Gamecocks Remain Second In Latest Rankings

TUCSON, Ariz. - The University of Florida (2-1) has been ranked No. 1 in the first regular-season NCAA Division I baseball poll of 2012 by "Collegiate Baseball" newspaper.

The Gators, ranked No. 1 in the pre-season "Collegiate Baseball" poll last December, kicked off the season by beating Cal. St. Fullerton two of three games in Gainesville, Fla. Florida won the first two contests, 7-3 and 5-2 before the Titans captured the final game of the series, 8-5 in a matchup of top 20 teams. Florida only committed one error over the three games.

Two-time defending national champion South Carolina, ranked second, began the season 3-0 as did No. 3 Stanford, No. 4 Texas A&M and No. 5 Rice. In fact, 16 teams in the top 30 this week began the season with perfect 3-0 records.

Poll Notes: South Carolina's pitching staff picked up where it left off last season during its 3-game sweep of VMI. The Gamecocks utilized 11 pitchers.

They combined for 36 strikeouts and just four walks over 27 innings as the staff registered a 1.33 ERA. Stanford was impressive in its 3-game sweep of Vanderbilt. The Cardinal won 8-3, 9-5 and 18-5. Arizona St. started the season with a trio of wins over Western Michigan. The Sun Devils outscored the Broncos, 40-2. LSU outscored its opposition, 33-2, over the weekend in posting two wins over Air Force and one victory over Alcorn State.

Two teams fell out of the top 30 this week in UCLA (lost two of three at home to Maryland) and Vanderbilt (0-3). Two new teams to the poll are College of Charleston (3-0) and Georgia Southern (3-0).

The "Collegiate Baseball" newspaper poll is the oldest college baseball poll. Its birth took place during the 1957 college baseball season.

"Collegiate Baseball" Newspaper's

NCAA Div. I Poll

(As of Feb. 20, 2012)

Rank School (Record) Points Previous

1. Florida (2-1) 495 1

2. South Carolina (3-0) 494 2

3. Stanford (3-0) 493 3

4. Texas A&M (3-0) 490 6

5. Rice (3-0) 487 7

6. North Carolina (2-1) 485 4

7. Texas (2-1) 482 5

8. Arkansas (3-0) 480 8

9. Louisiana St. (3-0) 479 12

10. Georgia Tech. (3-1) 477 9

11. Florida St. (3-0) 475 13

12. Miami, Fla. (3-0) 473 14

13. Arizona St. (3-0) 471 17

14. Georgia (3-0) 468 18

15. Texas Christian (1-1) 467 10

16. Louisville (2-1) 464 15

17. Oklahoma (1-2) 461 16

18. St. John's (1-2) 458 11

19. Cal. St. Fullerton (1-2) 457 21

20. California (3-0) 454 22

21. Oregon St. (3-1) 449 24

22. Arizona (2-1) 447 20

23. Stetson (3-0) 444 26

24. Oregon (2-1) 442 27

25. Clemson (2-1) 439 25

26. Baylor (3-0) 437 28

27. U.C. Irvine (3-0) 436 29

28. Southern Miss. (2-1) 433 30

29. Coll. of Charleston (3-0) 429 -

30. Georgia Southern (3-0) 426 -