LANCASTER, PA – The Johns Hopkins baseball team has been selected to finish second in the Centennial Conference this year as the league released the preseason poll which is voted on by the league's coaches. Swarthmore was a unanimous selection to repeat as champions as the Garnet got all nine first-place votes for a total of 81 points.
JHU received the remaining first-place vote and 72 total votes to finish second while Franklin & Marshall came in third with 62 votes. Haverford (54) and Muhlenberg (47) rounded out the top-five.
The Blue Jays finished last season with a 29-14 overall record, going 15-3 in the Centennial. Hopkins graduated the Centennial Conference Pitcher of the Year in
Alex Ross along with first team performer
Alex Darwiche and second teamer
Mike Smith. The Blue Jays return junior captain in
Mike Eberle, who was honorable mention All-Centennial last season. Eberle finished last season with a .321 batting average with seven doubles and 23 RBI.
Johns Hopkins is scheduled to open its season on Saturday, February 23 as the Blue Jay will host St. John Fisher in a doubleheader beginning at 12 pm.
2019 Centennial Conference Preseason Poll
1- Swarthmore (9 first-place votes), 81 points
2- Johns Hopkins (1), 72
3- Franklin & Marshall, 62
4- Haverford, 54
5- Muhlenberg, 47
6T- Washington College, 40
6T- Ursinus, 40
8- Dickinson, 26
9- Gettysburg, 17
10- McDaniel, 11
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