LSC Baseball Preseason Power Poll

Angelo State on top in LSC Scoop Pre-Season Poll

On the heels of their 2007 College World Series appearance, the Angelo State Rams get the nod in the LSC Scoop preseason poll. The Rams look to be set offensively, returning 6 All-LSC first and second teamers in the field, plus ace Michael Gunter, who went 10-5 with a 3.34 ERA las year. The will have to overcome the loss of Cody Broussard who was 12-2 with a 3.83 ERA. Nipping on their heels, the ACU Wildcats. Despite a 47-13 record, ACU was somehow left out of the NCAA regional tournament. The Wildcats pitching should be every bit as strong as the Rams offense. Trey Watten, Chris Wiman and Jameson Maj combined to go 24-6 with 20 saves. They will be potent on offense as well. In the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Preseason poll, both teams are in the top 10 - Abilene is ranked #5, while Angelo State is #9. Central Oklahoma is right up there as well, ready to battle for the top of the LSC. Northeastern State, Tarleton State, Texas A&M-Kingsville, and Southeastern Oklahoma appear to be a notch below the top teams, but they have the ability to surprise the big 3. It's pretty muddled after that, but for ECU, it looks like another year in the cellar.

1. Angelo State (51-20) +4 first, +3 second, -1 first, -3 second (Gunter 10-5, 1b Calfee .394 9 HR 70 RBI 18 SB, 2b Allred .408 7 HR 57 RBI 27 SB, SS Belew .314 4 HR 35 RBI, 3b Nightingale .322 7 HR 34 RBI, OF Cox .408 1 HR 40 RBI) Led the LSC with 585 runs scored (DH Lenderman .361 13 HR 79 RBI 12 SB not listed on roster)



2. Abilene Christian (47-13) +7 first, -1 second, -1 second (Watten 10-0, Wiman 9-3, C Schmitt 9 HR 52 RBI 9 SB, SS Uechi .370 37 RBI 10 SB, OF Spotanski .391 44 RBI 21 SB, Util Watten .351 36 RBI) Led the LSC with a 3.85 ERA



3. Central Oklahoma (40-18) + 3 first, + 1 second, - 3 first, -4 second (McIntyre 8-1 returns, but must replace All-LSC pitchers who were combined 13-8 10 svs, C Draper .353 20 HR 70 RBI and SS Pollock .355 4 HR 59 RBI lead the offense)



4. Northeastern State (26-26) +4 first, +4 second, +1 HM (Bennett, Lago and Averitt were a combined 16-11, 1b Delay .345 9 HR 46 RBI, OF Pike .347 12 HR 42 RBI, 2b Sittel .335 7 HR 36 RBI, SS Neighbors .326, OF Campbell .367 3 HR 24 RBI 15 SB)



5. Tarleton State (26-29) +3 first, +1 HM, -1 HM (OF Desmarias .337 11 HR 41 RBI, Util Peacock .321 16 RBI, 2b Davis .324 23 RBI) SP Babbit 7-5 not on roster



6. Texas A&M-Kingsville (28-29) +1 second, +1 HM, -3 second (OF Myrick .382 34 RBI 14 SB, C Hamon .326 5 HR 35 RBI)



7. Southeastern Oklahoma (29-28) + 1 first, +1 second, +1 HM, -3 first, -1 second (SS Clay .332 5 HR 42 RBI lead the Savage Storm) SP Glover was 7-7 not on roster



8. Southwestern Oklahoma (22-32) +1 first, +3 second, +2 HM , -1 first, -1 second, -1 HM (Pool was 5-8, but had a 7.36 ERA, SS Scales .343 38 RBI 16 SB , C Streber .346 4 HR 33 RBI , DH Wathen .321 28 RBI , 1b Perkins .313 22 RBI, 3b Starzenski .281 3 HR 31 RBI 12 SB )



9. Cameron (23-30) -1 first, -1 second, -1 HM



10. Eastern New Mexico (20-34) +2 second, -1 second (Doughty 1-0 2 Saves , OF Young .390 29 RBI 10 SB )



11. West Texas A&M (12-37) +1 first, +1 second, +1 HM, -1 second (OF Graham .415 28 RBI, 3b Schupp .347 30 RBI) SS Corley .406 23 RBI not listed on roster



12. East Central (9-47) +2 second (C Walker .293 3 HR 24 RBI, SS Pybas .306 13 RBI 5 SB ) ECU had an LSC worst 9.75 ERA, last in LSC in runs scored, batting average

+ means returning players, - means graduated players