Trojan baseball climbs to No. 23 in Division II poll

By MOC Sports Information
Published in Sports on April 28, 2006 2:21 PM

• Print
• Email

MOUNT OLIVE -- Mount Olive earned its highest national ranking of the year, jumping six spots to No. 23 in this week's Collegiate Baseball Division II Top 30. The ranking is the Trojans' highest since peaking at No. 15 in 2004.

Mount Olive (39-12) captured its seventh Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference championship, defeating Limestone 16-1 Monday at Wilson. The title is the Trojans' second in the last three years. For the first time, the CVAC champion earns an automatic berth in the South Atlantic Regional of the 2006 NCAA Division II Baseball Championship.

Mount Olive collected 120 points in this week's poll, which includes games through Sunday, but does not include Monday's tournament championship. The Trojans, which have won 18 of their last 19 games, are eight points behind No. 22 Angelo State (Texas) and eight points ahead of No. 23 Tusculum (Tenn.).

Georgia College and State traded places with Tampa (Fla.) and jumped up a spot to No. 1. The poll does not reflect Georgia College and State's 11-10 loss Tuesday to CVAC member Erskine. Mount Olive was 3-1 against Erskine this season, including a 10-5 win in the second round of the CVAC Tournament.

The Trojans will try to keep themselves busy and remain in game shape between now and the NCAA II regional, which takes place May 18-21. Mount Olive heads to Wingate on Saturday to take on Wingate in a non-conference doubleheader. Game time is 3 p.m. The Trojans may schedule additional games prior to regionals.