College Baseball Week 3: News and Notes
Boston College shocks Virginia, Stanford takes down UNC, and much more in this week's college baseball news and notes.
The Weekend’s Top Stories, College News & Analysis
- College Player and Pitcher of the Week
- Top 25 Upset Alerts
- News and Notes
- MLB Draft Spotlight Player
- Other Top MLB Draft Performers
College Player and Pitcher of the Week
Player of the Week – Wehiwa Aloy, Arkansas
Pitcher of the Week – LHP Ethan Norby, ECU
Top 25 Update
In: #19 Arizona Wildcats, #22 Southern Miss Golden Eagles, #25 Troy Trojans
Out: Auburn Tigers, Duke Blue Devils, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Read our in-depth article on the latest top 25 rankings here!
Top 25 Upset Alerts (Rankings in Write-Ups Are From Prior to the Top 25 Update)
Weekend Upsets
#15 Stanford takes the series from #6 North Carolina: Just Baseball’s first-ranked conference matchup is now final as Stanford prevails over North Carolina. It was all offense in game one, as Stanford scored thirteen runs with all nine starters having either a hit or an RBI. Stanford blew the game wide open in the fifth inning when DH Brandon Larson hit a grand slam, finishing with six RBIs.
Stanford’s bullpen after Matt Scott was quality, combining for 5 ⅓ innings of three-run ball. More specifically, Trevor Moore was lights out for three innings in relief, striking out four and allowing no runs.
Though North Carolina did bounce back to win Saturday’s matchup, Stanford shut out the Tar Heels and won game three 7-0 to claim the series.
Stanford’s starting pitcher, Joey Volchko, was incredible, throwing 5 ⅓ innings while only giving up three hits and six punchouts. Relievers Aiden Keenan and Toran O’Horran combined to pitch the remainder of game three, striking out eight and allowing only one walk.
Timely hitting was the theme of the Stanford offense, as they increased their lead slowly as the game went on. Charlie Saum and Ethan Hott launched solo shots over the course of the rubber match, as well as earning two RBIs each.
Boston College shocks #8 Virginia and wins the series: Talk about an opening statement to start conference play, Boston College scores 29 runs on the road while earning a series win over Virginia. Flashback to Friday’s matchup, the Golden Eagles rallied late, notably led by Josiah Ragsdale’s game-tying two-run home run in the eighth inning.
Boston College’s offense would add three more runs in the inning and hold on to secure a Friday night 7-4 win.
Though the pitching didn’t start as hoped, Boston College’s bullpen was dominant. Most notably, lefthander A.J. Colarusso was nails to end the game, throwing 72% strikes in 3 ⅓ no-hit innings.
Boston College would go on to win the series rubber match by a 6-3 score. Outfielder Jack Toomey had a monster game, including a three-run home run in the third inning.
Pitching was also very effective for the Golden Eagles, minimizing damage control and allowing its defense to make plays. All five pitchers that threw for Boston College combined for seven allowed hits, three walks, and fourteen flyouts.
The California Golden Bears run-rule Duke on Friday, but the Blue Devils avoid losing the series: Duke opened ACC play with a series against California. The Golden Bears dominated Friday’s game, jumping on Duke early with a three-run homer from Cade Campbell and a two-run shot from Dominic Smaldino in the first inning.
Campbell added an RBI double, and Alex Birge launched two solo home runs as Cal cruised to a 14-1 victory.
The Blue Devils responded on Saturday with a 6-2 win, thanks to strong pitching from Ryan Higgins and Reid Easterly. Andrew Yu’s solo homer and Wallace Clark’s go-ahead RBI single provided the offensive spark to even the series.
Duke carried that momentum into Sunday’s rubber match, securing a 7-3 win behind stellar bullpen work and timely hitting. Ryan Calvert picked up the win in relief, while Henry Zatkowski struck out the side in the ninth to lock it down.
Offensively, Ben Miller led the charge, going 4-for-5 with a two-run homer and three RBIs, while Macon Winslow added a two-run blast of his own.
While the first loss to Cal and early season struggles are a concern for Duke, they can hopefully carry this momentum from this series win through the rest of ACC play.
Midweek Upsets to Note
The saying always went that you don’t emphasize midweek wins and losses, but regardless, it’s always interesting to see what teams can pull off some victories. Five ranked teams found themselves in the loss column against unranked opponents.
- Dallas Baptist ten-run rules Oklahoma 11-0
- UTSA beats #2 Texas A&M 7-4 in another rough midweek game for the Aggies
- UCF takes down Florida in a final score of 13-3
News and Notes
ECU’s Ethan Norby strikes out 19 against Coastal Carolina: East Carolina’s Ethan Norby delivered a pitching performance for the ages on Friday night, striking out a staggering 19 batters in a dominant 7-0 win over Coastal Carolina.
The right-hander was untouchable from start to finish, carving through the Chanticleers’ lineup with precision and incredible stuff. Norby allowed just a handful of baserunners, keeping Coastal completely off balance while racking up strikeouts at a historic pace.
His 19 punchouts set a new program record and solidified his place among the nation’s most electric arms. Backed by a steady offensive effort, East Carolina cruised to the statement victory, but the night belonged to Norby.
Charlotte’s Blake Gillespie throws a no-hitter against James Madison: In a historic performance, Blake Gillespie delivered the program’s second-ever no-hitter, leading his team to a 5-0 victory over James Madison.
Gillespie was nearly flawless, allowing just one walk—which was quickly negated by catcher Logan Poteet throwing out the runner attempting to steal—resulting in the minimum 27 batters faced.
He dominated the Dukes’ lineup with 11 strikeouts, throwing over 70% of his pitches for strikes and only reaching a full count twice throughout the game.
This remarkable achievement comes nearly 38 years after Ronnie Honeycutt’s no-hitter in 1987, cementing Gillespie’s place in Charlotte baseball history.
Nebraska ace Mason McConnaughey will miss the remainder of the season: Nebraska suffered a tough blow to its pitching staff as right-hander and Friday night ace Mason McConnaughey is out for the season with an arm injury.
The Junior had been a key piece of the Cornhuskers’ rotation, showing promise early in the year before the setback. His absence creates a significant hole on the mound as Nebraska enters a competitive Big Ten schedule.
While McConnaughey’s recovery timeline remains uncertain, the Huskers will now look for others to step up in his place as they push through the season without one of their top arms. The Cornhuskers were expected to be ranked but have faced a ton of struggles early on this year.
Draft Watch: Who’s Making Waves?
2025 Draft Spotlight Player of the Week
OF Kane Kepley – North Carolina
Season Stats: .333/.532/.519. 4 2B, 3 3B, 8 RBI, 14 BB, 13 SB
The hype was high for Kane Kepley as he made his way to North Carolina. The transfer from Liberty has definitely lived up to it thus far.
Known for his incredible bat-to-ball skills, ability to get on base, and speed, Kepley has brought more of the same in his first season as a Tar Heel. Kepley is an absolute table-setter at the top of the lineup and an easy guy to count on to get things going.
On top of his bat, he’s shown in a great glove in centerfield. His speed lets him track balls down with ease, and he’s already made a few highlight-reel catches this season already.
The overall toolset for Kepley is very intriguing, and it is easy to see why he’s been a riser on many draft boards already.
2026 MLB Draft Spotlight Player of the Week
SS Chris Hacopian – Maryland
Season Stats: .514/.654/1.057, 4 2B, 5 HR, 24 RBI, 14 BB
Chris Hacopian is quickly becoming one of the top college bats for the 2026 MLB Draft. After a stellar freshman season with the Terps, he’s hit the ground running in his sophomore campaign.
As you can see above, Hacopian has put up incredible numbers in his first 11 games. He’s among the most polished college bats and has incredible bat-to-ball skills. He can use the whole field and has been able to tap into quite a bit of poolside power.
A third baseman last year, Hacopian, took over shortstop and looked the part at the position. He moves pretty well laterally, is quick enough, and has a strong arm. Being able to man short will only help his draft stock.
He’s an absolute gamer on the field, much like his older brother and Terps current captain Eddie Hacopian. A lot of his traits give you some flashes of Matt Shaw in terms of personality and skill. He’s always trying to find ways to get better.
Other Top MLB Draft Performers
Pitchers
| Pitcher | Stats |
| LHP Liam Doyle, Tennessee | 5 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 13 K |
| LHP Ben Jacobs, Arizona State | 6 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K |
| LHP Ryan Prager, Texas A&M | 7 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 7 K |
| RHP Kyson Witherspoon, Oklahoma | 5 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 12 K |
| LHP Zane Adams, Alabama | 6 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 10 K |
| LHP Nelson Keljo, Oregon State | 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 8 K |
| RHP Patrick Forbes, Louisville | 6 IP 2, 1 ER, 2 BB, 9 K |
| LHP Kade Anderson, LSU | 6 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 11 K |
| RHP Anthony Eyanson, LSU | 7 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 15 K |
| LHP Caleb Leys, Maine | 6 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 9 K |
| LHP Zach Root, Arkansas | 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 10 K |
Hitters
| Hitter | Stats |
| SS Jalin Flores, Texas | 8-for-17, 6 2B, HR, 7 RBI, 2 BB |
| OF Tre Phelps, Georgia | 8-for-19, 3 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 2 BB, SB |
| OF Nolan Schubart, Oklahoma State | 9-for-21, 3 2B, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 2 BB |
| 1B Jared Jones, LSU | 9-for-19, 2 2B, 4 HR, 9 RBI, 3 BB |
| SS Kaeden Kent, Texas A&M | 7-for-20, 3 2B, 4B, 2 HR, 9 RBI, 4 BB |
| SS Dean Curley, Tennessee | 4-for-13, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 5 BB, 2 SB |
| 3B Andrew Fischer, Tennessee | 5-for-12, 2B, 4 HR, 12 RBI 7 BB |
| SS Marek Houston, Wake Forest | 6-for-15, 2 2B, 2 HR, 12 RBI, 4 BB |
| OF Ethan Conrad, Wake Forest | 7-for-16, 3 HR, 5 RBI, 4 BB |
| INF Jack Winnay, Wake Forest | 7-for-15, 2B, 3B, HR, 7 RBI |
| OF Brendan Summerhill, Arizona | 7-for-14, 2B, 3B, HR, 3 RBI, 3 BB, SB |
| SS Wehiwa Aloy, Arkansas | 12-for-19, 10 R, 4 2B, 3 HR, 11 RBI, BB, SB |
| OF Derek Cerda, Kansas | 5-for-13, 2 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 3 BB |
Just Released: New Interviews, Reports, & Rankings
Interviews
Articles
- MLB Draft
- Meet CJ Gray: A North Carolina Flamethrower by Tyler Jennings
- College
- College Baseball Top 25 Rankings by Jared Perkins and Will Mossa
- Most Impactful Transfers Thus Far by Jared Perkins
What’s Ahead
New Content
Catch our forthcoming interview with Troy catcher and 2025 MLB Draft prospect Brooks Bryan!
Upcoming Games
- Midweeks
- #21 Virginia vs. Maryland – Tuesday, March 11th @ 5:35 PM EDT
- #11 North Carolina vs. UNC Wilmington – Tuesday, March 11th @ 6:00 PM EDT
- #14 Wake Forest vs. Coastal Carolina – Tuesday, March 11th @ 6:00 PM EDT
- #6 Florida vs. #4 Florida State – Tuesday, March 11th @ 6:00 PM EDT
- Oklahoma State vs. #20 Dallas Baptist – Tuesday, March 11th @ 7:05 PM EDT
- Grand Canyon vs. #10 Oregon – Tuesday, March 11th @ 8:05 PM EDT & Wednesday, March 12th @ 8:05 PM EDT
- Weekend Series
- #8 Texas vs. Mississippi State
- #6 Florida vs. #2 Tennessee
- Kentucky vs. #5 Georgia
- #11 North Carolina vs. #23 Louisville
- #18 Vanderbilt vs. Auburn
- #13 Alabama vs. #17 Texas A&M
- #3 Arkansas vs. #24 Ole Miss
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Written by
Jared Perkins is a College Baseball and MLB Draft Analyst for Just Baseball. He hosts the On The Clock podcast.