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STARKVILLE, Miss. - There's a new but familiar face atop the latest collegiate baseball rankings compiled by North Carolina-based magazine Baseball America. Mississippi State, off to school-best 15-0 start, jumped five spots to claim its first No. 1 national ranking since 1993.
The Bulldogs successfully opened league competition over the weekend, turning back the fifth-ranked Tennessee Volunteers 8-2 and 4-3 in a rain-shortened series at Dudy Noble Field. Saturday's victory established the school record for season-opening wins and tied the MSU mark for consecutive wins. The Bulldogs entertain UAB Tuesday (6:30 p.m.) and Jacksonville State Wednesday (6:30 p.m.) in non-conference action before resuming league play with a three-game series this weekend at Louisiana State.
It's the fourth Ron Polk-coached Mississippi State team to earn a No. 1 ranking. MSU previous top-ranked teams include the celebrated 1985 team that finished third in the NCAA College World Series, the 1989 SEC championship team that won a school-record 54 games, and the 1993 edition that opened the year with a 16-1 start.
"We're honored to be ranked No. 1 by Baseball America," said Ron Polk, in his 27th season as MSU head coach and his 33rd as a collegiate head coach. "It's a great tribute to our kids and to the staff. We know there are many, many challenges ahead of us. Hopefully we can continue to play well."
MSU opens the week as the last remaining unbeaten NCAA Division I college baseball team.
Mississippi State also climbed in two other national rankings. MSU made its season debut in Collegiate Baseball newspaper's top 10, climbing from from 12th to the No. 3 position and rose to No. 5 in the RosenblattReport.com ranking.
SEC team's joining Mississippi State in the Baseball America ranking include No. 7 South Carolina (17-3), No. 9 Florida (17-7), No. 11 Arkansas (17-3), No. 12 Tennessee (14-5), No. 15 Louisiana State (17-5), and No. 25 Georgia (14-5).
Florida State (21-2) and Nebraska (15-2) are ranked ahead of the Bulldogs in Collegiate Baseball's poll.
Freshman right-hander Matt Lea (2-0, 3.27) will open on the mound Tuesday night for the top-ranked Bulldogs, while UAB (13-7) is set to start sophomore righty Brandon Flaherty (0-2, 6.75).
The Bulldogs successfully opened league competition over the weekend, turning back the fifth-ranked Tennessee Volunteers 8-2 and 4-3 in a rain-shortened series at Dudy Noble Field. Saturday's victory established the school record for season-opening wins and tied the MSU mark for consecutive wins. The Bulldogs entertain UAB Tuesday (6:30 p.m.) and Jacksonville State Wednesday (6:30 p.m.) in non-conference action before resuming league play with a three-game series this weekend at Louisiana State.
It's the fourth Ron Polk-coached Mississippi State team to earn a No. 1 ranking. MSU previous top-ranked teams include the celebrated 1985 team that finished third in the NCAA College World Series, the 1989 SEC championship team that won a school-record 54 games, and the 1993 edition that opened the year with a 16-1 start.
"We're honored to be ranked No. 1 by Baseball America," said Ron Polk, in his 27th season as MSU head coach and his 33rd as a collegiate head coach. "It's a great tribute to our kids and to the staff. We know there are many, many challenges ahead of us. Hopefully we can continue to play well."
MSU opens the week as the last remaining unbeaten NCAA Division I college baseball team.
Mississippi State also climbed in two other national rankings. MSU made its season debut in Collegiate Baseball newspaper's top 10, climbing from from 12th to the No. 3 position and rose to No. 5 in the RosenblattReport.com ranking.
SEC team's joining Mississippi State in the Baseball America ranking include No. 7 South Carolina (17-3), No. 9 Florida (17-7), No. 11 Arkansas (17-3), No. 12 Tennessee (14-5), No. 15 Louisiana State (17-5), and No. 25 Georgia (14-5).
Florida State (21-2) and Nebraska (15-2) are ranked ahead of the Bulldogs in Collegiate Baseball's poll.
Freshman right-hander Matt Lea (2-0, 3.27) will open on the mound Tuesday night for the top-ranked Bulldogs, while UAB (13-7) is set to start sophomore righty Brandon Flaherty (0-2, 6.75).