College Baseball Weekend Recap, April 19-21

This weekend in college baseball brought us some ACC dominance worth mentioning, several top 30 teams playing out of conference cupcakes not worth mentioning (Ex: #13 Oklahoma versus New Orleans), and Kris Bryant continuing to mash home runs on a daily basis.

Team Highlights

- Best Team: #1 North Carolina - All doubt has been removed as the Tar Heels (39-2, 18-2 ACC) continue to win like Rosie O'Donnell continues to talk. They lead the nation in Team OPS (.899) and are second in Team ERA (2.14). The latest victims: Duke. Ace and likely Top-5 Round pick Kent Emmanuel (9 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 9 K).

- Rebound of the Week: #15 South Carolina - After ending up on the wrong side of a sweep to Florida last week, the Gamecocks (31-10, 11-7 SEC) returned home to Columbia finding themselves on the right side of a sweep this weekend of #18 Kentucky. LB Dantzler, a Senior first baseman, leads the Gamecocks with 12 home runs.

- Sweeper of the Week: #8 Virginia - In a hard-nosed battle of the ACC's top dogs behind North Carolina, the Cavaliers (35-6, 16-5 ACC) showed no mercy to #5 Florida State by sweeping a Saturday doubleheader, than sweeping the series with another win on Sunday. Surprisingly, only 2.5 games back of UNC.

- Best Win Streak: #17 NC State - With their impressive sweep at #18 Georgia Tech, the Wolfpack (32-10, 14-7 ACC) have now won 14 games in a row and quietly moved into 1st place in the Coastal Atlantic division of the ACC. Carolos Rodon turned in one of his better outings (9 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 10 K) this year on Saturday.

- Under the Radar Performers: UNC Wilmington - Look for the first place Seahawks (30-11, 12-2 CAA) to make a splash into this week's rankings. They're 9-1 in their last ten games, including a weekend sweep of George Mason.

- Best Bomb Squad: Samford - The Samford lineup now collectively leads the nation with a team total of 45 home runs. The main culprits include potential first rounder Phillip Ervin, CF, (10), Christiaan Durdaller, OF, (10), C.K Irby (8), and Caleb Bryson, 1B, (8).

Note: Mercer's hitters have also combined for 45 home runs but I already profiled their team last week.

- Disappointing Team of the Week: #6 Oregon State - You get this award when you get swept in a Saturday doubleheader by previously 9-25 Washington, best known for producing Tim Lincecum, and that's about it. The Beavers (30-8, 11-4 Pac 12) bounced back to win Sunday's contest 8-0.

- Underhyped West Coast Team of the Week: #22 Cal Poly - Eric Sorenson highlights Friday night's upset win over Cal State Fullerton along with their magnificent stadium setting. Unfortunately, the #4 Titans won the next two games. Cal Poly (26-11, 7-5 Big West) features a couple intriguing pitching prospects in Reed Reilly and Chase Johnson.

- Mid Major Riser Award: South Florida - The Bulls (26-14, 10-2 Big East) have now won 12 in a row, including a sweep of UConn, as they move into 1st place in the Big East.

- Still an Utter Embarrassment Award: Boston College - Record: 6-33 (0-20 ACC). Gadzooks!

Individual Highlights

Photo by: Meghan White

- Pitcher of the Week: Luke Farrell - RHP - Northwestern - The Senior had already overcome odds to even make this start. The son of Red Sox manager, John Farrell, Luke was absolutely brilliant (9 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 10 K) in a game played on the big stage at Wrigley Field (where he may pitch again one day) versus a hot hitting Michigan lineup. He's 6'6", throws in the low 90's, and will likely be a single digit pick in this year's draft, if for no other reason than he should make a great senior value sign (probably with the Red Sox).

HM/ Austin Kubitza - RHP - Rice, Stephen Janas - RHP - Kennesaw State, Aaron Nola - RHP - LSU, Trevor Belicek - LHP - Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Bobby Wahl - RHP - Ole Miss, Brooks Fiala - RHP - Miami (Ohio)

- Hitter of the Week: Kris Bryant - 3B - San Diego - Bryant went 5-10 this weekend and has hit 5 home runs in his last 4 games. He now leads the nation with 20 home runs and 48 walks. Current slash line: .353/.529/.897. What's left to say about Bryant that hasn't been said before? The kid drops bombs on a weekly basis like it's his job, and after June 6th when he's selected among the top ten picks in the draft, it will be his job.

HM/ Adam Frazier - SS - Mississippi State, Jimmy Yezzo - 1B - Delaware, Ryan Kinsella - C - Elon, Jared King - OF - Kansas State, Aaron Judge - OF - Fresno State, Tarran Senay - 1B - NC State, Brian Ragira - 1B - Stanford, Phillip Ervin - CF - Samford

- Outdueler of the Week: Ben Lively - RHP - UCF - Lively and the Knights took on fellow top 100 draft prospect, Aaron Blair of Marshall, on Saturday. Lively came away victorious (7.2 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 7 K).

- Stock Rising Award: Hunter Dozier - SS - Stephen F. Austin - The no-contest Southland Conference POY continues to rake as his OPS (1.316) is 4th in the nation behind Kris Bryant, Matt Oberste, and D.J. Peterson. He's now considered a potential early second round pick. He also made the honorable mention list on Kieth Law's Top 50 Draft Prospects.

- 2014 Draft prospect of the Week - Aaron Nola - RHP - LSU - He's LSU's Friday night guy and he only threw a complete game, 3-hitter with 10 K to open up #2 LSU's series win over Alabama.

- Two Way Draft Prospect of the Week: Marco Gonzales - LHP - Gonzaga - Not only did he outpitch Scott Frazier of Pepperdine on the mound in Friday's contest, Gonzales, a potential first rounder as a pitcher, also leads the 1st place Bulldogs (26-11, 13-5 WCC) with a .345 AVG as the team's first baseman.

Talented Stanford Players Playing like Talented Stanford Players:

- Mark Appel - RHP - While it's not as flashy as his early season performance was, the potential #1 pick continues to go out there each week and turn in quality starts for Stanford. Season line: 1.54 ERA, 70.1 IP, 48 H, 12 BB, 84 K.

- Austin Wilson - OF - Wilson hasn't missed a beat in his recent return to action for the Cardinal as he reestablishes his value has a top 20 pick. In 48 at bats he's hitting .342/.457/.553 with a HR, 6 BB, and 5 K.

- Ready for Prime Time Award: Bobby Wahl - RHP - Ole Miss - Opposing hitters on Missouri, hit a wahl, so to speak, going up against Bobby Wahl this weekend. Great to see Wahl, who's struggled mightily with command and consistency as of late, turn in a superb outing (9 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 8 K) like this.

- Mid Major Ace of the Week - Stephen Janas - RHP - Kennesaw State - The talented junior was named Atlantic Sun pitcher of the week following his shutout of North Florida. He now carries a miniscule 0.70 ERA on the season.

- Deserves More Attention Player of the Week: Julian Ridings - OF - Western Carolina - The talented Junior leads the Southern conference with a .417 AVG on the season. He's also hit 7 home runs and stolen 8 bases. Last summer he was named the top prospect in the Valley League by Perfect Game.

The latest rankings via College Baseball Writers

College Baseball Daily's Mid Major Rankings

NCAA Stat Leaderboard

That wraps up this weekend's recap. Have a great week, everyone. Stay classy, not crassy