Ball State University Athletics
Baseball Tabbed Second In MAC West Division
February 08, 2007 | Baseball
The Ball State baseball team has been picked to finish second in the Mid-American Conference West Division by the league's coaches, as announced Thursday by the MAC office.
The Cardinals were picked in the preseason poll to finish behind Central Michigan in the West Division, which is exactly where last year's team ended the regular season. The 2006 Cardinals, however, defeated the division champion Chippewas on their way to winning the first Mid-American Conference Tournament Championship in school history.
Since the conference went to a divisional format in 1998, Ball State has never finished worse than second in the West, and the Cardinals have won the division six times. In 2006, Ball State finished the season 38-22 and 16-9 in the MAC.
Behind Ball State, the coaches tabbed Eastern Michigan third in the West, followed by Western Michigan, Northern Illinois and Toledo.
In the East, Miami was picked to win the division just ahead of defending regular season champion Kent State. Those two were followed by Ohio, Bowling Green, Akron and Buffalo.
The coaches selected Central Michigan as the favorite to win the season-ending MAC Tournament.
Ball State opens its 2007 campaign at the FAU Beach Ball Bash in Boca Raton, Fla., Feb. 16-18. The Cardinals are slated to play four games that weekend, taking on host Florida Atlantic Friday, facing La Salle in a doubleheader Saturday and battling Oklahoma State, a preseason Top 25 team, Sunday.
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
