University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Conference USA Baseball Coaches Select Southern Miss Third
1/18/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Jan. 18, 2006
HATTIESBURG, Miss.- The Southern Miss baseball team was picked to finish third in Conference USA in 2006 according to the league coaches announced today by the Conference USA Office. All-American relief pitcher Daniel Best and preseason All-American Marc Maddox were named players to watch.
Rice's Joe Savery, a utility player, was picked as the league's player of the year. He led the Western Athletic Conference in hitting (.382) and second on ERA (2.49). He ranked among the WAC's best in slugging (.556), on-base percentage (.471), hits (76) and walks (35). He was second in runs (49) and tied for second in doubles (17). UCF's Tim Bascom was named the league pitcher of the year. He finished with a 10-2 record with a 3.10 ERA in 16 games. He topped the UCF staff in innings pitched (113.2) and strikeouts (113).
The Golden Eagles finished 41-21 overall, its school record third-consecutive season with 40 or more wins, 20-10 in Conference USA, its school record third-straight year of finishing with 20 or more conference wins and made its school record third-consecutive NCAA appearance and sixth tournament appearance overall.
Southern Miss returns 20 lettermen and five starters from last year. The Golden Eagles are led by a group of four seniors, Best, Maddox, Kevin Coker and Cliff Russum.
Best earned All-American honors after posting a 3-0 record with 11 saves and a .046 ERA in 30 innings as the team's closer. Maddox returns for his fourth season as the starting first baseman after hitting .359 with 17 doubles, 14 home runs and 59 RBIs. Coker hit .318 with 15 doubles, five home runs and 38 RBIs. Russum returns for his senior season after sitting out last year after having shoulder surgery during the 2004 summer. He finished with a 6-4 record with a 3.93 ERA in 71 innings pitched. He struck out 67 and held opponents to .228 batting average.
Rice, ranked as high as No. 5 in the preseason polls following a 45-19 season in which it advanced to the NCAA Super Regionals, was a unanimous selection to win the league. Tulane was picked second after finishing 56-12 and earning its second trip to the College World Series.
Houston was picked fourth, UCF fifth, East Carolina sixth, UAB seventh, Memphis eighth and Marshall ninth.
2006 PRESEASON BASEBALL COACHES POLL (as selected by C-USA's head coaches)
PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH 1. Rice (9) 2. Tulane 3. Southern Miss 4. Houston 5. UCF 6. East Carolina 7. UAB 8. Memphis 9. Marshall
(first place votes in parentheses)
PLAYER OF THE YEAR Joe Savery, Rice (Sophomore, Pitcher/Infielder)
PITCHER OF THE YEAR Tim Bascom, UCF (Junior, Righthander)
PLAYERS TO WATCH T.J. Hose, Sophomore, Pitcher, East Carolina Adam Witter, Senior, First Baseman/Designated Hitter, East Carolina Dustin Kingsbury, Junior, Infielder, Houston Brad Lincoln, Junior, Pitcher/Infielder, Houston Adam Frederick, Senior, Infielder, Marshall Adam Ptacek, Senior, Outfielder, Marshall Adam Amar, Junior, First Baseman, Memphis Drew Jaudon, Senior, Pitcher, Memphis Josh Rodriguez, Junior, Shortstop, Rice Joe Savery, Sophomore, Pitcher/Infielder, Rice Daniel Best, Senior, Pitcher, Southern Miss Marc Maddox, Senior, Infielder, Southern Miss Mark Hamilton, Junior, Infielder, Tulane Nathan Southard, Senior, Outfielder, Tulane Ryan Metcalf, Senior, Shortstop, UAB Zac Ward, Junior, Third Baseman, UAB Tim Bascom, Junior, Pitcher, UCF Matt Ray, Junior, Infielder, UCF
