First Place Votes Divided Amongst Top Six Teams

SALEM, Va. --- Lynchburg College garnered top billing in the first ODAC preseason poll of the spring as the league's coaches tabbed the Hornets atop the annual baseball survey.  Lynchburg received 90 total poll points and four first place votes.  Virginia Wesleyan College and Randolph-Macon College sit tight in second and third with 81 and 80 points, respectively.  The Yellow Jackets earned three top nods.

As can be seen from looking at the poll results, determining the predicted order of teams at the top of the standings proved difficult as first place votes were spread all the way to the sixth place squad.  Outside of Lynchburg and Randolph-Macon receiving multiple No. 1 votes, the fourth, fifth and sixth-ranked teams each received one first place tally.

Lynchburg (25-14 overall, 14-4 ODAC in 2009) looks to end a 19-year drought since its last ODAC championship in 1990.  The Hornets have won seven league titles, second most in the conference (12 - Bridgewater).  Although LC will have to replace the production of Co-ODAC Pitcher of the Year, Joe Devlin, the Hornets do welcome back each of their All-ODAC Second Team members to the 2010 roster.  Lefty Conner Thompson leads what should be a solid pitching staff.  Thompson finished third in the conference with a 2.62 earned run average, posting a 7-2 record in 58.1 innings on the hill.  He fanned 40 batters while walking just nine.  The Hornets' batting order gets a boost with three top-22 hitters back in play.  Infielder Tyler Watkins finished fourth in the ODAC with a .410 batting average to go with a .469 on-base percentage.  Outfielder Jeff Taylor hit at a .370-clip with 27 stolen bases, good for second in the league.  Cameron Grant batted .362 with 18 steals.  He also had a .468 on-base percentage aided by 16 walks and being hit by an ODAC-high 15 pitched balls.

Virginia Wesleyan (26-14, 12-6) goes in search of its seventh ODAC crown and first since 2006.  The Marlins will be without the services of their three 2009 first team choices due to graduation, but All-ODAC Second Team first baseman, Mike Marion, should be back in the fold.  Marion batted .327 with 12 homers and 49 runs batted in, the latter two numbers both ranking second in the conference.  Right-handers Jesse Baker and Gary Bulman should be back to lead the pitching corps.  Baker recorded a 5-1 record with a 4.35 ERA.  Bulman, a former ODAC Co-Rookie and Co-Pitcher of the Year, will be looking for a return to his 2008-form (8-0, 2.12) following a 2009 season in which he went 4-3 with a 5.74 ERA.

Randolph-Macon (18-19, 12-6) has ODAC trophy No.4 in its sights with the Yellow Jackets' last title coming in 2008.  Infielder Greg Mitro returns following an All-ODAC Second Team selection in 2009.  He batted .302 with five homers and 24 RBI.  The Jackets' feature the other half of the 2008 Co-Rookie and Co-Pitcher of the Year awards in righty Byron Mendenhall.  He went 1-2 in nine starts in 2009, posting a 4.30 ERA in 46.0 innings of work.  R-MC will not only be looking for more out of him (7-1, 2.33 in 2008) this season, but also the continued solid relief provided by Haile Lytton (3-1, 3.64 in 29.1 innings; ODAC second-best 21 appearances).

Listed below is the complete 2010 ODAC Baseball Preseason Poll.  For more information on ODAC baseball, visit any of the participating schools' websites or go to the ODAC's home on the Internet at www.odaconline.com.