Jan. 19, 2010

The George Mason baseball team had a school-record six players drafted off of last year's squad but the cupboard is not bare in the eyes of the Colonial Athletic Association baseball coaches. Second baseman Ryan Soares and starting pitcher Kevin Crum were named preseason All-CAA while designated hitter Shane Davis earned preseason honorable mention, as selected by the CAA baseball coaches.

The Patriots went to the NCAA Tournament with an at-large berth last year and finished the season with a 42-14, the best mark in NCAA Division I school history. Five Patriots were named first-team All-CAA last season but Crum is the only one returning this season. He was 8-4 last year with a 4.64 ERA and 56 strikeouts.

Soares was named third-team All-CAA last year when he batted .318 with 11 homers and 42 RBI. Davis was second-team All-CAA last year after hitting .316 with six homers and a .521 slugging percentage.

The Patriots return starters at second base, third base and designated hitter and they lose one starter and their two top relievers. They were picked to finish sixth in the preseason coaches' poll. James Madison was picked to win the conference followed by UNCW, defending tournament champion Georgia State, Old Dominion and Delaware. Behind Mason were VCU and Towson, tied for seventh, then Northeastern, William & Mary and Hofstra.

The baseball season begins on Feb. 19 when the Patriots take on Northwestern in a tournament at Winthrop.