Mid-American Conference

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Kent State was picked to take home the 2017 MAC Tournament Championship, the Mid-American Conference announced Thursday. The Golden Flashes are predicted to win the East Division crown, while the defending West Division Champion Ball State Cardinals were picked to repeat as divisional champions this season. The preseason poll was voted on by the league’s 11 Head Coaches.
 
The Golden Flashes are coming off a 44-14 season in 2016 where they compiled the third-most wins in program history and went 20-4 in conference play to take the Mid-American Conference regular season title. In three years, Head Coach Jeff Duncan has an 111-59 overall record and 54-24 record in conference play. The 2017 squad will return a majority of key contributors from last season, including Collegiate Baseball Pre-Season Second Team All-American Eli Kraus (9-1, 2.64 ERA) in the weekend rotation.
 
Miami followed the Golden Flashes in the East Division predictions. Ohio was selected to finish in third, while Bowling Green was tabbed to place fourth. Buffalo rounded out the East Division predictions.
 
Last year, the Cardinals went 32-26 overall & 15-9 in league play en route to winning the MAC West Division. Five position starters return from the 2016 squad led by C/1B Caleb Stayton. An ABCA/Rawlings All-Mideast Region first team pick last year, Stayton led the MAC in batting average (.377), RBIs (71), walks (42) and on-base percentage (.482).
 
Central Michigan was picked to finish second in the West Division and was followed by Toledo in third place. Northern Illinois, Western Michigan and Eastern Michigan rounded out the remaining sports in the West.
 
The MAC baseball season begins on Friday, February 17th, while conference play starts up Friday, March 24th. The season will culminate with the MAC Baseball Tournament, which takes place May 24-28 at Sprenger Stadium in Avon, Ohio.