Bethune-Cookman Picked To Repeat

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va.–The defending Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) tournament champion Bethune-Cookman Wildcats were predicted to win the 2010 MEAC Baseball Championship title, as voted on unanimously by the conference’s head baseball coaches and sports information directors.

North Carolina A&T State University sophomore Xavier Macklin and Bethune-Cookman senior C.J. Lauriello were named Co-Preseason Players of the Year, while B-CU sophomore Ali Simpson earned Preseason Pitcher of the Year accolades.

The Wildcats finished the 2009 season with a 16-2 mark in MEAC play and 34-28 overall record. B-CU looks to reload this year adding 10 newcomers to the roster, while providing veteran leadership from Lauriello and Simpson.

Macklin, a 2009 All-MEAC First Team selection led the conference with 48 RBI and recorded 10 home runs, five triples and 20 doubles. The sophomore was fifth in the MEAC with a .371 batting average and posted a .663 slugging percentage in 50 games.

Lauriello was also an All-MEAC First Team selection last season. He was third in the conference with a .398 batting average in 49 games. The outfielder tallied four home runs, two triples, 19 doubles and 36 RBI. In 181 appearances at the plate, he recorded 72 hits, stole 12 bases and walked 18 times.

Simpson led the league with a 3.23 ERA. The sophomore recorded nine victories in 16 appearances. In 75.1 innings pitched, he struck out 79 batters and allowed 32 walks. Simpson tallied a 1.09 ERA against MEAC opponents while posting a 5-0 MEAC record and striking out 39 batters in 33 innings of play.

Bethune-Cookman’s Esterlin Paulino (P), Maryland Eastern Shore’s Bryan Chiakowsky (DH), North Carolina A&T’s Nick Boles (P), and Norfolk State’s John Lynch (OF) earned honorable mention accolades.

The 2010 MEAC Baseball Championship tournament is scheduled for May 20-23, at the Jackie Robinson Stadium in Daytona Beach, Florida.

2010 MEAC Preseason Coaches’ Poll

Team ………………………………………… Points
1. Bethune-Cookman (14) ……………. 196
2. Norfolk State …………………………… 112
3. North Carolina A&T ………………….. 110
T4. Delaware State ……………………… 100
T4. Florida A&M ………………………….. 100
6. Maryland Eastern Shore …………… 52
7. Coppin State …………………………… 30

2010 MEAC Preseason FIRST TEAM

P Ali Simpson Bethune-Cookman So. 6-2 170 Campbell River, British Columbia
P Jason Barker Norfolk State Sr. 6-0 195 Chesapeake, Virginia
RP Brandon Pennick Delaware State Sr. 5-11 200 Phoenix, Arizona
C Peter O’Brien Bethune-Cookman So. 6-3 215 Miami Gardens, Florida
1B Abe Eubank Delaware State Sr. 6-3 215 Medford, Oregon
2B Jared Jeffries Florida A&M Sr. 5-9 165 Decatur, Georgia
3B Derrick Shaw Florida A&M So. 6-0 185 Orlando, Florida
SS Alejandro Sanchez Bethune-Cookman So. 5-11 175 Pembroke Pines, Florida
OF C.J. Lauriello Bethune-Cookman Sr. 5-9 180 Miami, Florida
OF Xavier Macklin North Carolina A&T So. 5-11 195 Rocky Mount, North Carolina
OF Darryl Evans Florida A&M Sr. 5-10 175 Merrillville, Indiana
DH Ryan Durrence Bethune-Cookman Jr. 6-2 215 Jacksonville, Florida