Courtesy of RITAtheltics.com
ROCHESTER, NY – The defending Liberty League champion RIT baseball team is the unanimous preseason favorite, as the league announced its 2018 preseason poll, as voted on by the coaches on Feb. 16.
The Tigers received eight first place votes and 64 total points, while Union earned the other first place vote and 57 total points. Clarkson, who RIT defeated in the Liberty League Championship, was picked to finish sixth.
RIT enjoyed its best season in program history in 2017, winning its first Liberty League title, while advancing to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history. The Tigers went 33-9 overall and set a conference record by going 22-1 in Liberty League play. RIT enters the season riding a 19-game winning streak in Liberty League play and a 22-game winning streak overall against league opponents.
The Tigers return 22 players from last season’s squad, including Brian Reed (Rochester, NY/Penfield), the 2017 Liberty League Pitcher of the Year and All-Liberty League first team selections, Brett Bouchard(Fairport, NY/Fairport), Daniel Zeglen (Scotia, NY/Scotia-Glenville) and Navada Waterman and second team picks Stevie Branche, and Jameson Moran (Geneseo, NY/Geneseo).
RIT opens the season on March 3-4 on the road against Arcadia University and Swarthmore College.
Place. Team, Points
1. RIT, 64 (8)
2. Union, 57 (1)
3. RPI, 42
4. Rochester, 39
4. Vassar, 39
6. Clarkson, 37
7. St. Lawrence, 20
8. Skidmore, 16
9. Bard, 10
(First-place votes are in parentheses)
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