The Big South was dominated last year by the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers as they went a perfect 25-0 on their way to the conference regular season title. The Liberty Flames came in second with a 19-8 conference mark. Radford finished in third place with a 15-11 record in the conference only a ½ game ahead of High Point for third place. VMI and Winthrop tied for fifth place with a 13-14 record while Gardner-Webb and UNC-Asheville tied for seventh with a 10-17 mark. Presbyterian College finished in ninth place with a 7-20 record while Charleston Southern rounded out of the conference with a 6-20 record.
Coastal Carolina ended up sweeping through the Big South Conference Tourney with a 4-0 record as they were named hosts of the Myrtle Beach Regional in which they won. The Chanticleers were matched up with South Carolina in the Super Regionals were they lost two tight one run games to end their season.
The biggest question coming into the 2011 season is when will Coastal Carolina lose their next game as they had that perfect record last season. The Liberty Flames are going to be right on their heels this season as Jim Toman has started to turn around the Liberty program and could cause some trouble for Coastal this season.
Charleston Southern (17-38 overall, 6-20 Big South)
Key Returnees
Rs. Sr. 1B Nick Chinners (.385 BA, 7 HR, 43 RBI)
Sr. OF Brantley Meier (.378 BA, 2 HR, 33 RBI, 25-33 SB)
Sr. RHP Tyler Vick (0-1, 5.46 ERA)
Key Losses
Tyler Thornburg (.252 BA, 7 HR, 18 RBI/5-4 4.14 ERA)
Andrew White (1-7, 6.45 ERA)
Coastal Carolina (55-10 overall, 25-0 Big South)
Key Returnees
Jr. 2B Tommy La Stella (.378 BA, 14 HR, 66 RBI)
Jr. RHP Anthony Meo (13-2, 2.61 ERA .230 BAA)
Jr. SS Taylor Motter (.336 BA, 12 HR, 55 RBI)
Key Losses
Rico Noel (.349 BA, 12 HR, 63 RBI, 56-69 SB)
Jose Iglesias (.344 BA, 16 HR, 80 RBI)
Cody Wheeler (12-0, 3.64 ERA)
Gardner Webb (25-30 overall, 10-17 Big South)
Key Returnees
Sr. IF Daniel Merck (.372 BA, 2 HR, 38 RBI)
Jr. OF Jake Watts (.362 BA, 4 HR, 27 RBI)
Jr. RHP Adam Izokovic (5-4, 6 SV, 4.04 ERA)
So RHP Jeff Howell (2-4, 4.33 ERA)
Key Losses
Kurt Fulginiti (.329 BA, 9 HR, 44 RBI)
Ty Boyles (.318 BA, 6 HR 38 RBI)
High Point (31-29 overall, 15-12 Big South)
Key Returnees
Sr. IF Murray White IV (.353 BA, 6 HR, 40 RBI)
Sr. OF/1B Steve Antolik (.319 BA, 6 HR, 57 RBI)
So. RHP Jaime Schultz (5-0, 4.84 ERA)
So. RHP Jared Avidon (3-1, 7.71 ERA)
Key Losses
Nate Roberts (.416 BA, 19 HR, 69 RBI, 36-39 SB)
Matt Gantner (.379 BA, 8 HR, 71 RBI)
Liberty (42-19 overall, 19-8 Big South)
Key Returnees
Jr. IF Matt Williams (.360 BA, 4 HR, 30 RBI, 10-14 SB)
Jr. 3b Tyler Bream (.357 BA, 9 HR, 57 RBI)
Sr. LHP Steven Evans (9-2, 3.01 ERA)
Sr. RHP Dane Beakler (4-2, 3.84 ERA)
Key Losses
P.J. Jimenez (.377 BA, 3 HR, 41 RBI)
Curran Redal (.353 BA, 3 HR, 42 RBI)
Shawn Teufel (10-4, 2.44 ERA, 4 CG, .232 BAA)
Presbyterian College (15-39 overall, 7-20 Big South)
Key Returnees
Sr. IF/OF Mack Hite (.312 BA, 19 RBI)
Sr. C Nate Horton (.311 BA, 5 HR, 36 RBI)
Jr. C Tony Micklon (.307 BA, 8 HR, 39 RBI)
Jr. RHP Andrew Foushee (2-4, 4.93 ERA)
Key Losses
Matt Hill (.314 BA, HR, 16 RBI)
Chris Powell (5-5, 5.76 ERA)
Radford (29-26 overall, 15-11 Big South)
Key Returnees
Jr. DH/OF Matt Hillsinger (.348 BA, 2 HR, 36 RBI
Jr. IF Brett Mollenhauer (.330 BA, 34 RBI)
So. RHP Eddie Butler (6-4, 5.36 ERA)
Key Losses
Raphael Turner (.363 BA, 10 HR, 51 RBI)
Reggie Keen (.353 BA, 6 HR, 49 RBI)
Aerik Taylor (6-1, 5.13 ERA)
UNC-Asheville (17-35 overall, 10-17 Big South)
Key Returnees
IF/RHP Robert McIntosh (.333, HR, 25 RBI/1-1, 7.50 ERA)
Jr. RHP Ryan Dull (6-4, 4.40 ERA. .290 BAA)
Sr. RHP Taylor Wohlwend (1-3, 5.32 ERA)
Key Losses
Justin Schumer (.384 BA, 9 HR, 37 RBI/2-6, 4.50 ERA)
Dan Weller (0-1, 6.97 ERA)
Virginia Military Institute (33-22 overall, 13-14 Big South)
Key Returnees
Sr. C Alex Haitsuka .348-7-29
Sr. IF/P Sam Roberts .336-9-52
Sr. OF Graham Sullivan .357-10-55
Jr. RHP Michael Devine (4-1, 7 sv. 3.26)
Rs. Jr. LHP Jason Farley (4-5, 4.12)
Key Losses
1B Jordan Ballard .313-18-58
3B Tanner Biagini .288-4-21
2B Cory Spangenberg .370-11-4
Winthrop (27-30 overall, 13-14 Big South)
Key Returnees
Sr. C Eddie Rohan (.312 Avg., 15 HR, 43 RBI, 131 TB)
Sr. 2B Tyler Cook (.361 Avg., 1 HR, 37 RBI, 16 2B)
Sr. SS Adam Gliebe (.343 Avg., 3 HR, 42 RBI, 70 hits, 95 TB)
RHP Tyler Mizenko Jr. 4-3, 3.86 ERA, 6 SV, 23 app., 49.0 IP
RHP Matteo D’Angelo Sr. 8-5, 4.01 ERA, 1 CG, 94.1 IP, 15 starts
Key Losses
RP Greg Hough 1-0, 5.60 ERA, 33 App., 2 SV
CF Tyler McBride .287 Avg., 1 HR, 23 RBI, 83 TB
1B Matt Thielepape .307 Avg., 10 HR, 38 RBI, 116 TB
Predictions
1. Coastal Carolina
2. Liberty
3. VMI
4. Radford
5. High Point
6. UNC-Asheville
7. Winthrop
8. Gardner-Webb
9. Charleston Southern
10. Presbyterian College
Projected Player of the Year: Tommy LaStella (Coastal Carolina)
Projected Pitcher of the Year: Anthony Meo (Coastal Carolina)
Series to Watch: Liberty at Coastal Carolina (April 1st-3rd)
