Missouri State climbs to No. 13 in national baseball rankings
The climb continues for Missouri State's baseball team in the national rankings.
Following an undefeated week, the Bears improved one position, to No. 13, in the new Baseball America top 25 released on Monday.
Missouri State remained No. 16 in the D1baseball.com rankings. Fellow Missouri Valley Conference member Dallas Baptist is one spot behind the Bears in both polls.
In the other two major polls, the Bears were No. 16 according to Collegiate Baseball and No. 17 in the USA TODAY/ESPN coaches' rankings.
"It was a good week," Bears coach Keith Guttin said, reviewing a home-field victory over Missouri in front of 6,497 fans and a three-game weekend sweep of Missouri Valley Conference rival Wichita State.
With two weeks remaining in the regular season, Missouri State's season is turning historically good. The only Bears' team with a better record through 44 games was the 1989 team, which was one game better at 35-9 and finished 41-10.
"We feel good and we're playing well," Bears relief pitcher Bryan Young said. "We truly are trying to take it a game at a time and get to postseason."
Missouri State is No. 10 in the Division I Ratings Percentage Index, one of the tools used to select and seed the NCAA Tournament. Not only do the Bears appear to be a lock for the tourney, they are firmly in the discussion to host a regional May 29-June 1 at Hammons Field.
But Guttin has been firm with his team that there is to be no discussion of that. Not yet, with seven games remaining before the MVC Tournament.
The Bears hold a narrow lead over No. 14 Dallas Baptist in the Valley standings. Winning the reglar season title over the Patriots could prove large if a host's spot comes down to one of the two.
"We all know what's ahead of us and what's at stake," shortstop Joey Hawkins said. "We'd definitely like to host. It would be nice to get (Hammons) bumping like we had it against Mizzou. Hopefully we can make that happen."
Added pitcher Matt Hall: "We have to keep our foot on the throttle."
The Bears play their final nonconference game of the regular season at 6 p.m. Tuesday, at Saint Louis University. The Billikens are 31-16 and leading the Atlantic 10 Conference.
"You get one day off and you have to go back and do it again," Guttin said.
Baseball America's new top 25: http://www.baseballamerica.com/college/college-top-25-may-4/
The D1baseball.com top 25: http://www.d1baseball.com/rankings/d1baseball-top-25-rankings-may-4/
Collegiate Baseball super 30: http://sgfnow.co/1zt5rfB
The USA TODAY/ESPN coaches' top 25: http://espn.go.com/college-sports/rankings/_/pollId/9/sportId/10031000
No. 13 Bears at Saint Louis
When: 6 p.m. Tuesday
Where: St. Louis
Records: Missouri State 34-10; Saint Louis 31-16
Radio: KBFL, 1060 AM
Other remaining games: at Southern Illinois, Friday-through-Sunday; Bradley, May 14-16 at Hammons Field