2012 GAC BASEBALL PRESEASON RELEASE (PDF)

RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – Southern Arkansas University received seven first place votes to be selected as the preseason favorite to win the inaugural Great American Conference baseball championship, announced Tuesday with the release of the preseason coaches poll.

The Muleriders, ranked No. 12 in the preseason College Baseball Lineup Top 30 and No. 22 in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper poll, won the Gulf South Conference championship last season and advanced to the NCAA Division II South Regional in Pensacola, Fla. SAU finished the season with an overall record of 36-16.
 
Among SAU’s returning starters is the team’s second leading hitter from a season ago, shortstop Trey Buck, who hit .339 with 16doubles and 34 RBI as a junior, while also ranking second on the team with 19 stolen bases on 25 attempts. Other notable returners include starting pitcher Doug Shields, who went 8-2 in 2011 with a 2.35 earned run average with three saves in 20 total appearances.

SAU also received one second place vote for a total of 63 poll points. Harding University came in second in the preseason poll with a total of 54 poll points after receiving the other two first place votes, two second place votes andfour third place votes. The Bisons will start the 2012 campaign as the No. 28 team in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper preseason poll.

The Bisons went 42-13 in 2011, and joined SAU with a berth into the NCAA South Regional. HU’s top offensive returner is utility infielder Billy Ninemire, who ranked second on the team as a sophomore with a .375 batting average with 14 doubles, four triples, one homerun and 48 RBI. The Bisons also return second baseman Chase Presley, who set single-season school records as a junior in four categories, including at bats (224), runs (64) and doubles (22).

Trailing Harding by just one poll point is Southeastern Oklahoma State University, which has been ranked No. 36 in the CBN preseason poll. The Savage Storm received five second place votes and three third place votes for a total of 53 points. Southeastern won the Lone Star Conference championship in 2011 and finished the year with an overall record of 35-19, including a win overthen-ranked No. 3 St. Mary’s in the NCAA South Central regional tournament.

Returning five starters from a 32-19 finish a season ago, Arkansas Tech University is fourth in the preseason poll after receiving one second placevote, two third place votes, four fourth place votes and one fifth place vote for a total of 43 points.

Southwestern Oklahoma State University ranks fifth with a total of 33 points, followed by Ouachita Baptist University in sixth with 24 points, the University of Arkansas at Monticello in seventh with 22 points, Henderson State University in eighth with 21 points and East Central University in ninth with 11 points.

The preseason baseball poll was voted on by the league’s nine head coaches, who were not allowed to vote for their own team.

The first regular season playing date for the 2012 season is February 1. The inaugural GAC baseball championship is scheduled for May 4-7, 2012 at the David Allen Memorial Ballpark in Enid, Okla.