The college baseball season started last weekend and the Pac-12 has several strong teams this year, with five of the conference’s 11 teams ranked in Baseball America’s Top 25. Last season, the Pac-10 sent six teams to NCAA regionals, including four schools that hosted regionals. Here’s a look at how the conference is stacking up in the early going.@@http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/college/top-25/rankings/2012/2613001.html@@ @@http://www.ncaa.com/news/baseball/2011-05-29/2011-regional-hosts-announced@@ @@http://www.ncaa.com/brackets/baseball/d1/2011@@
Arizona
The Wildcats start the season with 15 straight home games at Hi Corbett Field in Tucson. Arizona opened the year by taking two of three from North Dakota State. The Wildcats are currently ranked eighth by Baseball America. @@http://www.arizonawildcats.com/sports/m-basebl/sched/ariz-m-basebl-sched.html@@ @@http://www.ncaa.com/rankings/baseball/d1@@
Arizona State
Perennial conference contenders Arizona State are off to a 3-0 start with three blowout victories over Western Michigan. The Sun Devils were one of four Pac-10 schools to host a regional last year and were eliminated in the Super Regional by Texas. @@http://www.thesundevils.com/sports/m-basebl/sched/asu-m-basebl-sched.html@@
UCLA
The defending Pac-10 champions had one of the strongest starting rotations in the nation last year but lost starters Trevor Bauer and Gerrit Cole to the draft. The Bruins started the season at home with the three game series against Maryland, losing two of three to the Terrapins. @@http://www.uclabruins.com/sports/m-basebl/sched/ucla-m-basebl-sched.html@@ @@http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ucla/sports/m-basebl/auto_pdf/2011_BSB_Roster_Number.pdf@@ @@http://www.pac-12.org/SPORTS/Baseball/Standings.aspx@@
USC
The Trojans are off to a 4-0 start thanks to a home sweep of Jacksonville and a road win over Long Beach State. The Trojans’ schedule includes a visit to No. 10 North Carolina in early March. The Trojans have five players hitting better than .400 and are averaging nearly seven runs a game. @@http://www.usctrojans.com/sports/m-basebl/sched/usc-m-basebl-sched.html@@ @@http://www.pac-12.org/portals/7/images/baseball/stats/2011-12/HTML/usc.htm@@
California
The Bears were the feel-good story of college baseball in 2011, going from the brink of being cut as a program to the College World Series. Cal started their 2012 campaign with a three game sweep of the Pacific Tigers and travel to Blair Field in Long Beach, Calif., this weekend for three games against the Long Beach State Dirtbags. @@http://www.calbears.com/sports/m-basebl/sched/cal-m-basebl-sched.html@@
Stanford
Expectations are high for Cardinal baseball, which is currently ranked second in the nation by Baseball America. Stanford started the year with a three-game set against then-No. 10 Vanderbilt, winning all three games before beating Pacific to improve to 4-0. The Cardinal’s remaining nonconference games include three games against No. 5 Rice and No. 12 Texas. @@http://www.gostanford.com/sports/m-basebl/sched/stan-m-basebl-sched.html@@
Oregon
Oregon got wins from Jimmie Sherfy, Brando Tessar and Jeff Gold to take three of four games from Hawaii to start the season on the road. The Ducks just missed the postseason last year and will look to return to postseason play for the second time in the four-year rebirthing of the Oregon baseball program. The Ducks’ nonconference schedule includes games against No. 23 Oklahoma and Long Beach State. @@http://www.goducks.com/SportSelect.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=500&KEY=&SPID=11401&SPSID=94835@@
Oregon State
The Beavers won three of four games on the road against Santa Barbara to open the season, and will return to Southern California this weekend for a tournament co-hosted by San Diego and San Diego State. Junior relief pitcher Adam Bryant was named a preseason All-American by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association. @@http://www.osubeavers.com/sports/m-basebl/sched/orst-m-basebl-sched.html@@ @@http://www.oregonlive.com/beavers/index.ssf/2011/12/oregon_state_beavers_baseball_5.html@@
Washington
The Huskies finished 2011 in last place in the conference with just six wins in Pac-10 play. Washington started its season with a 2-1 series victory over San Diego State. The Huskies open conference play against the Ducks on March 16. @@http://www.gohuskies.com/sports/m-basebl/sched/wash-m-basebl-sched.html@@
Washington State
Washington State will look to improve on 2011’s 9th place finish in the Pac-10. The Cougars traveled to Starkville, Miss., last weekend, where they lost two of three games to Mississippi State to open the season. @@http://www.wsucougars.com/sports/m-basebl/sched/wast-m-basebl-sched.html@@
Utah
Conference newcomers Utah opened their 2012 campaign in Davis, Calif., dropping three out of four games against UC Davis. The Utes finished last season second in the Mountain West, behind TCU. Utah will travel to Los Angeles for its first Pac-12 series against USC in March. Fellow conference newcomer Colorado does not have a baseball program. @@http://utahutes.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/sched/utah-m-basebl-sched.html@@ @@http://www.themtn.tv/05/23/11/Pairings-set-for-2011-MWC-Baseball-Champ/landing.html?blockID=527328&feedID=2907@@