AMERICUS - It was one year ago today that the Georgia Southwestern baseball team was considered one of the nation's Top 30 NCAA programs when it was ranked for the first time in school history. Well, the Hurricanes are back in spotlight and ranked 30th in the latest 2011 Collegiate Baseball Magazine NCAA Division II Coaches' Poll released Monday afternoon.

Southwestern has won four of its last five games and can attribute much of the success to solid defense and strong pitching. The Hurricanes rank third in fielding percentage (.970) in a talented Peach Belt Conference that placed six teams in the Top 30 (No. 5 Georgia College, No. 8 Armstrong Atlantic, No. 12 UNC Pembroke, No. 16 Francis Marion, No. 26 Columbus State and No. 30 GSW) and second in double plays turned (31). GSW is tied for second in fewest errors (36), while the pitching staff ranks fifth in fewest runs allowed (139) and sixth in opponent's batting average (.258)

Individually, Michel Coffey leads GSW hitters and ranks ninth in the conference in batting average (.373). John Duran is fifth in the PBC in runs scored (32). Trent Franzago ranks third in the PBC in opponent's batting average (.200) and ninth in strikeouts (43). Reliever Gray Carden leads the PBC in appearances (17) and games finished (16). 

GSW hosts Georgia College on Friday and Saturday for an important West Division series with the 5th-ranked Bobcats. 

Click the link below to see the current poll: 

http://www.peachbelt.com/sports/bsb/2010-11/polls/20110328bbtop25