Bellarmine Picked to Win 2020 GLVC Baseball Championship
INDIANAPOLIS – Bellarmine University has been selected to win the 2020 Great Lakes Valley Conference Baseball Championship, the Conference office announced Tuesday.
This year’s preseason poll ranks teams 1-16, and the Knights are one of four teams to garner first-place votes from the league coaches.
Bellarmine garnered 212 total points and 11 of the 16 first-place votes, followed by Quincy University in second with 202 points and three first-place votes. The University of Southern Indiana is slotted third in the poll with 186 points and one first-place vote, followed by Drury University (180) and the University of Illinois Springfield (169) in fourth and fifth, respectively.
Maryville University (159), University of Indianapolis (144), Lindenwood University (143), Missouri S&T (117) and Lewis University (106), are slotted sixth through 10th, while newcomer Lindenwood picked up the final first-place vote.
William Jewell College (71) and Southwest Baptist University (70) are a close 11th and 12th, and McKendree University (49), University of Missouri-St. Louis (47), Rockhurst University (33) and Truman State University (32) round out the poll.
Bellarmine was one of six GLVC teams to earn recognition in Collegiate Baseball Newspaper’s preseason poll. The Knights lead the league’s contingent at No. 14, followed by No. 31 Southern Indiana, No. 38 Quincy and No. 40 Illinois Springfield. Drury and Maryville are receiving votes outside the top 40 poll.
Bellarmine is coming off a 34-21 campaign that marked its third straight season of at least 34 wins. Under the direction of Bellarmine skipper Larry Owens, the Knights captured the program’s fourth GLVC Championship and earned a third consecutive berth in the NCAA DII Tournament. Senior catcher Chris Gambert and junior outfielder Matt Higgins are returning All-Americans, while senior infielder/pitcher Deylen Miley joined them as an All-GLVC selection last season. Junior right-hander Brandon Pfaadt has been ranked among the top collegiate prospects in the country. In addition to their CBN national ranking, the Knights have been tabbed 14th nationally by Perfect Game, and NCAA.com bestowed a No. 11 acknowledgment.
Quincy is coming off a 32-19 season, in which it tied Maryville and Missouri S&T for the GLVC regular-season title at 22-11, and advanced to the NCAA DII Midwest Regional as the No. 6 seed.
USI completed the 2019 campaign with a 30-21 overall record and was 21-12 in GLVC play.
The first pitch of the 2020 GLVC baseball season is scheduled for Friday, Jan. 31, as Lindenwood opens with a four-game set against Florida Tech in Melbourne, Florida. Southwest Baptist will also be in action during the opening week, playing at Christian Brothers in Memphis, Tennessee on Saturday and Sunday.
On Friday, Feb. 7, Bellarmine, Maryville and Truman State will open their campaigns, while Drury and Rockhurst start the season over the weekend.
Illinois Springfield, Indianapolis, McKendree, Missouri S&T, Missouri-St. Louis, Quincy, Southern Indiana open their respective seasons the following week. William Jewell starts the season Feb. 18 and Lewis opens Feb. 22.
The Conference will host the 2020 GLVC Championship Tournament on May 7-10 at U.S. Baseball Park in Ozark, Missouri.
The complete 2020 GLVC Baseball Coaches Preseason Poll follows:
2020 GLVC Baseball Preseason Poll
Place School Points (First Place Votes)
1 Bellarmine 212 (11)
2 Quincy 202 (3)
3 Southern Indiana 186 (1)
4 Drury 180
5 Illinois Springfield 169
6 Maryville 159
7 Indianapolis 144
8 Lindenwood 143 (1)
9 Missouri S&T 117
10 Lewis 106
11 William Jewell 71
12 Southwest Baptist 70
13 McKendree 49
14 Missouri-St. Louis 47
15 Rockhurst 33
16 Truman State 32