Coker Baseball Earns Top 10 Spot in Conference Carolinas Preseason Poll

HIGH POINT, N.C. – The Coker College baseball team has earned a spot in the top 10 according to the 2012 Conference Carolinas Preseason Baseball Coaches Poll released Thursday. The Cobras were picked ninth as voted on by the conference head coaches. 

Limestone College took the top spot in the poll, followed by Mount Olive College in the second slot and Belmont Abbey in third.

Head Coach Dave Schmotzer enters his 20^th season leading the Cobras with a young squad of players. Leading the way is Second Team All-Conference selection Tyler Witzel. The junior pitcher/outfielder was 6-4 on the mound with a 2.79 ERA in 84 innings. He threw three complete games with 63 strikeouts and just 39 walks. At the plate, Witzel hit .279 with three home runs and 16 RBIs.

The Cobras welcome several newcomers to the team this season looking to make an immediate impact on the field including shortstop Keith Wolf, catcher Frank Suarez and right-handed pitcher Gabe Llanes. 

Wolf, a transfer from Southwestern Illinois College, batted .352 with 13 doubles, a home run and 41 RBIs last season. 

A transfer from Lawson State, Suarez batted .318 last season with eight doubles and 15 RBIs.

Llanes is a true freshman out of Miami, Fla., where he was standout player at Miami Killian Senior High School. During his senior season he posted a record of 2-1 with a 2.28 ERA and 18 strikeouts. 

The Cobras open their 2012 season on Thursday, Feb. 2 at home against St. Augustine's College. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. 

Conference Carolinas Pre-Season Coaches Poll (First place votes in parenthesis)