West Virginia State Baseball Ranked in Three National Polls

NCAA Division II Atlantic Region Baseball Tournament bound West Virginia State Baseball team is listed in two National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) polls and HBCU Baseball “small school” poll. The Yellow Jackets crack into the 2021 NCBWA NCAA Division II Top 25 at No. 25 for the first time this season after receiving votes in last weeks survey, ranked No. 3 in both of the NCBWA Atlantic Region Top 10 poll and Black College Nines HBCU Baseball “small school” Top 10 for the National Poll (Week 15 – May 26, 2021). 

After winning five games in the Mountain East Conference tournament, the West Virginia State baseball team moved into the No. 25 spot in the national rankings Wednesday. WVSU (32-8) earned a trip to the NCAA Division II Regionals. They will open regional play Thursday May 28th, at 3 pm against No. 20 Millersville.

The University of Charleston will host the 2021 NCAA Division II Atlantic Region Baseball Tournament at the Welch Athletic Complex, in Charleston, WV. Winner of the Regional’s will advance to the NCAA DII World Series. 

The Yellow Jackets offense is clicking, averaging with many of the ranked teams in the most runs per game in DII. First baseman Matt Harrison is surging along with right fielder Michael Stone, second baseman Andrew Stone and designated hitter Matthew Kline. With starter Ethan Lauchart, and relief pitcher Jacob Bradley, the pitching staff have quality arms on the hill. .

Harrison put up impressive numbers at the plate this season. He was eighth in batting average (.378), second in slugging percentage (.784), fourth in on base percentage (.503), second in runs scored (45), eighth in hits (42), third in runs batted in (39), first in home runs (12), and second in total bases (89). 

Michael Stone had the team’s highest batting average (.379), and is currently on an eight-game hit streak and collected three hits in each of his last three games. 

Andrew Stone hit 11 doubles and three triples, scored 33 runs, and was a perfect 7-for-7 in the stolen base department. 

Kline hit .316 and scored 20 runs. He collected seven doubles, one triple, three home runs with 24 runs batted in. 

Lauchart posted a Conference-low 1.78 ERA while going 6-0 in 10 game appearances. His .201 opposing batting average was third-best in the MEC and his 56 strikeouts in 50.2 innings pitched was seventh-best. He also had the fifth-fewest hits allowed (37), the second-fewest runs allowed (16), and tied for the fewest earned runs allowed (10) in the conference.

Bradley, in relief, went (6-2) with (2) saves. He had a team-high 17 appearances, including five starts, and recorded a 2.88 earned run average. Bradley had 19 strikeouts in 25.0 innings pitched.

West Virginia State listed in national polls:

 

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