PORTLAND, Ore. – Led by All-Conference outfielder Austin Feist and shortstop Ryne Oshiro, along with a veteran pitching staff, the Saints' baseball team was selected sixth in the GNAC Preseason Poll on Wednesday.
 
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The Saints enter the season after an 11-37 campaign last year; however, despite the record, proved to show many bright spots for the future. Feist, named to the first team All-Conference, sits in the middle of the lineup with a .320 batting average, .390 on-base percentage, and .511 slugging percentage. The senior led the team last year in home runs (6), RBI (30), total bases (91), and OPS (.901).
 
Looking to back up his stellar freshman season, Oshiro provides pop up the middle of the infield with his team leading .328 batting average. Along with the batting average, Oshiro collected 57 hits, tied for the team lead, three home runs, and 19 RBIs. The freshman was selected as a second team All-Conference shortstop.
 
Some other notable returners in the offense include outfielder Colton Peha and infielder Micah NcNicoll. Peha hit for a .258 average, and McNicoll finished with a .234 mark, while both hit two home runs and 16 RBIs.
 
On the pitching side, the Saints return nine pitchers, including six seniors. Mickey Walker, Ryan Dorney, Luke Hare, Clark Streby, Robbie Shineman, and Aaron Shoup add veteran leadership to the staff. Streby led the team in wins (4), strikeouts (50), innings pitched (56.2) and games started (11). The Saints will also look to junior Tanner Inouye after his All-Conference season. In nine starts, Inouye accomplished three quality starts, including a complete game, one run, seven strikeout gem against Northwest Nazarene.
 
In the poll, the Saints gathered 11 votes, falling only two votes shy of Northwest Nazarene. Western Oregon received three first place votes and narrowly edged out Montana State Billings and their two first place votes for the top spot. Central Washington also received one first place vote and finished third, with Concordia coming in fourth.
 
Saint Martin's opens the season on February 1 with five games over three days, three against Dixie State and two against CSU San Bernardino.
 

2019 GNAC PRESEASON BASEBALL COACHES POLL
Pos.	Team (1st Place Votes)	Overall Record	GNAC Record (Place)	Pts.
1.	Western Oregon (3)	27-21	24-16 (2nd)	33
2.	Montana State Billings (2)	33-18	29-11 (1st)	31
3.	Central Washington (1)	27-26	21-19 (3rd)	21
4.	Concordia	20-32	19-21 (4th)	17
5.	Northwest Nazarene	19-31	17-23 (5th)	13
6.	Saint Martin's	11-37	11-30 (6th)	11