Feb. 6, 2008

Lutes Picked Third in Northwest Conference Preseason Poll

NWC Baseball Poll

While two NCAA Division III preseason national polls have picked Pacific Lutheran as the No. 12 team in the country, Northwest Conference coaches know that the Lutes must replace six position starters and two starting pitchers from the 2007 conference championship team. As a result, PLU has been picked to finish third in the NWC coaches preseason poll.

The Lutes received one first-place vote and a total of 61 points. Linfield College, under the guidance of former major leaguer and first-year head coach Scott Brosious, received eight of the nine first-place votes and a total of 88 points in the poll. George Fox was picked second with 71 total points, followed PLU, Whitworth (56 points), Willamette (35), Pacific (30), Lewis & Clark (24) and Whitman (11).

While the Lutes lose a plethora of key players, including two-time Pitcher of the Year Joe DiPietro, they do return a trio of first team all-conference selections in senior pitcher Brett Brunner, junior pitcher Hunter Simpson, junior first baseman Jordan Post and junior catcher Brandon Sales.

Pacific Lutheran gets its 2008 season underway on Thursday, Feb. 14, at Whittier (Calif.). PLU’s conference schedule starts with a four-game home series against NWC favorite Linfield on March 1-2.

- PLU -