Four PBC Baseball Teams Ranked in Preseason National Poll

AUGUSTA, GA – Four Peach Belt Conference baseball teams have been ranked among the top 40 in the nation as the 2009 Collegiate Baseball Magazine preseason poll was released. Columbus State is the highest-ranked PBC team at #5 in the nation while USC Aiken is next at #10. North Georgia is ranked 17th while Francis Marion is 33rd. Defending national champions Mt. Olive return at #1 while Tampa is #2.

Columbus State won the 2008 PBC regular-season championship in 2008 with a 19-8 conference record and were ranked #7 in the nation to finish the season. The Cougars were 43-19 overall and advanced to the semifinals of the 2008 NCAA South Atlantic Regional tournament, their third straight NCAA Tournament appearance.

USC Aiken reached the championship game of the NCAA Regional where they fell to eventual national champion Mt. Olive. The Pacers finished one game behind CSU in the regular-season standings with an 18-9 PBC record, 47-17 overall. USC Aiken was ranked #11 in the final poll of 2008.

The North Georgia Saints ended last season ranked 20th in the nation in the year’s final poll after going 41-21 overall and 16-11 in the PBC, including capturing their first-ever Peach Belt Conference Tournament Championship, and making an appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

Francis Marion finished 2008 with a 34-20 record, equaling the fourth-highest win total in team history, and was ranked 27th in the final 2008 Top 30 poll. The Patriots posted their fourth consecutive 30-win season, tied for third during the Peach Belt Conference regular season, advanced to the PBC Tournament title game.

The 2009 baseball season begins on Feb. 1 and continues through to the PBC Tournament May 9-10 in Aiken, S.C.

To see the entire preseason poll, click here.