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Baseball Picked to Win WVIAC Northern Division Crown - 02/04/09

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ATH06_BIO_028_WilliamsTodd_TBaseball Picked to Win WVIAC Northern Division Crown 
     02/04/09...Head Coach Todd William's Mountain Cat baseball team has been picked to repeat as Northern Division Champions when this year's Preseason WVIAC Coaches' Poll was released on Wednesday.  Pitt-Johnstown, the Northern Division Champions in 2008, are also picked to finish third overall in the conference behind West Virginia State University and Concord (WV) University... (Full WVIAC Release and Rankings) 
     Pitt-Johnstown (37-19-1, 12-4) welcomes all but four players back from a squad that established a school record for wins and advanced to the Atlantic Region Semifinals in 2008.  Jon Moore (Leechburg, Pa.) (7-1, 3.07), Eric Faint (Johnstown, Pa.) (2-1, 9 SV, 2.33), and Chuck Boring (Dilltown, Pa.) (4-3, 4.03) could form one of the region's top pitching staffs.  First baseman Matt Hanley (Delmont, Pa.) (.339-13-55) and shortstop Matt Petrowsky (Johnstown, Pa.) (.322-11-35) will lead the offense for the Mountain Cats.
     Southern Division archrivals West Virginia State and Concord are the most popular choices to claim the 2009 WVIAC baseball title according to the league's head coaches.  Defending champion West Virginia State earned six votes to win the conference overall title, while Concord grabbed three first place nods.  Pitt-Johnstown was the recipient of two first votes, as was divisional foe Shepherd (WV) University.  Central Division top dog West Virginia Wesleyan College grabbed the final vote for the overall title.
     University of Charleston (WV), Bluefield State (WV) College, and Ohio Valley (WV) University were picked  to finish behind West Virginia State and Concord in the Southern Division.  West Virginia Wesleyan, Alderson-Broaddus (WV) College, Fairmont State (WV) University, Davis & Elkins (WV) College, and Salem International (WV) University comprise the predicted order of finish in the Central Division.  Pitt-Johnstown, Shepherd, Seton Hill University, West Liberty State (WV) College, and Wheeling Jesuit (WV) University is the anticipated finish in what is expected to be a brutally competitive Northern Division race.
     The top two squads in each division will meet at Johnstown's Point Stadium for the double-elimination WVIAC Tournament.  The winner of the April 30-May 2 event earns an automatic bid to the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional.
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