College Daily Sheet: Cole-y Moly 4/17/26

Atlantic Coast

Covered by: Will Dodge

AJ Gracia, OF Virginia (Atlantic Coast)

Game 1: 2-for-4, HR, R, 3 RBI, BB

Luke Gaffney, 1B Clemson (Atlantic Coast)

Game 1: 2-for-4, HR, R, 2 RBI

‼️ Henry Zatkowski, LHP Virginia (Atlantic Coast)

Game 1: 7 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 10 K

‼️ Michael Sharman, LHP Clemson (Atlantic Coast)

Game 2: 8 IP, 6 H, ER, BB, 7 K

💣💣 🍔🍟 Nate Savoie, OF Clemson (Atlantic Coast)

Game 2: 3-for-5, 2 HR, 2 R, 3 RBI

Games 1 & 2 of a pivotal ACC series between Clemson and Virginia were played Thursday & Friday, with the home Cavs taking game 1 & the Tigers evening things up on Friday. In Game 1, Henry Zatkowski was terrific, throwing 7 innings of 2-run ball and punching out 10. Zatkowski has moved between the Friday and midweek starting roles this season, but when given another chance to be the lead man for the Cavs staff, he has taken off with the role. AJ Gracia did the heavy lifting for Virginia with a 3-run homer, his 12th on the year, as he continues a prolific college career. Luke Gaffney supported the Tigers in game 1 with a homer himself. It was all Clemson in game 2, with Michael Sharman turning it back to his early-season self. Nate Savoie powered Clemson with two home runs, with the second blast travelling 424’ & hit at 114 mph.

👟 Jack Toomey, RF Boston College (Atlantic Coast)

3-for-4, 2B, 2 R, 3 SB

‼️ Wes Mendes, LHP Florida State (Atlantic Coast)

6 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 7 K

Nathan Cmeyla, C Florida State (Atlantic Coast)

3-for-4, 2B, R, 3 RBI

Florida State got off to a great start in its get-right series versus Notre Dame, winning 11-0 in 7. Wes Mendes has carried the team with a wonderful season, while numerous key members around him have gone down with injuries. He kept things rolling with 6 shutout innings, striking out 7. The part-time C/DH, Nathan Cmeyla, had a good day at the plate with 3 hits and a double, plating 3 runners. FSU will look to take the series on Saturday, but faces a tall task in the Day 1 hopeful Jack Radel on the mound for Notre Dame.

Daniel McAuliff, RHP Pittsburgh (Atlantic Coast)

3.1 IP, 6 K

Ethan Gibson, 1B Virginia Tech (Atlantic Coast)

3-for-4, 2 R, 3 RBI

‼️ Brett Renfrow, RHP Virginia Tech (Atlantic Coast)

6 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 9 K

In what has quickly turned into a do-or-die series for the two teams, Virginia Tech topped Pitt, winning 11-6. It’s been a rocky season for the Hokies’ ace Brett Renfrow, who entered the season with Day 1 draft hype. He had an excellent day on the mound, punching out 9 in 6 innings of 2-run ball, dropping his ERA back under 7. Va Tech had an explosive 9-run 4th inning, where Ethan Gibson headlined with 2 hits and 3 RBIs in the inning. While in a garbage time role, Daniel McAuliff had a nice outing on the mound, going 3.1 perfect innings with 6 K’s headlining the game for Pitt. It’s also been an inconsistent season for McAuliff, who was on the preseason Stopper of the Year watch list, but maybe this is a sign of things turning.

Blake Morningstar, RHP Wake Forest (Atlantic Coast)

3 IP, 3 H, 5 K, SV

🍔🍟 👟 Javar Williams, CF Wake Forest (Atlantic Coast)

2-for-4, HR, 4 R, RBI, BB, 2 SB

💣💣 Blake Schaaf, 2B Wake Forest (Atlantic Coast)

4-for-5, 2 HR, 4 R, 7 RBI

Pour one out for the Wolfpack. With Jacob Dudan already done for the season, Ryan Marohn was announced as having to miss this weekend with an injury, forcing the preseason closer Heath Andrews into a Friday night role, and he did not have it. The Wake Forest Demon Deacons slugged 6 HRs as a team and pulled away with an incredible 22-1 victory in 7. Junior transfer 2Bman from Georgetown, Blake Schaaf, tallied two home runs, which were also his first two of the season. Javar Williams has continued his excellent Senior campaign with a homer and two steals, which has him up to 8 HRs and 23 SBs. It’s been a rather ugly season for the draft-eligible righty Blake Moringstar, but he turned in a nice outing, getting a blowout save, going 3 scoreless innings, striking out 5.

💣💣 Tague Davis, 1B Louisville (Atlantic Coast)

2-for-4, 2 HR, 2 R, 2 RBI

Bayram Hot, 3B Louisville (Atlantic Coast)

1-for-3, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB

Carl Schmidt, LF Cal (Atlantic Coast)

2-for-4, HR, 2B, 2 R, 3 RBI

It was a home run derby in Berkeley with both Cal and Louisville combining for 5 long balls, in the Bears' victory, 8-5. Tague Davis launched two blasts and is up to 21 on the season. Neither Homer had exceptional distance, but both were killed, especially with the first hit at 115 mph. Bayram Hot got the party started with a blast for himself in the first, which was only a matter of fair or foul, and had a couple of nice defensive plays for himself. Carl Schmidt had the most impressive long ball for the Bears with a 3-run dinger in the 6th, which gave Cal the lead for good.

Erik Paulsen, 1B North Carolina (Atlantic Coast)

1-for-2, HR, R, RBI, 2 BB

In the ACC’s biggest series of the week, and likely season, #3 North Carolina got out to a huge 5-0 lead in the 3rd, and coasted to a 5-2 victory over #2 Georgia Tech. The Heels' offense had an excellent collective effort, and Erik Paulsen led the charge with a homer and two walks. The UNC staff as a whole was excellent as Jason DeCaro, Caden Glauber, and Walker McDuffie combined for 7 K’s, only allowing 6 hits against arguably the best lineup in the country.

---

Big 12

Covered by: Drew Wheeler

‼️ Cole Carlon, LHP Arizona State (Big 12)

6.0 IP, 3 H, 11 K

Let’s start at the top – the big left-hander reached (and surpassed) the 100 MPH threshold for fastball velocity for the first time in his career Friday night as the Sun Devils absolutely obliterated BYU. For Carlon, (who will be flirting with Top 10 status in our forthcoming Top 200 NCAA players for the 2026 Draft) this only amplifies his rather sizable attraction for major league squads: on the season, Carlon has punched out 39.3% of batters faced, and his hard fastball is accented with a strong slider from the left side. It is hard not to think this is at least mid-rotation ceiling, but frankly, in certain outcomes, he could be considered frontline caliber – especially if he’s given access to one of MLB’s premier pitching development pipelines. Carlon punched out 11, walked none, and only allowed three hits across 83 pitches and six strong innings – the kid’s a major leaguer and keeps looking like an early Day-One selection.

💣💣 Brock Thompson, SS Oklahoma State (Big 12)

2-for-5, 2 HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2 K

Shortstop Brock Thompson enjoyed the massive 13-2 victory the Cowboys took on Friday to go up 1-0 on the surging Jayhawks of Kansas; in fact, Thompson enjoyed it in style, racking up an early Double Dong Day to spark Oklahoma State’s offense. In the bottom first, Thompson capped off a 3-2 count versus Mathis Nayral, clocking his seventh homer of the campaign to left field; the shortstop didn’t take long to get back on the horse, knocking a solo shot to center for his eighth homer of the season the very next inning. Credit to Thompson, a Double Dong is not the easiest thing to do, and he certainly has the lineup protection to see good pitches for a fledgling Oklahoma State team.

🍔🍟 Alex Conover, LF Oklahoma State (Big 12)

3-for-4, HR, 3 R, 3 RBI, BB, K, SB

Conover kept his hot streak alive Friday, completing the combo meal early in the contest. The Cowboys left fielder knocked his fifth homer of the 2026 campaign in the bottom second inning, going deep to left center off Mathis Nayral to score himself and Danny Wallace on the first pitch of the at-bat. Later in the sixth, the outfielder singled up the middle to plate Wallace again. Conover’s recent heater kept his status relatively intact for the draft team, but continued expression of his talents at the plate should see him rise up our board through the end of the season.

‼️ Owen Kramkowski, RHP Arizona (Big 12)

7.1 IP, 6 H, BB, 6 K

Despite taking the 2-1 loss in this contest and falling a game behind to Kansas State early in the series, Arizona cannot place blame on Owen Kramkowski’s shoulders, as Kram delivered one of the shiniest gems of his season to date on Friday. To start, the right-hander pitched a career-high seven-and-one-third innings of work, and really put the Wildcats in an advantageous position to take the contest, but alas, the season, long story of Dr. Arizona and Mr. Wildcats reared its ugly head again as the offense fell flat and the bullpen could not pick up its starter. Kramkowski’s talent has never been in question (the slider in particular was nasty on Friday); the consistency on the other hand, begins to paint the picture of the draft-eligible righty’s concerns. I truly believe a talented pitching development organization can iron some of his wrinkles out and give him a three-or-four starter’s ceiling, though there’s always a relief portal for him to make the bigs, as well.

🍔🍟 Cade Climie, DH Houston (Big 12)

1-for-3, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB, SB

What a game from Bearcats DH Cade Climie; on Friday, the designated hitter was a thorn in the Mountaineers’ side, drawing a pair of walks and driving in 20 percent of Houston’s runs with a single swing of the bat. In the third frame, Climie clobbered a 2-0 offering 422 feet to right center field for his fourth homer of the season, lifting Houston to a 4-0 lead. Later in the game, Climie would add to his performance with a stolen base, giving him the combo meal on the day.

Matt Ineich, SS West Virginia (Big 12)

3-for-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB

Sean Smith, LF West Virginia (Big 12)

1-for-4, 3 RBI, K

In their defense, the Mountaineers were no slouches on Friday, scoring seven runs to keep pressure on Houston. In the third frame, shortstop Matt Ineich singled to left center on the second pitch of his at-bat, scoring Zahir Barjam and snapping the shutout, bringing the game mark to 4-1. In the seventh inning, Ineich singled to the same zone, scoring Matthew Graveline; later in the frame, left fielder Sean Smith was awarded base on catcher’s interference and drove Ineich around based on the bags already being full. Smith also came through with a two-run strike earlier in the game, too. All told, Ineich and Smith were responsible for plating five of West Virginia’s seven runs on the day.

🍔🍟 Jet Gilliam, CF Utah (Big 12)

1-for-3, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2 BB, K, SB

Utah took an early lead in this important Big XII series, putting down Texas Tech 10-3 in a matchup of mid-tier squads in the conference. Center fielder Jet Gilliam was impressive in the contest, registering a combo meal sparked by a thunderbolt eighth-inning homer, which flew 392 feet off his bat to left field at 105 MPH; the homer cleared the ducks from the pond, scoring Cameron Gurney and Cal Miller (who also had a strong performance) and put the Utes up 10-3.

Logan Hughes, 1B Texas Tech (Big 12)

2-for-4, HR, R, 2 RBI, 2 K

Logan Hughes was the brightest spot for Texas Tech’s offense on Friday; the team I once declared to have an underrated and competitive offense has sputtered off lately, leaving many of their draft-eligible performers with less-than-desirable outcomes at the dish. Hughes, on the other hand, continues to excel at the dish as a result of his exceptional discipline and vision, as well as his quite-real power, which was on display Friday. The corner man, playing first base in what may be a distant vision of his professional defensive future, found another homer in the third frame, clocking a 418-foot, two run bash to put the Red Raiders back in it at 3-2. Sadly, Tech would only muster another run in the game and lose 10-3. This guy’s a first rounder by my eyes and a borderline Top-10 NCAA performer in the draft class.

Travis Sanders, SS Baylor (Big 12)

3-for-5, R, 2 RBI, SB

Tyce Armstrong, 1B Baylor (Big 12)

3-for-4, 3 R, 2 RBI, BB

Baylor’s offense continues to be a sleeper hit of the Big XII season by my eyes. In the fifth inning, the duo of shortstop Travis Sanders and first baseman Tyce Armstrong got the party going; Sanders capped off an eight-pitch at-bat, singling through the gap at third and short to score JJ Kennett and put the Bears a run closer at 3-2. Later in the frame, Armstrong would go the other way, singling through the short/second gap and plating Sanders to give Baylor a one-run lead. In the sixth inning, Sanders finished another seven-pitch AB with a single to right field, scoring Ty Johnson and lifting the lead to two runs; in the eighth frame, Armstrong went through the left-side gap, plating Brady Janusek from second base. I genuinely think the Bears are a regional-worthy squad who, given the right mojo and circumstances, could upset some favored teams.

---

Big Ten

Covered by: Quinn Martin

‼️ Logan Reddemann, RHP UCLA (Big Ten)

6 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K

Steady Redde wasn't 18 strikeout good but he picked up another quality start over Minnesota and moved UCLA to 19-0 in conference play. Reddemann really made no mistakes outside of battling some command and a triple that should have been a single by Charlie Sutherland. The junior righty has played himself into first round consideration with Jackson Flora, Cam Flukey, and Liam Peterson and you can make the argument he is a top 3 starter in the class.

Parker Picot, RF Michigan State (Big Ten)

3-for-4, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI

Yes Parker Picot, finally! He had a ridiculously hot start to the year and has since been in a horrible slump. He's no longer a regular in the lineup and is hitting .152 on the year, but finally had a positive performance on Friday. Kenney left a fastball center cut and Picot powered it out to LF for a HR. Hopefully, this is a sign of things to come for Picot who desperately needs a positive end to the year, as does Michigan State.

‼️ Noah Kenney, RHP Washington (Big Ten)

8.1 IP, 5 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 6 K

Another career game for Noah Kenney who has impressed over the course of the season, now settled into the Friday night role. He's been a workhorse and easily the best pitcher on this Huskies staff. It was a tough loss as Washington powers through a tough season with little bright spots. Kenney has certainly been one of them and they will be desperate to bring him back in 2027.

Jett Buck, LF Nebraska (Big Ten)

3-for-4, 2 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI, K

It took a while for the Cornhusker offense to get going until Jett Buck kicked off the scoring in the 6th off of ace Mason Edwards. The D2 transfer has been solid after making the jump to division 1. He was known for his power at Washburn and it's showing up. He's up to 17 XBH on the year and has been an impact bat for Nebraska. Huge win for them and Buck's performance will be huge in their future endeavors.

‼️ Mason Edwards, LHP USC (Big Ten)

7 IP, 9 H, 2 ER, 12 K

Edwards was sitting pretty up until the 6th inning, he was through 5 scoreless and it looked like USC had game one in the bag. Fast forward to the 10th, and USC loses on a bunt single and an error. Edwards was dominant again, throwing a ton of strikes and utilizing his nasty 1-2 punch of hid mid 90s FB and mid 80s banger curveball. It'd be shocking if Edwards lasted past the first 40 picks, the performance alone is incredible and will only be able to be passed up for so long. Special season for Mason Edwards.

💣💣 Dane Harvey, 1B Ohio State (Big Ten)

2-for-5, 2 HR, 2 R, 3 RBI

Dane freaking Harvey, this kid absolutely mashes. It seems like every weekend I'm talking about a multi-HR game from the Ohio State slugger. The Buckeyes couldn't pull out the win but Harvey did what he could, crushing is 9th and 10th HRs of the year. I'm getting higher and higher on the junior 1B, it's an uphill battle for him to be selected in this draft given his lack of high major performance and questionable hit tool but this power is something I'd want to take a chance on in the middle to late rounds.

Sam Flores, 3B Purdue (Big Ten)

3-for-4, HR, 2B, 2 R, 4 RBI, K

Sam Flores has been incredible for Purdue day in and day out. He's driven in a ridiculous 43 runs and still has an OPS over a thousand. The senior's been a catalyst for a surprisingly good Boilermaker squad who has aspirations of going deep into postseason play. His 4 RBIs were huge in a close 10-9 win over Ohio State who refuses to stop hitting. Keep an eye on who picks up Flores in the professional ranks, he gets better every year and could be a steal of a senior sign.

👟 Cole Decker, CF Indiana (Big Ten)

4-for-4, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2 SB

💣💣 Hogan Denny, DH Indiana (Big Ten)

2-for-5, 2 HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 K

The Hoosiers are taking on Abilene Christian this weekend and made easy work of them on Friday. Hogan Denny continued to mash and Cole Decker has become a key contributor. I love how young this Indiana team is. It bodes well for their chances in 2027 and Denny/Becker should be at the forefront of that. Denny returned after missing about a week and didn't skip a beat. He led the game off catching a hanging breaking ball and powered it over the CF wall. He did it again in his next AB and is showing off plus in game power. Playing a mix of DH, catcher, and corner outfield, perhaps Denny can be Indiana's next Kyle Schwarber. Another sophomore, Cole Decker was on base 5 times last night, stealing 2 bases, and playing a premium position in CF. After hardly playing as a freshman, Decker has been a full time starter and showing off a solid hit tool, budding power, and on base threat. Decker should be a popular 2027 breakout pick and will almost certainly be one of mine.

💣💣 Jack Sweeney, RF Rutgers (Big Ten)

3-for-5, 2 HR, 3 R, 4 RBI

Career day for the sophomore! He took 2 HRs way out of Penn State's stadium. Going 450 dead center on the first, then going out to LCF for the next. Sweeney's gotten limited run so far and due to injury and performance, Sweeney slotted in the 2 hole playing RF and did not disappoint. He is getting the start again on Saturday and hopefully this is the beginning of something special!

Maddox Molony, SS Oregon (Big Ten)

2-for-5, HR, 2B, R, 4 RBI, K

💣💣 Naulivou Lauaki, DH Oregon (Big Ten)

2-for-4, 2 HR, 2 R, 5 RBI, K

Ryan Cooney, 2B Oregon (Big Ten)

5-for-5, 2B, 3 R, RBI

The Ducks mashed their way to a Friday win over Illinois. They got contributions from top to bottom with Cooney, Lauaki, and Molony standing out amongst the rest. If you've kept up with my daily sheets, Cooney has become one of my favorite players in the conference and it's in large part due to his innate hitting ability. He doesn't strike out, he punishes gaps nearly every AB, and I fully believe he can move over to SS at the next level. He went 5-5 today, smoking a backside double early on and kept the train moving in every plate appearance after. Cooney continues to soar up my board and could finish the year very high. Another guy making an impact is Naulivou Lauaki. This behemoth of a human being almost hit a 500 ft HR yesterday. It went 496 ft at 114 mph off the bat. Then followed it up with a measley 471 ft nuke to top it off. The redshirt freshman has immense raw power, if he can keep tapping into it in game, his draft stock could be very interesting in 2027. Speaking of interesting draft stocks, Maddox Molony returned to form yesterday with 2 XBH and made a true offensive impact on the game for the first time in about a month. It's nice to see the highly regarded junior performing at a high level and he'll need to continue it if Oregon wants to make it Omaha.

---

Mid Majors

Covered by: Joshua Salguero

🍔🍟 Damian Ruiz, LF Arkansas (Mid Majors)

1-for-3, HR, R, 2 RBI, BB, SB

Carter Beck, CF Indiana State (Mid Majors)

Game 1: 2-for-7, HR, 2B, 3 R, 2 RBI, BB, K

Game 2: 0-for-2, 2 R, RBI, 2 BB, K, SB

Carter Beck is going to be a top five round pick, I’m calling it here. He’s done just about everything for Indiana State and has been the focal point of the offense while playing a great center field. Even in a doubleheader where he went 2-9, he still managed to drive in three runs and score five runs. The dude terrorizes in just about every way. He can hit, he’s got pop, he’s got speed, and he’s got defense. What’s not to like about him?

‼️ Ryan Piech, RHP Xavier (Mid Majors)

6.0 IP, 7 H, ER, 3 BB, 12 K

Aside from two stinkers, Piech has been elite in 2026. Even with those included, he’s still performing like a top of the rotation arm and Friday showed. Against Seton Hall, Piech pitched six innings of one run ball and struck out a career high twelve batters. Over his last three starts, he’s allowed just two earned runs and struck out 24 in 18 innings of work. The right hander has really come into his own this season after showing immense promise through the struggles of last season. The command is under control, allowing his stuff to thrive as seen by the 71 Ks in 52 innings so far.

💣💣 Marc Quarrie, DH Wofford (Mid Majors)

3-for-3, 2 HR, 3 R, 6 RBI

In games Quarrie has played, Wofford is 17-3. In games he hasn’t, they’re 10-8. Still a decent team but much much better with Quarrie in the lineup. Against UNC Asheville on Friday, Quarrie homered twice and drove in six runs on the way to Wofford’s run-rule win. For the season, Quarrie is slashing .348/.437/.727 with six homers and twelve extra base hits. In a lineup that features four hitters with an OPS over 1.000 and another just shy of the mark, Quarrie leads with a 1.163 number.

Dean Mihos, CF Coastal Carolina (Mid Majors)

3-for-4, 2 R, 3 RBI, BB, K, SB

Walker Mitchell, 3B Coastal Carolina (Mid Majors)

2-for-4, 2B, 4 RBI, SB

The news of Flukey’s and Mazon’s imminent returns next Friday jolted Coastal Carolina awake. The offense exploded for 15 runs as they snapped the tiny two game skid they were on. Dean Mihos did his usual thing reaching base four times and was joined by Mitchell Walker’s two hit, four RBI performance. The offense has been firing off consistently for a while now and with Trace Mazon’s bat to be added soon (along with Flukey’s arm of course), this team is about to get a whole lot scarier.

‼️ Declan Dahl, RHP Louisiana Tech (Mid Majors)

5.2 IP, 9 H, ER, BB, 13 K, HRA

Dahl has neatly settled into the Friday spot for LA Tech. Over his last four starts, Dahl has allowed five earned runs over 25 innings with three walks allowed and 36 strikeouts. I’d say that’s pretty elite. Friday featured Dahl striking out thirteen of his seventeen outs recorded against Kennesaw State. He’s already pretty tricky to hit with his low launch but when his command is on, he becomes close to untouchable with his strong repertoire.

‼️ Carlos Martinez, RHP Hofstra (Mid Majors)

6.2 IP, 7 H, ER, BB, 15 K

After a stellar 2024, Martinez looked to be of hidden value for the 2025 class before an injury in preseason knocked him out for the entire year. He returned in 2026 for just one start before another injury knocked him out for another month. Returning again on 3/13, he pitched solidly as he immediately got inserted into the Friday slot. This Friday was a showing of what we’ve badly missed, striking out 15 and allowing just a run in 6.2 innings against a good UNC Wilmington team. The velo has returned, back to sitting mid 90s, and his big breaker picked up a heavy load being responsible for a majority of the Ks. With his stuff returning, he’s another arm to keep watch on as July approaches.

Mikey Bell, 3B Gonzaga (Mid Majors)

3-for-5, 3 2B, 3 R

Ryder Young, LF Gonzaga (Mid Majors)

3-for-5, HR, 2 R, 4 RBI

Don’t look now but the Zags are on an eight game heater and have won 17 of their last 20. Friday’s win was strictly the work of Mikey Bell and Ryder Young. The duo had six of the nine hits for the Zags and scored five of the seven runs on the day. Bell doubled thrice in the match and scored each time he reached. Young had three hits of his own which included a three run bomb to extend the lead to 5-0 in the 5th. The pitching was the highlight entering the season but the offense has stepped up its game, headlined by the additions of Ryder Young, Ricky Sanchez, and Maddox Haley to join Mikey Bell.

Connor Kelley, RHP Texas San Antonio (Mid Majors)

4.1 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 6 K

Kelley has pushed his early season struggles far behind him. He hasn’t allowed a run since 3/17, working through 20.1 scoreless innings since. That shift to the long arm out of the pen has done wonders for him and is where the magic began. It remains to be seen if Kelley will see a shift back into the rotation as the season’s end appears on the horizon but something to keep note of is appearances of 5 and 4.1 innings in two of his last three outings.

‼️ Grayden Harris, LHP Southern Mississippi (Mid Majors)

6.1 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K

Colby Allen, RHP Southern Mississippi (Mid Majors)

2.2 IP, 4 K

Southern Miss’s two standout arms combined to allow two runs with ten strikeouts against Texas State on Friday. Grayden Harris started the game, going 6.1 strong allowing the lone runs scored on the day. There were struggles with preventing baserunners (no clean inning until the 6th) but he did a good job at working around the obstacles and limiting further damage. Colby Allen came in for relief with a runner on 3rd and one out in the 7th and would proceed to finish the game. He’d get two quick outs and would retire all eight batters faced. After his move to the pen, he’s been an elite arm. He’s allowed five runs in 20 bullpen innings. He’s walked just 5 while striking out 28 in the same frame.

Andrey Martinez, 3B Bethune Cookman (Mid Majors)

3-for-4, HR, 3B, 2B, 2 R, 3 RBI, BB

Continuing from his torrid game against Florida in the mid week, Martinez had himself another three hit game finishing a single shy of the cycle. If you count the walk he had, it’s almost as if he still got it. After the talk of the diminished home run power compared to last season, Martinez now has four home runs in April and five in his last ten games. He’s climbing back to the renowned power bat he proved to be last season as Bethune-Cookman moves to a four game winning streak.

‼️ Eli Pillsbury, LHP Jacksonville State (Mid Majors)

4 H, BB, 6 K

A big reason for the success Jax State has had is the emergence of an ace in Pillsbury. After acquiring him from John A. Logan, NC State did not use Pillsbury in 2025. Naturally, Pillsbury left to find more playing time, landing with Jax State. Now with his first taste of D1 action, he’s dominating pitching to 1.92 ERA and 2.80 FIP with 65 Ks in 56.1 innings. Talk about finding buried treasure.

Tanner Marsh, SS Liberty (Mid Majors)

2-for-3, 2B, 4 R, RBI, 2 BB

Jaxon Sorenson, 1B Liberty (Mid Majors)

4-for-5, HR, 2B, 2 R, 3 RBI, K

I didn’t expect the Friday game between Liberty and DBU to be a blowout win in Liberty’s favor but here we are. Liberty exploded for 17 runs headlined by multi-hit performances from Tanner Marsh and Jaxon Sorenson. Marsh reached base four times and scored every time he reached. More surprising was the lack of steals by Marsh which would’ve been expected with the 15 bags he has on the year plus the amount of times on base. Sorenson provided the bang, slugging a double and homer to go along with his four hits on the day. Liberty’s offense is heating up at the right time and with the rotation that they have behind them, can be a serious threat in June.

‼️ Chris Olivier, RHP Lamar (Mid Majors)

2 H, BB, 11 K

Olivier had been a bit quiet lately but he’s back with a thunderous performance against Northwestern State. Olivier tossed the first CGSO of his career, allowing just three base runners while striking out eleven for the day. He continues his breakout campaign, bringing his ERA back below 2.00 and punching out 80 in 61.1 innings. He may not throw the hardest (sitting 90mph) but two plus pitches that he’s able to spot with ease allow him to thrive. His ceiling at the next level looks to be more of a back end starter but in college, he lives up to all the ace talks.

Eric Nachtsheim, RHP McNeese State (Mid Majors)

3.2 IP, 2 H, 9 K

Nachtsheim has bounced back and forth between rotation and pen but the bullpen seems to be where his comfort is the highest. He’s gone scoreless in six of his seven bullpen appearances with each one being of multi-inning length. He once again took the bulk of relief innings on Friday, entering the game in the 6th and finishing it out the rest of the way. He would toss 3.2 scoreless innings with nine strike outs, getting the win after McNeese’s late innings run explosion. The elite shape on his fastball creates a good amount of draft hype surrounding Nachtsheim and the abilities of his secondaries will be something to monitor over the final month to get a better idea of his draft value.

‼️ Mikiah Negrete, LHP Cal State Fullerton (Mid Majors)

9.0 IP, 3 H, 3 BB, 6 K

Lost in all the West Coast pitching standouts is Mikiah Negrete of Cal State Fullerton. Would you believe me if I told you Negrete is 2nd in ERA for all of D1 starters? With no earned runs allowed in a complete game effort against Oregon State, Negrete lowered his ERA to 1.33 trailing just Jackson Flora’s miniscule 0.73. The crafty lefty accomplished no easy task by outdueling Dax Whitney and handing him his first loss of the season. The stuff may not be overpowering but he’s got close to elite control. He’s allowed six walks on the year in 58.2 innings and even sporting a 9.0 K/9 with 59 strikeouts to go along with it.

‼️ Jackson Flora, RHP UC Santa Barbara (Mid Majors)

6.0 IP, 2 H, ER, 6 BB, 9 K

Effectively wild would be the best way to put it. Flora had the worst command he’s had all year and still looked every bit of unhittable. His six walks allowed was double his previous career high but he countered with allowing just two hits through his six innings. Even with the shakiness, he still finished his outing off in typical Flora fashion, retiring the final six batters with four punch outs.

‼️ Nic Schutte, RHP Murray State (Mid Majors)

7.1 IP, 5 H, BB, 11 K

Let’s say the rain ignored his chance for a CGSO (ignore the 112 pitches). Rain may have postponed the game but it didn’t postpone Schutte’s start as he blanked Illinois State and struck out eleven in the process. He’s now pitched solidly over his last three starts and is turning into a formidable arm at the top of the rotation to back up the good Murray State offense. With Friday’s start, he’s now struck out 25 over his last 20.1 innings of work, allowing just three earned runs.

---

Southeastern

Covered by: Brandon Tew

👟 Justin Lebron, SS Alabama (Southeastern)

1-for-4, R, K, 3 SB

Justin Lebron has cooled off mightily at the plate in SEC play, but he's still putting pressure on the defense with his speed and trying to impact games. This one he stole 2nd in the 1st on an Error. In the 6th, he stole 2nd, then 3rd, while scoring on a WP to try to jump-start this Alabama offense. The issue was that Dylan Volantis was shoving!

Carson Tinney, C Texas (Southeastern)

3-for-4, HR, 4 R, 3 RBI, K

Carson Tinney smoked a 2-run shot in the 1st to give Texas the lead, and they built on that momentum. It was a 3-hit night for Tinney with 4 runs scored and 3 RBIs. .339/.485/.724 look at this season slash line in 35 Games, man oh man, everything is bigger in Texas, I guess! This is one of the hottest hitters in the country, and for my money, a Catcher who can flat out rake with a 170 wRC+ so far this season!

‼️ Dylan Volantis, LHP Texas (Southeastern)

6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, BB, 12 K

Dylan Volantis is making his first Friday start, and it was a gem. It's a 2.13 ERA in 9 starts and just over 50 innings now. It was a 1.94 ERA AND 1.63 SIERA in 2025 out of the pen. The stuff is gaudy at times as he struck out 12 and only walked one in 6 innings of work on Friday. It's a cut four-seam fastball. then a more true two-seam, and a sinker, all in the low-90s for "three" different fastballs. To go with a slider, and a kick change with sporadic movement, but it can be nasty! His favorite pitch is a low-80s downer curveball with about 12 inches of depth and a lot of bend. It's a wild trunk tilt move into a higher release slot, but this has also been two years of pretty ridiculous production. Put in the call, I am buying real estate on Volantis Island. (Nod in approval from Bill Simmons.)

💣💣 Jorian Wilson, RF Texas A&M (Southeastern)

2-for-5, 2 HR, 2 R, 4 RBI, 2 K

Jorian Wilson put the exclamation point on a double-dinger day in the 9th with a 2 -run golf shot to LCF. The swing from the lefty Freshman is so smooth, and he can get to low pitches, let them travel, and drive them out the other way, saucy stuff from him! .333/.382/.826 slash line and 1.208 OPS is outrageous from a Corner OF Freshman in the SEC.

Rylan Lujo, CF Georgia (Southeastern)

3-for-4, HR, 2 R, RBI

Reed Stallman, 1B Mississippi State (Southeastern)

1-for-3, HR, R, 2 RBI, BB, 2 K

Gehrig Frei, 2B Mississippi State (Southeastern)

2-for-5, HR, R, RBI

Ben Davis, RHP Mississippi State (Southeastern)

2.1 IP, 2 H, BB, 3 K, SV

Reed Stallman and Gehrig Frei provided some pop from the offense as Mississippi State hit 4 home runs from 4 different players, along with Noah Sullivan and Ace Reese. Ben Davis shut the door late on South Carolina. It's not 5 saves on the year for him, and the offense did enough to win this one!

Jason Walk, CF Oklahoma (Southeastern)

2-for-5, HR, R, 3 RBI, K

Jason Walk's 2nd HR of the year powered Oklahoma over Mizzou 9-6. The HR over the LF fence in the 7th put the Sooners up 7-3. As LJ Mercurius handed the ball to his brother, Xander, after 6 innings and 9 Ks with 3 ERs, it was a solid game from this Oklahoma team.

💣💣 Jase Woita, 1B Missouri (Southeastern)

3-for-4, 2 HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, BB

My 2nd time writing up Jase Woita as he blasted 2 HRs in this one to try and keep the Mizzou Tigers in the game with 3 RBIs and 2 Runs. Sadly, the 1B was much of the Tigers' offense, accounting for 5 of the 6 runs.

Jay Abernathy, 2B Tennessee (Southeastern)

2-for-4, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI

Jay Abernathy continues to play well and swing a hot bat in this one. He had a 2-run shot in the 7th, yanking a ball to RF with his signature quick one-handed swing. The Vols are gonna need him to keep this type of production up in order to win some games and build on last weekend's MASSIVE SWEEP! Drew, stay dry, please!!!

Hayden Federico, CF Ole Miss (Southeastern)

3-for-4, HR, R, 3 RBI

Brodie Johnston, 3B Vanderbilt (Southeastern)

2-for-3, HR, R, RBI, BB

Braxton Van Cleave, OF Kentucky (Southeastern)

1-for-4, HR, R, 4 RBI

Freshman Braxton Van Cleave had one hit on the season before he launched a walk-off Grand Slam to give the Wildcats a 5-2 win! Talk about timing and opportunity. He pulled his hands in on a 95 mph fastball, and the place went bonkers!!!

‼️ Jaxon Jelkin, RHP Kentucky (Southeastern)

8.0 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, BB, 9 K, HRA

Jaxon Jelkin pitched with guts Friday night after a 2-run HR in the 3rd. He didn't allow another run through 8 innings and battled to give Kentucky a chance. He's an RHP who has bounced around a bit in his college career, playing for 3 different schools in 3 years, but he's now thrown more innings this season than in the previous 2 combined. This is the type of start you want from your Friday night guy.

‼️ Connor Fennell, RHP Vanderbilt (Southeastern)

6.1 IP, 5 H, ER, 2 BB, 3 K

Connor Fennell is a pitcher who pitches with passion and emotion. He has a lower slot and isn't afraid to zoom the ball toward the upper part of the zone. I kinda like the way he throws, his moxy, and his release traits. He's a pitcher I am circling to watch every Friday night in the SEC! It's a 5.30 ERA in conference, but he might be turning the corner with two strong back-to-back starts.

💣💣 Mason McCraine, LF Auburn (Southeastern)

2-for-5, 2 HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, K

Mason McCraine with a double dong game, and you love to see it if you're a War Eagle fan! He only had one home run coming into this game, so to see this from the Freshman OF is exciting stuff! He drove a Liam Peterson fastball on the outer half to the grass in LF. He then powered one out to CF just over the wall in the 6th. The left-handed swing looked really good on Friday.

Liam Peterson, RHP Florida (Southeastern)

5.0 IP, 7 H, ER, 2 BB, 5 K, 2 HRA

I will continue to watch Liam Peterson at every start, probably gonna write him up at some point. It's a mid-to-upper-90s four-seam and a seldom sinker if you watch outings. He loves his mid-80s slider, and a slightly lower velocity curveball is also nasty. The changeup is quite good, and I expect Peterson to continue to compete every time he's handed the ball, even if he doesn't have his B+ - A+ stuff every time out.