FREELAND, Mich. – In a preseason poll of eight Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) baseball coaches, Adrian was slated to finish first overall in tallying all possible first-place votes.

Adrian recorded 49 points with its seven first-place votes.  Hope received the remaining first-place vote to place second with 43 points.  Kalamazoo (34 points) edged Alma (31 points) for the No. 3 spot, followed by Calvin in fifth with 27 points.  Albion was tabbed-for-sixth with 20 points, while Trine (12 points) and Olivet (8 points) rounded out the poll in seventh and eighth, respectively.

Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own teams.

Adrian (37-10 overall, 21-2 MIAA in 2021) was crowned not only the regular-season champion and the MIAA Tournament winner in the 2021 season, but also earned the NCAA Regional Championship title before competing in the NCAA DIII College World Series.  The Bulldog roster will be headlined by two-time First Team All-MIAA shortstop Thomas Miller.  Miller led the league with a total of 113 assists and 54 runs last season.  Junior pitcher Gage Ricker and senior infielder Kevin Cardentey also return for Adrian after earning Second Team All-MIAA status in 2021.  Cardentey was selected to the All-Mideast Region Second Team by D3baseball.com following the 2021 campaign.

Hope concluded the 2021 season with an overall record of 25-15, including a mark of 14-8 in league contests.  The Flying Dutchmen's roster will feature 2021 First Team All-MIAA players Spencer Cable and Evan Maday.   Cable, a senior outfielder, concluded 2021 as a top-five MIAA player in runs (49), walks (28), runs batted in (37), triples (4), home runs (5) and on-base percentage (.480).  Maday, also a senior outfielder, became a three-time All-MIAA honoree last season.  Maday finished the 2021 season as the league leader with a perfect fielding percentage, 34 stolen bases, 33 walks, and eight home runs.  Senior outfielder Kainan Bayn also returns for Hope after receiving Second Team All-MIAA honors last year.

Kalamazoo's (25-15 overall, 12-12 MIAA) roster will feature a senior trio of 2021 First Team All-MIAA players, including Spencer Baldwin, Blake Bean, and Doug Propson.  Baldwin will return at first base after 222 put outs last year.  The Hornet closed out the 2021 campaign leading the MIAA in both batting average (.422) and on-base percentage (.516).  Bean, a Hornet outfielder, finished the 2021 season as the conference leader with a .688 slugging percentage.  He also landed top five in home runs (7), on-base percentage (.493), runs (42), and batting average (.385).  Propson plays both infield and on the mound for Kalamazoo.  He finished second in the league in both triples (5) and saves (4), while also recording five home runs, 83 total bases, 18 stolen bases, and a .619 slugging percentage.

MIAA competition is slated to begin on Friday, April 1, with Hope hosting Alma and Calvin hosting Adrian.

The 2022 MIAA Baseball Tournament will be held May 11 - May 14.  The winner will receive an automatic berth to the NCAA Division III Baseball Championship.