Catawba, Tusculum Picked to Win 2007 SAC Baseball Championship

ROCK HILL, SC - Catawba College and Tusculum College, which have shared the regular-season South Atlantic Conference baseball championship the past two years, are picked to tie for first place once again.

In a vote of the league's nine head baseball coaches, Catawba and Tusculum each finished with 73 votes. The Catawba Indians, the 2006 Food Lion SAC Tournament champion, received five first-place votes, while the Pioneers had three first-place votes.

Catawba also led the way with seven selections on the preseason All-Conference Baseball Team, which was also announced. Tim Smith, the reigning SAC Pitcher of the Year, is joined on the first team by pitcher Alex Fairweather and outfielders David Thomas and Jerry Sands, a preseason All-America selection by Baseball America. Smith was 12-1 with a 3.28 ERA last season for the Indians. Sands hit .399 with 16 homers last year, while Thomas led the conference with a .413 batting average.

Pitcher Blake Kettner, second baseman Chad Baker and shortstop Zach Evans were named to the second team for Catawba.

Carson-Newman picked up one first-place vote and finished 66 points for third place in the preseason poll.

The Eagles had five preseason All-Conference selections, including four on the first team.

Pitcher Matt Teague, second baseman Langdon Potts, outfielder Brandon Burchfield and designated hitter Adam Kefauver were selected to the first team for the Eagles, while Nick Achberger at third base made the second team.

Lenoir-Rhyne College is picked to finish fourth with 41 total points. The Bears had a pair of preseason All-Conference selections in shortstop Taylor MacCurdy on the first team and catcher Dallas Tarleton on the second team.

Mars Hill College, which advanced to the championship game of the 2006 Food Lion SAC Tournament, is picked to finish fifth. The Lions received 40 points.

The Lions placed four on the preseason All-Conference team. Matt Carter at first base and Marc Wassum at third base were named to the first team. Pitcher Nick Tracy and outfielder Clarke Rollins were named to the second team.

Presbyterian College is picked to finish sixth, receiving 35 points. The Blue Hose have a pair of preseason All-Conference outfielders in Cory Lyda and Kyle Craven, who both made the second team.

Wingate University is picked to finish seventh with 32 points. The Bulldogs also had a pair of preseason All-Conference second-team selections in first baseman Josh Benton and designated hitter Jay Barnes.

Lincoln Memorial University, in its first year of SAC competition, is picked to finish eighth, receiving 31 total points.

The Railsplitters placed catcher Dustin Rowland on the preseason All-SAC first team, while pitcher Joe Workman was named to the second team.

Newberry College rounds out the preseason poll.

The 2007 baseball season begins Thursday, February 1 four games - Mars Hill at Belmont Abbey; Lenoir-Rhyne at Pfeiffer; Presbyterian at Limestone and USC Upstate vs. Newberry in Greenville, S.C.

The 2007 Food Lion SAC Baseball Tournament will be April 19-22. This year's tournament format will be a six-team bracket. The tournament winner will receive an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.

2007 SAC BASEBALL COACHES PRESEASON POLL

2007 PRESEASON SOUTH ATLANTIC CONFERENCE
BASEBALL ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM

FIRST TEAM
Catcher - Dustin Rowland, Lincoln Memorial
Pitcher - Tim Smith, Catawba
Pitcher - Matt Teague, Carson-Newman
Pitcher - Alex Fairweather, Catawba
First Base - Matt Carter, Mars Hill
Second Base - Langdon Potts, Carson-Newman
Shortstop - Taylor MacCurdy, Lenoir-Rhyne
Third Base - Marc Wassum, Mars Hill
Outfield - David Thomas, Catawba
Outfield - Brandon Burchfield, Carson-Newman
Outfield - Jerry Sands, Catawba
Designated Hitter - Adam Kefauver, Carson-Newman

SECOND TEAM
Catcher - Dallas Tarleton, Lenoir-Rhyne
Pitcher - Blake Kettner, Catawba
Pitcher - Joe Workman, Lincoln Memorial
Pitcher - Nick Tracy, Mars Hill
First Base - Josh Benton, Wingate
Second Base - Chad Baker, Catawba
Shortstop - Zach Evans, Catawba
Third Base - Nick Achberger, Carson-Newman
Outfield - Cory Lyda, Presbyterian
Outfield - Kyle Craven, Presbyterian
Outfield - Clarke Rollins, Mars Hill
Designated Hitter - Jay Barnes, Wingate