Post by FU73 on Jan 31, 2017 11:46:30 GMT -5
The defending MAAC Baseball Champions, Fairfield University, was voted by the leagues 11 head coaches to repeat as MAAC Baseball Champions in 2017. The Stags received seven out of 11 first-place votes, totaling 116 points.
Fairfield won its first MAAC Baseball Championship in program history after going 17-7 in MAAC play and 32-26 overall. During the 2016 MAAC Baseball Championship, Fairfield defeated Manhattan, Canisius and Siena to become champions. The Stags represented the conference at the 2016 NCAA Baseball Tournament and faced #7 Texas Tech and #17 Dallas Baptist. Fairfield led the MAAC in team batting average (.279) and hits (540).
Individually, Co-Captain Mac Crispino earned a spot on the Preseason All-MAAC team in the utility spot while Troy Scocca was also honored in one of the four outfield spots.
“I think it’s a proper tribute to winning the tournament last year,” Head Coach Bill Currier said of the team’s top spot. “Since I’ve been here, we have been the underdog. It certainly is a different role but we’ve been telling our team all along, ‘you have to put up your talent in every game and every practice. You have to show up every day.’”
The 2017 Stags will experience their first step in trying to repeat their MAAC title when they open up the season against Lamar in Beaumont, Texas on Friday, February 24 at 6pm. The first home game on the renovated Alumni Diamond will be Tuesday, March 21 against BIG EAST St. John's at 3:00 pm.
MAAC Preseason Coaches' Poll
1.Fairfield (7)116
2.Canisius (1)99
3.Monmouth (2)97
4.Manhattan (1)90
5.Marist 76
6.Siena 69
7.Quinnipiac 51
8.Rider 43
9.Niagara 40
10.Iona 27
11.Saint Peter’s 18
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