MOBILE, Ala. — South Alabama was picked to finish third in the 2013 Sun Belt Conference baseball preseason poll, a vote of the league’s head coaches released this week, and three Jaguars were named to the preseason all-conference team.
Logan Kirkland, Whitt Dorsey and Jordan Patterson were the South Alabama selections. The Jaguars and Troy, picked fourth, were the only schools with three players each on the preseason team.
Sun Belt Preseason Poll
Florida Atlantic was picked to win the league with five first-place votes and 89 points. Florida International was second with one first-place vote and 85 points, and South Alabama was third with 67 points.
Florida Atlantic won last season’s Sun Belt regular-season title, finishing 32-22 overall and 19-8 in conference play. The Owls return six starters, four of them pitchers.
Jaguars’ Preseason All-Conference Picks
Logan Kirkland, a redshirt sophomore from Grand Bay, Ala., earned preseason all-conference honors for the second straight year. He was named a Freshman All-American after the 2011 season. Last season he hit .333 with a double and two RBI in six games before an injury ended his year.
Whitt Dorsey, an Auburn, Ala., native, was chosen as the designated hitter. As a junior last season he batted .337 with 12 doubles, two home runs and 31 RBI and was named first-team All-Sun Belt at designated hitter.
Jordan Patterson was selected as a utility player. He was a second-team All-Sun Belt outfielder last season after hitting .323 with 15 doubles, a team-high eight home runs and a team-high-tying 44 RBI. Patterson is moving to first base this season and will also pitch.
Season Opens Friday
All 10 Sun Belt teams open the season Friday. South Alabama hosts Stephen F. Austin in a three-game series at Eddie Stanky Field, with Friday’s opener set for 6:30 p.m.
