Jags hold steady at No. 10 in latest NAIA Poll
KANSAS CITY – For the second consecutive rating, UHV baseball is in the Top 10.
The Jaguars (25-4) held their place at No. 10 in the NAIA GoRout Top 25 released on Wednesday after debuting in the initial in-season rating on March 5, marking the first time UHV baseball had ever been ranked.
UHV has put together a strong first half of the season with its 25 wins putting the team on pace for a new single-season wins record.
The Jaguars have been strong over the last few weeks, winning 16 of their last 18. UHV is also 16-2 at home this season.
UHV's offense ranks 18th nationally, hitting .344 as a team. The Jaguars' 259 runs this season leads the Red River Athletic Conference and ranks 17th in the NAIA.
Cristian Garcia has spearheaded the offensive production, hitting. 506 this season – that mark ranks third nationally. The graduate senior from Houston is tied for eighth nationally in hits with 44 this season. He has reached base safely in all 29 games he's played so far this season.
But UHV's pitching has been even better, ranking fourth nationally with a 3.19 ERA.
Junior Brady Parker leads the nation in strikeouts with 72. Senior Mason Longoria leads the nation in wins with eight after picking up a pair in a sweep of RRAC foe Texas A&M-Texarkana last week.
Parker and Jonathan Jones are atop the RRAC leaderboard in ERA with marks of 1.69 and 1.90, respectively.
The Jaguars head to Pineville, Louisiana, this weekend for a three-game conference series at Louisiana Christian, starting with a 3 p.m. doubleheader on Friday.