Staff reports
The 2013 Winthrop baseball team has been picked to finish fourth in the South Division of the Big South Conference as divisional play is being instituted in baseball for the first time.
Defending conference champion Coastal Carolina and Liberty are the favorites to win the two divisions. Winthrop received 36 points in the voting of the league's head coaches. Coastal Carolina is the unanimous pick to win the South Division. The Chanticleers received 12 first place votes and 72 total points.
Gardner-Webb placed second with 48 points, ahead of Charleston Southern who picked up 42 points. In fourth was Winthrop.
Liberty received seven first place votes and 67 points to take the top spot in the North Division. The Flames were followed by Campbell who notched one top bid and 55 points. High Point received 53 points rounded out the top three in the North Division.
In addition to the preseason poll, the coaches also voted Campbell’s Michael Felton and Jeff Kemp of Radford the Conference’s Preseason Co-Players of the Year. Aaron Burke of Coastal Carolina was named the Big South Preseason Pitcher of the Year.
Winthrop opens its 2013 season on Feb. 15 against Maryland-Eastern Shore in the first game of a three-game series. The 2013 Big South baseball championship is slated for Tuesday, May 21-15, at the Liberty Baseball stadium in Lynchburg, Va.
