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Hunter Abrams hits a HR in early season action.
Frank Ezelle
It is springtime and every team is loaded with talent and dreams of championships. Baseball teams in the South Region have already started the 2007 season and several teams are making the dream of a D3 World Series a possibility. The favorites have come out of the gate with wins and so have some surprise teams like Averett (currently 12-1).
North Carolina Wesleyan: (2006 Record: 31-19, 2006 Conference Record: 11-7). won the conference tourney and parlayed it into a trip to the D3 World Series in 2006. The Battlin' Bishops return all key players except two infielders. Keep your eye on Chris Pecora (.403, 34 RBI, 37 SB) and Blake Rice (10-3,2.68 ERA) as NC Wesleyan makes another run at the Championship. The USA South AC is changing the conference format from a 3-game series to 2-game series. The conference members must think that they are beating themselves out of an at-large bid. Whether this gets another USASAC team a Pool C bid will be determined, but only if the top conference members can replace those extra 6 games in the schedule with winnable in-region games.
Millsaps (37-13, 15-5) is the defending SCAC co-champs and is the second pick to make the D3 World Series. The Majors lost All-American Garner Wetzel, and 2 key pitchers in John Fox and Todd Kindler, but they have a solid core of returnees from the Central Region finalist team. With the admission of Austin College to the SCAC, Millsaps moves to the SCAC-West in a reshuffling of the SCAC. Look for Hunter Abrams (.413, 17 2b, 53 RBI) and Jay Hollenbeck (5-0, 2.08 ERA) to lead the Majors back to the playoffs in 2007.
Emory (31-9, 6-0) won the UAA by virtue of their spring tourney, earned a Pool B bid and were eliminated in two games in the Rocky Mount Regional. The Eagles return nine players who started double-digit games in 2006. Three of four pitchers in the rotation return as does their #1 reliever. A good portion of the senior leadership will come from the Emory pitching staff, which finished the 2006 season fifth in the nation with a 2.58 earned run average. Returning senior pitchers include starters Jason Glushon (9-2, 1.86 ERA) and Ian Ganzer (6-3, 2.22 ERA). Emory is expecting to get into the playoffs again this year.
Bridgewater (32-14-1, 15-3) won the 2006 ODAC regular season championship and parlayed that South Region record into a Pool C bid. BC basically returns everyone except catcher Grant French. Keep your eye on the 2006 ODAC player of the year, Ricky Read (10-1, 2.68 ERA, .337, 49 RBI), as the Eagles try to win the conference title once again. Bridgewater has key games versus NCWC, Emory, Marietta (an in-region game) and York PA.
Virginia Wesleyan (24-22, 12-6) was the ODAC tourney champion and earned the Pool A bid. Virginia Wesleyan, a 3rd place finisher at the 2006 South Region Playoffs, is picked to win the ODAC this year. The Marlins return the heart of the lineup, only losing one starting OF, one starter and one reliever. Key to the Marlins' offense success will be Ricky Allred (.375, 43 RBI, 14 2B). VWC already has three consecutive wins over top 30 teams with key games versus NCWC, Emory (2) and York, PA remaining.
Salisbury University (37-10, 8-2) was the 2006 Capital Athletic Conference Tourney winners over York. The Seagulls are expected to make their 8th straight NCAA playoffs in 2007. Coach Doug Fleetwood lost RHP Nick Dunk but has at least five other pitchers on the staff with experience, and returns many of his experienced position players. Watch for Colin Kraus (.376, 40 RBI, 43 BB) to lead the Sea Gulls' offense "We should have another very good team," said Fleetwood. "We have been to the regionals seven years in a row and hope to continue."
Other teams to watch: York (25-16-1), LaGrange (24-16), Methodist (26-17).
North Carolina Wesleyan: (2006 Record: 31-19, 2006 Conference Record: 11-7). won the conference tourney and parlayed it into a trip to the D3 World Series in 2006. The Battlin' Bishops return all key players except two infielders. Keep your eye on Chris Pecora (.403, 34 RBI, 37 SB) and Blake Rice (10-3,2.68 ERA) as NC Wesleyan makes another run at the Championship. The USA South AC is changing the conference format from a 3-game series to 2-game series. The conference members must think that they are beating themselves out of an at-large bid. Whether this gets another USASAC team a Pool C bid will be determined, but only if the top conference members can replace those extra 6 games in the schedule with winnable in-region games.
Millsaps (37-13, 15-5) is the defending SCAC co-champs and is the second pick to make the D3 World Series. The Majors lost All-American Garner Wetzel, and 2 key pitchers in John Fox and Todd Kindler, but they have a solid core of returnees from the Central Region finalist team. With the admission of Austin College to the SCAC, Millsaps moves to the SCAC-West in a reshuffling of the SCAC. Look for Hunter Abrams (.413, 17 2b, 53 RBI) and Jay Hollenbeck (5-0, 2.08 ERA) to lead the Majors back to the playoffs in 2007.
Emory (31-9, 6-0) won the UAA by virtue of their spring tourney, earned a Pool B bid and were eliminated in two games in the Rocky Mount Regional. The Eagles return nine players who started double-digit games in 2006. Three of four pitchers in the rotation return as does their #1 reliever. A good portion of the senior leadership will come from the Emory pitching staff, which finished the 2006 season fifth in the nation with a 2.58 earned run average. Returning senior pitchers include starters Jason Glushon (9-2, 1.86 ERA) and Ian Ganzer (6-3, 2.22 ERA). Emory is expecting to get into the playoffs again this year.
Bridgewater (32-14-1, 15-3) won the 2006 ODAC regular season championship and parlayed that South Region record into a Pool C bid. BC basically returns everyone except catcher Grant French. Keep your eye on the 2006 ODAC player of the year, Ricky Read (10-1, 2.68 ERA, .337, 49 RBI), as the Eagles try to win the conference title once again. Bridgewater has key games versus NCWC, Emory, Marietta (an in-region game) and York PA.
Virginia Wesleyan (24-22, 12-6) was the ODAC tourney champion and earned the Pool A bid. Virginia Wesleyan, a 3rd place finisher at the 2006 South Region Playoffs, is picked to win the ODAC this year. The Marlins return the heart of the lineup, only losing one starting OF, one starter and one reliever. Key to the Marlins' offense success will be Ricky Allred (.375, 43 RBI, 14 2B). VWC already has three consecutive wins over top 30 teams with key games versus NCWC, Emory (2) and York, PA remaining.
Salisbury University (37-10, 8-2) was the 2006 Capital Athletic Conference Tourney winners over York. The Seagulls are expected to make their 8th straight NCAA playoffs in 2007. Coach Doug Fleetwood lost RHP Nick Dunk but has at least five other pitchers on the staff with experience, and returns many of his experienced position players. Watch for Colin Kraus (.376, 40 RBI, 43 BB) to lead the Sea Gulls' offense "We should have another very good team," said Fleetwood. "We have been to the regionals seven years in a row and hope to continue."
Other teams to watch: York (25-16-1), LaGrange (24-16), Methodist (26-17).
Permalink | Feb 23, 2007