Men's Baseball Picked Fifth In MASCAC Pre-Season Poll

(BUZZARDS BAY, MASSS.) - The Fitchburg State baseball team was picked fifth overall in the MASCAC Pre-Season Coaches Poll as announced by the league office this afternoon.

The Bears of Bridgewater State University are the pre-season pick to win the 2011 MASCAC in a vote of the league’s coaches, claiming a pair of first place votes to amass 56 points in taking the top spot in the poll. The Bears outdistanced defending conference tournament champion Worcester State’s total of 52 points that included three first place votes, while defending league regular season champion Westfield State is next in third place with 50 points.

Framingham State, which collected the other two first place votes, follows in fourth place with 48 points, while Fitchburg State and Salem State are next in fifth and sixth place, respectively, with 25 and 24 points. Massachusetts Maritime and MCLA round out this year’s coaches poll in seventh and eighth place, respectively, with 17 and 16 points.

Celebrating 40 years of Student-Athlete Excellence during the 2010-11 academic year, the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference is comprised of eight NCAA Division III member institutions: Bridgewater State University, Fitchburg State University, Framingham State University, MCLA, Massachusetts Maritime Academy, Salem State University, Westfield State University and Worcester State University. Two other NCAA Division III member schools, the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and Plymouth State University, are affiliate members of the conference in the sport of men’s ice hockey.

2011 MASCAC Baseball Pre-Season Coaches Poll

(First Place Votes In Parentheses)

1. Bridgewater State (2) 56 points

2. Worcester State (3) 52 points

3. Westfield State (1) 50 points

4. Framingham State (2) 48 points

5. Fitchburg State 25 points

6. Salem State 24 points

7. Massachusetts Maritime 17 points

8. MCLA 16 points