and avoid a 0 for week 4.

Enter Rankings

UNLV (13-3) see opening paragraph

Furman (12-4) finally enter rankings at #18 after another nice week.

finally enter rankings at after another nice week. The Paladins strong start to 2013 continued in week 4 winning 4 of 5 vs two good ball clubs. Their week started with 2 mid week wins at Coastal Carolina, 4-1 Tuesday and 11-6 Wednesday, and ended winning 2 of 3 vs Appalachian State in SoCon play. Furman took game one 3-1 and game two 6-5 before going for the sweep Sunday. The Paladins scored 3 runs in the btm 8th to tie game at 9-9 however a 2 out base hit in the top of 11th scored a run for App St who held on for a 10-9 win in 11 innings. Furman is off to a great start in the SoCon sitting at 4-2 with series wins at Elon and vs App St.

Central Arkansas (14-2) comes in at #24. The Bears snapped Mississippi State’s 17 game win streak and 20 game home win streak Saturday with a 7-5 win and won the series with a 7-3 win Sunday. The only losses of the season for Central Arkansas are to 2 SEC Schools, at Vanderbilt on 2/20 and at Mississippi St on Saturday.

Dropped Out

UNLV, Furman and Central Arkansas forced their way into the top 25 and 3 teams had to exit.

#17 San Diego St (7-9) drop out of rankings after losing 4 games at Arkansas.

#21 Liberty (10-5) drops out of rankings with a 1-3 week. The Flames lost to William & Mary Tuesday and dropped 2 of 3 at Georgia.

#24 North Florida (11-5) falls out after a 2-2 week. The Ospreys won at Central Florida Tuesday and lost 2 of 3 at South Alabama.

News and Notes

There were another 2 no hitters thrown in week 4. Friday Jr LHP Tom Windle for Minnesota (9-5) threw a no hitter in a 3-0 win over Western Illinois in the Metrodome………Stony Brook (3-9) has had rough start to 2013 but Sunday Jr RHP Frankie Vanderka threw his second career no hitter in 2-0 win over Fordham. He also threw no hitter at NJIT in 2011.

Tom Windle-9 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 8 K and 94 pitches

Frankie Vanderka-9 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 6 K and 102 pitches

Lamar (14-2) has the longest active win streak of any mid major in the country at 10.