January 28, 2001

SoCon Coaches, SIDs Pick Georgia Southern To Win Baseball Crown; Furman Picked Fifth

ASHEVILLE, N.C. -- Georgia Southern has been selected to win the Southern Conference baseball regular season crown in voting by the league's head coaches and sports information directors.

The Eagles, winners of the last two regular season crowns, garnered all 10 available first place votes in both polls, making them a unanimous selection. Neither the coaches or the SIDs were allowed to vote for their own team in the poll.

The Eagles, 42-20 overall last year and the Southern Conference champion at 21-9, outdistanced second place The Citadel in both preseason polls. The Bulldogs finished second in the regular season last year at 38-24, 20-10.

Both polls agree on the top seven finishers in the 2002 SoCon race. Georgia Southern and The Citadel are followed in third place by Western Carolina, then UNC Greensboro, Furman, College of Charleston and East Tennessee State.

The coaches poll predicted Davidson eighth, Appalachian State ninth and a tie for 10th between VMI and Wofford. The SIDs selected ASU eighth followed by Davidson, Wofford and VMI.

Furman coming off a 30-25 season, 18-11 in the conference finishing in a tie for third, returns four of the top six pitchers from last season along with a five veteran position players.

Corey Etheridge (4-4, 3.62 ERA) and Tom Mastny (8-5, 4.35 ERA) will head the Paladins pitching staff along with senior infielder and starting pitcher Danny Rueckel (4-2, 4.82 ERA)

In the infield, Southern Conference Freshman-of-the-Year, Derek Norman (.362, 5 HR, 42 RBI) returns at third base while classmate Dominic Frankey (.310, 5 HR, 42 RBI) returns at first base.

Furman returns two of its three outfielders from last season with Clint Hill (.221, 2 HR, 22 RBI) returning in center field and senior Ryan Presnell (.270, 5 HR, 33 RBI) in left.

The Paladins open the 2002 season this Saturday with a double-header against High Point. The first pitch in slated for noon.

Coaches Poll (1st place votes) Pts
1. Georgia Southern (10) 110
2. The Citadel (1) 95
3. Western Carolina 89
4. UNC Greensboro 85
5. Furman 73
6. College of Charleston 69
7. East Tennessee State 60
8. Davidson 41
9. Appalachian State 33
T-10. VMI 30
T-10. Wofford 30

SID Poll (1st place votes) Pts
1. Georgia Southern (10) 110
2. The Citadel (1) 95
3. Western Carolina 89
4. UNC Greensboro 88
5. Furman 68
6. College of Charleston 67
7. East Tennessee State 61
8. Appalachian State 39
9. Davidson 36
10. Wofford 32
11. VMI 30