The LaGrange baseball team was picked seventh in the 2013 USA South Athletic Conference coaches poll released Wednesday.
The Panthers are starting their first season as a member of the USA South. They were 16-27 last season and the Great South Athletic Conference Tournament runner-up, under coach Kevin Howard, who is starting his 14th season.
The Panthers open the 2013 season Feb. 5 at Berry. They host Methodist on Feb. 8 to start the USA South portion of their schedule.
Christopher Newport University was picked to win the USA South 2013 baseball title in the preseason poll. The Captains ranked sixth in a national preseason poll, are the defending USA South regular Season and tournament champions.
In addition to the Panthers, the 2013 season marks the first in the USA South for new conference members Maryville College and Piedmont College. Each institution is a former member of the Great South Athletic Conference.
The Captains received eight of nine first-place votes (64 points) as head coaches do not vote for their own teams in the balloting.
Ferrum College and Piedmont shared the second spot in the poll as each tallied 46 points with Piedmont capturing the final first-place vote. Methodist University placed fourth in the poll with 42 points while Averett University received 40 points to finish fifth. Greensboro College, the Panthers, N.C. Wesleyan College and Maryville, respectfully, rounded out the voting.
The 2013 campaign gets underway on Saturday, February 2 as four teams are in action. The USA South Tournament will be played April 11th - 14 in the cities of Wilson, North Carolina and Zebulon, North Carolina as a part of the USA South Spring Sports Festival.
| 2013 USA South Baseball Coaches Preseason Poll | ||
| Rank | Institution (1st Place Votes) | Pts. |
| 1. | Christopher Newport (8) | 64 |
| t-2. | Ferrum | 46 |
| t-2. | Piedmont (1) | 46 |
| 4. | Methodist | 42 |
| 5. | Averett | 40 |
| 6. | Greensboro | 38 |
| t-7. | LaGrange | 19 |
| t-7. | N.C. Wesleyan | 19 |
| 9. | Maryville | 10 |
