Baseball Picked GNAC Favorites in Preseason Poll

2020 GNAC BASEBALL PRESEASON POLL 

WINTRHOP, Mass. – For the fourth consecutive campaign, Suffolk baseball is expected to capture the conference crown as the Rams topped the 2020 GNAC Preseason Poll, per a vote by the league's nine head coaches, the conference office announced Thursday afternoon.

Five points separate the top two spots in the projected standings with the Rams' garnering six first-place picks for 76 points to top the poll, while reigning GNAC Champ Saint Joseph's (Maine) is slotted second with 71 points behind a pair of first-place votes.   

The preseason frontrunner has gone on to win the regular season on seven occasions, including back-to-back runs, and raised the postseason trophy a league-best eight times. The predicted runner-up, meanwhile, holds seven postseason wins and five regular season titles. 

The much anticipated matchup between the Rams and Monks lifts the lid on the 2020 GNAC calendar for both squads in East Boston Saturday, March 21. 

Since Anthony Del Prete has taken over Suffolk skipper responsibilities, the blue-and-gold captured four of the last five titles. His squad looks to exit the GNAC by hoisting the trophy for the ninth and final time with the Rams competing in the conference one final time before making the move to the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) as part of a University wide transition in 2020-21. 

The 2019 runner-up, Johnson & Wales (67), hailed one first-place nod to check in at No. 3 with Anna Maria (48) and Lasell (46) closing out the top five. 

Del Prete has assembled a 29-player roster comprised of 23 returners and six newcomers, four of which are true freshmen. The well of experience will help the Rams grab glory once again with 2019 all-league honorees outfielders Tim Brigham (.390/.428/.597), Rich Giandrea (.273/.354/.313), infielders Blase Cormier (.336/.447/.448), Rich Gilbride (.294/.417/.434) and hurlers Parker Browne (28.2 IP, 25 Ks, 2.51 ERA) and Steven Rossi (44.1 IP, 30 Ks, 3.25 ERA) highlighting the players back in a Suffolk jersey. 

Suffolk is set to throw its first of the season next week across town at UMass Boston. The Beantown battle is scheduled for a 3 p.m. first pitch at Monan Park.