Razorback Baseball Ranked Pre-Season No. 1

FAYETTEVILLE – After finishing last season with a third-place finish at the College World Series, the University of Arkansas baseball team will open the 2013 season as the nation’s No. 1 ranked team, according to the Collegiate Baseball preseason top 40 poll, released on Thursday. The No. 1 ranking marks the first time in program history that the Razorbacks will open the season as the nation’s top-ranked team.

In addition to the preseason No. 1 ranking, it was also announced that juniors Dominic Ficociello, Ryne Stanek and Colby Suggs were named Louisville Slugger Preseason All-Americans.

Arkansas finished the 2012 season with a 46-22 record and advanced to the College World Series for the seventh time in program history, finishing in a tie for third. The 46 victories were the most for the Razorbacks under head coach Dave Van Horn and the most in a season since the 1990 team won 47 games. Arkansas finished the season ranked in the top six in all four of the major national college baseball polls, including a No. 3 ranking in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll, the NCBWA poll and the Collegiate Baseball poll.

The Razorbacks return 10 pitchers from last year’s pitching staff that finished the season with a 2.83 team ERA, the second-lowest single-season ERA in program history. Arkansas’ pitching staff had 10 shutouts, which also ranked as the second-highest total in a season. In the NCAA Tournament, Razorback pitchers compiled a 1.92 team ERA, including a team ERA of 1.80 in the College World Series. Junior Ryne Stanek and senior Randall Fant return as weekend starters from last year’s team. Stanek, who earned All-SEC honors last season from SEBaseball.com, finished his sophomore year with an 8-4 record and a 2.82 ERA in 17 games. Fant pitched in 15 games, including 14 starts, in 2012 and compiled a 2-3 record with a 3.27 ERA.

Out of the bullpen, junior right hander Colby Suggs, who was named a 2013 preseason All-American by the NCBWA, made 30 appearances in 2012 and went 7-1 with a 1.38 ERA. Junior righty Barrett Astin pitched in a team-high 32 games and had a 3-5 record with a team-leading 11 saves and a 1.99 ERA. Junior right handerBrandon Moore went 5-2 with three saves and a 2.43 ERA in 29 outings. Redshirt senior Trent Daniel (2-0, 1 save, 5.06 ERA), senior Cade Lynch (3-1, 2 saves, 2.11 ERA) and senior Tyler Wright (1-0, 2.60 ERA) are all left-handed options out of the bullpen. Sophomore right handers Michael Gunn (1-0, 2.57 ERA) and Chris Oliver (1-0, 3.86) also return for the 2013 season.

Offensively, Arkansas returns six position players who made 30 or more starts during the 2012 season. Junior infielder Dominic Ficociello finished his sophomore season with a .290 batting average, six home runs and 41 RBI. Sophomore infielder/outfielder Brian Anderson, who was named to SEBaseball.com’s SEC All-Freshman Team, and sophomore outfielder Joe Serrano were regulars in the starting lineup in the second half of the 2012 season. Anderson hit .283 with a pair of homers and 11 RBI, while Serrano batted .333 with seven RBI. In the NCAA Tournament, Serrano hit .444 (12-for-27) with a pair of RBI. Other returning position players that had 30 or more starts in 2012 include senior infielder Jacob Mahan (.257, 18 RBI), redshirt junior outfielder Jacob Morris(.236, 3 HR, 23 RBI), senior outfielder Matt Vinson (.217, 13 RBI) and junior catcher Jake Wise (.244, 2 HR, 25 RBI).

All 14 SEC baseball programs are either ranked or receiving votes in the Collegiate Baseball preseason poll. Joining the Razorbacks in the top 40 are No. 3 Vanderbilt, No. 4 LSU, No. 7 South Carolina, No. 8 Kentucky, No. 13 Mississippi State, No. 24 Florida, No. 25 Ole Miss, No. 26 Texas A&M and No. 29 Georgia. Auburn, Alabama, Missouri and Tennessee are also receiving votes in the poll.

The Razorbacks open the 2013 season on Friday, Feb. 15, when they host Western Illinois. First pitch is scheduled for 3:05 p.m.

Collegiate Baseball Top 40 Preseason Poll
1. Arkansas
2. North Carolina
3. Vanderbilt
4. LSU
5. UCLA
6. Oregon
7. South Carolina
8. Kentucky
9. Stanford
10. Oregon State
11. NC State
12. San Diego
13. Mississippi State
14. Oklahoma
15. TCU
16. Arizona State
17. Georgia Tech
18. Arizona
19. Florida State
20. Rice
21. Texas
22. Louisville
23. Cal State Fullerton
24. Florida
25. Ole Miss
26. Texas A&M
27. Clemson
28. Miami (Fla.)
29. Georgia
30. UC Irvine
31. Missouri State
32. Wichita State
33. New Mexico
34. Kent State
35. Virginia
36. Southern Miss
37. East Carolina
38. Coastal Carolina
39. Dallas Baptist
40. Pepperdine

Read the news release by BaseballNews.com here.