RICHARDSON, Texas (Jan. 22, 2020) – Despite a strong 2019 baseball season during which Oklahoma Christian came oh-so-close to qualifying for the NCAA Division II tournament, the Eagles finished only eighth in the Lone Star Conference 2020 preseason poll, released Wednesday.
OC went 28-20 last season, spending nearly the entire season in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association regional rankings, then remaining in the Division II South Central Region rankings (which determine who qualifies for the Division II tournament) until the last week of the season.
The Eagles will move this season from the Heartland Conference, which ceased operations, into the LSC. All 50 regular-season games are scheduled to be against Lone Star opponents, starting with a three-game series at Texas A&M-Kingsville from Jan. 31 to Feb. 2.
Key players back for the Eagles this season include All-South Central Region pitcher
Gabe Rodery; the 2019 Heartland freshman of the year, outfielder
Blake Empkey; and All-Heartland second-team second baseman
Kevin Collyar.
"What an exciting time for OC baseball, being in a new conference," OC coach
Lonny Cobble said. "We are looking forward to getting this season started. We hope to build off last year's experiences and are looking forward to visiting some new places."
Angelo State (Texas) topped the LSC preseason poll with 27 of a possible 35 first-place votes from league coaches, sports information directors and media members and 479 points. The Rams, who advanced to the South Central Region's Super Regional last season, will visit OC for a three-game series on the season's second weekend, Feb. 7-9.
West Texas A&M finished second, receiving seven first-place votes and 454 points. The Buffaloes were last season's LSC tournament champions. Last year's Heartland regular-season champion, Lubbock Christian (Texas), was third in the LSC poll with 396 points, while Texas A&M-Kingsville was fourth with one first-place vote and 371 points.
St. Edward's (Texas) was fifth with 327 points, followed by Arkansas-Fort Smith with 318, St. Mary's (Texas) with 286, OC with 216, Cameron with 199 and Tarleton State (Texas) in 10th with 171. Texas-Permian Basin (160 points), Texas-Tyler (154), Texas A&M International (80) and Eastern New Mexico (64) rounded out the poll.
Angelo State outfielder Josh Elvir, last season's NCBWA Division II national player of the year, was tabbed as the LSC preseason player of the year, while West Texas A&M's Zach Dixon was named the LSC preseason pitcher of the year.
