ROCK HILL — The South Atlantic Conference released the preseason baseball poll Monday morning. The conference baseball coaches picked Newberry College to finish second behind Catawba College. Newberry also led all schools with six players named Preseason All-Conference.
The Wolves finished the COVID-19 shortened 2020 season 18-6. The Wolves played a challenging non-conference schedule, going 5-1 against nationally-ranked Nova Southeastern and Alabama Huntsville. After losing two out of three games to Wingate in their conference opening season, Newberry ran off six straight conference wins, including a series sweep of a Lincoln Memorial team that had made three-straight NCAA tournament appearances.
The Wolves return all seven position players who played in 20 or more games last year and each hit over .290. As a team, Newberry led the SAC and Division II with 71 stolen bases. The Wolves’ defense paced the conference with a .974 fielding percentage and turning 19 double plays. On the mound, Newberry returns a staff that made 41 appearances and 16 starts last season. The 2020 staff led the SAC in hits allowed per nine innings (7.62), third in ERA (3.65) and WHIP (1.30), and fourth in strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.24).
Pitchers Tomas Sorcia Jr. and Josh Bookbinder were each selected to the First-Team All-Conference. Last season, Sorcia finished with a 3-1 record in six starts while striking out 44 batters in 32.2 innings pitched. Bookbinder was 1-0 in five starts with a 2.16 ERA, and 16 strikeouts in 25 innings pitched.
Collin Allman was named Second-Team shortstop. He finished the 2020 season second on the team with a .345 average, tied for the lead in doubles (8) and home runs (2). Allman also led the team in slugging percentage at .529.
Nick Butler and Zane Tarrance were named to the Second-Team outfield. Butler hit .319 last year with four doubles, one triple, and a home run. He also led the conference and Division II with 16 stolen bases. Tarrance hit .309 with 10 RBI’s and seven stolen bases.
Finally, Dalton Lansdowne was named the Second-Team second baseman. He finished the season hitting .299 with two doubles, one home run, and 14 stolen bases. Lansdowne also led the conference and finished third in Division II in sacrifice bunts with seven.
Newberry opens up the season on February 12, with a three-game series at No. 5 North Greenville. The Wolves home opener will be February 27, as they host Wingate in a four-game SAC series.
Leave a Reply