CHARLOTTE, N.C. - The Presbyterian College baseball team has been predicted to finish fifth in the Big South Conference's South Division this season in an annual poll of league coaches, the conference announced today.
The Blue Hose received two third-place votes and stand seven points ahead of sixth-place UNC Asheville.
In addition, the coaches voted Charleston Southern's Bobby Ison the Conference's Preseason Player of the Year, while Ryan Thompson of Campbell was named the Big South Preseason Pitcher of the Year.
Liberty (North Division) and Coastal Carolina (South Division) lead their respective divisions.
PC finished last season fourth in the South Division with a 10-14 league record and a 24-32 overall marker. The team returns eight starting position players and three starting pitchers to a squad that achieved numerous highs in 2013. The team's .972 fielding percentage shattered the previous best of .966 set in 2012 and the pitching staff's 4.40 ERA improved on 2011's previous record of 5.34 by nearly a full run.
Seniors Brandon Paul (Augusta, Ga.), Nate Chong (Duluth, Ga.), Brad Zebedis (Rock HIll, S.C.), Chad Sanders (St. Simons Island, Ga.) and Chandler Knox (Columbia, S.C.) will lead the team in 2014.
PC starts the season on Saturday, February 15 with a home doubleheader against Savannah State that begins at noon.
