After winning its first national title last season, UCLA baseball will not open its 2014 season atop the national rankings.
The Bruins earned preseason rankings of No. 12 by Baseball America and No. 8 by Perfect Game USA.
UCLA entered last season with the same No. 12 ranking given by Baseball America, but ended up proving the rankings wrong. UCLA finished the regular season at No. 10, but had several playoff upsets to reach the College World Series where it defeated Mississippi State in the Championship Series to finish the year at No. 1.
The Bruins, however, are not even the top-ranked team in the Pac-12 to start the year. Oregon State, who won the Pac-12 last season, will open the year at No. 2 and Oregon is one spot ahead of UCLA at No. 11.
UCLA will look to once again outperform its rankings, as the Bruins return Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year and National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Stopper of the Year David Berg, a junior closing pitcher, and several of last season’s top hitters.
UCLA will start its season Feb. 14 against Portland.
