FMU Baseball picked third in PBC Preseason Poll
Francis Marion University, fresh off a 40-win season that included the Patriots hosting the NCAA regional tournament for the first time, has been picked to finish third in the fight for the 2011 Peach Belt Conference baseball championship, according to the annual preseason coaches’ poll released on Friday (Jan. 21).
Georgia College has been selected as the PBC team to beat for 2011, edging out Columbus State University by three votes and FMU by 10. The Bobcats received six of a possible 11 first-place votes and totaled 112 votes. CSU finished with 109 votes, followed by Francis Marion (102), USC Aiken (94), North Georgia College & State University (84), Flagler College (63), UNC Pembroke (62), Armstrong Atlantic State University (49), Georgia Southwestern State University (47), Lander University (35), University of Montevallo (18), and Augusta State University (17).
Georgia College won the 2010 PBC title and advanced to the Division II World Series.
Eleventh-year FMU head coach Art Inabinet welcomes back 13 of 31 players from last year’s 40-14 squad that shared the PBC East Division title, recorded the second-highest win total in the program’s history, placed second at the NCAA Southeast Regional, and ended the year ranked 10th nationally.
Five position starters return, including the designated hitter, and eight of 17 pitchers from last year’s staff that ranked 13th nationally in earned run average (3.67) and fewest hits allowed per nine innings (8.63). Returnees include All-Region and All-Conference right-handed pitcher Don Sandifer (7-1, 2.73 ERA), along with senior first baseman Preston Shuey (.341, 5 HR, 40 RBI), senior third baseman Tyler Cappelmann (.314, 1 HR, 20 RBI), junior outfielder Tyler Boyd (.314, 3 HR, 29 RBI), and senior DH Chris Honeycutt (.337, 2 HR, 21 RBI). Sandifer was also the 2010 PBC Freshmen of the Year.
The Patriots also regain the services of senior outfielder Martin Gordon (.394, 18 RBI, .470 OB%) who missed last season with an injury. Gordon played for South Africa in the 2009 World Baseball Classic. Senior righty Patrick Mincey (3-2, 2 saves, 3.43 ERA) also returns and will most likely man the closer’s role.
Top newcomers include junior outfielder Buddy Sosnoskie (.347, 13 HR, 48 RBI), a transfer from Virginia Tech; senior right-hander Joe Wagstaff (2-0, 2.89 ERA), a transfer from Campbell University; and freshmen infielder Michael Wilson and freshman right-handed pitcher Jeffrey Stoner.
FMU was 22-9 at home last season and is 174-56-1 in its last 231 home games at “The Cliff.” This will be the final season at Cormell Field as FMU’s new athletic complex is set to open in 2012.
The Patriots, ranked ninth and 15th in two preseason national rankings, open their 2011 season at home on Feb. 5 with a doubleheader against King College. The PBC Tournament is set for May 8-12 at Golden Park in Columbus, Ga., with the top four teams in each division advancing to the double-elimination event.
Coaches were not permitted to rank their own teams.
