›Southeastern dominance seems undeniable heading into the season’s final month. As the days grow longer and warmer, the teams down south are positioning themselves well for the stretch run. Not a single team north of the Blue Grass State cracked the top ten in any major college baseball poll this week. In fact, seven of the top ten teams in more than one poll call the SEC home. Factor in Louisville alongside the traditional ACC powers from the Sunshine State and there is very little room remaining anywhere near the top.
›Red Raiders win Lone Star Showdown to claim control of Big 12. Texas Tech takes 2 of 3 from TCU in Fort Worth. While the Horned Frogs still have their sights set on a third straight trip to Omaha, their more immediate goal took a pretty big hit at home.
›South Carolina and Florida split two games in Columbia, weather preventing the rubber match from being completed on Sunday. As a result, the Gamecocks remain a full game in front of the nation’s top ranked club atop the SEC standings.
›Indiana is on a roll. The Hoosiers have made waves across the northland, winning four consecutive conference series to set up a showdown with the Golden Gophers of Minnesota. If the visitors make it five straight series victories in the Big Ten this weekend, they’ll be in the driver’s seat to win the regular season crown.
›Vanderbilt will have to bounce back quickly at Blue Bell Park in College Station if they hope to remain in the SEC regular season title hunt. The Commodores struggled on the mound against Tennessee, mostly due to handing out freebies regularly in their series loss to the rival Vols. Vandy has played in numerous big games in the recent past, including each to the past two National Championship Series. Their biggest challenges of 2016 are now front and center. With the teams ranked 1-2 in nearly all college baseball polls waiting in the wings on back to back weekends, it’s now or never for the Music City crew.
“First Glances” provides a weekly snapshot of the story lines impacting the hunt for the National Championship with quick-hit headlines from around the country.