COUNTDOWN TO MAY MADNESS

NOTE: With the selections for the 2005 NCAA Division II baseball tournament being revealed Sunday (05/15/2005), this is the last chance for a few teams to impress the selection committee prior to the regionals. With that in mind, D-II South Sports presents the final installments of "Countdown To May Madness" for 2005.

Rankings are courtesy of NCAA Sports.com.

Teams in conferences covered by D-II South Sports are listed in BOLD type.

SOUTH ATLANTIC REGION

1. North Florida

2. Kennesaw State

3. Francis Marion

4. Armstrong Atlantic State

5. USC Aiken

6. GC&SU

7. Erskine

8. Limestone

ANALYSIS: Six teams from the Peach Belt Conference again occupy the top spots in this week's South Atlantic regional poll. AASU has helped its case for getting into the NCAA tournament tremendously, as the Pirates won two out of three games from USC Aiken last weekend to take a .500 record (13-13) in PBC play heading into their final regular season series at Kennesaw State. Speaking of the Fighting Owls, they can assure themselves of finishing no worse than second place by winning at least one game against AASU this weekend. Meanwhile, the Pacers also won two of three games against Lander in their regular season finale, but with a #5 regional ranking, they must wait for any word on a possible NCAA tournament bid.

SOUTH CENTRAL REGION

1. Delta State

2. Abilene Christian

3. Central Oklahoma

4. Texas A&M-Kingsville

5. Incarnate Word

6. West Alabama

7. North Alabama

8. St. Edward's

ANALYSIS: North Alabama and West Alabama each pulled off upsets over nationally top ranked Delta State to earn a spot in the championship round of the Gulf South Conference tournament Wednesday. The Lions downed the Tigers 7-6 in 11 innings to force a second title game, but UWA bounced back to win the GSC title with a 9-4 victory in the nightcap. But whether that late run will help either team get into the NCAA tournament remains to be seen.