The Missouri Southern baseball team will open up the 2020 season this weekend as the Lions travel to Central Oklahoma to compete in the Edmond First Pitch Classic hosted by the University of Central Oklahoma.
Southern will play a game each day this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The Lions start off with a 1 pm first-pitch on Friday against Northwestern Oklahoma and then play Central Oklahoma at 7 pm on Saturday. Southern then plays Southwestern Oklahoma at 1 pm on Sunday to round out the weekend.
The Lions were picked third in the MIAA preseason baseball coaches poll. Southern is coming off a season that saw the Lions finish 35-21, one game out of first place in the final MIAA standings and earn an appearance in the 2019 NCAA Tournament. The Lions made it to Championship Sunday in the MIAA Tournament forcing an if-necessary game with eventual Tournament Champions Central Missouri.
The Lions return the MIAA Coach of the Year in Bryce Darnell, the MIAA Pitcher of the Year in Zach Parish and the MIAA Freshman of the Year in Dexter Swims. Parish was 9-2 last season with a school-record 136 strikeouts. He was a first-team All-MIAA and All-Region selection, while being named the American Baseball Coaches Association Regional Pitcher of the Year. He went on to earn All-American honors, as well.
Swims finished second on the team with a .325 batting average and led the Lions with 75 hits on the season. He added five home runs and was third on the team with 36 RBIs.
The team returns a total of five starters from last year's team including Swims, Troy Gagan, Ryan Hunter, Matt Miller and Davin Gummere. The entire weekend rotation of Parish, Zac Shoemaker and Will Bausinger also returns to the fold. Shoemaker was 8-2 last season with 82 strikeouts, while Bausinger struck out 106 and recorded the first-ever perfect game in MSSU and MIAA history when he blanked Washburn in February.
In total, the Lions return ten position players, as well as seven pitchers from last year's team. A group of 15 newcomers also return to the fold.
News and Notes
Collegiate Baseball Writers Preseason All-Region
The Lions have been picked 8th in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Preseason Central Region Poll. (Poll Below). Parish has been picked as a preseason first-team All-Region selection.
1. Central Missouri: 79 (8 first place votes)
2. Augustana: 72 (1 first place vote)
3. Arkansas-Monticello: 57
4. Minnesota State: 46
5. Central Oklahoma: 41
6. St. Cloud State: 39
7. Oklahoma Baptist: 30
8. Missouri Southern: 28
9. Southern Arkansas: 15
10. Wayne State: 7
Massey Ratings
The Massey Ratings, a computerized system that uses ratings that include offensive, defensive, home field advantage and strength of schedule to rank Division II baseball teams. The Lions are No. 52 in the preseason rankings and the rankings are updated every day during the season.
Scouting The Opposition
The Lions will take on Northwestern Oklahoma and Southwestern Oklahoma out of the Great American Conference and Central Oklahoma from the MIAA this weekend. Southwestern Oklahoma was picked to finish sixth in the preseason GAC Coaches Poll, while Southwestern Oklahoma was picked to finish tenth. Central Oklahoma was picked to finish second in the MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll receiving one first-place vote like the Lions did.
Weather Outlook
It may still be winter, but the weather will be very spring-like this weekend in the Edmond area. Forecasts are calling for a high of 51 on Friday, but highs of 62 on Saturday and 71 on Sunday with plenty of sunshine in store.
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