D2SS: The Weekend

D2SS: The Weekend is back with some baseball, and softball too...But first...

Here are a few quick final thoughts on the just finished basketball season for D-II South Nation. It was one and done for all three representatives in the D2SS coverage region.

On Tuesday, the Arkansas Tech Golden Suns (31-3) trailed 44-29 en route to a season-ending 77-62 loss to Franklin Pierce (N.H.) in the national quarterfinals of the NCAA Division II Elite Eight at St. Joseph, Mo. It was the Golden Suns first appearance in the Elite Eight since 1999, when they lost to North Dakota in the national championship game that season.

On the men's side, both Southeast Regional champion Augusta State (29-4) and South Regional champion Valdosta State (28-5) suffered swift exits from the NCAA Division II Elite Eight at Springfield, Mass. Wednesday.

Making its first-ever trip to the Elite Eight, the VSU men led by 12 points at the second half, only to surrender 21 unanswered points in an 80-64 loss to Indiana (Pa.). The 28 wins by the 2009-10 Blazers are the most in the 56-year history of Valdosta State men's basketball.

The third time proved to not be the charm for Augusta State, as the No. 4 (NABC) ranked Jaguars found themselves on the wrong of a 67-64 upset loss to Bentley (Mass.) Wednesday. That loss continued a regression in advancement for the Jags, as they lost in the Final Four to Cal Poly Pomona last season, and to Winona State (Minn.) in the national championship game in 2008.

Talking baseball (and softball)

How's your team faring on the diamond this year? Here's a quick look at the standings. Click on the link (s) listed below. Standings are current as of March 26, 2010.

Baseball standings

Gulf South Conference

Peach Belt Conference

SIAC

Softball standings

Gulf South Conference

Peach Belt Conference

SIAC (standings unavailable)

The rankings

Collegiate Baseball Poll (Southern Arkansas checks in at No. 4)

NFCA Poll (North Georgia #1, VSU #4, UAH #6)

The marquee match-ups

Baseball

West Alabama (16-10, 1-2) at #18 (Collegiate Baseball) Valdosta State (22-10)--Saturday 1 p.m. EDT (Doubleheader) and Sunday 1 p.m.

The Blazers do battle with the Tigers in a key Gulf South Conference East Division series.

Arkansas-Monticello (17-12, 3-2) at #4 Southern Arkansas (24-3, 5-0)--Saturday 3 p.m. CDT (Doubleheader)

The Muleriders will ride a 13-game winning streak into this critical Gulf South Conference West Division clash.

#19 GC&SU (15-8, 7-2) at #7 USC Aiken (21-8, 10-2)--Saturday 3 p.m. EDT (Doubleheader) and Sunday 1 p.m. EDT

The Bobcats take on the Pacers in a battle of Peach Belt Conference division leaders.

#9 Columbus State (22-5, 3-3) at #17 UNC Pembroke (19-6, 7-5)--Saturday 1 p.m. EDT (Doubleheader) and Sunday 1 p.m. EDT

The Braves play host to the Cougars in another huge inter-divisional PBC match-up.

Lander (17-9, 3-6) at #16 North Georgia (20-8, 9-3)--Saturday 3 p.m. EDT (Doubleheader)

Both the Bearcats and Saints enter this series on four-game winning streaks.