College Baseball Week 7 Roundup

Pitcher of the Week – RHP JB Middleton, Southern Miss

Top 25 Weekend News and Notes

Virginia gets back on track and takes down #18 Stanford

Is Virginia back? Is Stanford dead?! This series seems to have brought more questions than answers, as the Cavaliers stun the Cardinal and take the series.

It was a much-needed series win for the Cavaliers, who got off to an extremely slow start this year. Between the lack of offense and mediocre pitching, it felt like they couldn’t reach their projected peak. 

The Cavaliers’ series win started with a solid 11-8 victory on Thursday, thanks to a solid pitching performance from RHP Jay Woolfolk and the bats waking up.

The first three batters (Aidan Teel, Eric Becker, and Henry Ford) all went 2-for-4 and had RBIs, while their cleanup hitter, Chris Arroyo, went yard. It was nice to see this offense finally wake up.

Game two was more of the same for the Cavaliers. Offense. Luke Hanson put on a show from the nine-hole, and Chris Arroyo went yard again. Becker put the icing on the cake by hitting a three-run home run in the bottom of the seventh, giving them the 13-7 victory.

I’m not quite sure what is going on with the Cardinal. They were swept last weekend by ACC opponent Cal and have fallen to 5-7 in ACC play. 

The rotation has been far from consistent, which is tough for Stanford, as that was supposed to be the strength of their team. Things won’t get easier as they face a pretty hot Georgia Tech team next week. 

Notre Dame chases Florida State’s Jamie Arnold out of the game

Chaos continued in South Bend on Friday night, as Notre Dame mounted an incredible late rally to dominate Florida State.

The Fighting Irish went scoreless through the first three innings, however, they escalated Jamie Arnold’s pitch count (94) and forced him out of the game in the fifth.  As soon as Florida State turned to their bullpen, things turned in drastic fashion.

From the sixth inning on, Notre Dame’s offense scored an astounding 14 runs, along with five home runs, to rout the Seminoles.  Leadoff hitter Jared Zimbardo was incredible, going 3-for-4 with two doubles and a home run that began an eight-run eighth inning for the Irish.

Both designated hitter Bino Watters and catcher Carson Tinney had legit performances at the plate as well.  Watters went 1-for-2 with a double and four walks, while Tinney had a strong night, going 2-for-3 with a solo home run, two walks, and a three-RBI double.

Though Notre Dame’s pitching wasn’t exactly dominant, allowing nine runs on thirteen hits, freshman right-hander Chase Van Amedye was excellent in relief. He shut down Florida State’s persistent offense, tossing 1.1 innings and striking out all four batters he faced.

Sure, the Fighting Irish have been inconsistent this season, currently sitting at 2-10 in ACC play with a team batting average of just .258, but their win Friday night over the Seminoles stands out as their biggest highlight so far. 

That said, the competition doesn’t let up, as they will host a red-hot Virginia Tech squad this weekend, riding a five-game winning streak after sweeping Wake Forest on the road.

Virginia Tech completes the sweep against #7 Wake Forest

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the weekend was Virginia Tech sweeping Wake Forest on the road.

Across all three games, the Hokies doubled Wake Forest’s run total (30-15), an undeniably impressive performance considering how dominant the Demon Deacons had looked in recent weeks.

In game one of the series, it was a 13-2 Virginia Tech rout, thanks to a nine-run first inning.  Third baseman Hudson Letterman was the lead catalyst, going 3-for-5 with a double, a home run, and accounting for five of its runs.

Freshman right-hander Brett Renfrow pitched six innings, allowing seven hits, but did an excellent job controlling the run game and minimizing hard contact, lowering his 2025 ERA to 2.19.

In game two, Virginia Tech’s offense didn’t skip a beat by scoring eight runs through the first three frames.  Wake Forest didn’t go down easy, however, as they put up a six spot in the bottom half of the third inning and added an additional run in the fourth.  

Though as the game progressed, the Hokies kept chipping away and added three more runs, securing both an 11-8 victory and a clinching series on the road.  First baseman Garrett Michel had a great afternoon, going 2-for-3 with a walk, a double, and a two-run blast. 

Reliever Grant Manning was nails to close out game two, pitching 4.1 innings, allowing only two hits with five punchouts.

As for Sunday’s game, it was a back-and-forth matchup.  Wake controlled the game early on, though things took a turn in the top half of the ninth inning.  

The relentless Hokies put up four runs in the last frame, putting up four hits as well as Wake making two crucial errors in the inning (four errors in total).

Virginia Tech held on to sweep Wake Forest 6-5, securing a series sweep. They’ve now won five in a row, with the last four coming on the road.  The red-hot Hokies will continue their road stretch this coming weekend as they’ll face a struggling Notre Dame squad in South Bend.

Roll Tide! #11 Alabama stays red-hot and takes down #12 Oklahoma 

It was a massive series win for the Crimson Tide. While Alabama is ahead of Oklahoma in our rankings, many had the Sooners as the higher-ranked team.

In the series opener, Alabama defeated Oklahoma 8-6, highlighted by a pivotal three-run rally in the eighth inning.

Offensively, Justin Lebron led the Crimson Tide, going 3-for-5 with a double, a solo home run, three runs scored, and an RBI. Kade Snell also contributed significantly, recording his seventh consecutive multi-hit game with a 3-for-4 performance, including a walk and two RBIs.

Starting pitcher Zane Adams delivered 4.0 innings, allowing two runs on four hits, while reliever JT Blackwood provided 2.2 innings of relief, surrendering two runs on two hits with two strikeouts. Graduate transfer Carson Ozmer earned the win.

Alabama lost game two in a close one that came down to the ninth inning. Down by two in the bottom of the ninth, Alabama put the tying run on base with two early runners and a one-out walk by Justin Lebron to load the bases.

They got one run on a groundout, but the comeback fell short as a called third strike ended the game. They came up just short.

Alabama pulled off the series win in game three, securing an 8-6 victory. The Crimson Tide jumped to an early 8-1 lead thanks to a Jason Torres homer in the first inning and a Will Hodo solo shot in the third. Bryce Fowler also contributed by going 2-for-3 with two doubles and two runs scored.

Starting pitcher Aederi Finateri delivered a strong performance, allowing two runs over 4.2 innings with four strikeouts. Coulson Buchanan and Braylon Myers held the Sooners scoreless, and Carson Ozmer earned his seventh save. Massive SEC conference series win for the Crimson Tide.

After getting back on track, the #13 Arizona Wildcats struggle against Baylor

Man, the Wildcats had me back in! Although, I will say this series loss doesn’t have me fully back out on the Arizona Wildcats just yet.

Baylor got off to a strong start against the Wildcats, securing an 8-5 victory on Friday night and a 6-3 victory on Saturday night. The Wildcats were able to avoid the sweep, winning 11-6 on Sunday.

The Wildcats struggled on the mound in game one. Friday night starter Collin McKinney was unable to make it out of the second inning, finishing 1.1 innings, allowing two earned runs and walking four.

Baylor’s JJ Kennett hit a two-run home run in the fourth to give the Bears a 4-3 lead, and Baylor didn’t look back, scoring two more in the sixth and one more in the ninth, solidifying their game-one victory.

It was more offensive power early on for the Bears, as they scored six runs in the first three innings on Saturday. Arizona’s Owen Kramkowski struggled to keep Baylor at bay.

The Wildcats avoided the sweep on Sunday thanks to a ten-run first inning. A 14-batter inning powered the offense, featuring big hits from multiple players.

Aaron Walton launched his fourth homer of the season, a two-run shot, while freshman Gunner Geile notched the first two RBIs of his college career with a single. TJ Adams and Mason White each added two-run doubles to cap off the explosive frame.

Arizona gets another tough series next weekend as they take on in-state rival Arizona State in a three-game set.

Nebraska takes down #9 Oregon State

This is a brutal series loss for a team that doesn’t have a conference or strong schedule like Oregon State.

Nebraska may have been ranked in the preseason, but they have really struggled to get things going all year.

Nebraska started the series with a 7-3 victory on Friday night. They built a 7-0 lead with a steady offensive surge, scoring three runs in the third, one in the fourth, and three more in the fifth.

Tyler Stone and Dylan Carey hit back-to-back homers in the third, and Cael Frost added a solo shot in the fifth to keep the momentum going.

Turley put Oregon State on the board with a two-run homer in the sixth, and Easton Talt added another run with a groundout in the seventh. That would be it for the Beavers, though, as they were held scoreless the rest of the way.

The Beavers bounced back in game two with an easy win, ten-run ruling Nebraska in seven innings. Oregon State set a program record with eight home runs, including three by Gavin Turley.

Six different Beavers hit a home run, and they hit at least one in every inning of the game, which ended in the seventh inning. Oregon State showcased its talent level when it was firing on all cylinders.

Game three was the opposite, as the Beavers fell to Nebraska by a final score of 16-7. This was a brutal series loss for Oregon State. They’ll look to bounce back against another ranked opponent next week in UC Irvine.

Midweek Upsets to Note

Midweeks were less exciting this week, but some things to note: Florida continued its struggles as it lost to rival Florida State. Virginia can’t seem to find it and took a midweek loss to Liberty. Here is the complete list of upsets of the week:

• Cincinnati beats #23 Louisville 12-2 
• Nichols beats #21 Southern Miss 8-5
• Missouri State wins in extras against #2 Arkansas 14-13
• Wofford destroys #25 Troy 14-3
• Abilene Christian takes down #17 Dallas Baptist 7-1

Draft Watch: Who’s Making Waves? 

2025 MLB Draft Spotlight Player of the Week

1B/OF Ethan Petry, South Carolina

Petry must have read our evaluation piece from February that talked about his hit tool woes in 2024. Petry has turned it around in a big way in 2025, with his K% falling from 25.3% to 12.1% and getting his overall contact rate up to 78% on the year.

He’s turned a corner for the better, as he’s begun to pull the ball more, and he still possesses double-plus raw power. This is great for his profile, which likely ends up at first base given the size and stiffness in the field. 

Petry is whiffing less on velocity upstairs, and his spin fits have subsided. On Friday night, Petry was ready for a 98 MPH Liam Doyle heater at the shoulders, sending it to the left field concourse.

The ability to get the bat path to that pitch is something he couldn’t do a year ago. It’s a welcoming sight. 

At this point, Petry’s stock is rising, and while I do think he isn’t quite a first-round talent yet, he’s trending that way. The bat will have a ton of pressure to perform, but he’s shown the tools and adjustments necessary to do well in pro ball.

Other Top MLB Draft Performers 

Pitcher	Stats
RHP Blake Gillespie, Charlotte	8 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 11 K
LHP Cade Obermueller, Iowa	6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 11 K
LHP Grayson Grinsell, Oregon	7 IP 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K
RHP Kolten Smtih, Georgia	5 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 8 K
RHP Justin Mitrovich, Elon	6.1 IP 2 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 8 K
RHP Griffin Hugus, Miami	8 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
RHP Ruger Rojas, Texas	7 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 10 K
LHP Zach Root, Arkansas	7.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 7 K
RHP Anthony Eyanson, LSU	6 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K
LHP Caleb Leys, Maine	6 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 12 K
RHP Jay Woolfolk, Virginia	6 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
RHP Patrick Forbes, Louisville	6 IP, 8 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 13 K
LHP Liam Doyle, Tennessee	5.2 IP, 9 H, 5 ER, 1 BB, 11 K

Hitter	Stats
OF Gavin Turley, Oregon State	8-for-15, 2B, 5 HR, 11 RBI, BB
1B Hollis Porter, Maryland	12-for-19, 4 2B, 4 HR, 15 RBI, BB
SS Alex Lodise, Florida State	10-for-20, 2 2B, 3B, 4 HR, 8 RBI
SS Kyle Lodise, Georgia Tech	8-for-16, 3 2B, 3 HR, 11 RBI, 3 BB
C Ike Irish, Auburn	8-for-18, 3 2B, 4 HR, 9 RBI, BB
C Alex Calarco, Maryland	4-for-13, 2B, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 5 BB, 3 HBP
OF Cam Maldonado, Northeastern	6-for-13, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 6 BB, 2 SB
OF Hunter Ensley, Tennessee	7-for-16, 2 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, BB
SS Tyler Cerny, Indiana	7-for-17, 2 2B, 3 HR, 6 RBI, BB, SB
SS Mason White, Arizona	9-for-19, 2 2B, 3B, HR, 3 RBI, SB

Just Released: New Interviews, Reports, & Rankings

Interviews

• Georgia right-hander Kolten Smith
• 2025 MLB Draft Prospect Aaron Watson 

Articles

• MLB Draft
  • 2025 MLB Draft – Top 200 Prospects by Tyler Jennings
• College Baseball
  • Buzzing Bats: Georgia Tech’s Top of the Order Powers Their Rise by Monty Taylor
  • Best Under-the-Radar College Baseball Pitchers to Know by Will Mossa

What’s Ahead

Upcoming Games & Draft Watch

• Midweeks
  • #22 Louisville vs Indiana (Tuesday)
  • #13 Arizona vs. Grand Canyon (Tuesday)
• Weekend Series
  • #22 Ole Miss vs. Kentucky (Thursday-Saturday)
  • #4 LSU vs. #12 Oklahoma (Thursday-Saturday)
  • Duke vs. North Carolina (Thursday-Saturday)
  • #3 Georgia vs. #6 Texas (Friday-Sunday)
  • #7 Wake Forest vs. #5 Florida State (Friday-Sunday)
  • #11 Alabama vs. #19 Auburn (Friday-Sunday)
  • Texas A&M vs. #1 Tennessee (Friday-Sunday)
  • #24 UC Irvine vs. #9 Oregon State (Friday-Sunday)
  • #20 Georgia Tech vs. #18 Stanford (Friday-Sunday)
  • #13 Arizona vs. Arizona State (Friday-Sunday)