Baseball Picked to Finish Eighth in the South Atlantic Conference

Posted: Jan 25, 2012

ROCK HILL, S.C. - Defending regular-season champion Catawba has been tabbed as the favorite to win the South Atlantic Conference title, while the Anderson University baseball team was picked to finish eighth in the conference this season by the league's coaches.

Head Coach Joe Miller will need to replace Second-Team All-Conference selection Ryan Saxon at second base, but the remainder of the Trojan infield remains intact. Buoyed by the return of seven starters and eight of the nine top hitters from last year's squad, the Trojans are looking to make an impact in the league this season.

Junior first baseman/pitcher Erick Sanderson returns for his third season following a 2011 campaign that saw the big right-hander lead the Trojans in home runs (11), triples (3) and slugging percentage (.552), while ranking second in RBI (35) and third in batting average (.293). He also led the Trojans from the mound, garnering five wins last season.

Senior shortstop Thomas Padro earned Preseason First-Team All-SAC honors after starting every game for AU last season. The native of Hialeah, Fla., collected 56 hits a year ago and was fourth on the squad with a .292 batting average and fifth in runs scored (27) and RBI (15).

After earning All-America Gold Glove honors following last season, senior Blake May will return at third base. May, from Largo, Fla., led the league with a .967 fielding percentage during the 2011 campaign. He committed just five errors while helping turn four double plays and starting all 50 games for the Trojans. May was also named to the 2011 South Atlantic Conference Gold Glove Team. On the offensive side, he was fifth on the squad with a .274 batting average.

Starting catcher Brett Scarberry is behind the dish after seeing action in 30 contests last season. He batted .261 with 24 hits, including six doubles in 2011, while throwing out five opposing base runners.

Senior center fielder Jonathan Romano started 41 games for AU last season, committing just four errors in 42 appearances for a .963 fielding average. He led the Trojans with three triples and eight stolen bases, while recording seven multi-hit efforts. Ryan Kirkland, a senior from Loganville, Ga., earned 49 starts last season while playing right field. He was second for the Trojans with 12 doubles and 17 walks, while recording nine multi-hit games. Kirkland was a perfect seven-for-seven in stolen bases and recorded 30 runs scored.

Catawba, the defending regular-season league champion, was picked as the favorite to win the title again in 2012. The Indians went 41-15 a season ago and earned a selection to the NCAA Division II Baseball Championship.

Catawba will be led by four preseason All-SAC players - all of which are on the First Team. Pitchers Nick Lomascolo and JJ Jankowski, who were both All-Conference selections last season, will combine to form one of the league's top rotations.

They will be joined by preseason All-SAC First Team selections Chris Dula - the 2011 SAC Freshman of the Year -- at third base and Garret Furr at designated hitter. Both players earned first team All-Conference honors last season as well.

Wingate was second in the 2012 preseason coaches' poll after winning the 2011 Food Lion SAC Tournament title. The Bulldogs led the SAC with six preseason All-Conference selections, including three on the First Team.

Two-time SAC Player of the Year and 2011 Tino Martinez Award finalist Dodson McPherson returns to the Wingate outfield, where he will look to build upon a standout season in which he finished top-three in nearly every offensive category in the league.

Wingate first baseman Brian Yeung and second baseman Michael Bueker were also selected to the preseason All-SAC First Team. Yeung earned 2011 first team All-Conference accolades as well after leading the league in doubles and finishing second in hits, home runs and RBI.

No. 3 in the preseason poll was Tusculum, which placed five student-athletes on the preseason All-SAC Team. Preseason first team All-Conference selections Nate Reid at catcher, Alexi Colon in the outfield and Craig Goodman at starting pitcher will lead the Pioneers.

Tusculum finished tied for third in the 2011 SAC standings with Lincoln Memorial, which was picked fourth in the 2012 preseason coaches' poll. The Railsplitters had four players selected to the preseason All-Conference Second Team.

Newberry is No. 5 in the preseason poll, followed by No. 6 Carson-Newman, No. 7 Mars Hill, No. 8 Anderson and No. 9 Lenoir-Rhyne.

Newberry relief pitcher Tyler Sturkie, Mars Hill shortshop Michael Bueker and L-R outfielder Stephan Arcieri were each selected to the preseason All-SAC First Team.

Brevard rounds out the poll at No. 10. The Tornados had two players named to the preseason All-Conference Second Team.

Anderson opens the season Saturday, Feb. 4, by playing host to UNC Pembroke in a doubleheader slated for a 1 p.m. first-pitch.

The 2012 Food Lion SAC Baseball Championship will take place April 19-22 in Forest City, N.C.

SAC 2012 Baseball Preseason Coaches Poll

Team Points (1st-Place)
1. Catawba 96 (8)
2. Wingate 91 (2)
3. Tusculum 79
4. Lincoln Memorial 59
5. Newberry 55
6. Carson-Newman 54
7. Mars Hill 41
8. Anderson 31
9. Lenoir-Rhyne 29
10. Brevard 15

Preseason All-SAC First Team
C - Nate Reid, Tusculum
P - Nick Lomascolo, Catawba
P - JJ Jankowski, Catawba
P - Craig Goodman, Tusculum
RP - Tyler Sturkie, Newberry
1B - Brian Yeung, Wingate
2B - Chris Vazquez, Wingate
SS - Michael Bueker, Mars Hill
3B - Chris Dula, Catawba
OF - Dodson McPherson, Wingate
OF - Stephan Arcieri, Lenoir-Rhyne
OF - Alexi Colon, Tusculum
DH - Garret Furr, Catawba

Preseason All-SAC Second Team
C - Mason Guymon, Carson-Newman
P - Austin Johnson, Lincoln Memorial
P - Justin Somers, Wingate
P - Dylan Hochevar, Tusculum
RP - Josh Karr, Wingate
1B - Randy O'Dell, Brevard
2B - Andy Vogel, Newberry
SS* - Joseph Horsely, Lincoln Memorial
SS* - Thomas Padro, Anderson
3B - Matt Henricksen, Tusculum
OF - Cody Baker, Lincoln Memorial
OF - Casey Allison, Wingate
OF^ - Kramer Clark, Brevard
OF^ - Lucas Mohon, Carson-Newman
DH - Gelson Perez, Lincoln Memorial