Midweek matchups have featured some of the best battles this season, giving the college baseball taste of exciting battles, shocking upsets and potential NCAA tournament names to know in advance.
This Tuesday was no different. In-state rivalries fought for bragging rights, historic wins occurred, mid-majors ruing the day and more.
Here’s a look at some of the biggest storylines from the jam-packed slate.
Florida sweeps season series over No. 5 Florida State
The Gators crowned themselves the kings of Florida for the 2026 season after beating No. 5 Florida State, 4-3, to sweep the series.
The one-run victory secured Florida’s eighth sweep over the Seminoles under coach Kevin O’Sullivan and lifted them to 12-1 against in-state opponents this year.
UF secured the series win on Mar. 24, winning 5-0 at a neutral site following up its 6-3 win at home just two weeks prior. FSU seemed determined to avoid the sweep early on in Tuesday’s matchup, as the two teams were tied 1-1 through four. Florida had scored a combined six runs in the first four innings of the two previous contests.
The fifth is when Florida separated from its foe, scoring three runs thanks to designated hitter Cole Stanford’s solo shot to deep left field and back-to-back RBI singles by third baseman Ethan Surowiec and catcher Karson Bowen. Just like that, it was 4-1.
Florida State responded in the eighth, plating two to make a one-run ball game with bases loaded and one out.
Watching its lead hang by a thread, the Gators broke the emergency glass, turning to right-handed closer Joshua Whritenour, in hopes of escaping the potential fiasco. And the freshman not only delivered, but he won UF the game. He proceeded to strike out consecutive batters to end the inning, and retire the final three outs, two more by punchout. He gave up just one hit over 1.2 innings and needed just 23 pitches to seal the deal.
Whritenour escapes the jam!! 😤
🎥 ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/jM5q8F1pXQ
— Florida Gators Baseball (@GatorsBB) April 8, 2026
Florida is now 8-0 against ranked opponents, three coming from Florida State.
San Diego State throws combined no-hitter
Five San Diego State pitchers etched their names into the program’s history books, throwing the Aztecs’ 11th no-hitter in a win over UC Riverside, 1-0.
It was a bullpen game for SDSU, a common theme for many teams in an effort to save arms for the weekend series, and it worked to a tee, all starting with right-hander Jake Frohn.
The freshman recorded a career-high in innings pitched (four) and strikeouts (four) in one appearance. Redshirt sophomore righty Carson Johnson kept the momentum going with three more strikeouts across two innings.
The right-handed trio of Issac Araiza, Bryce McKnight and Aidan Russell divvied up the final three innings evenly. Araiza and McKnight needed just three batters to collect three outs — the former fanning two and the latter throwing five pitches. Russell secured the save, punching out two with one walk.
The group struck out 11 and walked just two over 111 pitches.
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Mid-majors stun the Power 4
The mid-majors ruled Tuesday, man-handling many Power 4 conference teams that stood in their way. Here’s a look at what teams took the college baseball world by storm.
Jacksonville State run rules No. 15 Auburn
Plainsman Park, Auburn’s home turf, has fielded its fair share of strong opponents so far in the season: Nebraska, Texas, Arkansas and more. Auburn’s resolve has been tested on multiple occasions, even with the home crowd behind them.
Add Jacksonville State to the list, arguably the hottest mid-major team in the country, which played Auburn on Tuesday. Jax State stunted a 27-6 record and 12-0 in Conference USA games heading into the matchup. And the Gamecocks backed up their record with a 15-4 victory, needing just eight innings to dismantle their opponent. It was both the program’s highest-ranked win and first against an SEC member since 2023.
The scoring started early and rarely stalled throughout the contest, taking a 5-0 lead entering the fourth inning behind eight hits. Designated hitter Brady Thomas launched a two-run homer in the first.
TOUCH ‘EM ALL BT! Deep homer bolsters the Gamecocks’ early lead!#StayCocky🐔 | #FearTheBeak👌 pic.twitter.com/6DdpBZa4TU
— Jax State Baseball (@JaxStateBB) April 7, 2026
Jacksonville would go on to score at least two runs each inning after the fourth, while Auburn’s lone surge came in the sixth, putting four across. They had four errors in the contest, including on the first play of the game, which led to three unearned runs for the Gamecocks.
The two teams will meet again on May 12 in Jacksonville.
Bethune-Cookman downs No. 24 LSU for the first time
Up 10-6 in the seventh, Bethune-Cookman’s fresh lead was in jeopardy against No. 24 LSU.
The reigning national champions answered the Wildcats’ five-run frame with a keen opportunity of their own: bases loaded and zero outs situation. Even though they hadn’t put more than two runs across in any inning up to that point, there wasn’t a question that LSU’s lineup couldn’t produce, especially at Alex Box Stadium.
However, right-hander Jean Carlos Zambrano, who BCU brought in once the bases were juiced, nipped all of LSU’s mojo in the bud.
The senior struck out three straight batters to get out of the jam unscathed and returned in both the eighth and ninth, willing the Wildcats to their first-ever win over LSU, 10-7. It marked the program’s first victory over a ranked opponent since 2017 — 2014 if only counting the regular season.
Jean Carlos Zambrano 🫡🫡🫡
Comes in bases loaded and Ks the side pic.twitter.com/rV7wzgtVPV
— 11Point7 College Baseball (@11point7) April 8, 2026
The three-run loss moved LSU to 6-4 in non-conference, non-weekend contests, the most losses the program has experienced under Jay Johnson.
The game was tied 5-5 before Bethune-Cookman broke it open, scoring five runs on just two hits. LSU hit two batters and walked in two runs. Additionally, second baseman Seth Dardar committed an error that scored two more.
Below are the other mid-major upsets:
- No. 11 Coastal Carolina 2, Wake Forest 1
- Washington State 7, No. 7 Oregon State 6
- James Madison 8, No. 13 Virginia 7
- UC Santa Barbara 5, No. 14 Southern California 1
- Texas State 9, No. 18 Texas A&M 8
- First time (at home) since 2013
- East Carolina 8, Duke 6
- Liberty 11, Virginia Tech 4
- Oral Roberts 10, Oklahoma State 9
- Bowling Green 9, Ohio State 3
- College of Charleston 6, South Carolina 4
- Abilene Christian 4, TCU 1
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Kansas snaps No. 19 Nebraska’s 10-game win streak
No. 19 Nebraska has been one of the hottest teams in college baseball as of late.
The Cornhuskers had won 21 of their last 22 after their series against Penn State and held a 10-game win streak. It’s one of the best starts in program history, not to mention the 15-0 record at home.
But welcoming in Kansas on Tuesday, delivered a new challenge: another team on a roll. The Jayhawks entered the matchup winners of six straight and 12 of their last 15.
They made it seven straight by the end of the night, beating Nebraska 5-3 through strong sixth and seventh innings.
The Cornhuskers took a 2-0 lead in the second on center fielder Mac Moyer’s single through the left side. The two teams scored a run in the fifth and Kansas tied it 3-3 in the sixth on consecutive RBI doubles from left fielder Brady Ballinger and catcher Augusto Mungarrieta down the right field line.
Nebraska had the opportunity to regain the lead in the bottom half of the inning with bases loaded and two outs. However, Jayhawks’ right-hander Manning West worked out of the high-leverage situation, striking out first baseman Case Sanderson.
A frame later, Mungarrieta found himself in the same scenario as Sanderson — bases loaded with two outs — and he took advantage. The junior’s liner down the right field line scored two, giving KU a 5-3 lead.
HAWKS TAKE THE LEAD‼️@AugustoM0303 sends one down the right field line for a 2-run single!
TOP 7 | Kansas 5, Nebraska 3 pic.twitter.com/fv7m0RhNY0
— Kansas Baseball (@KUBaseball) April 8, 2026
The Jayhawks called on right-hander Boede Rahe to maintain the lead, but he did more than that; he secured the victory. The redshirt junior tossed the three final innings and struck out four en route to the big win.
