Bowling Green State University Athletics
And the Votes Are In
February 09, 2007 | Baseball
Feb. 9, 2007
BOWLING GREEEN, Ohio - The Bowling Green State University baseball team was picked to finish fourth in the Mid-American Conference East Division in the 2007 preseason coaches' poll, announced the conference office this week.
BGSU returns 22 letterwinners from last year's squad that finished the season at 26-27. Senior Tri-captains Eric Lawson, Tyler Johnson and Josh Dietz look to lead the Brown and Orange to a MAC championship in '07. Lawson has received some preseason hype for the conference player of the year award while Tyler Johnson has proven his skills by leading the MAC in ERA his sophomore season. Dietz batted .325 last season before suffering an injury that forced him to sit the last portion of the year. The Falcons will also welcome 12 newcomers, all freshman, to this year's squad.
Bowling Green will begin the year with a weekend series at Middle Tennessee State beginning on Feb. 23rd.
EAST DIVISION
1. Miami
2. Kent State
3. Ohio
4. Bowling Green
5. Akron
6. Buffalo
WEST DIVISION
1. Central Michigan
2. Ball State
3. Eastern Michigan
4. Western Michigan
5. Northern Illinois
6. Toledo
TOURNAMENT CHAMPS: Central Michigan
COMPLETE MAC RELEASE
Cleveland, Ohio - Defending Mid-American Conference West Division champion Central Michigan and East Division regular season runner-up Miami have been chosen by the league's head coaches to win their respective divisions, released today by the league office. It is the seventh time in the last nine seasons that Miami has been picked to win the East Division. The Chippewas were also selected by six of the leagues coaches to take home the 2007 MAC Tournament title.
CMU was followed by 2006 MAC Tournament Champions Ball State in the West, while Eastern Michigan, Western Michigan, Northern Illinois and Toledo followed.
Kent State was picked to finish second in the East Division this season after winning the MAC regular season title last season. In the remaining places on the East Division were Ohio, Bowling Green, Akron and Buffalo.
Central Michigan returns 17 letterwinners, including five position starters and 10 pitchers from its 2006 squad. The team finished with a 17-9 record against conference opponents and a 35-23 overall mark.
Among the returning Chippewas are OF Bryan Mitzel and first baseman Ben Humphrey, who were both members of the All-MAC first team a year ago. Starting pitcher Josh Collmenter will also return after joining his teammates on the All-MAC team with a second team honor. Humphrey hit .338 last season with 13 home runs and 72 RBI's, while Mitzel had a .305 batting average, 15 HR's and 57 runs batted in last year. Collmenter finished last season with an 8-5 record and tallied a 3.41 ERA with 94 strikeouts.
The RedHawks and head coach Dan Simonds will welcome back 10 letterwinners, including seven position players and three pitchers. Miami posted a 33-25 mark overall and a 17-10 record in conference play last season. 2006 All-MAC first team selection John Ely will return for the RedHawks after posting an 8-2 record last season. The right-hander recorded a 3.57 ERA and 80 strikeouts in 75.2 innings pitched. Senior outfielder Brandon Hillier will also return for Miami after hitting .313 last season with one HR and 37 RBI's.
The MAC baseball season begins Friday, Feb. 9 with Eastern Michigan heading to Tennessee for a weekend series against the Volunteers. Conference play will begin on Friday, March 23 and the season will culminate with the conference tournament, which takes place at the No. 1 seed May 24-27.
