The Wingate Bulldogs have been picked as the 2023 South Atlantic Conference baseball preseason favorite, the league office announced Tuesday. 

The Bulldogs received 12 first-place votes from the conference’s head baseball coaches and 144 total points.

Lenoir-Rhyne was voted in at No. 2 with 125 total points, while Newberry earned the No. 3 spot with 123 points and one first-place vote.

Catawba placed fourth in the poll with 118 points, followed by Carson-Newman (93) and Lincoln Memorial (89).

Anderson earned the No. 7 slot with 68 points, while Mars Hill was eighth (66) and Tusculum placed ninth (62). Coker came in at No. 10 with 53 points, followed by Limestone at No. 11 with 37 points.

Rounding out the poll is UVA Wise at No. 12 with 22 points and Emory & Henry at No. 13 with 14 points.

In addition to the preseason coaches poll, the SAC announced its 2023 Preseason All-Conference teams. 

Lenoir-Rhyne’s Andrew Patrick and Joshua Lanham, along with Wingate’s Austin Mitchell, were named first-team starting pitchers. 

Just the second All-American in @Baseball_LR history and the first since 2007‼️@JoshuaLanham2 has earned NCBWA and D2CCA Third Team All-American honors!#GOBEARS pic.twitter.com/aZ3U9wrc0m

— #GOBEARS (@LRbears) June 2, 2022

Wingate’s Sam Brodersen was named the first-team reliever, and Wingate’s Brett Adams was named to the first team as the designated hitter.

Anderson backstop Carlos Hernandez earned first-team honors at catcher, and Newberry’s Henry Gibson was named first-team first baseman. 

Seaver King of Wingate was named to the first team at second base, with Mars Hill’s Zach Weaver earning first-team honors at third base. Newberry’s Braylin Marine was named the first-team shortstop.

Rounding out the first-team selections were Wingate’s Andrew Motsinger, Lenoir-Rhyne’s Wade Cuda and Tusculum’s Zane Keener in the outfield.

The first pitch for the 2023 season will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 1. 

For a full schedule of games visit thesac.com.

2023 SAC Baseball Preseason Poll

All-SAC First Team

OF – Wade Cuda, Lenoir-Rhyne
OF – Andrew Motsinger, Wingate
OF – Zane Keener, Tusculum
1B – Henry Gibson, Newberry
2B – Seaver King, Wingate
SS – Braylin Marine, Newberry
3B – Zach Weaver, Mars Hill
C – Carlos Hernandez, Anderson
DH – Brett Adams, Wingate
SP – Austin Mitchell, Wingate
SP – Joshua Lanham, Lenoir-Rhyne
SP – Andrew Patrick, Lenoir-Rhyne
RP – Sam Brodersen, Wingate

All-SAC Second Team

OF – David Bell, Lenoir-Rhyne
OF – Jacob Lebron, Newberry
OF – Ricky Clark, Wingate
1B – Mitch Farris, Wingate
2B – Cole Laskowski, Lenoir-Rhyne
SS – Michael Dansky, Wingate
3B – Isaiah Williams-Rhem, Wingate
C – Harrison Travis, Carson-Newman
DH – Carson Boles, Lincoln Memorial
SP – Josh Dotson, Wingate
SP – Ethan Lebron, Newberry
SP – Patrick Queener, Lincoln Memorial
RP – Robbie Cowie, Catawba

All-SAC Third Team

OF – DJ Dickson, UVA Wise
OF – Justin Fox, Anderson
OF – Wes Reynolds, Tusculum
1B – Ryan Kurth, Lincoln Memorial
2B – Jomar Lugo, Newberry
SS – Cameron Bowen, Lincoln Memorial
3B – Jonathan Velez, Newberry
C – Bryce Stober, Lenoir-Rhyne
SP – Tyler Chinpire, Newberry
SP – Joseph Cottone, Anderson
SP - Joe LaFiora, Newberry
RP – Corey Avant, Wingate