Tampa Moves Up to No. 2 in National Baseball Poll
TAMPA, Fla. - The University of Tampa baseball team remains among the nation's top teams as it is currently as high as No. 2 in the latest national rankings. UT is also ranked No. 1 in the NCAA South Region poll for the third straight week.
Among South Region teams, the Spartans are listed ahead of Delta State, Florida Tech, West Florida, Alabama-Huntsville, Barry, Saint Leo and Lynn. The top six teams at the conclusion of the regular season will earn an invitation to the 2013 NCAA South Regional. The winner of the Sunshine State Conference, Gulf South Conference and Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference will each earn an automatic bid to the regional. Tampa has already earned the SSC automatic bid while Stillman will represent the SIAC. The GSC tournament has yet to conclude.
Tampa is also in the top-four in all four polls, as the Spartans are listed at No. 2 by College Baseball News and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers of America (NCBWA). UT also comes in at No. 3 in the D2 Baseball News poll and No. 4 according to Collegiate Baseball Newspaper.
Fellow NCAA South Region opponent Delta State University is No. 1 in the D2 Baseball News Poll as South Carolina-Aiken is first in the other three polls. Other NCAA South Region teams in the national poll are West Florida, Florida Tech, St. Leo, Valdosta State and Alabama-Huntsville.
Tampa is now 39-10 on the season and has won all eight Sunshine State Conference series. The Spartans won their second straight league crown and 15th overall with a 19-5 SSC showing. UT also carries a 20-5 non-conference showing with wins over nationally-ranked Franklin Pierce and defending national champion West Chester.
The Spartans are hitting .323 as a team and currently have seven starters hitting over .300, led by Tyler Ding's .377 clip. Michael Danner also has a team-high 42 RBI while hitting .368. UT has slugged 38 home runs this season, with 13 Spartans connecting on at least one long ball.
Tampa's pitching staff has been equally impressive with a team earned run average (ERA) of 3.50. Matt Abramson has a 0.98 ERA and 6-1 record as Mike Adams is 6-0 with a 1.40 ERA to go with a team-high 67 strikeouts. Caleb Kellogg and Adams share the role as the team's closer, registering six saves apiece.
As a team, Tampa ranks among NCAA leaders in several categories, including batting average (30th, .323) scoring (14th, 7.9), runs (11th, 396), hits (12th, 542), doubles per game (12th, 2.26), doubles (6th, 113), home runs per game (20th, 0.8), home runs (12th, 40), slugging percentage (17th, .476), walks (9th, 223), hit by pitch (4th, 97), sacrifice flies (19th, 29) and on-base percentage (10th, .425).
Jacob Tillotson is 21st in sacrifice flies (6) while Zach Gawrych (3rd, 26) and Connor Obrochta (11th, 20) are among national leaders in hit by pitch. Adams ranks in strikeouts per nine innings (11th, 11.75), walks per nine innings (17th, 1.05), ERA (eighth, 1.40), strikeout-to-walk ratio (3rd, 11.17) and WHIP (10th, 0.88).
Tampa has now been ranked for 145 consecutive weeks, marking a program record. Ranked every week since 2005, the Spartans have been in the top-5 in each of the past 11 seasons.
UT will await word on the 2013 NCAA South Regional, which is scheduled for May 16-19 at campus sites. Please visit TampaSpartans.com for complete information on the postseason.
Click here for Collegiate Baseball Newspaper poll
Click here for College Baseball Lineup poll