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ASU Baseball Moves Into National Rankings March 19, Ranked No. 29 in CBN Poll; First Time in School History

From Appalachian State Reports

Mountaineers
Photo by Keith Cline

March 19, 2012. For the first time in program history, Appalachian State University is ranked in Collegiate Baseball Newspaper’s top 30 poll. The Mountaineers come in at No. 29 in this week’s CBN poll, which was announced on Monday.

Appalachian (17-3, 6-0 SoCon) climbs into the national rankings on the strength of the program’s best 20-game start since joining NCAA Division I in 1972. In the 109-year history of ASU baseball, only the 1969 Mountaineers (who competed in the NAIA ranks) had a better 20-game record (18-2) than this year’s club.

Appalachian has won 15 of its last 16 games with the only blemish coming in a heartbreaking 6-4 loss at No. 3 South Carolina last Wednesday. The Mountaineers are 6-0 in Southern Conference play for the first time since 1978 and sport a perfect 11-0 record at home.

ASU’s resume includes winning 2-of-3 games at No. 7 LSU (Feb. 24-26) and sweeping a two-game season series from Duke. The Apps’ only losses came at the hands of South Carolina, LSU (4-0 on Feb. 24) and George Mason (2-1 in season opener on Feb. 17).

The Collegiate Baseball Newspaper top 30 poll is the nation’s oldest college baseball poll. CBN debuted its national rankings in 1957. 

Appalachian is also on the verge of breaking into the USA Today/ESPN college baseball coaches’ top 25 poll, as ASU stands in sixth in the “others receiving votes” column in this week’s coaches’ poll. The Mountaineers have been receiving votes for several weeks in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association poll, with this week’s NCBWA poll set to be released later on Monday. Appalachian did not crack this week’s Baseball America top 25 poll.

The red-hot Mountaineers put their national ranking on the line for the first time on Tuesday when they travel to High Point (13-9, 0-0 Big South). First pitch is set for 6 p.m. at HPU’s Williard Stadium.

Photo courtesy of Appalachian Sports Information.