Around NCAA baseball: Opening Week

NCAA baseball is early in its season, but we’ve already seen so many crazy outcomes. Let’s take a look at some of the biggest headlines from the past week.

Down goes No. 1

As the No. 1 team in the nation, there is a big target on Wake Forest’s back to start the year. After starting the season 3-0, the Demon Deacons would be left stunned in a game against UNC Greensboro.

The Spartans took the lead in the second inning and piled on some support as the game continued. Wake Forest would fight back and put the game within one run in the eighth inning, but the door would be slammed in the Deacons' face.

UNCG’s Julien Peissel went five strong innings allowing only one run as the bullpen bent but didn’t break en route to the 4-3 win.

Wake Forest would go on to sweep Dayton in its next series to preserve the No. 1 spot in the polls.

Arkansas stays steady at No. 2

The Arkansas Razorbacks are off to an impressive start that’s seen them both dominate and grind through close games.

They started the year by taking three of four from a sneaky James Madison team, and then followed it up with a big upset over No. 6 Oregon State. Arkansas dropped a tough 14-inning game against Oklahoma State but bounced back against Michigan.

They are currently 5-2. Their record isn’t as pretty as the ones of the other teams around them, but what they’ve been able to do backs up their argument as a top team in the nation.

LSU falls to Stony Brook

Fans got to see a modern version of David and Goliath on Friday as Stony Brook went on the road for the chance to do something special.

The No. 2 Louisiana State Tigers had a perfect 5-0 record coming into the game. Stony Brook was 1-4.

The Seawolves would score two in the second inning but would get mirrored by LSU who would even the score at the bottom of the frame. It was all Stony Brook after that.

They would score three more runs and muzzle the Tigers’ bats for a big 5-2 upset win.

Eddie Smink would get the win after five strong innings pitched, allowing only one earned run with seven strikeouts.

Vanderbilt slides

The perennial contenders have struggled out of the gate. Suffering losses by Florida Atlantic, Dayton and Gonzaga.

The Commodores slipped from No. 6 to No. 9 in the most recent D1Baseball poll. It is still early, so Vanderbilt has time to regain its footing, but the early losses might not sit well with the faithful.

TCU, Duke, Virginia and Alabama stay undefeated

Staying undefeated in baseball is tough to do but there are a handful of teams that have stayed perfect through the early parts of the season.

No. 5 TCU, No. 7 Texas A&M, No. 12 Duke and No. 13 Virginia all sit at 7-0. No. 16 Alabama has an extra game under its belt with an 8-0 record.

Dallas Baptist domination

Debuting on the poll this week sits an undefeated No. 25 Dallas Baptist squad sitting at 7-0.

With sweeps over Southeast Missouri and Central Michigan in dominating fashion, the Patriots have put themselves on the map.

Could they be this season’s Cinderella story?

Anthony Desher is a third-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email acd5698@psu.edu.