GAC Releases Baseball Preseason Coaches Poll
RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – The Great American Conference released its coaches' poll on Wednesday afternoon and the East Central University baseball team tied for 11
th place. Southern Arkansas University was tabbed as the conference favorite with 120 votes and 10 first-place votes.
ECU baseball is entering a new era and will look to improve off of last year as Sunny Golloway comes into his first season as the Tiger's head coach.
"We're excited to get started in February," Golloway said. "We enter this spring campaign understanding how hard we have to work. Our emphasis to the team is about their effort, attitude, and caring for one another, not results. I couldn't be more pleased with the effort of the coaching staff consisting of Brian Greisman, Levi Garrett, and
Eric Towsley. They've been outstanding in whatever I have asked them to do which is important at this level."
The Tigers will look for contribution from several key players in 2023.
Starting shortstop
Mason Glowacki returns after a strong performance in the 2022 season. Glowacki started all 47 games and led the Tigers with a .335 batting average, 61 hits, and 13 stolen bases.
Behind the plate is the tandem of
Gage Boatman and
Duncan Key. Boatman is returning for his third year as a Tiger and has become a leader for the pitching staff while Key, a 6A All-State catcher from Deer Creek high school, is expected to have an impact as well.
On the pitching front,
Bryan Terry is the leading returner having pitched 65 innings and recording a staff-high 52 strikeouts last season. Newcomers
Carson Thomas, a University of Oklahoma transfer, and
Price Daube, a Seminole State College transfer, look to add talent to the pitching staff and will be in the starting mix for the Tigers this season.
"I can't promise anybody that we'll win the national championship, the conference championship, and have a winning season," Golloway said. "But, what I will promise you is that our effort, our attitude, and our team will represent one chasing all three of those goals because that is what we can control."
The East Central University baseball team season opener comes on the road Wednesday, Feb. 1 at the University of Central Oklahoma.
| # |
Team |
Points (1st Place Votes) |
| 1 |
Southern Arkansas |
120 (10) |
| 2 |
Henderson State |
107 (1) |
| 3 |
Oklahoma Baptist |
98 (1) |
| 4 |
Southeastern Okla. |
86 |
| 5 |
Ouachita Baptist |
77 |
| 6 |
Harding |
69 |
| 7 |
Arkansas-Monticello |
68 |
| 8 |
Arkansas Tech |
62 |
| 9 |
Northwestern Okla. |
38 |
| 10 |
Southwestern Okla. |
35 |
| T11 |
East Central |
16 |
| T11 |
Southern Nazarene |
16 |
