Flashes Picked to Finish Second in Preseason Baseball Poll
2/8/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Cleveland, Ohio - The Kent State baseball team was picked to finish second in the Mid-American Conference East Division in 2007 as selected by conference coaches and released by the league office on Thursday (Feb. 8). The defending 2006 MAC regular season champions lost five All-MAC First Team members to the draft and graduation during the offseason, but are expected to be in the mix for another title this spring.
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"We have high expectations for this season, but we still have a lot to prove," said Head Coach Scott Stricklin. "Conference play is going to be very competitive once again and we look forward to the challenges it will bring."
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KSU returns 16 letterwinners in 2007 including All-MAC First Team third baseman Andrew Davis, who led the Flashes in hitting (.376) last season. Ten of those letterwinners return to the mound, where great bullpen depth is expected to quiet opposing hitters throughout the season.
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Central Michigan, last season's MAC West champion, was picked to win the conference tournament, while Miami earned the top spot in the East Division.
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The Golden Flashes will open the year with three-game sets at Wake Forest (16-18) and Florida (Feb. 23-25) as part of their five straight weekend trips to the South.
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2007 MAC Baseball Preseason Coaches Poll
East Division
1. Miami
2. Kent State
3. Ohio
4. Bowling Green
5. Akron
6. Buffalo
West Division
1. Central Michigan
2. Ball State
3. Eastern Michigan
4. Western Michigan
5. Northern Illinois
6. Toledo
Tournament Champion: Central Michigan (6 votes)
