AMERICUS, Ga. -- The Georgia Southwestern baseball team was voted 11th place in the Peach Belt Conference Baseball Preseason Coaches Poll in a release announced Friday morning. 

After a rough season, GSW received 11 points to finish on the bottom end of the latter. 

Columbus State sits ahead with eight first place votes for a total of 95 points followed by Georgia College, who had one first place vote and 87 points. UNC Pembroke took two first place votes and had 84 points, USC Aiken (75) and North Georgia (64) closed out the top five. 

Flager (58) sits in sixth place while Young Harris (40) and Lander (40) are tied for seventh place. Francis Marion (29) and Augusta (22) finishes the coaches poll. 

The Hurricanes return Jonathan Martin, who was recently named a Southeast Region player to watch by the Collegiate Baseball newspaper. The lefty outfielder posted a .962 fielding percentage and had 72 pickoffs along with getting 21 RBIs, eight doubles, two triples and one home run. The Collegiate Baseball newspaper also named Cole Garrett as the Southeast Region newcomer to watch for this upcoming season. Infielder Jason Baita also returns for the Hurricanes. He led with a .433 slugging percentage while getting 11 doubles, three triples and three home runs last season. 

Under new head coach Josh McDonald, the Hurricanes are looking forward to having a turnaround season after putting in major work during the fall. 

GSW opens up play on February 1 at Emmanuel College (Ga.) against Salem International.   

2019 Peach Belt Baseball
Preseason Coaches Poll