Yellowjacket Baseball Picked at Bottom of Heartland (1/30/06)

BILLINGS, MT – University of the Incarnate Word, the defending Heartland Conference baseball champion, has been picked to repeat as league champion in a poll of the conference’s head baseball coaches and sports information directors.  Ranked No. 35 in the nation by Collegiate Baseball Magazine, the Cardinals received eight of 12 possible first place votes to edge St. Edward’s for the top spot by eight points.

Montana State-Billings was picked to finish sixth in the six-team conference.  The Yellowjackets will be playing their first-ever season of NCAA baseball.  It will also be the Jackets’ first baseball season since the program was dropped in 1975 when the school was Eastern Montana College and belonged to the NAIA.  The Yellowjackets open their regular season on February 18 against Colorado Christian in Denver.  Their first home game will be March 18 when they host Northwest Nazarene.

Incarnate Word was 35-19 overall last year and 28-10 in the Heartland Conference but did not qualify for the NCAA Tournament.  Beginning this season the Heartland Conference regular season champion will receive an automatic berth to the NCAA Tourney.

St. Edward’s was picked just behind Incarnate Word despite the fact that the Hilltoppers are ranked No. 28 in the nation by CBM.  St. Mary’s University, the 2001 NCAA Division II National Champions, was picked third.

Matt Seale, a senior third baseman at Incarnate Word, was named the Heartland Conference preseason Player of the Year.  He batted .423 last year and was an NCBWA All-American.  Casey Plant of St. Edward’s was selected as the preseason Pitcher of the Year.

Heartland Conference Preseason Poll (Points)
1. Incarnate Word (68)
2. St. Edward’s (60)
3. St. Mary’s (49)
4. Lincoln (30)
5. Panhandle State (23)
6. Montana State-Billings (22)