AUGUSTA, Ga. − The Flagler College Saints were picked to finish 10th in the 12-team Peach Belt Conference Preseason Coaches Poll, released this afternoon by conference officials.
The Saints tallied 33 points and received one vote for seventh, four for eighth, one for ninth, four for 10th and one for 11th place.
USC Aiken was selected as the preseason favorite and garnered eight first place votes. The Pacers have made five consecutive appearances in the NCAA Tournament and won the conference’s regular season title a year ago. USCA is also ranked No. 6 in the Collegiate Baseball Preseason Top 40.
Francis Marion (ranked No. 12 nationally) follows in second place with two first place votes while North Georgia (No. 24) and Georgia College (No. 27) each received a first place vote and were selected to finish third and fourth, respectively.
The rest of the poll is as follows: 5) Columbus State, 6) UNC Pembroke (No. 40), 7) Armstrong Atlantic, 8) Lander, 9) Augusta State, 10) Flagler, 11) Montevallo and 12) Georgia Southwestern.
Flagler finished its last season as a NCAA Division II independent with a 17-36 record under Head Coach Dave Barnett (674-538) who begins his 23rd season with the Saints. The Saints return the entire infield, but lost two starters in the outfield and two starters off its pitching staff. The returnee is senior first baseman
Zach Bove who led the team with a .337 batting average. Sophomore second baseman
Will Percy batted .323 with a team-high 11 sacrifice hits. Senior shortstop
Cale Owen finished the 2009 campaign with a .314 batting average and he led the Saints with a .453 slugging percentage. Owen earned second-team all-independent honors last year. Back on the mound for Flagler this year is senior
Johnny Gaines (5-6, 5.66 ERA) and sophomore
Jonathan Armold (208, 5.12).
Flagler opens the season on Feb. 2 at the Savannah College of Art and Design. The Saints open at home Feb. 5 with a doubleheader at Flagler Stadium starting with Limestone College at 3 p.m. followed by Alabama-Huntsville at 6:30 p.m.
|
2010 Peach Belt Conference Preseason Coaches Poll
|
| Rk |
Team |
1st
|
2nd
|
3rd
|
4th
|
5th
|
6th
|
7th
|
8th
|
9th
|
10th
|
11th
|
Total
|
| 1 |
USC Aiken
|
8
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
114
|
| 2 |
Francis Marion |
2
|
8
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
111
|
| 3 |
North Georgia |
1
|
1
|
7
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
96
|
| 4 |
GCSU |
1
|
0
|
0
|
8
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
89
|
| 5 |
Columbus State |
0
|
1
|
2
|
2
|
2
|
3
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
81
|
| 6 |
UNC Pembroke |
0
|
0
|
2
|
1
|
4
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
73
|
| 7 |
Armstrong Atlantic |
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
4
|
4
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
70
|
| 8 |
Lander |
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
3
|
3
|
3
|
2
|
0
|
40
|
| 9 |
Augusta State |
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
1
|
6
|
1
|
1
|
35
|
| 10 |
Flagler |
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
4
|
1
|
4
|
1
|
33
|
| 11 |
Montevallo |
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
1
|
5
|
28
|
| 12 |
Ga. Southwestern |
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
4
|
5
|
22
|