LAS VEGAS — UNLV Rebel baseball is beginning preparations for the upcoming season with fall workouts and scrimmages every Tuesday and fall camp running through the middle of November.

All practices and scrimmages are open to the public.

Team practices will be held on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays each week, with intra-squad scrimmages happening on Tuesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. The final workout is scheduled for Nov. 18.

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WACO, Texas — Three Baylor baseball players were arrested and charged with purchasing alcohol for minors this week.

Senior 2007 co-captain Tim Jackson was arrested on Oct. 1 after a warrant for furnishing alcohol to minors had been issued for his arrest.

Junior relief pitchers Nick Cassavechia and Erik Forestiere both turned themselves in on Oct. 3 at the McLennan County Jail, Waco Police Department spokesman Steve Anderson said.

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(U-WIRE) CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Academics and athletics can go hand in hand, according to recently released data by the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

The NCAA reports a 77-percent national graduation rate among student-athletes. The data analyzed students who began college between 1997 to 2000 to see if they graduated within six years.

According to Jennifer Kearns, associate director of public and media relations for the NCAA, the data applies only to those students who hold athletic scholarships.

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Virginia fans, meet junior Jacob Thompson: the humble, 6-foot-6 hurler from Danville, Va?. Many of you may already know him as one of the aces on the Virginia pitching staff.

During his freshman year, pitching in arguably the best conference in college baseball — the ACC — he was named a first-team Freshman All-American by Louisville Slugger and Baseball America. Last year as a sophomore, he sported an 11-0 record and was named a first-team All American by those same sources, as well as by rivals.com?.

This past summer, the junior also pitched for Team USA.

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LEXINGTON, Ky. — Losing players like Sean Coughlin, Antone DeJesus and Mike Brown usually doesn’t bode well for a baseball team. But head coach John Cohen has put together another stellar recruiting class this year to replace the veterans he lost to graduation and professional baseball.

With 15 newcomers, including nine freshman, the UK recruiting class is ranked 31st in the nation, according to Collegiate Baseball. Although Cohen is proud of his class’ recognition, he does not put too much weight on its rank.

“I think that you have to take any rankings for what they’re worth, and what they’re worth is yet to be determined,” Cohen said. “We’ll just wait and see what happens.”

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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The Florida State baseball team has always been one of the best teams in the nation under Mike Martin in regards to recruiting. To the surprise of nobody, Martin’s 2008 class is no different.

The Seminoles have the second-best recruiting class in the nation according to Collegiate Baseball and will welcome in 20 newcomers to the team that includes 11 pitchers, of which four are left-handed, four infielders, three outfielders and three catchers.

While 15 of the ‘Noles’ 20 recruits were playing high school ball last season, five players make their way over to Tallahassee by way of transfer. Headlining the transfer class are infielders Tony Delmonico and Stephen Halford. Expect both Delmonico and Halford to contribute immediately to the team with last season’s infielders Tony Thomas, Jr. and Mark Hallberg opting out of school early for the Major League Draft.

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CORVALLIS, Ore. — They may only be fall practices and intersquad scrimmages, but a lot of talent can be seen on the OSU baseball team, from returning players and a large group of newcomers.

After winning their first national title, the Beavers lost a large group of pitchers and position players to the professional ranks. It may have been thought that Oregon State was in for a rebuilding season as it reconstructed its pitching staff and filled in vital positions around the field. So much for a rebuilding year, as they won their way to a second straight title.

The draft came around again and snatched up a few important OSU ballplayers as a few others were lost to graduation. Another possible rebuilding year could be assumed to take place entering this fall, but Beaver head coach Pat Casey and his staff have made sure that this was more of a restocking year.

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ATLANTA — After a thrilling 2007 season in which the baseball team finished second in the Division III World Series, the Eagles were recognized for their accomplishments at Turner Field on Monday night.

Under the lights of one of the Major League’s most pristine stadiums, Head Coach Mike Twardoski took the field as the Braves’ honorary captain for the night’s festivities. He shook hands with the umpires and exchanged lineup cards with Braves’ third base coach Brian Snitker and the visiting Marlins.

“I’m very honored,” Twardoski said. “But I was hoping the team could come out on the field. This is their night. I know that these guys were the best team in the country last year.”

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CORVALLIS, Ore. — Following the Oregon State Beavers’ second baseball national championship in as many years, the team will travel to Washington, D.C., to visit the White House and to be greeted by President George W. Bush on Friday, Sept. 21.

While the team was unable to make the trip after winning the 2006 championship, the back-to-back champions will head to the east coast to be honored as the 2007 College World Series champions.

“I think it is kind of cool for the kids to go back there and be honored,” coach Pat Casey said. “It is a great time for our guys to stand outside the nation’s capital and realize what it means to live in this country and have the opportunity to chase dreams.”

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OXFORD, Miss. — Ole Miss baseball begins its fall camp Friday with Scout Day, and the team has 45 days to get in 33 official practices.

It is a longer fall session than before, thanks to the uniform start date that is being implemented in college baseball this season.

In an effort to level the playing field between teams with different weather situations, the NCAA has mandated that all teams start later than they have in the past.

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