Mid-American Conference

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Kent State was selected to take home the 2018 MAC Baseball Title, the Mid-American Conference announced Thursday. The Golden Flashes received a total of eight first place votes among the league’s 10 head coaches.
 
Kent State is coming off a 37-18 season where they went 18-6 in conference play and took home the MAC regular season title. The Golden Flashes have won a total of 81 games in the past two seasons. Recently, Collegiate Baseball Newspaper announced its "Fabulous 40" NCAA Division I Pre-Season Poll, where the Golden Flashes are currently ranked 34th. KSU is prepared to return a strong starting pitching rotation which features junior Joey Murray. Collegiate Baseball Newspaper recently named him a Second-team Pre-Season All-American. The 2017 MAC Pitcher of the Year will enter the 2018 campaign as Kent State's most decorated underclassman. The righty posted a 6-1 record with a 1.80 ERA a year ago as KSU's Sunday starter. He made 14 appearances on the year, including an eight-strikeout performance in the MAC Tournament.
 
Central Michigan was picked to finish second after going 31-28 (16-8 MAC) last season en route to claiming the MAC West Division Title. Daniel Robinson has started nearly every game of his career at CMU and is coming off a breakout sophomore season in which he hit .305 and led the MAC in runs (54) and stolen bases (22).
 
Ball State was tabbed to finish third. The Cardinals have won at least 30 games the past five consecutive seasons. Middle infielder Seth Freed hit .280 last year with 39 runs scored, 16 doubles, 3 home runs, and 31 RBI, while sophomore right hander John Baker (5-2, 4.28) is back on the mound along with Kyle Nicolas and Colin Brockhouse.
 
The Ohio Bobcats were selected to finish fourth after winning the 2017 MAC Tournament Title. Miami followed in fifth, while Western Michigan was selected to finish in sixth. Eastern Michigan, Toledo, Northern Illinois & Bowling Green rounded out this year’s poll.
 
The MAC baseball season begins on Friday, February 16, while conference play starts up Friday, March 23rd. The season will culminate with the MAC Baseball Tournament, which takes place May 23-27 at Sprenger Stadium in Avon, Ohio.