USC Aiken Named Baseball Preseason Favorite

AUGUSTA, GA -- The USC Aiken Pacers have been voted as the preseason team to beat for the 2010 season in a poll of the league’s baseball coaches released today. The Pacers received eight of a possible 11 first-place votes to finish at 114, just ahead of Francis Marion in second place. North Georgia is third in the preseason poll followed by GCSU, Columbus State and UNC Pembroke.

The Pacers are coming off their fifth straight NCAA Tournament appearance in 2009 after winning their first PBC regular-season championship. At 42-19, USCA reached the championship game of the NCAA Regional for the second straight year and hope to take the next step this season with eight starters and 20 letterwinners returning including All-Conference DH Travis Howard and pitcher Steven Spire. USCA is ranked sixth in the preseason Collegiate Baseball poll, the highest of any PBC team.

Francis Marion finished second in the regular-season standings and then won the PBC Tournament. The Patriots were 38-15-1, the second-highest win total in program history. Ranked 12th in the preseason national poll, FMU returns 23 of 32 players from last year including All-Conference DH Jacob Wallace and All-Region shortstop Barrett Kleinknecht.

North Georgia reached the PBC Tournament championship game in 2009 after compiling a 34-24 overall record and finishing fifth in the PBC standings. The 2010 Saints will be loaded with eight of nine starters returning including All-Conference first baseman Andre Airich and gold-glove catcher Daniel Pettiti.

The 2010 PBC baseball season features several changes from previous years. Two new schools, Montevallo and Flagler, will join the league, giving the PBC 12 teams for the first time. With 12 teams, the PBC will split into east and west divisions with Armstrong Atlantic State, Flagler, Francis Marion, Lander, UNC Pembroke and USC Aiken in the east and Augusta State, Columbus State, GSW, GCSU, Montevallo and North Georgia in the west. The league also welcomed head coach Chris Cooper at Augusta State and Kermit Smith at Lander.

The 2010 season begins on Feb. 1 with league play beginning Feb. 27. The season will conclude at the PBC Tournament May 8-9 at Roberto Hernandez Stadium at USC Aiken, with one first-round game at Lake Olmstead Stadium in Augusta.

The 2010 coaches poll is below, coaches were not permitted to rank their own teams. A team-by-team preview can be seen here.