Big 12 baseball power rankings: West Virginia closes in on a title

[ASFN Admin]

The West Virginia baseball team's magic number to win the Big 12 championship is down to one. The 17th-ranked Mountaineers need one win at home over Kansas this week or one loss by Arizona State against Houston for their second Big 12 title in three years.

Simple enough. What's not so simple? Bracketing the Big 12 tournament May 21-24 at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. Going into the final week of the regular season, the five teams in second place through sixth are within two games of each other. Second-place Arizona State has a one-game edge on Kansas and TCU and a two-game lead on Arizona and Kansas State.

Plenty of seeding is still up for grabs, not to mention three of the four first-round byes.

Here are this week's Big 12 power rankings. Records and stats are going into Tuesday.

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1. West Virginia (40-10, 19-6 in the Big 12)​

Last week: 1

What to know: Mountaineers matched the program record 40 wins, but Kansas State ended their streak of six consecutive Big 12 series victories.

2. Arizona State (34-18, 18-9)​

Last week: 3

What to know: Sun Devils' deep lineup could make them formidable at tournament time. They co-lead the Big 12 in runs scored for the season, and their 8.9 runs per game in conference play is best by nearly a full run.

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3. Arizona (34-17, 16-11)​

Last week: 2

What to know: Wildcats have won series from three of the top four teams in the Big 12 standings and lost series to three of the bottom six. Make it make sense.

4. TCU (35-16, 17-10)​

Last week: 4

What to know: NCAA selection committee should like the Horned Frogs' strength of schedule (14) and RPI (Big 12-best No. 16).

5. Cincinnati (29-22, 14-13)​

Last week: 5

What to know: The Big 12's had six teams invited to NCAA regionals each of the past two years. Sixth spot might be at stake this week in the Cincinnati-Kansas State series.

6. Kansas (39-14, 17-10)​

Last week: 6

What to know: Jayhawks have tied the program regular-season wins record and keep upping the program home-run record with 93.

7. Kansas State (30-21, 16-11)​

Last week: 7

What to know: Wildcats broke the school record for single-season home runs on Sunday, No. 90 being Seth Dardar's eighth-inning grand slam that zapped West Virginia.

8. Oklahoma State (24-22, 12-12)​

Last week: 8

What to know: Cowboys' starting rotation makes them good dark-horse pick for a tournament run.

9. Baylor (31-20, 11-16)​

Last week: 9

What to know: Gabe Craig's second in the Big 12 with nine saves, has a 0.61 ERA and is unscored upon in 25 of 27 appearances dating to last season.

10. Texas Tech (18-30, 12-15)​

Last week: 10

What to know: Where would Tech be without former Stetson outfielder Logan Hughes (17 home runs) and ex-South Florida pitcher Jack Cebert (7-2, 3.12 ERA)?

11. Houston (28-22, 11-15)​

Last week: 11

What to know: Arizona keeps stumbling against lower-echelon teams and, well, the Cougars are lower-echelon.

12. Central Florida (27-24, 8-19)​

Last week: 12

What to know: In rubber-match triumph at Texas Tech, RF Andrew Williamson hit for the cycle and SS Antonio Jimenez outdid him in total bases 13-10.

13. Brigham Young (24-25, 8-19)​

Last week: 13

What to know: Cougars won Big 12 series openers and lost the series against WVU, Utah, Arizona, Kansas State and Kansas.

14. Utah (20-26, 7-20)​

Last week: 14

What to know:Utes had lost six straight conference series before taking down Arizona.

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Big 12 baseball power rankings: WVU closing in on title

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