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Sorenson: Off The Top Of My Head

Will we see the trifecta?

Shhhh, you don’t want to wake an angry monster. Especially an angry monster that is nursing an injury. It will just want to come out from beneath your bed or from out of your closet and terrorize you while you try to sleep.



If that’s the case, can you imagine how angry that monster known as the SEC must be right now? How does it even sleep at night?

This past week, the monster conference known as the SEC took another shot to the ego after seeing another sure-fire national champion in Kentucky basketball fall in the national semifinals.

Let me start this rant with this disclaimer: The SEC is still bad. I mean, like, Isaac Hayes-kind of bad. They have the biggest collection of good teams in just about every sport this side of ice hockey. Yep, they are the best. No doubt.

But here is what we have discovered in major sports so far in this calendar year:

– Alabama and its statue-worthy coach Nick Saban, the man who seems to only lose to fellow SEC teams, was supposed to easily breeze through this first college football playoffs and win another national title, proving this whole playoff who-ha was a bunch of hooey. Hell, for most of the football season it appeared as if Bama would win the big brass ring by beating a pair of conference mates in this new four-team format. As it turned out, the Tide faced merely just another non-SEC team to steamroll over on the way to the national title, right?

They lost to Ohio State 42-35.

– Kentucky was supposed to have the greatest basketball team ever assembled in roundball history, with its six or seven future first round draft picks and all. They were going to be the first team to ever go a perfect 40-0.

They lost to Wisconsin 71-64.

Just two weeks ago, the SEC occupied four of the top five spots in the D1Baseball rankings. But if football and basketball are any indication, does this mean that there are bad tidings ahead in our sport for LSU? Or for Florida? Or for Vanderbilt? Look, we all know the SEC is all-powerful in the college sports landscape, but are we all being hoodwinked by these guys too? I mean our sport only has a maximum of 11.7 scholarships and that’s it. That means the entire landscape of college baseball should be much more even than football, with its 25 schollys a year, or basketball with its 13 a year. There is a limited amount of talent that can be stockpiled in baseball. And besides, baseball is another one of those sports where if you have heart, hustle and a little something called baseball I.Q., any podunk team can beat a No. 1 ranked team.

In fact, didn’t we see that this week when Lipscomb beat Vanderbilt, 3-1? How did the Bisons’ recruiting class stack up against the Commodores? Probably not even close.

I’m just saying, all those people who think the big monster conferences are so much better than the other mid-majors out there, think again. The SEC has already proven it can’t live up to the hype in football and basketball. Is the same fate ahead for baseball?

Oh, one last note I like to point out … if the BCS was still around this past football season, do you know who would’ve been the 1-vs-2 matchup for the national title? Alabama and Florida State.

Wanna guess how that game would’ve ended up?

Vanderbilt will certainly play the rest of the season with a sizable target on its back.

Eight for Omaha

If the road to Mecca started tomorrow, here is who would end up in downtown Omaha with their fans drinking at the Mattress Factory after games …

– Vanderbilt

– Texas A&M

– UCLA

– TCU

– Oklahoma State

– Louisville

– Maryland

– Arizona State

The Forgottens

These are the eight teams that lost early and left our collective consciousness, then they started winning again. Now, they’ve all moved themselves into either the national rankings or the at-large range of the RPI. Stay tuned because these guys are hot.

– UC Irvine

Record & Rankings: 19-10, NR, No. 51 RPI

When We Forgot About Them: The Anteaters started 0-6, losing three at Fresno and three at Cal.

Why We Should Love Them: The Anteaters have the nation’s longest winning streak at 13 games. They do own wins over Tennessee (2), USC and San Diego.

– Louisville

Record & Rankings: 25-7, No. 7, No. 13 RPI

When We Forgot About Them: When they lost two of three to Arkansas State in weekend No. 2.

Why We Should Love Them: In the last three weekends the Cards have swept Notre Dame, Georgia Tech and Virginia, giving up a total of 14 runs in those nine games. Yep… Legit.

– College of Charleston

Record & Rankings: 22-7, NR, No. 28 RPI

When We Forgot About Them: When the Cougars lost two of three to High Point in mid-March.

Why We Should Love Them: They’ve gone 12-1 in their last 13 games and their bats have gone nuts, averaging 10 runs per game in those 12 wins.

– Coastal Carolina

Record & Rankings: 23-9, NR, No. 42RPI

When We Forgot About Them: A 9-6 start included a pair of 2-2 performances in their Chanticleer Classic and Coastal Carolina Invitational.

Why We Should Love Them: Wins over North Carolina, Clemson, South Carolina and Wake Forest shows that they’ve got the ability to beat anyone. Yep, looks like the Chants are back.

– UC Santa Barbara

Record & Rankings: 24-7, No. 11, No. 14 RPI

When We Forgot About Them: Lost two of three at home to Oregon in week three.

Why We Should Love Them: Immediately after that weekend loss to UO, the Gauchos beat USC, and won two of three at Sac State and at Wichita State. Plus, their pitching staff is second nationally at 2.11.

UC Santa Barbara is a team that has played better than expected in 2015.

– Florida State

Record & Rankings: 26-9, No. 9, No. 5 RPI

When We Forgot About Them: A 4-3 start included losing a doubleheader on national TV at Georgia.

Why We Should Love Them: They’re young, but they’ve proven to be wise. FSU leads the nation in walks with 227, second in hit by pitches with 59 and third in on-base percentage at .418.

– Michigan State

Record & Rankings: 16-14, NR, No. 35 RPI

When We Forgot About Them: Terrible start, limped out to a 4-7 mark including an 0-for-3 at UCLA.

Why We Should Love Them: Since then, they’ve beaten Clemson, Coastal Carolina and swept Oregon, all on the road. Their overall record may not be sexy, but their RPI is well within at-large range.

Cam Gibson and the Michigan State Spartans have rebounded well from their early-season struggles.

– Missouri

Record & Rankings: 22-11, No. 19, No. 26 RPI

When We Forgot About Them: When they got swept at home by Milwaukee in early March

Why We Should Love Them: The Tigers have mounted a great rebound, moving into second place in the SEC East with the help of a sweep at Georgia and taking two of three from both South Carolina and Florida.

Top five places to be

If you have the ways and means to commandeer the company LearJet, here is where you should set your flight plans …

5- Bradley at Dallas Baptist

Horner Ballpark, Dallas, Texas

By The Numbers:

BU: 21-7, 2-1 MVC, No. 22 RPI, No. 40 ISR

DBU: 24-6, 6-3 MVC, No. 1 RPI, No. 3 ISR

The Braves had the No. 1 ranked pitching staff for a good portion of the season but has fallen off pace a bit the last few weeks. And I’m sure the Patriots are ready to make amends for last week’s pair of hair-of-the-chinny-chin-chin losses at Missouri State.

4- Long Beach State at UC Irvine

Anteater Ballpark, Irvine, California

By The Numbers:

LBSU: 18-10, 4-2 Big West, No. 20 RPI, No. 22 ISR

UCI: 19-10, 6-0 Big West, No. 50 RPI, No. 33 ISR

The Anteaters lead the Big West and control their destiny, but their RPI always seems to be a little on the cruddy side. They’ll have their work cut out for them as the Dirtbags come in with the 11th-best pitching staff in the country at 2.64 ERA.

3- Auburn at No. 4 LSU

Alex Box Stadium, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

By The Numbers:

AU: 20-13, 4-8 SEC, No. 31 RPI, No. 42 ISR

LSU: 29-5, 8-4 SEC, No. 18 RPI, No. 5 ISR

The Bayou Bengals have the perfect double-edged sword for their opponents; a 3.02 team ERA and the No. 2 offense in the country at .326. Auburn can really help its own cause with a couple wins here. Knowing Kentucky won twice in Alex Box has to sprout some confidence for them.

2- No. 25 Virginia at Georgia Tech

Russ Chandler Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia

By The Numbers:

UVa: 20-12, 6-9 ACC, No. 48 RPI, No. 63 ISR

GT: 22-11, 7-8 ACC, No. 12 RPI, No. 21 ISR

Virginia has been a confusing team, although coach Brian O’Connor admitted to me that injuries and youth have made this a zoo of a season. The pitching is still pretty good (3.24, 304 Ks) but the Cavs hit just .265 so far. Will a series loss mean they fall off the radar in the RPI?

1- No. 6 UCLA at No. 8 USC

Deadeaux Field, Los Angeles, California

By The Numbers:

Bruins: 23-6, 10-2 Pac 12, No. 5 RPI, No. 2 ISR

Trojans: 25-7, 7-2 Pac 12, No. 16 RPI, No. 14 ISR

Pitch. Pitch. Pitch. That’s all these two teams do. The Bruin staff is forth nationally with a 2.24 team ERA, while the Trojans have improved exponentially from a year ago, boasting a 2.70 ERA, good for 13th nationally. Early leads will be huge in this series as both bullpens are stoic.

And if you want to see it in video form courtesy of the MotherShip, click on this link here.

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Five more to watch

These didn’t make the top five, but they’ll have really big ramifications in the rankings and the standings so you should get out to see one of them if at all possible.

– Ole Miss at No. 1 Vanderbilt.

The Rebels are just 16-17 overall but have a viable RPI ranking at No. 40. If they can pull off a win or two here, this could be a turning point in their season. But that’s a big “if” when facing those big guns of the Commodores.

– No. 9 Florida State at Notre Dame.

This one is huge for the Irish. With an RPI at No. 34, they are still in the mix for an at-large bid if they can get a series win here. But with the way they were swept vs. Virginia two weeks ago, this could be too big of a mountain to climb.

– South Carolina at No. 10 Florida.

With their RPI wallowing down at No. 58 entering the weekend, this could be a do or die trip for the Gamecocks. Can they afford to lose any more ground here and still make a turnaround for the post-season?

– No. 11 UC Santa Barbara at Cal State Northridge

Just like South Carolina above, the Matadors could be looking at a do or die weekend here. Their RPI sits at No. 52 right now and the rigors of the Big West isn’t going to give you too many chances, ya’ know.

– Iowa at No. 16 Maryland.

The Hawkeyes have been one of the best kept secrets in college baseball, sporting a 2.76 team ERA, which is good for 19th in the country. They are also No. 27 in the RPI. They’ll face a Terrapin team that just got done sweeping Nebraska last weekend. Something has got to give.

Big leagues and beer

As you StitchHeads who have read my garb for all those years know, I’m a big proponent of selling beer at college baseball games. A “dog and suds” has long been a baseball tradition dating all the way back to the end of prohibition back in 1933. But most college are so puritanical they refuse to sell the good hops and do not want all the extra revenue that comes with it.

Well in major league baseball, you can get a good cold brew at any stadium you go to. So here is the breakdown of prices for a beer at a pro ballpark, from most expensive to least expensive. Just in case you wanted to know…

Looking at the chart, c’mon Fenway, what’re you doing? A piddly little 12 ounce brew and you’re charging $7.75?… highway robbery.

Belmont goes bat crazy

This may have gotten a little lost in the weekend shuffle, but the Belmont Bruins broke three NCAA record and tied another as part of their 20-run outburst in the sixth inning of a 34-10 win over UT Martin. Yep, you read that right, 20 runs within the frame of three outs. Ahhhhh, gotta love Sunday baseball. The Bruins set the marks for most plate appearances (26), total bases (43) and RBI (20) in a single inning. Belmont also blasted seven home runs in the sixth inning to tie the record for most home runs in an inning. Last we checked, the calendar did not read 1998.

More Wayne Graham, because I love him

As if I didn’t dig this dude enough already. I stopped by the venerable Rice coach’s office after his 10-0 win over Middle Tennessee State back on Sunday and one of the first things he wanted to talk about was his penchant for challenging his team and playing as tough of a pre-conference schedule as possible.

“Sometimes guys schedule soft because they may have a career to protect or something like that. I’ve never been that way. I like to play good teams because of the challenge. Look, you get into athletics because you love the competition, not because you want to make things easy. I mean, the other side of it is if you’re going to play a team that you are supposed to beat by 15 runs… and then you lose. That’s really really bad. So you don’t want to be embarrassed. And that happened to me once before, back in my high school coaching days. We lost to the worst team in the league, a team who couldn’t beat anybody. We ended up winning the league, but that was an embarrassing loss I’ll never forget.”

(At this point it’s funny to note that Coach Graham had to go back to his high school coaching days to give an example of how he once scheduled a really bad team.)

At this point in his career, nothing surprises Rice coach Wayne Graham. Whether it’s his team’s up-and-down play or some national powers and the wuss-rock type of teams they put on their schedules.

Strength of schedules of the top teams

On a completely unrelated topic, here are the non-conference strength of schedules according to the D1Baseball.com RPI formula for the 10 most-winningest teams in the country going into this weekend:

1- Texas A&M, 31-2

Non-conf SOS: No. 228

2- LSU, 28-5

Non-conf SOS: No. 224

3- Vanderbilt, 27-7

Non-conf SOS: No. 66

4- Florida Atlantic, 26-6

Non-conf SOS: No. 19

5- Nevada, 26-6

Non-conf SOS: No. 279

6- Florida State, 26-9

Non-conf SOS: No. 18

7- TCU, 25-6

Non-conf SOS: No. 95

8- Louisville, 25-7

Non-conf SOS: No. 275

9- USC, 25-7

Non-conf SOS: No. 218

10- Florida, 25-9

Non-conf SOS: No. 22

Men’s Capitol One standings

Following the conclusion of basketball season, here is how things line up (currently) for the best men’s college sports programs in the country. See if you can find the one that sticks out like a sore thumb:

1- Ohio State

2- Virginia

3- Duke

4- Oregon

5- North Dakota State

6- UCLA

7- Michigan State

8- Wisconsin

Yes, what the heck is North Dakota State doing in that Top Eight of athletic programs? Are the Bison really that good in all of their sports? Well, when I talked with NDSU baseball coach Tod Brown last year he mentioned how serious the administration is about improving every sports program across the board. The Bison football program won its third straight football national title, the basketball team went to the NCAA tournament as well, going 23-10 on the year. The baseball team went to the Big Dance last year, but have struggled so far this season, starting out 8-18 and in last place in the Summit at 3-9. But it’s still early.

Coach Tod Brown (right) and the North Dakota State Bison, after winning the 2014 Summit League title.

Okay, that’s enough StitchHeads.

G’night