VMI Baseball: Jake Huggins amed Preseason All-SoCon

VMI senior first baseman Jake Huggins was named to the 2019 Southern Conference Baseball Preseason All-Conference Team on Thursday, earning a second-team spot.

The Keydets were selected eighth in the league by media members and ninth by the coaches in a preseason vote.

Huggins, from Richmond, Va., earned second-team All-SoCon honors at the conclusion of the 2018 season. He hit .280 with 10 doubles, a triple and four home runs, scoring 27 runs while driving in 31. He played in 48 of the team’ 53 games with 47 starts.

VMI finished fourth in the conference last season posting a 12-12 SoCon mark and 26-27 overall. The Keydets open the season next weekend in Wilmington, N.C., playing two games each against UNCW and Saint Joseph’s University Feb. 15-17.

Furman University was picked first in both the coaches and media polls with UNCG in second. Caleb Webster from UNCG is the Pre-Season Player of the Year while Sam Strickland of Samford University was tabbed as the Pitcher of the Year.

2019 Preseason Coaches’ Poll

1. Samford (7)                 63
2. UNCG (2)                     55
3. Mercer                         52
4. ETSU                            35
5. Wofford                      33
6. Western Carolina         31
7. Furman                        24
8. The Citadel                  22
9. VMI                              9

Preseason Media Poll

1. Samford (11)               123
2. UNCG (1)                     107
3. Mercer (2)                    98
4. Wofford                      83
5. ETSU                            64
6. Furman                        49
7. Western Carolina       46
8. VMI                              32
9. The Citadel                  28