UTSA & Lamar Unanimous Choices In Preseason Baseball Polls
FRISCO, Texas ? After claiming their first regular-season title in school history in 2007 the UTSA Roadrunners received a league-best 18 out of a possible 24 first place votes in the coaches and sports information directors polls.
UTSA leads the Southland Conference returning five automatic selections to the 2008 Preseason Teams, including 2007 award winners Trent Lockwood - Newcomer of the Year, and Tim Palincsar - Freshman of the Year.
A Hitter of the Year candidate and a two-time player of the week in 2007, Lockwood led UTSA in eight offensive categories, including batting average (.378), hits (87), RBI (57) and home runs (14). Those same numbers placed Lockwood in the top six in seven league offensive categories, inclunding finishing second to 2007 Player of the Year Steven Hill of Stephen F. Austin with a .687 slugging percentage.
Palincsar, a .304 hitter, led UTSA in runs scored (6th in SLC) and stolen bases, swiping a perfect 13-for-13 and committed only one error in 50 starts in 2007. Rounding out the UTSA automatic selections are 2007 Second-team All-SLC members James Keithley, Zach Etheredge and Michael Rockett.
The Lamar Cardinals came in a close second to rival UTSA, receiving 16 first place votes. Representing Lamar on the 2008 Preseason First-team is Pitcher of the Year candidate and 2007 First-team All-SLC selection Brian Sisk. A 3.75 ERA in 2007, Sisk tied for first in the SLC with 11 wins in addition to 74 strikeouts in 100.2 innings pitched.
Posting their best record since joining the SLC in 1998 (34-21/16-14), the Southeastern Louisiana Lions received eight first place votes for a preseason second place ranking in both polls. A .356 hitter in 2007, Ty Summerlin received a majority of the votes from the coaches and SIDs, naming him to the preseason first-team as the only SLU preseason honoree.
2007 SLC Tournament champion Sam Houston State received three first place votes for second in both polls in the SLC West Division. Posting their best record since joining the SLC in 1988 (40-24/18-12) the Bearkats advanced to the Oxford Regional Finals in the NCAA Tournament.
2007 Hitter of the Year candidate and First-team All-SLC selection Bobby Verbick of Sam Houston State led the SLC in RBI (80) and doubles (23) and finished in the top 10 in nine offensive categories. 2007 Second-team All-SLC member Keith Stein 103 hits set the SLC record for most hits in a season. In 17 starts in 2007, Jacob Howard earned Second-Team All-SLC merits, leading the Bearkats with a 2.70 ERA, 110 innings pitched (4th in SLC), 78 strikeouts and 11 wins (T1st in SLC).
The final team to receive first place votes are the Texas State Bobcats (3), placing them third in the SLC West Division. As a team, Texas State finished 2007 in the top six of 12 offensive categories. A Second-Team All-SLC selection in 2007, Thomas Field led the Bobcats in runs scored (61) and finished third on the team in hits (64) and RBI (37).
Rounding out the 2008 preseason first-team recipients is pitcher Erich Lehmann of Stephen F. Austin. In 17 starts Lehmann led SFA with a 9-2 record (T3rd in SLC), 109.9 innings pitched (T5th in SLC), 82 strikeouts and 17 walks.
The coaches and sports information director’s polls are identical down to the fifth and sixth rankings in the SLC West Division. Northwestern State led the SLC with the most points received without garnering first place attention (89).
Returning players who were named All-SLC following the 2007 season were automatically placed on the 2008 Preseason teams. Open positions were filled by a vote of the league’s head coaches. The 2008 Southland season gets underway February 22.
(See attachment at top of page for Preseason Teams & Polls)