RICHMOND, Va. (February 1, 2018) – Perennial power UNCW, which has won at least 30 games in 18 of the past 19 seasons, is favored to win the CAA baseball championship in 2018 according to a vote of the league’s head baseball coaches.
The Seahawks received six first-place votes and finished atop the poll with 62 points. Defending CAA champion Delaware got three first-place votes and was picked second with 51 points, while College of Charleston was third with 47 points. Northeastern, which claimed the CAA regular-season title in 2017, was the fourth-place choice with 43 points, followed by Elon and William & Mary in a tie for fifth with 37 points. Rounding out the poll were James Madison (23 points), Hofstra (13 points) and Towson (11 points).
UNCW has to replace seven starters from last year’s 30-29 squad that advanced to the CAA championship game for the third year in a row, but returns several key members of its pitching staff. Junior Alex Royalty (9-2, 3.20 ERA, 106 K’s) earned CAA Pitcher of the Year honors in 2017 and was named a preseason third-team All-American by Collegiate Baseball. He’ll be joined in the rotation by sophomore Zarion Sharpe (6-1, 4.74 ERA) and junior Logan Beehler (3-7, 5.22 ERA). Junior closer Clark Cota (2-1, 4 svs., 3.08 ERA), a third-team All-CAA pick, anchors the bullpen. The lone returnees to the UNCW lineup are junior catcher Ryan Jeffers (.328, 10 HR, 32 RBI), who made the All-CAA first team last season, and senior infielder Mason Berne (.263, 5 HR, 27 RBI).
Delaware captured its first CAA championship last season and welcomes back five starters from that 34-23 team. Four of those returnees earned all-conference accolades – first baseman Nick Patten (.312, 14 HR, 54 RBI), third baseman Diaz Nardo (.259, 38 RBI’s) and outfielders Kevin Mohollen (.307, 31 RBI’s) and Calvin Scott (.332, 41 RBI’s). Leading the Blue Hens’ pitching staff will be starters Nick Spadafino (7-3, 4.46 ERA) and Brandon Walter (4-5, 3.42) along with reliever Colman Vila.
College of Charleston begins its first season under head coach Chad Holbrook, and he takes over a team that returns eight starters from last year’s 28-31 squad. Leading that group is junior designated hitter Logan McRae, who received first-team preseason All-America honors from Collegiate Baseball after batting .310 with 17 homers and 63 RBI’s a year ago. Also back are third baseman Tommy Richter (.363, 26 RBI’s) and shortstop Luke Manzo (.300, 18 RBI’s). Evan Sisk (5-2, 3.72 ERA) and Carter Love (3-4, 3.39 ERA) will anchor the pitching staff.
Northeastern went 29-25 overall and claimed its first CAA regular-season title with a 16-7 mark a year ago. Infielders Scott Holzwasser (.260, 30 RBI’s) and Max Burt (.299, 29 RBI’s) and outfielder Charlie McConnell (.273, 41 R) lead a group of five returning starters, while Brian Christian (7-3, 3.59 ERA) is the Huskies’ top returning pitcher.
Charleston’s McRae was selected as the preseason Player of the Year and headlined the preseason All-CAA squad.
2018 CAA BASEBALL PRESEASON PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
CAA Preseason Player of the Year: Logan McRae, College of Charleston
Honorable Mention: Hayden Platt, C, Elon; Hunter Smith, C, William & Mary; Mikey Riesner, 2B, Hofstra; Richie Palacios, SS, Towson; Max Burt, SS, Northeastern; Diaz Nardo, 3B, Delaware; Kevin Mohollen, OF, Delaware; Charlie McConnell, OF, Northeastern; Ryan Hall, OF, William & Mary; Fox Semones, UT, James Madison; Brian Christian, SP, Northeastern; Evan Sisk, SP, Col. of Charleston; Clark Cota, RP, UNCW
