NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Saint Louis has been tabbed the preseason favorite to win the 2019 Atlantic 10 Conference Baseball race, according to the preseason poll conducted by the league’s 13 head coaches and released on Tuesday.
The defending champion Billikens return All-Conference First Team outfielder Jake Garella and are led by 2018 A-10 Coach of the Year Darin Hendrickson. Last year, SLU won 38 games overall, went 19-4 in league play and advanced to the NCAA Regionals. Saint Louis received nine of 13 possible first place votes in the polling.
VCU was picked second in the poll and garnered two first place votes. The Rams welcome back outfielder Hogan Brown, an All-Conference and All-Rookie selection in 2018. Additionally, relief pitcher Mac McCarty, who was VCU’s closer last season, named to Collegiate Baseball’s Preseason All-America Second Team.
Davidson, the 2017 A-10 Champion and NCAA Tournament darling, was picked to finish third, earning on first place vote. All-Conference catcher Eric Jones and All-Rookie outfielder Alex Mardiney are back for the Wildcats.
Fordham received the final first-place vote and is fourth in the poll. The Rams return All-Conference and All-Rookie second baseman Jake MacKenzie and All-Rookie selections Joseph Quintal, a pitcher and infielder C.J. Vasquez.
The runner-up from the 2018 A-10 Championship, George Mason, was picked to finish fifth in the poll, followed by Richmond in sixth. Rhode Island is seventh, George Washington eighth and Dayton was picked to finish ninth.
Saint Joseph’s and St. Bonaventure were picked 10th and 11th respectively and La Salle and Massachusetts rounded out the poll.
The 2019 Atlantic 10 Baseball Championship will be hosted by Fordham at Houlihan Park, May 22-25 in Bronx, N.Y.
2019 Baseball Predicted Order of Finish
(Number of first place votes in parenthesis)
- Saint Louis (9)
- VCU (2)
- Davidson (1)
- Fordham (1)
- George Mason
- Richmond
- Rhode Island
- George Washington
- Dayton
- Saint Joseph’s
- St. Bonaventure
- La Salle
- Massachusetts
