Bobcats Baseball Tabbed 4th In SBC West Division

NEW ORLEANS – The Texas State baseball team was selected to finish fourth in the West Division of the 2017 Sun Belt Conference Preseason Coaches’ Poll, the league announced Wednesday morning.

The Bobcats collected 44 points to land one point shy of Little Rock, while Louisiana sat atop the division with 72 points.

The Ragin’ Cajuns also earned all 12 first-place votes. UTA was slotted second with 50 points, while Arkansas State (27 points) and ULM (14 points) were fifth and sixth, respectively.

Coastal Carolina, the defending national champions, were projected as the favorites in the SBC East Division with 70 points and 10 first-place votes.

South Alabama earned a first-place vote and was tabbed second with 56 points, while Georgia Southern picked up the final first-place vote and landed in third with 48 points.

Troy (39 points), Georgia State (23 points) and Appalachian State (15 points) rounded out the bottom half of the East Division.

Beginning with the 2017 season, the conference will conduct its baseball regular season with divisional play. 

Two divisions will be comprised of six teams each, and divisional champions will be awarded at the end of the year based on the winning percentage against all teams, regardless of division.

Texas State is slated to open the campaign with a four-game home series against Big Ten foe Purdue. The Bobcats and Boilermakers will play Feb. 17-19 at Bobcat Ballpark.

The 2017 Sun Belt Conference Baseball Championship is set for May 23-28 at J.I. Clements Stadium on the campus of Georgia Southern.

Tickets are on sale now for both TXST season ticket renewals and new purchases. Any new reserved season tickets purchased will be assigned a seating location on Feb. 7.

Patrons can purchase their season tickets at the Mark & Linda Smith Athletic Ticket Office located at Bobcat Stadium, by calling the office at 512-245-2272, or by logging into their account on TXStateBobcats.com/tickets.

The Bobcats are also set to host the 9th Annual Leadoff Dinner, which will be the showcase event of the Alumni Weekend. The Leadoff Dinner will be held Feb. 10 at Texas Old Town in Kyle, Texas. The cocktail social mixer is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m., with the dinner portion of the event to follow.

Houston Astros President Reid Ryan will serve as the guest speaker for the dinner.

The Leadoff Dinner is an annual event that brings baseball alumni, Bobcat supporters, family, friends and the current team together to raise money for Texas State baseball and gain excitement for the upcoming season.

For more information, contact Hunter Lemke at 512-245-7682 or hl1099@txstate.edu.

2017 SBC Preseason Coaches’ Poll

first-place votes in parentheses

WEST DIVISION

1. Louisiana (12) 72
2. UTA 50
3. Little Rock 45
4. Texas State 44
5. Arkansas State 27
6. ULM 14

EAST DIVISION

1. Coastal Carolina (10) 70
2. South Alabama (1) 56
3. Georgia Southern (1) 48
4. Troy  39
5. Georgia State 23
6. Appalachian State 15