Lions Picked 11th in Preseason SAC Poll, Rogers Named to Preseason First Team
The South Atlantic Conference Preseason Baseball poll was released Monday, with Mars Hill picked to finish in 11th place by the league’s coaches. In addition, sophomore Evan Rogers was named to the Preseason All-SAC First Team at shortstop.
ROCK HILL, S.C. - The South Atlantic Conference Preseason Baseball poll was released Monday, with Mars Hill picked to finish in 11th place by the league's coaches. In addition, sophomore Evan Rogers was named to the Preseason All-SAC First Team at shortstop.
In their first season under head coach Aaron Rembert in 2013, the Lions finished 10-32 with a 7-18 mark in league play. The Lions faced two NCAA Southeast Regional qualifiers and earned a 6-3 victory over Food Lion SAC Tournament champion Lincoln Memorial on Feb. 23.
Rogers batted .313 with eight doubles, one home run, 14 RBI with 42 runs scored in a freshman campaign that saw him start all 42 games.
2013 regular season champion Catawba earned the top spot in the preseason poll, collecting nine of 11 first place votes. The Indians have also been ranked 24th in the preseason Collegiate Baseball Newspaper national poll.
Wingate and Tusculum – the SAC's No. 2 and No. 3 finishers, respectively, in last year's conference standings – tied for second in the preseason poll. WU went 29-21 overall and 20-7 in the SAC in 2013, while Tusculum went 33-18 overall and 16-11 in the conference.
SAC newcomer and 2013 NCAA Division II World Series participant Coker is fourth in the preseason poll. The Cobras went 38-16 overall last season and open up 2014 ranked 25th in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper poll.
Newberry is No. 5 in the preseason poll and received the other two first-place votes, while 2013 SAC Tournament champion Lincoln Memorial is No. 6, Carson-Newman is No. 7 and Lenoir-Rhyne is No. 8.
Rounding out the preseason poll are Brevard at No. 9, Anderson at No. 10 and Mars Hill at No.11.
Mars Hill opens the 2014 season on Saturday at the Francis Marion Tournament in Florence, S.C. The Lions will face Conference Carolinas foes Limestone at 11 a.m., and Pfeiffer at 5 p.m. Mars Hill wraps up the weekend with an 11 a.m. contest against host Francis Marion on Sunday.
