College baseball: The 7 leading strikeout pitchers

The best pitchers are like artists on the mound. Nothing gets the home crowd fired up like the guys who combine that artistry with a knack for striking out opposing batters with their slugger's kryptonite. Here's a look at the seven kings of Ks who currently lead NCAA Division I baseball in strikeouts:

Joey Lucchesi | Southeast Missouri St. | Sr. | 71 strikeouts

The Preseason Ohio Valley Conference Pitcher of the Year leads all DI college baseball pitchers with 71 strikeouts in 54 innings. Lucchesi's 1.48 ERA ranks within the NCAA's Top 30, and the senior has only lost two of his eight starts.

Kevin Hill | South Alabama | Sr. | 70 strikeouts

Hill earned second-team All-America honors from Collegiate Baseball in 2015, and he may receive even higher honors in 2016 thanks to a 7-1 record, a strong 1.87 ERA and his 70Ks.

Kenny Rosenberg | CSUN | So. | 70 strikeouts

Rosenberg's ERA (2.68) isn't too impressive, but the sophomore excels where it counts, winning games. He has a 4-1 record as a starter.

Clarke Schmidt | South Carolina | So. | 70 strikeouts

Schmidt is a workhorse. The sophomore has pitched 56 innings, more than any other Gamecock pitcher. He's walked only 10 batters and given up just two home runs. Schmidt's tallied a 1.77 ERA in eight starts including a complete game. Oh, and his lone loss didn't come until March 31.

Mitchell White | Santa Clara | So. | 70 strikeouts

White's first start came this year, and he's still getting used to the DI game. He may be sitting on a 2-4 record with a 3.04 ERA, but his remarkable 70 strikeouts show he'll be a force to be reckoned with soon enough.

J.B. Bukauskas | North Carolina | So. | 68 strikeouts

Bukauskas had a successful freshman season, posting a 5-3 record, but he's already passed his SO total from 2015 (67). He's also matched his win total from last year while earning only a single loss. This Heels hurler is only getting more dangerous.

Jon Duplantier | Rice | Jr. | 68 strikeouts

Duplantier was sidelined by injury for all of last season, but the junior has fought back to lead Rice in innings pitched, 56, in 2016. He is 3-3 with a 2.56 ERA and hasn't given up a triple or a homer.