Point Park predicted as favorite in 2019 RSC Baseball Coaches' Preseason Poll
MIDDLETOWN, Ohio -- Point Park (Pa.) University is predicted as the favorite in the 2019 River States Conference Baseball Coaches' Preseason Poll. The Pioneers, who ended last year ranked No. 15 in the NAIA Top 25 Poll, received six of the 10 first-place votes in the polling conducted by the league's head coaches.
Point Park received 78 total votes, and the Pioneers were one of three teams that received first-place votes in the poll. IU Southeast came in second in the poll with 72 total votes and two first-place votes. IU Kokomo was voted third and also had two first-place votes.
Point Park was 47-9 overall, 23-4 RSC last year and won the RSC Tournament. The Pioneers came within one round of the NAIA World Series as finalists in the NAIA National Championship Opening Round Williamsburg (Ky.) Bracket.
IU Southeast was 41-14 overall, 23-4 RSC in 2018 and won the RSC regular-season championship. The Grenadiers made it back to the NAIA Opening Round and ended the year just outside the NAIA Top 25 Poll at No. 26 overall and 'receiving votes'.
IU Kokomo was 31-21-1 and 16-11 RSC last year, its first year as a baseball program. The Cougars received 64 total votes in the RSC preseason poll. That was just in front of University of Rio Grande (Ohio), which was in fourth place with 61 votes. The RedStorm was 26-26 overall, 17-10 RSC last season.
Midway (Ky.) University placed fifth in the preseason poll. The Eagles received 50 votes after being 26-24, 15-11 RSC. They joined Point Park and IU Southeast as the last three teams alive in the conference tournament in 2018. WVU Tech is predicted as final postseason qualifier for 2019 and came in sixth place. The Golden Bears received 41 votes.
The final four teams in the poll were Asbury (Ky.) University (28 votes), Brescia (Ky.) University (25), Cincinnati Christian University (16) and Ohio Christian University (14).
2019 RIVER STATES CONFERENCE BASEBALL COACHES' PRESEASON POLL (Nov. 5, 2018)
(First-Place Votes in Parenthesis)
| School | Votes |
| 1. Point Park (Pa.) (6) | 78 |
| 2. IU Southeast (2) | 72 |
| 3. IU Kokomo (2) | 64 |
| 4. Rio Grande (Ohio) | 61 |
| 5. Midway (Ky.) | 50 |
| 6. WVU Tech | 41 |
| 7. Asbury (Ky.) | 28 |
| 8. Brescia (Ky.) | 25 |
| 9. Cincinnati Christian | 16 |
| 10. Ohio Christian | 14 |