four and a half weeks straight and only have three losses on the season to an impressive 38 wins. 

     Vanderbilt, on the other hand, has been almost the exact opposite. The Commodores dropped two out of their first three games and lost the series to Oklahoma State. The team then went on to win 18 straight games, but lost five of the next six. This inconsistency led to the Commodores falling out of the top 25. 

     One of the most shocking teams of 2022 has been Southern Mississippi. The Golden Eagles have won 15 straight games and seem to want more. They entered the season being an outcast team, but now have asserted themselves with the college baseball elite. 

     The reigning champions, Mississippi State, opened the year with a series loss to Long Beach State. Ever since this loss, the Bulldogs have had the struggle bus stuck in neutral. With 18 losses on the year, the Bulldogs will be fighting for every game just to get into the Regionals.

     The East Carolina Pirates are coming off one of the best seasons they have ever had and were expecting big things this year. Last year the Pirates had an impressive 44-16 record, leading them to be one of the 16 regional host sites. ECU went on to sweep the region and make it to one of eight super regionals. Two gut-wrenching losses to Vanderbilt put an end to a historical season. Around a week before first pitch, the Pirates released a statement that ace pitcher and preseason All-American Carson Whisenhunt will be out for the foreseeable future. This was shocking and heartbreaking news for Pirate fans. A week later the team opened with a series loss to Bryant. Since then the Pirates have had to fight for every game.

     Virginia Tech is another sleeper team that could potentially make a deep postseason run. The Hokies have had multiple upsets this season. Their first was in South Bend, against 12th ranked Notre Dame. The Hokies went into a hostile environment and took the series. Then a week later, the Hokies went to Chapel Hill and grabbed the series against the 18th ranked Tar Heels. Virginia Tech now sits seventh in the nation and are looking to be one of the eight super regional sites. 

     This season has come with ups and downs for almost every team in the country. Outcasts have made themselves known and some powerhouses have taken a step down. One thing is consistent: each and every week, there has and will be some entertaining baseball being played.