Pac-12 Baseball Power Rankings: April 24

1. Oregon State (28-8, 11-4)

Sure, Oregon State has three less Pac-12 wins than the league's leader, but it also has played three less games. The Beavers are the conference's leader right now for what will likely be the only national seed to come out of the league, and they currently lead the head-to-head against the only other challenger in Washington. This week is pivotal with five games against probable tournament teams.

2. Washington (27-8, 14-4)

The turnaround of the Washington program has been incredible thus far and the Huskies are well on their way to hosting a regional. Earning a national seed will be much tougher. They not only need to stay in the top 20 of the RPI, but win the Pac-12 as well. That's going to be tough with the final six games consisting of three at Oregon State and three against UCLA.

3. Oregon (31-10, 10-5)

The Ducks have had a very quiet season out in Eugene, but they've won 13 of their last 15 and are the third and final Pac-12 team in contention to have home field advantage up until the College World Series. Their 102nd rank in SOS hurts those chances considerably, but a series win in Corvallis this weekend would help immensely. Bottom line is, they have not been able to get wins against quality teams.

4. UCLA (22-16, 9-6)

Believe it or not, UCLA might not be in the field of 64 if the NCAA Tournament started today. The Bruins are way down in the RPI, all the way at 91st, and the defending national champions are only three games above .500 in league play. They've suffered some bad losses against Portland, Loyola Marymount, and Washington, and like Oregon, have failed to cash in on opportunities for resume-building wins.

5. Arizona State (21-16, 10-8)

Despite dropping three of its last five, Arizona State is still in contention to host a regional. The Sun Devils have three big games this weekend against rival Arizona, and a crucial series at Arizona State to open the month of May could show the selection committee what they can do outside of the conference. They'll also need to finish inside the top three in the Pac-12 by the time Selection Monday rolls around.

6. USC (21-17, 9-9)

The Trojans opened the year on an 8-2 tear, but they have since come back down to earth. They have shown their potential in wins against Cal State Fullerton, Cal Poly, and Oregon, and are one of the most dangerous teams in the conference when their bats get going. An RPI of 68 is holding them back at the moment, but that will rise when they finish the season with a combined four games against the Titans and Beavers.

7. Stanford (16-17, 6-9)

The Cardinal might just be one of the best teams in the nation with a record below .500. They are paced by junior third basemen Alex Blandino, who's hitting at a .303 average with 17 RBI's. A tournament bid isn't out of the question, but their next eight games, all against in-state rivals, are crucial.

8. Washington State (17-20, 7-8)

Donnie Marbut's team likely saw their postseason fate sealed over Easter weekend in Eugene, when they were outscored by a combined 14 runs in a devastating sweep. The Cougars then returned home and were hammered by Gonzaga. Their rivalry week continues this weekend at Washington.

9. California (16-20, 5-10)

Things haven't gone as planned this season in Berkeley. I guess they almost never do. California lost seven of eight in mid March and hasn't been able to recover since.

10. Arizona (17-23, 6-12)

The Wildcats have more talent than their record shows, and for that reason, I don't think they're necessarily out of the NCAA Tournament quite yet. They will need to play perfectly down the stretch though, winning every series, throwing in some sweeps, and taking care of business in midweek games. Andy Lopez's team has a chance to pick up some quality victories over the next two weeks in games against Arizona State and Oregon.

11. Utah (12-24, 3-15)

The Utes struggled out of the gates and have yet to gain any momentum this season. Outside of wins against Indiana and UCLA, it's been a long year.