FROM CBD NEWS SOURCE
CENTER VALLEY, Pa. – The Patriot League released the preseason baseball poll on Wednesday with both Navy and Bucknell tied at the top. Both teams were picked first with 39 points, while Navy received more first-place votes (five) than Bucknell (four). Army was picked just behind Navy and Bucknell with 38 points and one first-place vote, while Holy Cross took the fourth spot with 29 points and two first-place votes. Lafayette and Lehigh, respectively, rounded out the preseason poll, which is voted on by the Patriot League’s head coaches and sports information contacts.
Navy returns 19 letterwinners and three All-Patriot League honorees from last year’s squad that earned an automatic berth to the NCAA Championship after winning both the conference regular season and tournament titles.
The top-four teams in the regular season will earn a bid to the Patriot League Tournament, which will begin May 12-13 with a best-of-three semifinal series being played at the top-two seeds. The two winners will then play at the site of the higher seed in a best-of-three championship series on May 19-20 with the winner earning an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament.
Navy opens the season this weekend with a three-game set at North Carolina A&T, while the Patriot League slate will begin March 31 with Army at Navy, Lafayette at Lehigh and Holy Cross at Bucknell.
2012 Patriot League Preseason Poll
T-1. Navy 39 (5)
T-1. Bucknell 39 (4)
3. Army 38 (1)
4. Holy Cross 29 (2)
5. Lafayette 17
6. Lehigh 16
