Baseball Grabs More Preseason Recognition, Captains Announced
2/16/2011 8:22:00 PM | Baseball
STATESBORO, Ga. - The Georgia Southern Baseball team grabbed more preseason recognition in the recent season previews of both Baseball America and CollegeBaseballInsider.com(.) The Eagles were also tabbed 25th in the College Baseball Daily Preseason Mid-Major Poll. Andy Moye (Alpharetta, Ga.) and Eric Phillips (Carrollton, Ga.) will serve as the team captains for the 2011 season.
Moye went 8-4 with a 5.61 ERA as a weekend starter a year ago. The senior pitcher was selected in the 50th round of the 2010 draft by the St. Louis Cardinals over the summer. He struck out 73 batters and allowed only 32 walks last season.
Phillips was a Second Team All-SoCon Selection last season after hitting .342 with seven home runs and 56 RBIs. The junior infielder tied with Kyle Blackburn for the longest hit streak on the team last year. He collected a hit in 14-straight games and batted .455 with three homers during that stretch.
Baseball America picked Georgia Southern fourth in the Southern Conference in their 2011 preseason preview. The Eagles were selected ahead of SoCon Regular Season and Tournament Champion The Citadel and behind Western Carolina. The publication also tabbed Phillips and Shawn Payne (Stone Mountain, Ga.) to their All-Conference Team.
Payne was a Preseason First-Team All-Southern Conference selection, while Phillips rang in as a Second-Team Preseason All-Southern Conference Selection.
Payne who hit .345 with 15 doubles and five home runs last year was named to the All-SoCon Second Team a year ago. The senior outfielder was a 44th round pick by the Kansas City Royals this past summer after stealing 43 bases in 45 attempts. Payne nabbed 38 bases before being caught for the first time last year.
Baseball America also recognized two members of the Eagles' pitching staff. Josh Adams (Bath, S.C.) was named the second-best newcomer in the Southern Conference behind his former teammate at Spartanburg Methodist, Marty Gantt, who signed with the College of Charleston. Chris Beck (Jefferson, Ga.) was tabbed as the league's second-best prospect behind Lex Rutledge of Samford.
CollegeBaseballInsider.com polled nine of the Southern Conference's coaches on a list of intangibles like best defensive catcher, best infield arm and so on. Georgia Southern had two players come up in that discussion. Moye was named the SoCon's most underrated pitcher, while Payne was tabbed as the conference's best base runner.
Baseball kicks off its 2011 season Friday, February 18th, against George Washington at J.I. Clements Stadium. The Eagles will play 14 of their first 16 games at home and will face seven teams that advanced to a NCAA Regional a year ago.
Season tickets are currently on sale through the Georgia Southern Athletic Ticket Office at 800-GSU-WINS or online at GeorgiaSouthernEagles.com/tickets.
