The USA South Athletic Conference's baseball coaches have released their 2022 preseason polls for the conference's East and West Divisions. LaGrange was first in the West Division rankings, while N.C. Wesleyan received the top ranking in the East Division.
Each divisional preseason poll only includes votes from coaches within that particular division-only. Head coaches do not vote for their own teams in the balloting. The conference adds Southern Virginia, who is in its first year of membership, to the East Division.
The Panthers have won the USA South championship a record four straight years. LC went 24-10 last season advancing to the High Point Regional of the NCAA Division III national tournament, losing to eventual national champion Salisbury. The Panthers defeated N.C. Wesleyan in the 2021 conference championship series. The two teams play a non-counting conference series March 12-13 in Rocky Mount, N.C.
N.C. Wesleyan is ranked 13th in the preseason Collegiate Baseball Division III Top 40 poll and 16th in the D3baseball.com Top 25 poll. The Panthers are 31st in the Collegiate Baseball poll and receiving votes in the D3Baseball.com poll.
The Panthers return seven players who earned USA South conference honors last season in going for an unprecedented fifth straight title. Junior shortstop Cael Chatham batted .365 and had a .599 slugging percentage. He hit a team-best eight home runs and drove in 37 runs. Senior outfielder McKinley Erves and junior third baseman Joe Ruth batted .355 each. Erves had three home runs and 33 RBIs. Ruth had four home runs; leading the team with 16 doubles and 39 RBIs. Junior second baseman Rhett Hebert had a .339 batting average and 19 RBIs. Senior outfielder Jack Layrisson hit .336 with five home runs and drove in 28 runs. Junior outfield Rhett Mixon had a home run and 14 RBIs, while batting .333. Junior right hander Baley Coleman led the pitching corps with an 8-4 record. He had a 3.31 ERA, while striking out 68 in 81-2/3 innings.
The Panthers open the 2022 season Feb. 11 at Millsaps. LC faces Berry on Feb. 15 to start an 11-game home stand at Cleaveland Field in Williamson Stadium.
The 2022 USA South Baseball Tournament is played on campus sites with the top-four seeded teams from each division advancing to postseason play.
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