MONTGOMERY, Ala. --- Joseph Hartsfield and
Matthew Marfice were named top newcomers for the Auburn Montgomery baseball team, while the Warhawks were picked to finish eighth in the Gulf South Conference preseason release announced on Wednesday, Jan. 22.
Hartsfield (Birmingham, Ala.) played two seasons for head coach Casey Underwood at Snead State Community College before his arrival at AUM, posting a .270 career batting average and a 10-3 record on the mound.
The junior pitcher/infielder posted stellar numbers during his sophomore season in 2019 for the Parsons, batting .400, and compiling a record of 6-1 on the bump. Hartsfield recorded a team-low 2.28 earned run average, surrendering just 12 earned runs on the season and striking out 58 batters.
Marfice (Calera, Ala.) spent his last two seasons playing for head coach Matt Downs at Marion Military Institute in Marion, Ala., where he batted .316 over two seasons and drove in 72 runs.
The junior infielder recorded a team-high 49 base hits during his sophomore season in 2019 while batting .320 and driving in a team-best 41 runs. Marfice slugged a team-high 18 extra-base hits, with nine doubles, eight home runs and a triple.
The Warhawks (63) edged Lee University (58) by five points for the eighth spot in the rankings.
Defending GSC champions Delta State (130) came in at number one in the poll, with West Florida (127) coming in second, Mississippi College (123) coming in third, Valdosta State (111) coming in fourth and Alabama Huntsville (98) rounding out the top five. A full list of the preseason poll can be found below.
The baseball team will begin their 2020 campaign on Friday, Jan. 31 when they take on North Georgia in Dahlonega, Ga.
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2020 BASEBALL PRESEASON POLL
| School |
Total Points |
| 1. Delta State (4) |
130 |
| 2. West Florida (5) |
127 |
| 3. Mississippi College (3) |
123 |
| 4. Valdosta State (1) |
111 |
| 5. Alabama Huntsville |
98 |
| 6. Montevallo |
87 |
| 7. West Georgia |
77 |
| 8. Auburn Montgomery |
63 |
| 9. Lee |
58 |
| 10. West Alabama |
55 |
| 11. Shorter |
44 |
| 12. Union |
27 |
| 13. Christian Brothers |
14 |
NOTES: The head coaches voted in this poll. Teams received 12 points for a first place vote, 11 for a second place vote, etc. The head coaches were not allowed to vote for their own teams. Number of first place votes in parenthesis.
