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Cards Picked To Finish Near Top Of MAC
February 13, 2019 | Baseball
Ball State begins 2019 season Friday vs. Stanford
CLEVELAND - The baseball coaches of the Mid-American Conference have picked Ball State to finish second in the league this year. Rich Maloney's squad won 32 games last year, has a highly-rated pitching staff and is a popular pick to battle for a league championship.
"As always, it will be a competitive MAC season," Maloney said. "Our guys are excited to compete."
Kent State (40-18 last year) was voted by the coaches as the league favorite. The Golden Flashes won the league tournament and one game in a regional last year, but the Cardinals won a series at Kent last March. The two teams will square off at Ball Diamond at First Merchants Ballpark Complex March 29-31.
Ball State, with a deep and talented pitching staff led by all-conference pitchers John Baker and Drey Jameson, returns five position players who started 50 games last year. The top four innings eaters from last year (Baker, Jameson, Kyle Nicolas, Nick Floyd) also return.
Below is the complete MAC preseason baseball poll.Â
2019 MAC Baseball Preseason Coaches Poll
Total Points (first place votes)
1. Kent State – 98 (8)
2. Ball State – 88
3. Miami – 78 (1)
4. Central Michigan – 53
5. Toledo – 51
6. Ohio – 49
7. Eastern Michigan – 45
8. Western Michigan – 42
9. Northern Illinois – 29 (1)
10. Bowling Green – 17
Baseball America Has Cards Winning West
In the article below, you'll find a good analysis of the MAC heading into the season, with Ball State picked second in the league and first in its division.Â
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"As always, it will be a competitive MAC season," Maloney said. "Our guys are excited to compete."
Kent State (40-18 last year) was voted by the coaches as the league favorite. The Golden Flashes won the league tournament and one game in a regional last year, but the Cardinals won a series at Kent last March. The two teams will square off at Ball Diamond at First Merchants Ballpark Complex March 29-31.
Ball State, with a deep and talented pitching staff led by all-conference pitchers John Baker and Drey Jameson, returns five position players who started 50 games last year. The top four innings eaters from last year (Baker, Jameson, Kyle Nicolas, Nick Floyd) also return.
Below is the complete MAC preseason baseball poll.Â
2019 MAC Baseball Preseason Coaches Poll
Total Points (first place votes)
1. Kent State – 98 (8)
2. Ball State – 88
3. Miami – 78 (1)
4. Central Michigan – 53
5. Toledo – 51
6. Ohio – 49
7. Eastern Michigan – 45
8. Western Michigan – 42
9. Northern Illinois – 29 (1)
10. Bowling Green – 17
Baseball America Has Cards Winning West
In the article below, you'll find a good analysis of the MAC heading into the season, with Ball State picked second in the league and first in its division.Â
I dove deep into the MAC (as usual). @KentStBaseball will reload and enters the year as the favorite, but @BallStateBB's rotation makes the Cardinals serious contenders
— Teddy Cahill (@tedcahill) February 6, 2019
?? Projected standings + award picks
?? Team breakdowns
?? Top prospects https://t.co/Qpd1bNzglD
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Players Mentioned
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