Three out of the four West Coast baseball teams left their first Big Ten series feeling pleased with their performances last weekend. Southern California (USC), however, did not share in the high spirits.
Oregon extended its winning streak to 11 consecutive games by sweeping USC on the road. USC, after a promising victory against the nationally ranked Vanderbilt, has now suffered five straight losses. Meanwhile, UCLA traveled approximately 2,300 miles to face Maryland, coming away with two wins out of three matches. Washington also emerged triumphant, taking two of three games during their trip to Nebraska.
For Oregon, Mason Neville made an immediate impact, hitting his eighth home run of the season early in Friday’s 7-2 victory over the Trojans. He continued his stellar form by going deep again during Sunday’s 5-3 win. UCLA, after suffering a 13-3 defeat due to the run rule on Saturday, exploded in the second inning of Sunday’s match with an 11-5 triumph. The Bruins amassed nine hits during an impressive 11-run inning, with Mulivai Levu homering for the second time in the series. Washington, on the other hand, swept a doubleheader against Nebraska on Saturday. Braeden Terry contributed significantly with a three-run homer in the first inning of the 11-5 win, and Malakhi Knight, alongside Blake Wilson, added to the score in a 6-3 victory.
As for the baseball polls, the top three teams in both the D1Baseball.com and Baseball America rankings saw no changes on Monday. All three teams enjoyed a perfect 5-0 record last week. LSU stands at 16-1, Tennessee at an undefeated 16-0, and Arkansas at 15-1. Both polls reflect Tennessee, LSU, and Arkansas as the leading trio.
Tennessee has started its season in spectacular fashion, marking its best start ever with a 16-0 record. As the defending national champions, they prepare to enter SEC play with confidence, hosting Florida for a three-game home series. Their prowess was particularly evident as they dismantled St. Bonaventure, a team forecasted to finish at the bottom of the Atlantic 10. During Friday’s 12-0 victory, Liam Doyle and four relievers combined for Tennessee’s first no-hitter since 2002. Manny Marin’s grand slam on Saturday concluded an 11-1 win through the run rule in the seventh inning, marking the Vols’ eighth grand slam of the season. The team then clinched a 13-2 win on Sunday, belting five home runs to bring their national total to 49, leading the country in this stat.
Stanford concluded its first ACC road trip with a resounding win, highlighted by the combined efforts of Joey Volchko, Aidan Keenan, and Toran O’Harran. The trio limited North Carolina to six hits while striking out 14 in a significant 7-0 victory, securing the series. This was the first time Stanford defeated a top-five-ranked opponent in a series since April 2022, when they faced Oregon State. Notably, it marked the first instance that North Carolina was shut out in Chapel Hill since 2020 and particularly by an ACC opponent since 2019. California did not fare as well, losing two of its three games against Duke.
Oklahoma State also showcased a resilient comeback. After losing the opening game of its home series against Illinois State—a noteworthy 12-6 victory for the Redbirds, marking their first triumph over a ranked team in two years—the Cowboys responded aggressively. Scheduled for a Saturday game postponed due to weather, they swept Sunday’s doubleheader with scores of 16-1 and 18-1. Notable performances came from Colin Brueggemann, who went 5-for-6 with two homers and seven RBIs, and Nolan Schubart, who had four hits and seven RBIs.
In terms of noteworthy achievements across the leagues: Arizona’s sweep over Pepperdine has extended their victorious streak to 11 out of the last 12 games, while maintaining an impressive 8-0 home record—their best since starting the 2018 season with 10 consecutive home wins. LSU extended their winning streak to 11 with a perfect series against North Alabama. TCU has notably come from behind in nine of their 12 wins, overcoming four-run deficits both Saturday and Sunday against Fresno State. Kennesaw State ended West Virginia’s season-opening streak, halting their 13 consecutive wins with a 13-9 victory on Saturday. Arkansas continues on an 11-game win streak, standing at 15-1, recording its best opening stretch since 2006. Additionally, Penn State earned its first series win against Indiana since 2008, marking the first time they won an opening Big Ten series since 2014.
