West Virginia State has been tabbed by the league coaches to finish fourth in the South Division for the 2021 Mountain East Conference baseball season.
Notre Dame College finished atop the crowded North Division poll with 58 points and had five first-place votes. Fairmont State was just behind with 56 (three first-place votes), followed by Wheeling with 39 points (two first-place votes) and Frostburg State with 38 points (two first-place votes). West Liberty (33) and Alderson Broaddus (22) rounded out the division.
UC was slotted at the top of the South Division with 63 points and had eight first-place votes. The Golden Eagles, winners of the 2018 and 2019 MEC Tournaments, are also ranked seventh in the first edition of the NCBWA Atlantic Region rankings.
Concord was second with 53 points (two first-place votes), followed by Glenville State with 46 points (two first-place votes). West Virginia State was next with 40 points, followed by West Virginia Wesleyan (24) and Davis & Elkins (21).
The 2020 season was cut short before the Yellow Jackets had a chance to test their mettle against conference opponents. During the 15-game shortened season, now sophomore Nick Loftis moved from a relief role into a starting role on the mound. Loftis threw a one-hitter through six innings while striking out 10 in his collegiate debut as a starting pitcher.
Also returning for his sophomore season, relief pitcher Dane Peterson posted a 0.93 ERA in five appearances during the truncated season. He earned wins over both Bluefield State and Saint Rose for holding off opposing batters.
Now a senior, utility man Andrew Stone was poised to have a monster season. He hit .327 with 16 runs scored and 13 runs batted in. When called in to close out games, Stone was nearly unhittable. He allowed just two hits in 7.2 innings of work.
Also going into his senior year, outfielder Matthew Kline was on a tear when the season suddenly halted. He was batting .304 with 17 RBIs and 15 runs scored. In the second game of the series against No. 5 Catawba, Kline belted a two-run homerun to left center in the eighth inning and followed it up with a grand slam in the top of the ninth.
Matt Harrison returns for a fifth year after injuries kept him from performing at his optimal level in 2020. In 2019, he earned All-MEC honors after hitting .336 with six home runs and recording a 4-1 record as a relief slinger.
Sean Loyd enters his seventh season as the Head Baseball Coach at West Virginia State University in 2021. He will be assisted by Greg Keaton, Larry Vance, and Kenny Daniels.
The Yellow Jackets are currently scheduled to begin their season with a nine-inning game against Bluefield State on Wednesday, March 3.
2021 MEC Preseason Baseball Poll
MEC North Division
1.Notre Dame — 58 (5)
2.Fairmont State — 56 (3)
3.Wheeling — 39 (2)
4.Frostburg State — 38 (2)
5.West Liberty — 33
6.Alderson Broaddus — 22
MEC South Division
1. Charleston — 63 (8)
2. Concord — 53 (2)
3. Glenville State — 46 (2)
4. West Virginia State — 40
5. West Virginia Wesleyan — 24
6. Davis & Elkins — 21