May 8, 2007
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. --- The Baylor softball team moved up to its highest ranking in school history as the Lady Bears moved to No. 5 in the latest ESPN.com/USA Softball Top 25 the Amateur Softball Association announced on Tuesday. The Lady Bears moved up two spots after claiming their first-ever Big 12 Conference regular season title with wins over nationally-ranked Texas and Texas A&M last week.
Previously, the Baylor softball team has gone as high as No. 7 in the national polls, a feat the team accomplished during the 2005 season and again this year.
Tennessee (53-4) reclaimed the top spot in the polls after taking two-of-three from last week's No. 1, Alabama. Oklahoma (49-6) moved up to the No. 2 spot this week while Alabama dropped into a tie for third with Arizona (38-10-1).
LSU (49-10), who knocked off top ranked Tennessee a week ago, dropped to No. 6 this week after losing two of three at rival Georgia (43-25) to finish second overall in the SEC. Despite the losses, LSU still claimed its eighth western division title in 11 years.
Virginia Tech (44-14) continues to better their ranking moving up two spots to No. 15 this week after a mid-week sweep of Big South champs, Liberty (36-24). The Hokies won the regular season ACC title for the first time in school history and will face eighth seeded Virginia (17-37) in the opening round of the ACC Tournament on Thursday.
No. 17 Georgia Tech (49-13), who advanced two spots in this week's poll, is currently on a sixteen-game winning streak and enters the ACC Tournament as the No. 3 seed.
For the first time this season there are actually 26 teams in the Top 25 poll after teams tied in two positions in the poll. Alabama and Arizona tied at No. 3 while Florida (44-19) and Fresno State (42-16) regained a spot in the Top 25 rankings this week sharing the 25th position. NC State (42-17) dropped out of the Top 25 despite being idle this past week.
Baylor will return to action this week at the Big 12 Championship in Oklahoma City, Okla., as the Lady Bears will face No. 8 Texas Tech or No. 9 Oklahoma State in a quarterfinal contest on Friday, May 11, at 1:30 p.m.
