The Howard Payne baseball team was pre-season picked to finish seventh in the American Southwest Conference West Division, it was announced by the ASC office today after a vote of each division’s head coaches, sports information directors and selected media members. A total of 30 players from around the ASC – 16 from the West Division and 14 from the East Division – were named to the players to watch lists by nominations from head coaches.
With 53 points in the 2011 pre-season poll, Howard Payne was picked to finish seventh in the ASC West Division. The HPU Yellow Jackets finished 19-21 overall and 6-15 in ASC West Division play last season. The Jackets return 2nd Team All-West Division utility player Carlton Brown and HM pitcher Robert Anders. Howard Payne opens up the 2011 season at home on February 5th at 1:00 with a double-header against Austin College.
Making up the “16 To Watch in the West Division” list is senior utility infielder Justin Beasley and sophomore right-hander Colin Butschek of Concordia Texas; senior shortstop Brian Weeks and senior left-hander Sam Walker of Hardin-Simmons; senior outfielder Taylor Zambreski and senior right-hander Billy Ray Cruz of Howard Payne; senior outfielder Jake Mullin and junior right-hander Zack Hewitt of McMurry; junior third baseman Josh Frederick and sophomore right-hander Chance Ryan of Mary Hardin-Baylor; sophomore catcher Chase Valdez and senior right-hander J.P. Garcia of Schreiner; sophomore third baseman Brennyn Smith and junior left-hander Royce Selvera of Sul Ross State; and junior catcher Evan Curtis and junior right-hander Brad Orosey of Texas Lutheran.
Landing on the “14 To Watch in the East Division” list is junior outfielder Cory Gummelt and junior right-hander Pete Fitzsimmons of East Texas Baptist; sophomore outfielder Logan Smith and sophomore left-hander Garrett Methvin of LeTourneau; senior outfielder Cody Laprarie and junior right-hander Greg Uzee of Louisiana College; senior outfielder Andy Smith and senior right-hander Daniel Cowart of Mississippi College; sophomore shortstop Mitchell Powers and senior left-hander Travis Conner of Ozarks; senior outfielder Joe Kilgore and junior right-hander Marvin Prestridge of Texas-Dallas; and senior first baseman Justin Juneau and senior right-hander Matt Schimpf of Texas-Tyle
Orosey (10-1, 3.15 ERA, 104 Ks in 97.0 IP) has been named a preseason First Team All-American by D3baseball.com. Mullin (.462, 11 HRs) and Schimpf (5-0, four saves, 1.82 ERA) received honorable mention for All-American status.
The 2011 ASC season – the 15th in league history – begins as early as January 30. The eight-team conference tournament’s first round, which is played in a best-of-three series format at sites of the top two seeds from each division, is set for April 29-30. The four victorious teams will advance to the double-elimination championship round, set for May 6-8 at the home field of the top remaining seed from the East Division. The ASC champion receives an automatic berth into the NCAA Division III Baseball Championship.
2011 ASC PRESEASON BASEBALL POLL
[Voted on by ASC Head Coaches, Sports Information Directors and Media Members]
WEST DIVISION
Team (first-place votes)
Points
2010 Record
1. Texas Lutheran (14) 177 32-13, 15-6 ASC (1st)
2. Hardin-Simmons (4)
152 23-21, 13-8 ASC (T2nd)
3. McMurry (2)
140 21-21, 13-8 ASC (T2nd)
4. Mary Hardin-Baylor (3)
128 22-19, 13-8 ASC (T2nd)
5. Sul Ross State (1)
104 18-17, 10-11 ASC (5th)
6. Concordia Texas
80 15-24, 8-13 ASC (6th)
7. Howard Payne
53 19-21, 6-15 ASC (T7th)
8. Schreiner 30 8-32, 6-15 ASC (T7th)
EAST DIVISION
Team (first-place votes)
Points
2010 Record
1. Mississippi College (17) 142 39-11, 14-3 ASC (2nd)
2. Texas-Tyler (2)
120 36-12, 15-2 ASC (1st)
3. Texas-Dallas (1)
108 23-16, 9-8 ASC (4th)
4. Louisiana College 82 18-23, 10-8 ASC (3rd)
5. Ozarks 51 14-26, 7-10 ASC (5th)
6. East Texas Baptist 49 14-25, 4-14 ASC (6th)
7. LeTourneau (1)
36 11-29, 2-16 ASC (7th)
