ROCK HILL, S.C. - The Lenoir-Rhyne baseball team was picked to finish second in the 2023 South Atlantic Conference Preseason Poll released Tuesday morning. The reigning SAC Tournament champions were picked behind Wingate, who received 12 out of the 13 first place votes. The Bears received 125 total points, two ahead of third place Newberry. 

LR also placed six players on the preseason All-Conference team, including three on the First Team. Wade Cuda took one of the three available outfield positions while pitchers Andrew Patrick and Joshua Lanham took two of the three available spots for starting pitchers on the First Team. 

On the Second Team, David Bell took one of the three available outfield spots while Cole Laskowski earned the shortstop position. C Bryce Stober was named on to the Third Team. 

The Bears went 46-13 overall in 2022, including 17-7 in SAC play, finishing third in the league standings. 

Cuda raked .305 in 203 at-bats last year with a team-best 16 home runs in addition to his 50 RBIs. Lanham started 14 games last season, compiling a 2.40 ERA in a team-high 90 innings pitched, allowing just a .223 opponent batting average while tossing three complete games. 

Patrick also started 14 games for the Bears last season, he recorded a 3.30 ERA in 76.1 innings pitched, allowing just a .201 opponent batting average. 

Bell hit .318 in 198 at-bats last year with a team-best 16 doubles and recorded 50 doubles. Meanwhile, Laskowski registered a .298 batting average in his 205 at-bats in 2022 and led the team in 49 walks drawn. 

Stober tallied a .293 batting average in his 123 at-bats last season and produced a .981 fielding percentage behind the plate.  

Lenoir-Rhyne also earned the No. 20 spot in the Collegiate Baseball 2023 Pre-Season NCAA Div. 2 Poll. 

The Bears open their 2023 campaign on Feb. 1 when they welcome Belmont Abbey to Durham Field with a scheduled 3 p.m. first pitch.