LEXINGTON, Va.- With the team off to its best start in school history at 12-3 thanks to a current seven-game winning streak, the VMI baseball team has garnered the first national ranking in its history, as Collegiate Baseball has tabbed the Keydets 30th in the country in this week's poll.

The Keydets have run off seven consecutive victories in preparation for a two-game midweek matchup against the Auburn Tigers, ranked 10th by Collegiate Baseball this week. The showdown between the Tigers, coached by 1990 VMI graduate Tommy Slater, and the Keydets becomes the first match-up between ranked teams in the program's history, as Auburn will be looking to avenge a series loss to VMI on opening weekend last season at Plainsman Park.

VMI is one of two Big South schools ranked this week, as Coastal Carolina moved up six spots to claim 23rd in the poll, while the only other in-state team to garner a ranking is Virginia, who fell two spots to seventh after dropping two of three to Wake Forest.

Following the team's trip to Auburn, the Keydets open Big South Conference play by taking on Charleston Southern this weekend as they continue their two-week road swing. Each of the team's nine road games can be heard online, as the VMI Sports Network will provide coverage at www.vmikeydets.com.

Collegiate Baseball Newspaper's NCAA Div. I Poll
(As of March 12, 2007)
1. Vanderbilt (18-0)
2. Florida St. (20-0)
3. North Carolina (15-1)
4. South Carolina (13-2)
5. Oregon St. (17-3)
6. Clemson (10-4)
7. Virginia (16-3)
8. Texas A&M (18-2)
9. Rice (14-7)
10. Auburn (17-2)
11. Arkansas (13-5)
12. Kentucky (16-0)
13. Pepperdine (15-5)
14. Mississippi (13-5)
15. Cal. St. Fullerton (12-8)
16. Nebraska (8-5)
17. Long Beach St. (10-5)
18. Arizona St. (13-7)
19. Texas (15-7)
20. Wichita St. (13-4)
21. Arizona (15-6)
22. Oklahoma St. (12-4)
23. Coastal Carolina (15-3)
24. Oklahoma (13-5)
25. Southern Calif. (15-9)
26. Southern Miss. (12-4)
27. East Carolina (11-6)
28. Texas Christian (11-6)
29. U.C. Irvine (15-5-1)
30. VMI (12-3)