BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — WKU was picked to finish second in Sun Belt Conference in 2010, and four players were named to the Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference Team, announced Friday by the conference office.
Senior pitchers Matt Ridings and Bart Carter earned two of the four preseason team pitching spots, and junior catcher Matt Rice and senior second baseman Matt Payton were voted to the team as position players. The four selections to the Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference Team from WKU are the most by any team in the league.
Ridings anchored the WKU pitching staff as a junior in 2009, going 8-2 with a 4.84 ERA. He struck out 93 batters in 102.1 innings pitched, holding opposing hitters to a .267 batting average. He was named to the All-Sun Belt Conference Second Team following the season.
Carter moved to the bullpen in 2009 after spending his first two seasons on the Hill in the starting rotation. He saved a team-high four games last season, finishing the year with a 6-1 record over 25 appearances. He averaged over one strikeout per inning as well.
Rice turned in one of the finest offensive seasons in WKU baseball history in 2009, finishing the season with a .399 batting average, 10 home runs and 72 RBI. His 101 hits on the season set a new school record, and he put together a 31-game hitting streak from March 1 to April 17, also a school record. The Johnson City, Tenn., native hit .425 during the streak. The 2010 Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference selection follows first-team National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Preseason All-American recognition for Rice.
Payton has been a mainstay in the Hilltopper infield for three seasons. As a junior in 2009, he started 53 games and recorded a .307 batting average and a team-high five triples. Defense is one of Payton's specialties, as he made just six errors in 275 chances at second base.
In addition, league coaches predicted WKU to finish second in the Sun Belt Conference in 2010, 11 points behind first-place Middle Tennessee. The Hilltoppers received two first-place votes, compared to Middle Tennessee's eight. Louisiana-Lafayette received the other first-place vote.
The complete Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference Team and preseason coaches poll can be found below.
WKU Holds 2010 Baseball Media Day: Members of the 2010 Hilltopper baseball team met with the media Friday morning to discuss the upcoming season. Seniors Jake Wells and Bart Carter, junior Matt Rice and head coach Chris Finwood were on-hand to answer questions and talk about the team. Audio from Media Day can be found at the top of the page.
2010 Single-Game and Season Tickets Now On Sale: Single-game and season tickets for the upcoming 2010 WKU baseball season are now on sale. Fans can call the WKU ticket office at (270) 745-5222 or stop by the ticket office in E.A. Diddle Arena for more information and to purchase tickets. The Hilltoppers open the 2010 season at home against Kent State on February 19.
2010 Sun Belt Conference Coaches Poll (first place votes) – as voted on by the league’s head coaches:
1. Middle Tennessee (8), 114 pts
2. WKU (2), 103 pts
3. FIU, 94 pts
4. Troy, 90 pts
5. Louisiana-Lafayette (1), 81 pts
6. ULM, 57 pts
7. Florida Atlantic, 51 pts
8. South Alabama, 47 pts
9. New Orleans, 40 pts
10. Arkansas State, 32 pts
11. UALR, 17 pts
2010 Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference Team – as voted on by the league’s head coaches:
SP - Kenneth Roberts (Middle Tennessee, Sr.)
SP - Matt Ridings (WKU, Sr.)
RP - Lance Baxter (South Alabama, Sr.)
RP - Bart Carter (WKU, Sr.)
C - Matt Rice (WKU, Jr.)
1B - Tim Jobe (FIU, Sr.)
2B - Matt Payton (WKU, Sr.)
SS - Boomer Blanchard (ULM, Sr.)
3B - Tyler Burnett (Middle Tennessee, Jr.)
OF - Todd Baumgartner (Arkansas State, Jr.)
OF - Bryce Brentz (Middle Tennessee, Jr.)
OF - Adam Heisler (South Alabama, Sr.)
DH - Murray Watts (Arkansas State, Jr.)
Preseason Player of the Year
Bryce Brentz (Middle Tennessee, Jr.)
Pitcher of the Year
Kenneth Roberts (Middle Tennessee, Sr.)
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