National College Softball Editor Justin McLeod’s “Mid-Major” Top 10 is here following Week 5 action.
The Ragin Cajuns maintain their top spot after splitting two games against SEC foe Florida this weekend. While the Cajuns have struggled some against big-time opponents, they have now gone into Baton Rouge and beaten LSU in a game and into Gainesville and beaten Florida.
Central Arkansas holds strong in the second spot after only getting to play two games this weekend, a showing that included a loss to South Dakota State and a pummeling of Kansas on their home field.
Grand Canyon dropped a game to Colorado State in Week 5, but otherwise continued their impressive start to the year. The loss to the Rams was just their third defeat of the season.
The latter part of their own weekend was canceled, but Boston avenged a surprising loss to Weber State with an impressive, dominant win over Baylor out in California. It was the first victory over a Big 12 team since BU beat Oklahoma in 2018.
A 7th-inning comeback against Duke fell short, but Charlotte took a series win over FIU to open C-USA play and run-ruled Louisville on Tuesday afternoon as an encore performance.
For the first time since the preseason, Texas State appears in the MM Top 10. They lost twice to Wisconsin, yes, but Jessica Mullins’ performance led to wins over both Texas and Alabama in Austin, two major wins that the Bobcats needed.
MM Top 10 stalwart North Texas holds fast in the middle of this week’s rankings; the Mean Green won their Conference USA-opening series against Louisiana Tech in Ruston.
Southern Illinois continued their torrid start to the 2023 season despite dropping a game to Appalachian State, but posting a 4-1 record including a Tuesday win over Missouri State in MVC midweek play.
Two wins on the weekend vaulted Cal State Fullerton over .500, as the Titans took wins over Weber State and South Dakota with a game against Purdue cancelled.
Omaha dropped a nail-biter to Mississippi State in Starkville, but were 3-1 on their trip to Mississippi, outscoring opponents 18-9 in four games.
ALSO NOTE:
Marshall is quietly putting up a dynamite start to their season in non-conference play, boasting a 21-3 overall record… Coastal Carolina, similarly, are 23-4 in the non-conference and recorded a win over Ohio State this weekend… Eastern Illinois earns a mention after a series sweep of UT-Martin to begin OVC play… after starting the season 1-9, Liberty is now riding a 12-game winning streak.
