SPARTANBURG, SC – The Southern Conference Sports Media Association (SCSMA) announced on Friday their preseason predicted order of finish for the 2008 conference baseball season and their choices for the preseason All-SoCon Baseball first and second teams.
The Spartans are picked to finish No. 7 in the conference receiving 76 votes. The College of Charleston is picked to win tallying 10 first-place votes. The Cougars are followed by Western Carolina, Elon, The Citadel, Georgia Southern, and Appalachian State. Wofford, Furman, and Davidson round out the league.
Seniors Ricky Orton and Matt Gaski were selected to the SCSMA All-Southern Conference preseason team.
A Bakersfield, CA native, Orton was selected as a second-team first baseman. In his 176 plate taps he tallied 93 total bases, 42 RBI, 37 homeruns, 17 doubles, and six homeruns. He finished the 2007 season ranked second on the team in slugging percentage (.528), doubles, and homeruns. Orton was also ranked fourth among his teammates with a .330 average and 58 hits.
Also selected to the second team, Gaski was picked for the shortstop position. The Greensboro, NC native concluded his first season with the Spartans at the top of the list with 164 assists. His 60 starts tied him with teammate Tim Carrier and three others in the most games played in a single season. Gaski is No. 3 on UNCG’s single-season at-bat list tallying 237 in 2007 and is ranked third in the conference with 42 walks.
UNCG will open the season this Friday with a three day, three game home series against Kent State. Friday’s game is set to begin at 4pm with two 1pm start times to follow.
For more news on UNCG baseball, ticket prices, a complete season schedule, and all other Spartan athletic information log onto www.UNCGSpartans.com.
# # UNCG # #
SCSMA Preseason Predicted Order of Finish
1. College of Charleston
(10)
170
2. Western Carolina
(8)
168
3.
Elon
122
4. The
Citadel
118
5. Georgia
Southern
114
6. Appalachian
State
110
7. UNC
Greensboro
76
8.
Wofford
52
9.
Furman
40
10.
Davidson
18
First-place votes in parenthesis.
SCSMA All-Southern Conference Baseball Team
FIRST TEAM
Catcher
Blake Murphy (WCU)
First
Base
Jeremiah Parker (GSU)
Second
Base
Zach Kayne (DAV)
Shortstop
Michael Gilmartin (WOF)
Third
Base
Isaac Harrow (ASU)
Outfield
Chris Dove (Elon)
Outfield
Michael Harrington (COFC)
Outfield
Sonny Meade (CIT)
Designated
Hitter
Andrew Franco (ASU)
Starting
Pitcher
Drew Saberhagen (WCU)
Starting
Pitcher
Steven Hensley (Elon)
Relief
Pitcher
Matt Webb (DAV)
SECOND TEAM
Catcher
Richard Jones (CIT)
First
Base
Ricky Orton (UNCG)
Second
Base
Shane Kirkley (WOF)
Shortstop
Matt Gaski (UNCG)
Third
Base
AJ Wirnsberger (GSU)
Outfield
Barrett Shaft (WCU)
Outfield
David Rubinstein (ASU)
Outfield
Chris Shehan (GSU)
Designated
Hitter
Kyle Blackburn (GSU)
Starting
Pitcher
Ben Austin (WOF)
Starting
Pitcher
Tyler Sexton (WCU)
Relief
Pitcher
Chris Masters (WCU)