RICHARDSON, Texas –– The University of Texas at Tyler and Texas Lutheran University have been predicted to win 2010 American Southwest Conference baseball division titles, it was announced by the ASC office on Wednesday (Jan. 27) after a vote of each division’s head coaches, sports information directors and media members. A total of 30 players – 14 from the East Division and 16 from the West Division – were named to the inaugural players to watch lists by nominations from head coaches.

Texas-Tyler, which went 39-12 overall and claimed its first ASC championship last season, totaled 132 points and eight of the possible 21 first-place votes in the annual poll to be the favorite in the East Division. Head coach James Vilade’s Patriots, who led the league in ERA (4.10) and fielding percentage (.966) in 2009, barely edged Mississippi College for the top spot. The Choctaws received 131 points and more first place votes (10). UT Tyler and MC shared the East crown last year with identical 14-4 league marks and took on each other in the ASC Championship Tournament title game where the Patriots rallied for seven runs in the top of the ninth inning to eventually claim a dramatic 8-5 win.

The University of Texas at Dallas (113 pts.) was predicted to finish in third place and picked up the remaining three first-place votes. The University of the Ozarks (70 pts.) came in the fourth spot to round out what would be the East Division’s four teams to qualify for the ASC tournament.

Louisiana College (65 pts.) was picked to finish in fifth place in the East, followed by East Texas Baptist University (46 pts.) and LeTourneau University (31 pts.).

Texas Lutheran, which went 30-14 overall and 16-5 in ASC play last season to win its seventh West Division title in nine years, totaled 174 points and 13 of the 24 first-place votes available to be the favorite for a repeat. Head coach Greg Burnett’s Bulldogs, who won three straight conference titles from 2005-2007, hit .323 as a team last year and scored a division-high 376 runs.

Four-time league champion McMurry University claimed the second place spot, totaling 156 points and four first-place votes. Hardin-Simmons University was picked to finish third with 143 points and three top-spot votes, just ahead of the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (142 pts., four first-place votes). TLU, McM, HSU and UMHB would be the four teams from the West to qualify for the conference tourney.

Concordia University Texas totaled 97 points to be the fifth-place selection in the West, followed by Howard Payne University (68 pts.), Schreiner University (55 pts.) and Sul Ross State University (29 pts.).

Landing on the “14 To Watch in the East Division” list is senior outfielder Kyle Pope and junior right-hander Chad Cox of East Texas Baptist, senior outfielder Charles Johnson and senior right-hander Tyler Kaminski of LeTourneau, senior outfielder Andrew Shelton and junior right-hander Greg Uzee of Louisiana College, senior outfielder Bo Bell and senior right-hander Tyler Seaman of Mississippi College, senior shortstop Cory Briggs and junior right-hander Bobby Osburn of Ozarks, senior catcher Adam Hudec and senior right-hander Mason Thompson of Texas-Dallas, and senior catcher Nathan Skeen and junior right-hander Logan Chitwood of Texas-Tyler.

Making up the “16 To Watch in the West Division” list is junior third baseman Justin Beasley and junior right-hander Scott Hays of Concordia Texas, senior catcher/designated hitter Regan Dixon and senior right-hander Tim Kriegel of Hardin-Simmons, junior outfielder Taylor Zambreski and freshman right-hander Jonathan Morris of Howard Payne, junior outfielder Jake Mullin and senior right-hander Dakota Smith of McMurry, senior outfielder Joseph Villegas and junior right-hander Jared Hopper of Mary Hardin-Baylor, sophomore second baseman Marcus Myhover and senior left-hander Colton Hermes of Schreiner, senior shortstop Javier Arrieta and senior right-hander Nathan Molina of Sul Ross State, and senior outfielder Ryan Nokelby and sophomore right-hander Brad Orosey of Texas Lutheran.

Arrieta (.461, 17 HRs), Bell (.425, 73 RBIs), Dixon (.444, 10 doubles), Orosey (10-1, 3.72 ERA) and Villegas (.465, five triples) have all been named preseason all-Americans by D3baseball.com.

The 2010 ASC season – the 14th in league history – begins as early as February 2. The eight-team conference tournament’s first round, which is played in a best-of-three series format at sites of the top two seeds from each division, is set for April 30-May 1. The four victorious teams will advance to the double-elimination championship round, set for May 7-9 at the home field of the top remaining seed from the West Division. The ASC champion receives an automatic berth into the NCAA Division III Baseball Championship.
 

2010 ASC PRESEASON BASEBALL POLL
[Voted on by ASC Head Coaches, Sports Information Directors and Media Members]

2010 ASC PRESEASON WATCH LISTS
[One position player and pitcher nominated by each ASC head coach]

14 To Watch in the East Division

Position Players

Pitchers

16 To Watch in the West Division

Position Players

Pitchers