FREELAND, Mich. – In a preseason poll of eight Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association baseball coaches, Adrian was predicted to finish first overall as the Bulldogs garnered all seven possible first-place votes.

Adrian, the 2019 MIAA regular season and tournament champions, totalled seven points from their seven first-place votes. Hope received the remaining first-place vote and ranked second with 13 points. Kalamazoo (23 points) edged both Albion and Alma for third; Albion and Alma tied for fourth with 26 points. Calvin (38 points) finished ahead of Trine (41 points) for sixth, and Olivet (47 points) rounded out the poll.

Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own teams.

Adrian (37-9, 24-4 in MIAA in 2019) represented the MIAA in the NCAA Championship in 2019, thanks to a deep and youthful squad that went 2-2 in the regional round. The Bulldogs return 2019 MIAA Pitcher of the Year Maxwell Denny and MIAA Position Player of the Year Gunner Rainey.

Hope (31-11, 19-9 MIAA) features three returning First-Team All-MIAA selections from 2019. Two-time first-teammer Evan Maday (junior, outfield) along with Mason Opple (senior, outfield) and Trace Slancik (senior, catcher) are back for the Flying Dutchmen this season.

Kalamazoo (15-22, 13-15 MIAA) returns sophomore pitcher Jack Brockhaus, who was a Second-Team All-MIAA selection as a freshman last spring.

The 2020 baseball season gets underway Saturday, Feb. 8 with Alma facing Louisiana College. MIAA is slated to start Friday, March 27, with Olivet hosting Hope and Kalamazoo entertaining Calvin.

The 2020 MIAA Baseball Tournament will be contested Wednesday-Friday, May 6-8, at the MIAA regular season champion. The winner will receive an automatic berth to the NCAA Division III Baseball Championship.

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