CLEVELAND, Ohio – Central Michigan was selected to win the Mid-American Conference regular season title, while Kent State was tabbed to take home the tournament crown in the 2020 MAC Baseball Coaches Preseason Poll.
The Chippewas are the defending MAC regular season and tournament champions. They finished 47-14 in 2019 including 22-5 in the MAC and made their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1995. The 47 wins tied the program record for single-season victories set in 1981. CMU features three Preseason All-Americans in catcher Griffin Lockwood-Powell, shortstop Zavier Warren and pitcher Cameron Brown, and the Chippewas are ranked 38th in Collegiate Baseball magazine’s Fabulous 40 preseason poll. Ball State (39th) is the only other MAC team in the poll.
CMU earned three first-place votes and 109 points to edge Kent State, which finished second in the poll with two first-place votes and 106 points.
Ball State, with three first-place votes and 105 points, finished third. Miami (2) and Northern Illinois (1) also received first-place votes and finished fourth and fifth, respectively, in the poll. Ohio was sixth followed by Western Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Toledo, Bowling Green and Akron.
The MAC baseball season begins on Friday, February 14, while conference play starts up Friday, March 20th The season will culminate with the MAC Baseball Tournament, which takes place May 20-24 at Crushers Stadium in Avon, Ohio.
2020 MAC Baseball Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Central Michigan — 109 points (3 first place votes)
2. Kent State — 106 points (2)
3. Ball State — 105 points (3)
4. Miami – 93 points (2)
5. Northern Illinois – 68 points (1)
6. Ohio – 67 points
7. Western Michigan – 57 points
8. Eastern Michigan – 38 points
9. Toledo – 33 points
10. Bowling Green – 30 points
11. Akron – 20 points
Tournament Champion: Kent State (6), Miami (2), Ball State (1), Central Michigan (1), Northern Illinois (1)
