The incident occurred Dec. 20, while Wittels and a group of friends were vacationing at the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas. Wittels was released on $10,000 bond after a court hearing on Dec. 23. Bahamaian officials noted that a preliminary inquiry and decision on whether to take the case to trial won't come until April 18, a month after FIU begins its college baseball season.

Wittels' father, Michael Wittels, confirmed the arrest and believes that his son will be vindicated when all details are released.

The father added that Garrett and his friends met the girls in a casino, and the girls willingly joined the men at a private party. No details about what happened at the private party have been released.

Under Bahamian law, this case is not statutory in nature. The age for sexual activity in the Bahamas is 16, thus making consensual activity legal.

"Anyone can accuse anyone of anything at any time," Michael Wittels said in the report. "He's not doing well, obviously. He's blown away. He's devastated that someone would accused him of this."

No time table has been set for when and if the case will go to court, thus raising the question about Wittels' eligibility with the Panthers. FIU, though, isn't jumping to conclusions and is still gathering information on the matter.

"We will continue to gather any possible information when it becomes available," FIU athletic director Pete Garcia said in the report.

The Panthers open the 2011 season on Feb. 18, when they play host to Southeastern Louisiana in a three-game series. Wittels' current game hitting streak sits at 56, two shy of Ventura's record. Wittels would break the record with a hit in all three games.

The maximum penalty for a first-time rape offender in the Bahamas is seven years in jail.

Phillips will coach the Crimson Tide hitters and assist in recruiting, while Dax Norris, who spent several seasons in the minor leagues and is a former catcher, shifts from hitting coach to pitching coach.

The interesting moves come as a result of pitching coach Kyle Bunn abruptly announcing his resignation last week. And with the season slated to begin in less than two months, the Crimson Tide had to quickly move for an assistant coach.

The search ended with Phillips, someone with plenty of credibility as a player at the collegiate and professional levels.

"He brings something special to the table. He was a great player here and a good player at the Major League Level. Most importantly, he has a passion for coaching at Alabama and the timing was just right. I couldn't be more excited to have him," Alabama coach Mitch Gaspard said. "Obviously, with two former college All-Americans on the staff now, I think we have a great deal of knowledge on our staff."

"While Andy is excited to join the program, I think Dax also is excited to be heading over to the pitching side of things for us."

Though there's always a risk in hiring a first-time assistant, there's no question Phillips brings much credibility to the table from a playing standpoint.

Phillips played for the Crimson Tide from 1996-99 and compiled a .356 career batting average. His 322 career hits with the Tide remains the school record. Additionally, he helped guide the Tide to the College World Series in three of his four seasons with the program in '96, '97 and '99. Phillips finished his career with All-American honors.

The Yankees selected Phillips in the seventh round of the MLB draft out of college in '99, and he made his MLB debut with the organization toward the end of the '04 season. In his first at bat with the Yankees, Phillips hit a home run over the Green Monster in Fenway Park, and is one of just seven Yanks to hit homers in their first at bat.

Phillips had a more prominent role for the Yankees in '06 when a Gary Sheffield injury forced Bernie Williams to move to the outfield, thus leading to Jason Giambi taking over the designated hitter role and Phillips moving to first base.

His best year at the big level came in '07 when he batted .292 with two home runs and 25 RBIs. He ended the year with 185 at bats.

Phillips also had stints with the Reds, Mets and White Sox before finishing his career with two seasons in the Nippon Professional League in Japan.

Overall, knowledge of the game won't be an issue with Phillips. But it will be interesting to see how he coaches and how much his background plays to the Crimson Tide's favor on the recruiting trail.

Either way, it's always nice to see a former big leaguer give back to his alma mater. Phillips is just doing it in extra special fashion.

No details on why Bunn resigned his post were released by the Crimson Tide, though, Gaspard had an interesting quote to the Tuscaloosa News.

"He resigned and really it's just a matter of … I think that Kyle would have to answer that about parting ways," he told the paper. "I respect Kyle as a coach. Obviously, I accepted his resignation.

Calls to Bunn were not answered Thursday, and there was a prompt announcing the phone number already had been disconnected.

Bunn's departure from the Alabama program comes as a surprise. Though the Crimson Tide finished last season with just a 5.06 ERA, the staff improved as the season progressed with Nathan Kilcrease and Jimmy Nelson leading the way.

Before his one year stint with the Tide, Bunn spent two seasons at Clemson after previously spending a season as a full-time coach at Mississippi. Bunn also spent four seasons as a volunteer assistant for the Rebels before his role as a full-time assistant.

While Bunn steps away and must reassess his situation, the Crimson Tide now have the tough chore of finding a pitching coach with the season beginning Feb. 18, with a home series against Alcorn State.

Alabama hitting coach Dax Norris, who has experience dealing with pitchers, could gravitate to the role of pitching coach. However, Gaspard made it clear to us that he was committed to hiring the best coach possible for the sudden vacancy.

"We're just checking interest for the opening right now," he said. "I'd like to fill the open position by the first day of spring classes, which is Wednesday, January 12."

The Crimson Tide will have some tough holes to fill in the spring, but are coming off a campaign that included a super regional appearance and a 42-25 record.

Stay tuned to Yahoo! Sports for more on Alabama's vacancy.

My reputation was called into question throughout this process. Now people will no longer have to speculate if I was intentionally breaking rules. I am responsible for making myself an easy target. My defensive behavior didn’t serve me well once the investigation started. While I was pleased to learn that I can coach in the NCAA immediately with a minor penalty, there is no happiness in seeing the program sanctioned. Due to the repeat offender status of the university, for its second lack of institutional control violation in a five-year span, the sanctions against the program are more harsh. The players’ achievements both on and off the field in recent years match the greatest era of ASU’s storied baseball history. Few programs in any sport can equal the rankings in the last six years.

The injustice of losing a top coaching position while the program was thriving has been a life and family changing experience. However, somehow I am grateful for having endured this and am certain it has taught me valuable lessons. Only the love for my children exceeds the passion for helping student-athletes develop in life. This process has educated me beyond what coaches typically understand. My hope is no other coach will have to endure this process based on the same kind of facts that precipitated this investigation.

It's safe to say the sport is always changing. However, in the case of some things, the sport simply hasn't changed quick enough.

With the sport slated to welcome a sparkling new facility in downtown Omaha next June that will host the College World Series, it's time to analyze ten things that could be done better or added to college baseball to make the sport better.

Let the debates begin.

More national television games

There was a time when college baseball was on ESPN at least once a week during the season, but that was two decades ago. Now, the SEC is trying to put the sport back on center stage from a television standpoint by announcing last week it will televise an "SEC Game of the Week" on ESPNU several Thursdays next season. That's certainly a step in the right direction, but we'd prefer see those games played on actual ESPN, not ESPNU. Either way, we give credit to the SEC for at least trying to give the sport more television exposure. Good ratings on ESPNU could mean big things for college baseball's television future. So, even if you're a casual fan, be sure to watch the games.

More marquee non-conference matchups

There are plenty of programs that make efforts to schedule solid non-conference opponents, but there also are those that make a point to stay at home and play weak schedules. By the way, you know who you are. For the good of college baseball, we're all for teams putting together marquee non-conference matchups, series that extend out of your comfortable region and engage programs in other regions of the country. The Big Ten/Big East Challenge is a fantastic idea. What would be better, though, is if the SEC/ACC had a challenge and the Big 12/Pac-10 put together a challenge, too. Hey, one can dream, right?

Increase scholarships

Speaking of roads we've traveled down before, it's a no brainer that college baseball should increase its scholarship totals. As has been the case for years, most programs have scholarship totals of 11.7. However, there's no question the sport is shafted from a scholarship standpoint when compared to other comparable Division I sports. The argument against increasing scholarships is many programs still aren't at 11.7. However, increasing scholarships, in most instances, would force administrators to make a greater commitment to the sport. It's a win-win for most.

More commitments to building programs

Many programs continue to make stronger commitments to their programs with renovated or new facilities. However, making stronger commitments will continue to be a goal as long as an institution such as California is considering dropping its baseball program. Furthermore, Coastal Carolina has given the little guys hope they someday can become one of the big national players. Programs are making stronger commitments, but there's never an end in this department.

Eventually move to wood bats

The NCAA raised plenty of eyebrows this fall when it mandated programs must begin using the new BBCOR bats. Well, the BBCOR bats certainly act more like wood than any bat used in years. So, that begs the next question, why not just move to wood bats? Some coaches and pundits argue that aluminum bats make the college game unique. But, you must remember the mere presence of aluminum bats also turns off many casual baseball fans. Some say who cares about those fans, but those are the fans that will determine if college baseball becomes a big-time sport. As much as some dislike the idea, moving to wood bats has a better bottom line.

Move up the MLB draft signing deadline

There's a very good chance this happens when the new Collective Bargaining Agreement is voted on next year, but it's important to reiterate our stance. There were several college coaches anxiously waiting by phones on Aug. 16 to find out if their prized recruits were signing pro contracts or going to college. That's all fine and dandy except the fact school had already started for some of those coaches, meaning if a player signed they could be unable to fill his spot. Many believe the signing deadline will be moved to July 1. That would be perfect for college baseball, but I'd be surprised if the new deadline wasn't in the middle of July. That would be a good compromise.

Develop a fall baseball schedule

This is something that must be done. The NCAA allows softball programs to play fall contests with no penalty during the sport's spring season. Baseball programs have games removed from their spring schedule if they play games during the fall. There's something wrong with that picture. The NCAA should allow baseball programs to play a four or five game fall schedule that do not count against your 56-game regular-season schedule. Many of these games could be played between rivals on football game weekends to generate more interest in the sport.

Less regionalization of NCAA Super Regionals

There's a reason Major League Baseball would prefer in most instances not to have teams from the same area in the NLCS, ALCS or World Series. It brings down television ratings. Somehow, the NCAA hasn't figured out the popularity of college baseball will increase long-term by putting together intriguing national matchups as opposed to pitting regional teams together like they did with Cal State Fullerton-UCLA, TCU-Texas (for the second straight season) and Miami-Florida last season. We're of the belief that super regional venues will attract thousands of fans no matter who the home team is playing. Not everything must be regional in nature.

Get the northern programs more involved

We've never been champions of making sure other regions are involved in the landscape of college baseball, but now is the time to get the northern programs more involved. There are plenty of northern programs that head south during the early part of the season. But in many instances, these programs aren't playing the marquee southern and western teams. That must change for the landscape of the sport to improve. It also would help if programs in big conferences such as Vanderbilt, Kentucky, Tennessee and North Carolina would occasionally make midweek trips to the northern part of the country. College baseball will continue to gain popularity, but doing a better job of attracting the north is the final piece to the big puzzle.

Weaker transfer rule

We've been on this soapbox for over a year now, and we're still of the belief there's something wrong with the rule that states you must sit out for a year if you transfer to another Division I institution, barring a special exemption. Again, it must be reiterated, college baseball is not the same as college football and basketball. Unlike those sports, baseball is not a full scholarship sport and shouldn't be treated as one. If a player is with a program that can't give him more scholarship money than another program, he should be allowed to transfer with no penalty for financial reasons. Deep down, we're not fans of players freely transferring all over the place. However, having a loose transfer rule is one of many ways to get the NCAA more involved in increasing scholarships.

Jamieson, who is regarded as one of the nation's best teachers, has done a fantastic job during his tenure at Missouri. He also earned a great reputation in 2005 when he helped lead Team USA to an impressive 16-4 summer record.

We are thrilled to announce Tim Jamieson as our 2011 manager,” said Eric Campbell, USA Baseball General Manager of National Teams.  “His experience from 2005 -- coaching players like David Price, Matt Wieters and Matt LaPorta -- will serve him well, and teaming him with Dave Van Horn, Scott Stricklin and Rob Walton will provide our athletes with a unique opportunity to learn from some of the best college coaches in the game.  Once again, the college coaching community has rallied around the Collegiate National Team program."

While the hiring of Jamieson as head coach is impressive, the rest of the coaching staff Team USA assembled is equally impressive.

Oral Roberts' Rob Walton, Arkansas' Dave Van Horn and Kent State's Scott Stricklin will serve as assistants.

Walton managed Team USA in '08 and had a phenomenal summer, leading the team to a perfect 24-0 record and a gold medal at the FISU World Championships with a 1-0 victory over Japan.

Van Horn and Stricklin will make their first appearance at Team USA, but will do so with very impressive resumes at their respective institutions.

Van Horn guided the Razorbacks to the College World Series two seasons ago and fell just short of Omaha last season with a super regional series loss to Arizona State. Stricklin, meanwhile, has developed Kent State into one of the north's best programs and one of the most successful mid-majors.

Kudos to Eric Campbell and Team USA for assembling a fantastic staff, and may a gold medal be on the team's horizon after a tough loss to Cuba in the title match this past summer.

Interestingly, the pitch clock was one of the first topics brought up by an SEC coach that we spoke with. Currently, the SEC has a visible pitch clock placed to the left of the Regions Park scoreboard in right field. However, umpires are proposing that a fourth umpire be added and that fourth umpire would keep the time -- not the pitch clock next to the scoreboard.

"The umpires are really concerned that people care a little too much about what the clock is saying out there," the coach said. "They don't really want people getting really upset in the future if a pitcher goes one second over on the clock."

By the sound of that, it seems like the pitch clock is more of a deterrent and not intended for ultra strict use.

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It shouldn't come as a surprise the new BBCOR bats were a hot topic at the SEC meetings. Several SEC coaches, such as LSU's Paul Mainieri and Florida's Kevin O'Sullivan, have expressed in the past they don't believe college baseball needs new bats.

"I think some are upset with the fact they weren't given a chance to sample the bats before they actually went into practice," the coach said. "I think the NCAA feels a little duped by the bat companies at this point."

The coach added, and the NCAA has confirmed, that safety was the primary concern with the release of the new bats.

Whether coaches like them or not, the bats appear to be here to stay.

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When Texas and Vanderbilt played a scrimmage earlier this fall, the games officially counted against both teams' 56-game regular season schedules in the spring.

SEC coaches want that to change.

The NCAA currently allows softball, which plays a 56-game regular season schedule, to play four games in the fall without penalty in the spring. As a result, the SEC coaches, led by South Carolina's Ray Tanner, plan to propose the same rule for baseball.

"We'd probably even be happy with having two games if it gives us games in the fall," the coach said. "We feel like we have a pretty good argument moving forward."

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Arguably the most important topic on the docket, at least as the SEC is concerned, was the future location of the SEC tournament.

Some have led to believe that Memphis, Tenn., could be the location for the tournament beginning in 2012. But if the SEC coaches have their way, the tournament won't deviate far from where they had their meetings this week. They want the tournament to stay in Hoover, Ala., and be played at Regions Park.

The consensus, a coach said, was overwhelming.

"Everyone is pleased with the location of the tourney in Hoover. It's kind of been the Omaha of the SEC and it's been a consistent place with a central location," he said. "One concern, though, is some facility upgrades must be made. But in terms of how they put on the tournament, it's first-class."

The SEC and coaches have been assured the parking situation that inconvienced fans attending last year's Alabama-Auburn contest will be fixed by the time the 2011 tourney arrives.

It appears to be Hoover's to lose.

Perhaps Wells simply wanted to return to his home state, but it's not everyday a former SEC coach decides to return to the career as a high school assistant. The decision is even more puzzling considering Wells is the all-time winningest coach in Alabama history.

Calvary head coach Rodney Traweek, who struck gold by hiring Wells, welcomed him with open arms.

"I feel like, by adding him, it's given me kind of a Dream Team of assistant coaches," he told the Shreveport Times. "He'll help us in so many ways. He'll be a big help to me as a head coach."

Wells is expected to help the Cavaliers in a variety of ways. For instance, he'll help the program with pitching and hitting. He also will lead the program's communication with college coaches around the country.

"I think it's great for those players that he's going to be around the program at Calvary. His knowledge of the game is second to none and he always has had a great passion for coaching," Current Alabama coach Mitch Gaspard said. "It's not everyday you can get the all-time winningest coach in the history of an SEC school to coach at your high school."

Ponder the accomplishments Wells brings to the table as a high school coach.

In his 15 seasons as Alabama's coach, Wells guided the program to three College World Series appearances, two SEC titles, four 50-win campaigns and 12 40-win seasons. He also compiled a 522-246 (.680) record during his tenure in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Wells spent 20 seasons as a Division I coach, spending five seasons at Northwestern State (La.) before heading to Alabama.

Interestingly, this isn't the first time we've been surprised by a Wells decision.

After the Crimson Tide finished the 2007 season with a 31-26 record and failed to reach the NCAA postseason, Wells, without anyone's knowledge, abruptly announced his retirement. Insiders believe Wells was frustrating with the lack of facility renovations.

Just a few days later, Wells had what he called a "change of heart", and returned to the program.

He again made a bizarre decision in September of 2009 when he again announced his retirement following a campaign that ended with the Crimson Tide going 0-2 in an NCAA Regional and ending the campaign with a 37-21 record.

This time, Wells didn't have a change of heart. Instead, Mitch Gaspard took over and guided the Tide to an NCAA Super Regional appearance against Clemson in his first season.

Wells obviously missed coaching baseball, whether it's at the collegiate or high school level. There's a good chance he could net a job as an assistant somewhere at the Division I level. There's also a good chance he could find a job as a high school head coach.

But a gig as a high school assistant?

One thing is for sure, the 55-year-old likes to make things interesting.

The Bruins took a giant step forward last season by compiling a 51-17 record and advancing to college baseball's showcase for the first time since 1997. But after losing the national title series to South Carolina, the Bruins are focused on getting back and finishing the job.

After losing pitchers such as starter Rob Rasmussen and relievers Dan Klein and Erik Goeddel this past summer, some question whether the Bruins will have the arms outside of Trevor Bauer and Gerrit Cole to get the job done.

There's one person who thinks the Bruins have just that.

"The pitching and defense have been very good for us this fall," UCLA hitting coach Rick Vanderhook said. "Honestly, all of our pitching has been strong so far this fall, and all of our arms are doing a fantastic job of pounding the strike zone."

Junior Trevor Bauer, who went 12-3 with a 3.02 ERA in 131 1/3 innings last season, has been lights out, but that was expected. Other pitchers have impressed, too.

Freshmen Adam Plutko and Zack Weiss (top 10 round picks), who are in the mix for the No. 3 spot in the weekend rotation, have made a smooth transition to Division I baseball. Both also have effectively thrown their fastball and changeup.

Redshirt senior Jordan Haver has been a pleasant surprise this fall. Haver missed last season with an arm injury, but is having a strong fall on the mound. Haver has made just 11 appearances in three seasons with the program.

In other pitching news, freshman Nick Vander Tuig had meniscus surgery last week and will miss a few weeks because of the injury.

Offensively, second baseman Tyler Rahmatulla will be in a walking boot for another three weeks following another foot injury earlier this fall. The Bruins expect Rahmatulla to be back in the mix come December. They also expect him to be fully healthy in the spring.

Also worth noting, catcher Steve Rodriguez has missed time with a stress fracture in his leg, but is out of an air cast and is back to hitting during batting practice. Outfielder Beau Amaral, meanwhile, has been out with a sore back.

In terms of healthy players, Freshman Kevin Williams, a 41st-round pick to the Dodgers, has made a smooth transition to college and is having a fantastic fall at the plate.

"He is playing second right now and really can hit," he said. "He hits really well with a wooden bat and has recorded several extra-base hits this fall."

Redshirt sophomore Matt Mosher also has made strides this fall after recording just two at bats last season.

As the spring nears, the big key for the Bruins is staying healthy and getting their experienced players in tiptop shape. The Bruins also must figure out who will occupy the most important roles on the mound.

The Horned Frogs made a statement two seasons ago with a trip to the Austin Super Regional, but they took their biggest step forward last season.

The Frogs won the Mountain West regular season and tournament titles, the Fort Worth Regional and knocked off national seed Texas in the Austin Super Regional rematch to advance to the College World Series for the first time.

In Omaha, the Horned Frogs played like a veteran CWS program, reaching the semifinals and falling just short of the national title series with a loss to UCLA.

The Frogs again are expected to compete for the national title in 2011.

They have the tough chore of replacing position players Bryan Holaday and Matt Curry, but welcome back the bulk of their pitching staff and enough key offensive cogs to have another productive lineup.

TCU has few concerns entering fall workouts.

Replace catcher Bryan Holaday

Easily the biggest question mark entering fall workouts, the Horned Frogs must find a way to adequately replace Holaday's leadership and production behind and at the plate. Besides his leadership skills, Holaday batted .355 with 17 homers and 53 RBIs last season. Josh Elander and Jimmie Pharr are the main candidates to replace Holaday. Elander is a solid athlete and can play catcher or in the outfield. He batted .356 in 194 at bats last season. Pharr, meanwhile, batted .363 in 91 at bats. Everyone is paying attention to this position battle.

Create more swagger

There weren't many who thought the Horned Frogs could get past Texas and get to Omaha last season, but they silenced the doubters. Now the Frogs are in a much different situation. Instead of being a team not expected to get to Omaha, expectations have increased and the Frogs are expected to compete for the national title next season. The Frogs must be able to deal with the incredibly high expectations. Creating more swagger allows that to happen. Watching the Frogs grow between now and the spring will be interesting.

Weekend rotation can't skip a beat

There's no question the Frogs will enter next season with one of the nation's best weekend rotations, perhaps even the best. Still, this unit has at least one concern – Steven Maxwell. The Frogs received a boost when Maxwell decided to return for another campaign after getting drafted. However, he must be on a mission next season after failing to impress during the most important part of last season. The Frogs also welcome back sophomore Matt Purke and veteran Kyle Winkler. Purke could be the top pitcher in the 2011 MLB draft after going 16-0 with a 3.02 ERA in 116 1/3 innings last season. Winkler, meanwhile, was fantastic in clutch situations and had a 3.39 ERA in 116 2/3 innings. The Frogs will be back in Omaha if the weekend rotation doesn't take a step back.

Figure out the bullpen roles

The Horned Frogs knew reliever Tyler Lockwood would be gone after last season, but received horrible news earlier this week when Schlossnagle announced Kaleb Merck would miss next season because of Tommy John surgery. Merck had become a special arm for the Frogs, tallying an impressive 1.47 ERA in 22 appearances last season. He also limited teams to a .210 batting average. Without Merck, the Frogs will put a bulk of the late-inning workload on Trent Appleby, who tallied a 4.39 ERA in 23 appearances last season. The Frogs also welcome back Erik Miller, but otherwise have much work to do.

Meet expectations at the plate

The Frogs have a stellar weekend rotation and plenty experience, but their offense could put them over the top next season. The Frogs have a wealth of potential at the plate. They batted .334 last season and are in excellent shape outside of having to replace Holaday and Curry. They welcome back eight hitters that earned significant playing time last season. The list includes Jason Coats, Josh Elander, Brance Rivera, Taylor Featherston, Jerome Pena, Aaron Schultz, Jantzen Witte and Joe Weik. This unit again is expected to hit around .330.

Merck, a junior right-hander, had an excellent campaign as the Horned Frogs made their first College World Series appearance last season. He made 22 appearances and tallied a 1.47 ERA in 30 2/3 innings. He also struck out 23 and walked six and limited teams to a .210 batting average.

"He had become very special for us," Schlossnagle said via text message. "He will be ready to go in 2012, though."

Without Merck, TCU's bullpen has increased in intrigue this fall. The Horned Frogs also are without Tyler Lockwood, who signed this past summer. That means Trent Appleby, who had a 4.39 ERA in 23 appearances last season, is the top returning reliever.

Stay tuned more information on TCU's fall workouts.

They welcome the expectations.

They also realize some areas must improve and change between now and the spring to return to the title series and win the program's first national title.

Offensively, the Bruins hope to build off a solid 2010 campaign with the return of infielder Tyler Rahmatulla and other talented hitters. On the mound, the Bruins have some work to do in the bullpen but welcome back the nation's best one-two punch in weekend starters Gerrit Cole and Trevor Bauer.

The Bruins have plenty work to do. They also are a national title contender.

Keep building more momentum

The Bruins had a run to Omaha to remember last season and should enter fall workouts with a wealth of confidence. UCLA has a pair of veteran weekend starters in Cole and Bauer and welcome back seasoned hitters such as Rahmatulla, Steve Rodriguez and Dean Espy. The Bruins know they can compete for the national title and should act accordingly this fall by building even more momentum before the '11 campaign arrives.

Restructure the bullpen

As much of a sure thing as the weekend rotation is entering the fall, the bullpen is as uncertain after losing several talented relievers to the MLB draft. Relievers the Bruins must replace include stud closer Dan Klein, Erik Goeddel, Matt Grace and Matt Drummond. UCLA also must replace Garret Claypool, who appeared in 21 games and started 12 last season. The Bruins will lack experience in the bullpen this fall, but welcome some talented arms in Nick Vander Tuig, Zack Weiss and Adam Plutko. UCLA is in business if its newcomers step up.

Solidify the No. 3 spot in the weekend rotation

The Bruins will have enough talent in the bullpen to overcome experience issues at some point next season, but finding a solid No. 3 starter for the weekend rotation is a difficult chore. There's a huge difference between coming out of the bullpen for a couple innings and setting the tone for an entire game. Last season, the Bruins enjoyed the services of veteran left-hander Rob Rasmussen, who left after getting drafted in the third round this past summer. The Bruins really like Plutko's chances of immediately becoming a weekend starter, but fellow freshman Vander Tuig and rising talent Scott Griggs also are in the mix this fall. We'll watch this race closely throughout the fall.

Continue to improve at the plate

The Bruins hired hitting guru Rick Vanderhook a few seasons ago for a reason – they needed to improve at the plate. The Bruins didn't have a highly productive offensive lineup in Vanderhook's first campaign with the program. The story was different last season. The Bruins were hitting .350 at one point in the season and ended the campaign with a .304 average. UCLA welcomes back hitters such as Beau Amaral, Dean Espy, Tyler Rahmatulla, Cody Keefer, Cody Regis and Steve Rodriguez. There's no reason why this unit shouldn't be better.

Figure out the middle infield roles

UCLA had one its best leaders in Niko Gallego at shortstop last season. Gallego has since signed after getting drafted and the Bruins have work to do. The Bruins will move Rahmatulla to shortstop to start fall workouts. They'll see how the transition goes, but if it doesn't go smoothly, other candidates for the position include Adrian Williams and three freshmen in Jacob Shirley, Pat Valaika and Kevin Williams. Should Rahmatulla permanently stay at shortstop, look for either Adrian or Kevin Williams, Shirley or Valaika to take over at second base. There also is a chance Rahmatulla stays put at second.

Weathers announced his retirement, effective at the end of the 2010 season, in a release by the school.

Weathers spent 18 seasons at Long Beach State, nine of those as an assistant and nine of those as the head coach. During that time span and up until this point in the season, Weathers has guided the Dirtbags to a 309-198 record.

"Mike has been an outstanding leader of the program and a great representative of the university," LBSU athletic director Vic Cegles said. "He has recruited and taught numerous major league prospects, but more importantly, he has mentored hundreds of young men to graduation and maturity. I consider Mike not only a terrific baseball man, but a life coach who will leave a strong legacy on the campus and in the community. To be sure, we wish him and his wife Charlotte all the best in his retirement years."

With Weathers' coaching career with the Dirtbags ending at the conclusion of the season, usually speculation about potential replacements would be running rampant. However, the Dirtbags will have a seamless transition with current associate head coach Troy Buckley tapped as the next head coach and seventh in the program's 57-year history.

"We are fortunate to have Troy as the coach in waiting," Cegles said. "He brings outstanding baseball knowledge, leadership and teaching skills to the position and possesses a strong appreciation of the Dirtbag tradition and the style of our play. We are excited about the future of Long Beach State baseball as it continues to pursue conference and national championships."

The Dirtbags currently are 21-23, including 7-8 in the Big West, and are unlikely to make an NCAA postseason appearance this season.

In case you're wondering who Spence is, he is that talented senior left-handed pitcher that earned All-American honors for Arizona State last season. The veteran, though, once again won't pitch this weekend against UCLA. As a matter of fact, he didn't even make the trip to California with the team.

As the uncertainty surrounding Spence's situation proceeds, the Sun Devils just continue to win at a high level.

The Sun Devils are 11-4 in conference and 2 1/2 games ahead of UCLA, who sits in third place entering the weekend.

Though many naturally would pick ASU to win the series, UCLA has a great chance to win this series at home with a fantastic trio of starting pitchers leading the charge.

The big series at Jackie Robinson Stadium this weekend headlines the national action, but there are plenty of other intriguing series to watch, too.

We take an inside look at the ten best series to watch. Predictions are included.

No. 3 Arizona State at No. 4 UCLA

The Pac-10 has been a huge surprise this season and it doesn't get much better than this weekend's series between the Sun Devils and Bruins. Arizona State enters the weekend hitting at a torrid pace, while the Bruins have cooled off the past few weeks. This series will come down to which team pitches at a higher level. ASU has tallied impressive numbers under the radar while UCLA has the glamour and glitz with Gerrit Cole, Trevor Bauer and Rob Rasmussen leading the way. UCLA will edge ASU with pitching.

Prediction: UCLA wins two of three

Auburn at No. 6 Arkansas

After falling just short of a road series win over Florida last weekend, the Razorbacks are back home to face an Auburn club coming off a series win over Kentucky. The Tigers are hitting over .350 this season, but their pitching staff leaves something to be desired with an ERA over four so far this season. Arkansas, meanwhile, is a very balanced club with a solid offense and a pitching staff with a 3.70 ERA. Arkansas has the superior pitching staff and will win this series this weekend.

Prediction: Arkansas wins two of three

No. 10 LSU at No. 5 Florida

There is a good chance LSU will have trouble getting back in the mix for a national seed if it loses this weekend's series against Florida. That is one of many reasons this series is so important for the Tigers. But most important is the fact this team must regain some confidence down the stretch. LSU has lost two of its last three series and was swept on the road against Ole Miss last weekend. The Tigers left something to be desired on the mound last weekend against the Rebels, while the Gators actually fared pretty well on the mound against Arkansas. Florida has more stability on the mound. It should win the series.

Prediction: Florida wins two of three

Kansas State at No. 21 Oklahoma

The battle for second place in the Big 12 rages on with the Wildcats and Sooners hooking up this weekend. The Wildcats currently are second place and five games behind first-place Texas. The Wildcats hit the road last weekend and dropped two games to Missouri. OU, meanwhile, took care of business on the road against Texas A&M. The Sooners will be tough to beat at home with their solid offense, while the K-State pitching staff hopes to return to the way it looked in the Baylor series two weekends ago. Still, look for the Sooners to take care of business at home.

Prediction: Oklahoma wins two of three

Boston College at No. 20 Virginia Tech

This is a very intriguing series to watch this weekend. The Eagles have quietly taken care of business this season. Last weekend, they went on the road and did a clean sweep of N.C. State. Tech, meanwhile, surprised everyone nationally by hitting the road and taking a pair of games from Georgia Tech. Both teams are playing at a very high level. BC, though, has much more to gain the rest of the season. The Hokies definitely have the edge on the mound and will win the series.

Prediction: Virginia Tech wins two of three

Washington State at No. 18 Oregon

This is a big series both teams. Oregon has been a huge surprise the entire season and hopes to earn an NCAA regional host before the regular season comes to an end. However, the Ducks must improve on their 8-7 mark in Pac-10 play. Washington State, meanwhile, is two games below .500 in conference play and barely would make an NCAA regional if the season ended today. Oregon definitely has a substantial advantage on the mound. For that reason and more, it should take care of business at home this weekend.

Prediction: Oregon wins two of three

Oregon State at No. 24 California

The weekend couldn't be bigger for both teams, especially Oregon State. The Beavers are losers of four of their last five series and simply can't afford to lose another regular season series if they plan on making an NCAA postseason appearance. Cal, meanwhile, took a step back last weekend by failing to win a single game against rival Stanford. OSU has some solid arms that should keep it in some games this weekend. However, Cal has too much at the plate to lose this series at home. There is a great chance OSU is sitting at home when rival Oregon is playing in the postseason.

Prediction: California wins two of three

Rutgers at No. 11 Louisville

The Scarlet Knights appeared to be a strong candidate for an NCAA postseason berth before last weekend's series against Connecticut. But after getting swept by the Huskies, the Scarlet Knights have plenty of doubters. Rutgers still has a solid conference record, but has an unimpressive overall record of 21-17. It needs a series win over the Cardinals this weekend, but accomplishing that goal will be difficult with the Cardinals having huge advantages both at the plate and on the mound. UL will win this series.

Prediction: Louisville wins two of three

No. 1 Texas vs. Baylor

Texas is in fantastic shape regardless of what happens against the Bears this weekend. The same can't be said for Baylor's situation, though. The Bears are on the bubble heading down the stretch and could use a marquee series win over the Longhorns. BU has been a pleasant surprise at the plate. UT, meanwhile, is pitching at an extremely high level and the offense has increased its batting average by 15 points over the past few weeks. Texas is riding a 17-game winning streak and won't slow down this weekend.

Prediction: Texas sweeps Baylor

No. 19 Connecticut at Pittsburgh

The Huskies will be put to the ultimate test for the first time in several weeks this weekend against Pittsburgh. The Huskies enter the weekend with a solid .313 batting average, but that number doesn't compare to the Panthers' .369 team batting average. Though Pitt has the edge at the plate, Connecticut has a huge edge on the mound with Elliott Glynn and other talented arms leading the way. Pitt, meanwhile, enters the weekend with an unimpressive 5.86 ERA. The Huskies earn a huge road series win this weekend. Pitt must pitch at a much higher level to win this series.

Prediction: Connecticut wins two of three

Some teams will increase their stock on the national stage this weekend. Others, though, won't be so fortunate.

We take an inside look at the top ten series to watch. Predictions are included.

No. 25 Virginia Tech at No. 6 Georgia Tech

The Hokies suffered a slight blow last weekend with a series loss to in-state rival Virginia. But they hope to bounce back against a very solid Georgia Tech club this weekend. The Yellow Jackets put together a complete weekend against Clemson last week. Ace pitcher Deck McGuire, had his second straight poor start against the Tigers. If McGuire is back on track this weekend, it will be difficult for the Hokies to win this series.

Prediction: Georgia Tech wins two of three

No. 7 LSU at No. 20 Mississippi

It really doesn't get much better than the Friday night matchup between LSU's Anthony Ranaudo and Ole Miss' Drew Pomeranz. Scouts will be aplenty in Oxford, Miss, and plenty of professional baseball officials probably will be watching on television, too. The winner of the Friday contest certainly will have the upper hand the rest of the weekend, but the Rebels must put together a complete weekend from a pitching standpoint. LSU is a better overall team, but Ole Miss knows how important this home series is this weekend.

Prediction: Ole Miss wins two of three

No. 4 Arkansas at No. 8 Florida

The Hogs will be put to the test this weekend after two easy weekends against SEC bottom feeders Mississippi State and Georgia. The Hogs swept both of those series, but the Gators aren't anywhere close to the two Bulldogs. Still, Arkansas has won 12 straight games and couldn't be playing a better brand of baseball. Florida, meanwhile, has been stretched to the limit lately because of key injuries. UF taking this series would a plus with its injury situation, but we're giving the edge to Arkansas.

Prediction: Arkansas wins two of three

No. 5 UCLA at No. 15 Arizona

This is a very important series for the Bruins. After losing three of their last four games, the Bruins must show they can bounce back from a small losing streak such as the one they currently are on. That will be difficult to accomplish against the Wildcats, who are playing a great brand of baseball and knock the cover off the baseball with Steve Selsky and Jett Bandy leading the charge. UCLA starting pitchers Gerrit Cole and Trevor Bauer must be infinitely better than they were last weekend. Arizona, though, still wins the series at home.

Prediction: Arizona wins two of three

No. 14 Miami (Fla.) at No. 10 Florida State

The Hurricanes have quietly put together a fantastic postseason resume so far this season. The one thing the 'Canes lack, though, is a huge road series win over a premier opponent. That could end this weekend against rival Florida State. The 'Canes have done some really nice things on the mound this season, but the offense has left a little something to be desired at times. UM must rise to the occasion at the plate. FSU, meanwhile, must pitch at a high level throughout the weekend.

Prediction: Florida State wins two of three

East Carolina at Rice

I remember when we had this tabbed as one of the top series for the entire season just a couple of months ago. Now it isn't in the top five for the weekend, but it is an important weekend in terms of Conference USA pecking order. The Pirates finally showed signs of consistency against UAB last weekend. Rice, though, followed up a series win over UCF by struggling at Texas A&M. Call it a hunch, but the Pirates will hit the road this weekend and pull off a mild surprise and series win over the Owls.

Prediction: East Carolina wins two of three

No. 17 California vs. Stanford

The Golden Bears have been one of the pleasant surprises with a nice balance of offense and pitching so far this season. But Stanford has been an incredibly difficult team to figure out. The Cardinal was struggling just a couple of weekends ago. However, they put on a nice display against Oregon State last weekend. Stanford doesn't have a great offensive lineup, but as it showed against OSU, it can hit when it needs to. Still, California has been a huge surprise and it should earn another nice series win this weekend.

Prediction: California wins two of three

Rutgers at No. 22 Connecticut

Louisville is in the mix for a national seed, so naturally you are led to believe the Cardinals are easily the favorite in the Big East. Not exactly. The series of the weekend in the Big East is in Storrs, Conn., where Rutgers (10-2 in Big East) and Connecticut (10-2 in Big East) do battle. The Scarlet Knights and Huskies hit at similar clips, .310 and .313, respectively. The Huskies, though, have a huge advantage on the mound with a 3.61 ERA as compared to a 6.06 ERA for the Knights. UConn wins this series at home.

Prediction: Connecticut wins two of three

No. 13 Coastal Carolina at VMI

The Keydets have a chance for redemption this weekend. They hit the road last weekend with hopes of earning a nice road series win over Liberty. Instead, the Keydets headed home with three losses and now have lost four-straight games after losing a midweek affair against Virginia Commonwealth earlier this week. The Keydets still have a respectable RPI of 68, but taking care of the Chanticleers -- even at home -- will be difficult this weekend. Coastal is riding a 14 game winning streak entering the weekend.

Prediction: Coastal Carolina wins two of three

Texas Tech at Kansas

Yes, this isn't a typo. The scrap between the Red Raiders and Jayhawks really is an important series on the national stage this weekend. The Red Raiders finally are above .500 and have a solid RPI. As of today, they would be in the NCAA postseason. Kansas, meanwhile, has a losing conference record and needs to record more solid wins to be sure of an NCAA regional bid. Neither team is close to cementing an at-large bid, but the winner of this series would be in much better shape.

Prediction: Kansas wins two of three

"Arizona State University remains committed to maintaining the higher standards of integrity in its athletics programs," ASU Vice President for Athletics Lisa Love said in a statement. "ASU baseball, in particular, based on a remarkable, competitive heritage has the unique potential to be exemplary on and off the field."

In a release sent to media outlets and reported by the Arizona Republic, Arizona State announced it will vacate wins from the 2007 season, and reduce prospect visits and scholarships over the next two years.

Arizona State will vacate 44 of its 49 wins and postseason honors from the '07 campaign, conduct audits during any term of probation the NCAA sets, prohibit phone calls to prospects in July 2010 and July 2011, reduce the number of prospect visits from 25 to nine for the next two years and reduce scholarships by two no later than the 2011-2012 academic year.

ASU is set to appear before the NCAA in August.

Even with the self-imposed penalties, the NCAA has the right to choose to accept or deny the penalties. The NCAA also may add new and harsher penalties.

"We're really proud of what we achieved as a baseball staff and for what we achieved at Arizona State over the last 15 years and last five years. It was one of the best five year periods in the program's history," Murphy said. "Scholarships, facilities and budgets don't make a program. People made our program. We operated with transparency throughout the investigation, and sincerely have never intentionally broken or not followed a rule, or tried to gain an [unfair] advantage."

"We're trying to honor the process right now. It's bigger than me."

The Sun Devils, who are 31-4, currently are ranked No. 1 in the Rivals.com Top 25.

Rogers' take: Arizona State certainly wants to limit the damage the NCAA may do to it in a few months. Therefore, it's a smart move to preemptively announce some self-imposed penalties. However, the penalties aren't too severe. Reducing scholarships by two is a big deal, but vacating wins and reducing the number of prospect visits will have no major impact on the future of the program. Perhaps that shouldn't come as a surprise, though, as Arizona State's Lisa Love said previously in documents that the infractions weren't perceived to have given the Sun Devils a competitive advantage. Will the NCAA agree? That is most important question that must be answered.

Childress wasted little time taking Stilson out of the game and replaced him with Shane Minks.

Stilson went straight to the locker room to be evaluated after being removed from the game. Childress, though, insists the injury isn't a major issue.

"John just felt some tightness in his forearm," Childress said. "He is going to be fine."

The question that now arises is Stilson's availability for the rest of the series. Against the Longhorns on Friday, Stilson threw 54 pitches in 2 2/3 innings of work.

Overall, the Aggies can't afford to have Stilson out of the mix. The right-handed pitcher has blossomed into one of the nation's elite relievers this season with a 1.17 ERA in 46 innings. He also has struck out 71 and walked 14 and limited opposing teams to a .143 batting average.

The rivalry between Virginia Tech and Virginia has been well documented in other sports such as football and basketball, but now it has much meaning on the baseball diamond.

Virginia Tech hadn't been ranked since 1992 before this week. But with a series win over Miami last weekend, the Hokies are ranked entering the weekend. Virginia, meanwhile, is ranked No. 2 after taking care of Georgia Tech at home last weekend.

Tech took the series from the Cavaliers last season. Virginia, though, hopes to return the favor this weekend against the much-improved Hokies.

Though the series between the Hokies and Cavaliers has much intrigue on the national stage and especially in the ACC region, there are plenty of other series to watch.

Texas and Texas A&M meet in the annual Lone Star Showdown, Clemson hopes to earn a huge road series win over Georgia Tech and South Carolina hopes to protect its home field against a Mississippi club that hasn't played its best baseball the past two weeks.

We unveil the top ten series to watch this weekend. Our analysis includes predictions.

No. 24 Virginia Tech at No. 2 Virginia

The Hokies made big statements the past two weekends with series wins over Miami and Florida, but things get really serious this weekend with a huge series against in-state rival Virginia. The Hokies surprised the Cavaliers in Blacksburg, Va., last season. But taking care of their rivals on the road this season is a much tougher challenge. Both teams hit at a very high clip, and both pitching staffs also have done a nice job. In a series between two clubs playing a high level of baseball, look for the home team to earn a series win.

Prediction: Virginia wins two of three

Texas A&M at No. 4 Texas

The Aggies and Longhorns are playing much earlier than normal this season. Perhaps that will help the Aggies turn the tide against the Longhorns, which have an 11-1 record in the regular season against A&M coach Rob Childress. The Longhorns have the better arms with Taylor Jungmann, Cole Green, Brandon Workman and Chance Ruffin leading the way. However, the Aggies also have a very solid pitching staff with John Stilson, Michael Wacha and Barret Loux leading the charge. This series will be low scoring and the team with the more opportunistic offensive lineup wins the series.

Prediction: Texas wins two of three

Oregon at No. 1 UCLA

The Ducks have made major strides this season, but their biggest test of the season is this weekend against the Bruins. The Ducks have pitched at an extremely high level, but their offense must rise to the occasion against the Bruins. UCLA is hitting well over .300, while the Ducks are hitting just .276 so far this season. The series boils down to Oregon's ability to stay with the Bruins from an offensive standpoint. If it accomplished that goal, this series definitely could go either way. UCLA, though, should take care of business.

Prediction: UCLA wins two of three

No. 14 Clemson at No. 7 Georgia Tech

This is a huge series for both teams. Clemson is coming off a tough road series loss to Duke, while Georgia Tech is coming off a tough road series loss to Virginia. The Tigers already have recorded some marquee series wins so far this season. Tech, though, is in a different situation despite being fantastic most of the season. The Yellow Jackets could use a home series win over the Tigers this weekend. Clemson's pitching staff didn't fare well against Duke last weekend, so the unit obviously must rise to the occasion against an excellent Tech offensive lineup. The Jackets will win the series.

Prediction: Georgia Tech wins two of three

Alabama at No. 8 LSU

The Crimson Tide has struggled at times this season, losing two of their last three SEC series. But things get as serious as ever this weekend when they hit the road to face an LSU club coming off a tough road series loss to Auburn. The Crimson Tide desperately needs sluggers Jake Smith and Ross Wilson to rise to the occasion to win the series. LSU, meanwhile, left something to be desired on the mound against Auburn and must return to normal on the mound this weekend. LSU will take care of business this weekend.

Prediction: LSU wins two of three

No. 15 Mississippi at No. 9 South Carolina

The Rebels seemed to take a huge step forward with a home series win over Florida three weekends ago. But since that series, the Rebels have failed to impress, losing two of three at home to Tennessee and having some issues winning two of three at Georgia. South Carolina, meanwhile, has played a fabulous brand of baseball in SEC play and hopes to continue its consistent ways at home this weekend. The Gamecocks have the better overall pitching staff and a slightly better offense. They should win the series.

Prediction: South Carolina wins two of three

Baylor at No. 25 Kansas State

Before the season began, there were few observers that thought the series between the Bears and Wildcats would have implications in the Big 12 race. Well, it will. The Bears have played a solid brand of baseball the past couple of weeks and are coming off a series win over in-state rival Texas A&M, Kansas State, meanwhile, has dropped five of its last eight games, including a pair of midweek games to BYU. The Bears pitched and hit well against the Aggies. K-State, meanwhile, has been balanced much of the season. BU will play well this weekend, but K-State will earn another big home series win.

Prediction: Kansas State wins two of three

Auburn at Vanderbilt

This series couldn't be bigger for the Commodores. Vandy has had excellent pitching the entire season, but its offense has struggled against solid pitchers. Vandy has lost its last two SEC series against South Carolina and Florida. It can't afford to earn another series loss. Auburn, meanwhile, hopes to build off a fantastic home series win over LSU last weekend. The Tigers have the better offensive lineup with Trent Mummey, Hunter Morris and Brian Fletcher leading the way. Vandy, meanwhile, has the better arms with ace pitcher Sonny Gray leading the charge. Look for VU to get a huge series win.

Prediction: Vanderbilt wins two of three

North Carolina at No. 17 Miami (Fla.)

The Tar Heels haven't played a good brand of baseball this season, but perhaps they're on their way to recovery after winning the last two series against rival N.C. State and Maryland. UNC will be put to the test again this weekend when it hits the road to face a motivated Miami club. The Hurricanes still are disappointed with a road series loss to Virginia Tech last weekend. The Hurricanes, which have the edge on the mound, hope to take care of business at home. The Tar Heels, outside of ace pitcher Matt Harvey, must pitch well throughout the weekend to win the series.

Prediction: Miami wins two of three

Stanford at No. 18 Oregon State

The weekend series against the Beavers couldn't be much bigger for the Cardinal. Stanford has lost its last two Pac-10 series against Oregon and UCLA, and desperately needs an impressive series win with a 3-7 record in their last ten games. Oregon State, meanwhile, hopes to rebound from a tough home series loss to UCLA last weekend. The Beavers definitely have the edge on the mound, but both teams leave something to be desired. OSU has the better pitching and will win a crucial series for both teams.

Prediction: Oregon State wins two of three

In other intriguing series this weekend, No. 6 Texas heads north of the Red River to face No. 16 Oklahoma, No. 23 Vanderbilt is at No. 9 Florida and Tulane and East Carolina square off in a very important Conference USA series.

We take an inside look at the ten best series to watch this weekend. Predictions for each series are included.

No. 2 Arizona State at Oregon

There's no question the Ducks have done some nice things so far this season. But they could take a huge step forward this weekend with a home series win over undefeated Arizona State. The cold and wet weather definitely will be in Oregon's favor this weekend. But the series will come down to which offense is the most productive. In that case, the edge certainly goes the Sun Devils. ASU enters the weekend with a batting average well over .300, while UO enters the weekend with a .284 batting average. UO will give ASU a loss this weekend, but the Devils head home with a series win.

Prediction: Arizona State wins two of three

No. 19 Stanford at No. 5 UCLA

The Cardinal has tallied some nice wins this season and could play the spoiler for the Bruins, but don't count on it. The fact of the matter is that UCLA is a much more balanced team and shouldn’t have too much trouble winning this series at home. The Bruins enter the weekend with a great batting average and one of the nation's best weekend rotations and overall pitching staffs. Stanford, meanwhile, only is hitting .298 and has an unimpressive 5.27 ERA. The Cardinal lacks quality pitching depth, and that is trouble against a team like UCLA.

Prediction: UCLA wins two of three

No. 6 Texas at No. 16 Oklahoma

There's not much love lost when the Longhorns and Sooners hook up in any sport. It won't be any different this weekend when the two teams face off in the Red River Shootout, baseball style. The Longhorns are coming off a road series win over Texas Tech, while the Sooners are coming off a road series win over Nebraska. The 'Horns have the edge on the mound. OU, though, has a substantial edge at the plate. With the wind expected to be blowing straight out to left field the entire weekend, the edge in the series obviously favors the Sooners. Look for the Sooners to earn a home series win over their rivals to the south.

Prediction: Oklahoma wins two of three

No. 23 Vanderbilt at No. 9 Florida

There are few teams that will be more motivated than Florida this weekend. The Gators hit the road last weekend and dropped a tough series to Ole Miss. Now, they return home this weekend to face a Vandy club that took care of Kentucky in impressive fashion last weekend. Vandy has the edge at the plate and on the mound on paper, but the Gators will rise to the occasion in both areas this weekend to earn the series win.

Prediction: Florida takes two of three

Kentucky at No. 10 Arkansas

The Hogs got back on track in impressive fashion last weekend with a home series sweep over Alabama. The Hogs were kept at bay early in some games against Alabama, but fought back in the middle and late innings to earn the series sweep. The bullpen also did its job against the Crimson Tide. UK, meanwhile, received a solid start from Taylor Rogers last weekend. However, the rest of the pitching staff didn't exactly fare well. UK must pitch at a much higher level this weekend to earn a series win.

Prediction: Arkansas takes two of three

Tulane at No. 25 East Carolina

We will find out all we need to know about East Carolina this weekend. The Pirates haven't exactly impressed too much the past few weeks. But they have played a better brand of baseball in the past week and a half. Still, the Pirates suffered a tough blow on Thursday when it announced veteran shortstop Dustin Harrington would miss the rest of the season after being dismissed from the team by coach Billy Godwin. Some teams play horrible after a loss such as this, but I like the Pirates to play some motivated ball.

Prediction: East Carolina wins two of three

No. 22 Texas A&M at Kansas

This is a very important series for both clubs. The Aggies have played very well at times this season, but also have struggled on the mound on Sundays and struggled defensively. The Aggies must improve both areas if they plan on earning a road series win over Kansas. The Jayhawks have third baseman Tony Thompson back in the mix and finally are playing to their ability. In their first conference home series, look for the Jayhawks to not disappoint.

Prediction: Kansas takes two of three

Auburn at Alabama

This couldn't be a more important series for both teams. It just so happens this is a huge rivalry series, too. The Tigers suffered a tough home series loss to South Carolina last weekend. Alabama, meanwhile, really surprised us last weekend by losing all three games of a series against Arkansas. With both offenses playing at a high level so far this season, look for a lot of runs to be scored in this series. The team with the better pitching staff will end this series with a victory. That team is Alabama.

Prediction: Alabama wins two of three

No. 1 Virginia at N.C. State

The Cavaliers have beaten every challenge they have been faced with this season. Let's see if they can take care of another challenge this weekend in a road series against N.C. State. The Wolfpack desperately needs a series win over the Cavaliers this weekend. They have a poor RPI and need a marquee series win to boost their RPI. Virginia is one of the nation's most balanced teams. N.C. State is hitting .349 so far this season, but its pitching staff has a dismal 5.61 ERA. N.C. State must pitch well to win this series.

Prediction: Virginia wins two of three

Houston at Rice

The Owls aren't ranked for the first time since we've had a Rivals Top 25. Think about that accomplishment for a second. Though the Owls have played a bad brand of baseball the past few weeks, they get just what the doctor ordered this weekend in a rivalry series against cross-town rival Houston. The Owls have done some nice things on the mound in the past couple of weeks, but the offensive lineup has left something to be desired. UH, meanwhile, has played much better since getting off to a slow start. Rice, though, will take care of business this weekend.

Prediction: Rice wins two of three

Now it is the SEC and Big 12's turn to take center stage.

Everyone in the SEC will play a conference series this weekend, while only a few Big 12 teams begin conference play.

The Rivals.com National Series of the Week features a fantastic matchup between hard-hitting LSU and an Arkansas club that has been better than expected on the mound so far this season.

In the ACC, No. 3 Florida State heads to No. 23 North Carolina. In the Big 12, though, the series between Baylor and No. 24 Oklahoma highlights the weekend action.

Also keep an eye on the series between Houston and No. 2 Arizona State. Both clubs are playing a great brand of baseball. ASU, though, puts its perfect mark on the line again this weekend.

Here's an inside look at the ten best series of the weekend with predictions.

No. 13 Arkansas at No. 8 LSU

The Tigers once again will be without ace pitcher Anthony Ranaudo this weekend. That means the entire pitching staff must rise to the occasion against a very balanced Arkansas club. The Razorbacks are strong at the top of their offensive lineup. Also, the pitching staff has been a pleasant surprise so far this season with sophomore Drew Smyly leading the way. The Razorbacks will give the Tigers all they can handle this weekend. But look for LSU to take care of business at home using their sticks to get the job done.

Prediction: LSU wins two of three

No. 3 Florida State at No. 23 North Carolina

This is a very important series for both teams. The Seminoles began ACC play last weekend with a home series loss to Virginia. North Carolina, meanwhile, dropped a series to rival Duke last weekend. The loser of this series will be behind the eight ball a bit when it comes to the ACC standings. That makes this weekend very important. FSU clearly has the better offensive lineup and good enough starting pitchers to get the job done. UNC, meanwhile, seems to have the deeper pitching staff. FSU was close to winning the Virginia series. It will take care of business on the road this weekend.

Prediction: Florida State wins two of three

Baylor at No. 24 Oklahoma

Easily the series to watch in the Big 12 this weekend. The Bears have blossomed at the plate the past few weeks. But this weekend, the Bears get their toughest test of the season with a three-game set at Oklahoma. OU has pretty much done everything well so far this season, and is very tough to beat at home. Baylor will score some runs this weekend, but won't be able to slow down OU's offense. Look for OU to finish the weekend with another positive result.

Prediction: Oklahoma wins two of three

22 Vanderbilt at Alabama

This will be a fun series to follow throughout the weekend. The Commodores have done some nice things at the plate so far this season. The same goes for the Crimson Tide, which has talented sluggers such as Taylor Dugas, Ross Wilson and Josh Rutledge. The series, though, will come down to which team pitches at the higher level. The Commodores have one of the nation's most talented pitchers in Sonny Gray, while pitching coach Kyle Bunn has done a nice job with his Alabama staff so far this season. Vandy is road tested and will win this series.

Prediction: Vanderbilt wins two of three

Mississippi at No. 18 Kentucky

Ole Miss suffered a tough home series loss to Louisville last weekend and hopes to find a way to rebound on the road against Kentucky. The Rebels have a solid offensive lineup and a talented pitching staff. Kentucky, meanwhile, is very solid at the top of its offensive lineup and Chris Bisson is one of the nation's elite talents. The pitching staff, though, has been a pleasant surprise with Logan Darnell, Taylor Rogers and Alex Meyer leading the charge. UK will protect its home field in this series.

Prediction: Kentucky wins two of three

Houston at No. 2 Arizona State

It began with starting pitchers Chase Dempsay and Michael Goodnight giving the Cougars a lift at the Houston College Classic. Now the Cougars are on a roll and would love nothing more than to knock off Arizona State on the road this weekend. Both Dempsay and Goodnight must pitch extremely well this weekend to leave Arizona with a series win. The Sun Devils, meanwhile, are a perfect 17-0 after sweeping a midweek series from Cal State Fullerton. The Devils likely still won't have ace pitcher Josh Spence, but that once again shouldn't matter.

Prediction: Arizona State sweeps series

Washington State at Wichita State

The Shockers have something to prove when the two teams take the field this weekend. Wichita State made a small statement two weekends ago with a nice home series win over Florida Gulf Coast. However, they took a step back last weekend with a series loss to Long Beach State, and also looked horrible in midweek action against Arizona. Perhaps home will be good to the Shockers, but Washington State is playing solid baseball right now. Earlier this week, I would've gone with the Shockers. But now WSU is the pick.

Prediction: Washington State wins two of three

Virginia Tech at No. 9 Clemson

The Hokies have a solid record so far this season, but haven't taken care of business against solid competition. Now they have the tough chore of hitting the road and playing a red-hot Clemson club. Tech's pitching staff and leading hitter Austin Wates must have good weekends for the Hokies to have a chance in this series. Clemson, meanwhile, just needs to keep playing the way it did against N.C. State and South Carolina the past two weekends. If that happens, Clemson has another huge weekend.

Prediction: Clemson sweeps series

21 Miami (Fla) at Duke

This is an important series for the Hurricanes, but it is an even more important weekend for the Blue Devils. Duke earned a huge home series win last weekend over North Carolina. A series win over the Hurricanes this weekend would put the Devils in fantastic shape moving forward in ACC play. Perhaps Duke could become this year's version of last year's Boston College club, which earned an at-large bid to an NCAA regional. Miami is the most balanced team this weekend, but Duke will be tough to beat on the road. Still, look for the 'Canes to head home with a series win.

Prediction: Miami wins two of three

14 Rice at San Diego

The Owls head to the dreaded West Coast again this weekend. This time, though, they will face a team a step below Stanford in San Diego. The Toreros had high hopes entering the season, but are 9-9 and have failed to impress so far this season. To say the least, it is a very important weekend for coach Rich Hill and the Toreros. Rice, meanwhile, started the week with a very solid midweek win over Texas. However, the Owls must find a way to establish some consistency against the Toreros. They win two if that happens.

Prediction: Rice wins two of three

With the Aggies batting in the bottom of the ninth inning, designated hitter Joe Patterson sent a ball deep into right-center, where Washington State's Johnson and right fielder Derek Jones were both trying to make the catch.

Johnson and Jones ran into each other and Johnson's forehead collided with Jones' knee.

Johnson was attended to by medical personnel on the field near the warning track for nearly 20 minutes before being transported via ambulance to College Station Medical Center.

Cougars coach Donnie Marbut left the stadium to travel to the hospital immediately after the game.

Washington State assistant Spencer Allen described the injury after the game.

"I think what he went into was a pretty strong concussion," Allen said. "Right away, he started to seizure but they got him under control. I think he is going to be OK. We're pretty confident he will be OK."

Johnson was conscious and able to move when he was taken from the field.

UPDATE (Saturday, 9 p.m.): Just got off the phone with Washington State coach Donnie Marbut. Coach Marbut said that Johnson underwent some tests and he does appear to have a bad concussion. However, Johnson is now at the team hotel in College Station and stable. Marbut said that Johnson will be further evaluated and at least will be out a week from game action. It does appear, though, that Johnson will be fine.

The Cavaliers already have notched one impressive road series win over East Carolina a few weeks ago. The Seminoles, meanwhile, raised some eyebrows last week with a dominating mid-week win over rival Florida and a home series sweep over Georgia.

Now the Seminoles hope to hand the Cavaliers their first series loss.

In other intriguing action, No. 8 Louisville has an incredibly tough test this weekend as it visits No. 22 Missisippi. The Cardinals still have an unblemished record while the Rebels would love to give former assistant and current UL coach Dan McDonnell a bittersweet return to Swayze Field.

Also worth watching is the series between N.C. State and No. 11 Clemson.

The Wolfpack is off to an incredible start this season. However, most of their wins have come against incredibly weak opponents. This week's opponent, Clemson, will give the Wolfpack all they can handle. It will be the litmus test we've been waiting for.

We take an inside look at the ten best series to watch with predictions.

No. 1 Virginia at No. 3 Florida State

It doesn't get any better than this in terms of three-game series this weekend. The Cavaliers took care of business at East Carolina a few weeks ago, but nabbing a series win at Florida State is a completely different animal. It's pretty difficult. With that said, Florida State's bullpen is off to a great start, but the Seminoles don't seem to have the "lights out" relievers such as Virginia's Kevin Arico and Tyler Wilson. Both of these teams are very good, but I like Virginia in an extremely hard-fought series.

Prediction: Virginia wins two of three

No. 8 Louisville at No. 22 Mississippi

The Cardinals are off to an incredible 12-0 start so far this season. Sure, perhaps the Cardinals haven't played a West Coast type of schedule, but they certainly have at least played a couple of teams with a pulse. Mississippi, meanwhile, passed its first test of the season last weekend with a road series win over Tulane. This weekend, though, the Cards will be tough to beat. Louisville has a substantial edge in the offensive department with a .331 batting average as compared to a .301 average for the Rebels. The two pitching staffs are solid with UL's Thomas Royse and Ole Miss' Drew Pomeranz highlighting the show on Friday. In the end, I like the Cardinals to win a huge road series.

Prediction: Louisville wins two of three

N.C. State at No. 11 Clemson

This is one of the weekend's most intriguing series for obvious reasons. The Wolfpack is off to an incredible hot start this season, but outside of a win over UC Irvine, they have played a horrible non-conference schedule. We'll see if that hurts them at Clemson this weekend. The Tigers are coming off a great series win over rival South Carolina last weekend, and boast a pitching staff that includes several solid relievers and a great rotation that includes Casey Harman, Will Lamb and Scott Weismann. N.C. State might have the offensive edge in this series, but pitching will determine the series winner.

Prediction: Clemson wins two of three

Kansas at No. 2 LSU

The Jayhawks dropped out of the top 25 last week, but definitely could find their way back in with a road series win over LSU this weekend. The Jayhawks won't have third baseman Tony Thompson in the lineup this weekend, so their pitching staff must rise to the occasion. Weekend starters Cameron Selik and T.J. Walz are off to great starts this season. They must be exceptional against a very good LSU lineup. The Tigers, meanwhile, won't have ace pitcher Anthony Ranaudo, but Joey Bourgeois has been a pleasant surprise so far this season. The Tigers have too many guns at home to drop this series.

Prediction: LSU wins two of three

Auburn at No. 6 Arizona State

The Tigers have had opportunities to make plenty of statements the past few seasons, but each time they have squandered those opportunities. Now comes another opportunity this weekend against Arizona State. The Tigers are off to an incredible start at the plate with a .373 batting average. That bodes well for the weekend with Arizona State's ballpark an offensive paradise. ASU, meanwhile, has been better than expected on the mound without ace pitcher Josh Spence. Jake Borup and Seth Blair have been bright spots the first few weeks of the season. AU will win at last one game of this series, but ASU always seems to take care of its home field. This weekend won't be different.

Prediction: Arizona State wins two of three

Washington State at Texas A&M

The Cougars are off to an incredible start this season considering they are without a pair of starting pitchers, including stud David Stilley. But give a lot of credit to coach Donnie Marbut for at least having his offense ready to roll. The Cougars have a surprising .349 batting average entering this weekend's series against the Aggies. A&M, meanwhile, s the opposite of WSU. Though the offense was expected to be much improved this season, the pitching staff actually has been a huge surprise. The Aggies have a 1.86 ERA and boast of two outstanding newcomers in John Stilson and Michael Wacha. The Aggies will win this series with a strong combination of offense and pitching.

Prediction: Texas A&M wins two of three

Boston College at No. 23 Miami (Fla.)

This is a huge series for both clubs from a perception standpoint. The Eagles were flying high entering the season but have since taken a step back by going 1-2 in the Auburn tournament two weeks ago and 1-2 against Florida Atlantic last weekend. The Eagles really need to kick off ACC play with a series win. Accomplishing that goal will be incredibly difficult, though. The Hurricanes are still angry about losing a home series to Florida last weekend, so look for a motivated club this weekend. Miami has a solid weekend rotation and an offense that can get hot. It should take care of business.

Prediction: Miami wins two of three

California at No. 9 Rice

The Golden Bears are hitting at an impressive .355 clip, but that wasn't against Arkansas last weekend. The Razorbacks were the first test for the Bears, and Cal didn't have much success, though it did win the series finale. The Bears hit the road this weekend to play a Rice club that finally appears to be playing the brand of baseball we expected it to. That doesn't bode well for the Bears. For the Owls, the most important part of the weekend is getting third baseman Anthony Rendon back on track for good at the plate. The Bears are in much trouble if Rendon has a big weekend.

Prediction: Rice wins three of four

No. 18 North Carolina at Duke

Say what you want about North Carolina's schedule, but this is a program that always seems to show up when they spotlight is put on them. We see that being the case against Duke this weekend. The Blue Devils are off to a very impressive 9-3 start, but the Tar Heels present a wealth of challenges. UNC starting pitchers Patrick Johnson, Colin Bates and Matt Harvey are off to fantastic starts this season. Also, several relievers have risen to the occasion so far this season. Duke will give the Tar Heels all they can handle, but look for UNC to prevail.

Prediction: North Carolina wins two of three

Western Carolina at The Citadel

This is one of those series that The Citadel really needs to win at home to establish itself as one of the frontrunners in the Southern Conference. The Bulldogs only have gotten decent starts from starting pitcher Matt Talley and Asher Wojciechowski so far this season. But it must be considered that the Bulldogs have played a much tougher schedule than Western Carolina so far this season. Still, for the Catamounts, keep an eye on starting pitchers Vance Chavis and Jason Sullivan. Both are off to a great start this season. This series could go either way, but give the Bulldogs the love at home.

Prediction: The Citadel wins two of three

Following Saturday's porous performance against Houston starting pitcher Michael Goodnight, the Longhorns' position players met behind closed doors about the fact they only had two runs through two games at the Houston College Classic.

The meeting apparently worked after the Longhorns went 22 innings with just two runs. UT scored six runs in the fifth inning of Sunday's contest against Missouri and cruised to a resounding 8-5 win over the Tigers.

"We struggled the first two games against good pitching and wanted to come out and prove ourselves today," Texas first baseman Tant Shepherd said. "We just wanted to put our best swing on the ball today and not try to do too much."

On Saturday, Texas coach Augie Garrido made it known he thought the offense was trying to do too much. But on Sunday, the Longhorns took advantage of several opportunities, especially in the middle innings.

Shepherd finished the game with three hits and two RBIs, Jordan Etier hit a home run and finished the afternoon with two hits and three RBIs and designated hitter Kevin Keyes went 3-for-5 with a run and an RBI.

"We did a good job of separating pitches today and that's how we rallied and scored six runs in the fifth inning," Garrido said. "The balls outside of the strike zone we swung at last night. Today we stayed more patient and they gave us pitches to hit.

The players figured out if they kept swinging at balls at their shoestrings or above their heads, it was going to be a long season. We wanted to take every at bat and everything else in this game to build confidence. That's the one word that makes a difference in this game."

While the offense certainly led the way in the middle innings and beyond for the 'Horns, UT also received another fantastic start -- this time by sophomore right-hander Cole Green.

Green struck out four batters and allowed five runs on eight hits in 7 1/3 innings. He certainly pitched better than his stat line indicates.

Overall, though, it'll be interesting to see how Texas moves forward after finally putting together a game with efficient offensive production.

Watch out if it does.