Baseball Receives Votes in Collegiate Baseball Preseason Poll
The Blue Devils are the reigning NEC champions.
The Central Connecticut baseball team was among the teams also receiving votes in the Collegiate Baseball Pre-Season Fab 40 poll released on Tuesday. The Blue Devils are coming off a 2017 season in which they went 36-22 and won the Northeast Conference championship to advance to the NCAA Tournament.
CCSU won its fifth conference title and earned a trip to the NCAA Tournament for the 5th time in 2017. Head coach Charlie Hickey, the 2017 NEC Coach of the Year, returns an experienced roster for 2018, including a trio of First Team All-NEC choices. Senior Mitch Guilmette led the Blue Devils with a .331 average and earned all-conference honors as a designated hitter. Senior Dean Lockery hit .330 and tied the single-season program record with 22 doubles and was named to the all-conference team at second base. Junior Jared Gallagher was the first team relief pitcher after posting a 2.35 earned run average with eight saves.
Along with Central Connecticut, five other New England schools earned votes in the preseason poll.
The Blue Devils are slated to open the season on February 23 against North Dakota St. in Port Charlotte, FL. The complete 2018 CCSU baseball schedule is here.