INDIANAPOLIS - The GMAC has released the 2020 Baseball Preseason Coaches Poll, and Tiffin baseball has been selected to finish second in the West Division.
The Dragons received 45 points and three first-place votes to garner the second spot in the West. Kentucky Wesleyan is atop the division with 56 points and seven first-place votes, with Trevecca Nazarene right behind Tiffin in third with 44 points and two first-place votes. Hillsdale (37), Findlay (21), and Cedarville (13) round out the West Division portion of the poll.
"It is nice to have some coaches think we are worthy of first-place votes," said head coach Joe Wilkins. "We still have some respect to earn as a program...and we can do this over the course of the season. Our guys are definitely hungry and I like where we are at right now. We just need to keep sharpening the blade. I can't wait to see what we can do."
The East Division is hotly contested at the top, with three teams receiving four first-place votes. Ohio Dominican earned the edge in the poll with 54 points, followed by Malone with 50 points and Walsh with 47 points. Lake Erie (29), Alderson Broaddus (25), and Ohio Valley (11) complete the East.
A year ago, the Dragons were the Cinderella story of Division II baseball after rallying from a 2-17 start to make the GMAC Championships as the seven-seed, going 4-0 to win the tournament and earn their first-ever NCAA Championships berth, and coming just one win away from reaching the DII Midwest Super Region final.
Against the other teams in the West Division last year, Tiffin went 3-3 against Kentucky Wesleyan (including two GMAC tourney victories), 1-0 against Trevecca, 3-1 against Hillsdale, 2-2 against Findlay, and 2-2 against Cedarville.
GMAC First Team outfielder/pitcher Cody Orr returns for his junior season after a breakout campaign as a sophomore. At the plate he hit .349 with eight doubles, five triples, two home runs, 29 RBI, and 55 runs scored, while on the mound he went 6-1 with three complete games, 69 strikeouts, and a 5.09 ERA. Other big returners on offense will be infielder Zach Campbell, who led the team with a .380 batting average and finished second in both doubles (20) and RBI (39), catcher Nich Green (.298 BA, 7 2B, 16 RBI, 31 BB), and infielder Kyle Vance (.232 BA, 8 2B, 3 HR, 31 RBI).
On the mound, Tiffin also returns closer Michael Ross (4.68 ERA, 49 K, 3 saves), reliever Aaron George (4.88 ERA), and starters Jake Monnin (5.25 ERA, 40 K) and Tyler Wehrle (team-leading seven wins, 5.40 ERA, 45 K). TU also gets back Michael Boswell after the 2017 GLIAC Freshman Pitcher of the Year missed the 2019 season due to injury.
The Dragons are set to open the 2020 season with four games in Fayetteville, N.C. from Feb. 21-23, starting with facing Goldey-Beacom on the 21st. Conference play begins at home on March 14 & 15 against Walsh.