MCLA Picked 8th in MASCAC Preseason Baseball Poll

Buzzards Bay, Mass.— The Bears of Bridgewater State University are the pre-season pick to win the 2011 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference Baseball championship in a vote of the league's coaches.

MCLA was picked 8^th in the recently released MASCAC Preseason poll. Bridgewater State claimed a pair of first place votes to amass 56 points in taking the top spot in the poll, as the Bears outdistanced defending conference tournament champion Worcester State's total of 52 points that included three first place votes. Defending league regular season champion Westfield State is next in third place with 50 points that includes a first place vote, while Framingham State, which collected the other two first place votes, follows in fourth place with 48 points. Fitchburg State and Salem State are next in fifth and sixth place, respectively, with 25 and 24 points, while Massachusetts Maritime finished seventh.

The Trailblazers will return their top five hitters from 2010. Seniors Joe Parillo, Paul Procopio and Osiris Mendez all hit above. 320 last season. MCLA also returns senior right-handed pitcher Sean Hermance; Hermance won three starts for MCLA last season.

 MCLA opens the season a week from today in Winter Haven, FL versus SUNYIT. The first game of the doubleheader starts at 4:00 PM.

2011 MASCAC Baseball Pre-Season Coaches Poll

(First Place Votes In Parentheses)

1. Bridgewater State (2) 56 points

2. Worcester State (3) 52 points

3. Westfield State (1) 50 points

4. Framingham State (2) 48 points

5. Fitchburg State 25 points

6. Salem State 24 points

7. Massachusetts Maritime 17 points

8. MCLA 16 points