The Mid-American Conference (MAC) tournament less than a month away and, as of now, no team has officially clinched a tournament spot.
Tied for first place are the Kent State Golden Flashes (31-11, 17-7) and the Miami RedHawks (29-14, 17-7). The Golden Flashes did lose their weekend series, but they still remain the top of the conference. They are among the best pitching teams in the conference, holding a 4.76 ERA.
The Golden Flashes are in a good position to lock up the top seed of the MAC. Their three remaining series are against three teams below the top six in the standings.
Unlike Kent State, Miami won their weekend series, sweeping the Central Michigan Chippewas (18-24, 9-15). The RedHawks are the best batting team in the MAC, with a .301 batting average, also leading the conference in home runs (64) and RBIs (359).
Miami doesn’t have an easy stretch to end the season. The RedHawks face both the Western Michigan Broncos (21-18, 15-9) and the Toledo Rockets (21-24, 15-9), at the fourth and fifth spot respectively.
Northern Illinois (26-13, 16-8) is third in the MAC and holds the next hypothetical tournament spot. They also won their weekend series, scoring 26 total runs in their two wins over Eastern Michigan (13-28, 7-17).
Senior infielder Cole Smith has been a big part of their success. Smith is the best hitter for the Huskies, boasting a .380 batting average, which leads the team. He also has 31 total runs, the second most for NIU.
Fourth and fifth place are tied as well, held by Western Michigan and Toledo. Graduate student pitcher for WMU, Turner Doran, has been named to the Stopper of the Year Midseason Watch List alongside Kent State freshman pitcher Peyton Williams.
Williams has been reliable out of the bullpen. In his 12 appearances, he’s struck out 20 total batters and held opposing hitters to just a .191 batting average.
Doran leads the MAC in saves with eight, also tied for 13th in all of NCAA Division I. His eight saves are the fourth-most all time in a single season for the Western Michigan program.
At sixth place in the conference and earning the last hypothetical tournament spot are the Ball State Cardinals (21-23, 14-10). They lost their weekend series but have an opportunity against Toledo this weekend to rise in the standings.
If the Cardinals want to improve their standings and odds for a tournament berth, they will need to win their series against Toledo. They would also likely need to win either of their series against Northern Illinois or Bowling Green (16-27, 9-15).
