Saints Picked 3rd in PBC Preseason Coaches Poll

AUGUSTA, GA – The Peach Belt Conference released the 2010 preseason baseball coaches poll on Tuesday afternoon from the league office and North Georgia was picked to finished third in the race for the PBC Championship.

USC Aiken was tabbed as the league’s favorite, receiving eight of the possible 11 first-place votes to finish at 114, while Francis Marion was second, North Georgia third, followed by GCSU Columbus State, and UNC Pembroke.

The Saints were awarded one first place vote, one second place, seven third place votes, and a pair of six place votes for 96 total points. North Georgia was picked to finished second in last year’s poll, and were selected third just two years ago.

North Georgia’s 50-game slate opens February 5th, hosting Pfeiffer University for a three-game weekend series, while the regular season will wrap up in St. Augustine, Florida, taking on Flagler College for a trio of games.

North Georgia opens Peach Belt Conference action on February 27, hosting UNC Pembroke for a three-game slate, before traveling to Milledgeville, Ga., the following weekend for a trio of games against in-state rival GCSU.

Head coach Tom Cantrell enters his 11th season at the helm of the Saints in 2010, posting an overall record of 407-219 during is tenure at North Georgia.

The 2010 PBC baseball season features several changes from previous years. Two new schools, Montevallo and Flagler, will join the league, giving the PBC 12 teams for the first time.

With 12 teams, the PBC will split into east and west divisions with Armstrong Atlantic State, Flagler, Francis Marion, Lander, UNC Pembroke and USC Aiken in the east and Augusta State, Columbus State, GSW, GCSU, Montevallo and North Georgia in the west. The league also welcomed head coach Chris Cooper at Augusta State and Kermit Smith at Lander.

The 2010 coaches poll is below, coaches were not permitted to rank their own team.