Galesburg, IL - The Prairie Fire baseball team will no doubt look to prove the predictions by the coaches around the Midwest Conference wrong.
The MWC has released its 2012 Preseason Coaches Poll, which picks Knox to finish third in the four-team Midwest Conference South Division. The Prairie Fire, however, did receive one first-place vote - as did Illinois College.
The Blueboys, 16-15 (4-8 MWC) in 2011, are expected to finish second in the division behind two-time defending champion Grinnell College (18-18, 11-1 MWC). The Pioneers, with five all-conference players back in 2012, received a pair of first-place votes in the poll. Monmouth College (17-15, 6-6 MWC), which joined Grinnell in representing the South Division in the MWC Tournament last season, is expected to finish fourth in the division.
While the Prairie Fire (8-24, 3-9 MWC) lost all four games against Grinnell last season, head coach Jami Isaacson's squad split with Monmouth and went 1-3 against IC. The win against the Blueboys at Blodgett Field in the final game of the season was a big one. Combined with the Fighting Scots handing Grinnell its only league loss on the same day, the victory by Knox against Illinois College knocked IC out of contention for a spot in the Midwest Conference Tournament.
The Fire returns a strong core of players from the 2011 squad and welcomes a talented group of newcomers that are expected to challenge for playing time and could have an impact right away.
The key returners include utility player Jackson White (Grayslake, IL, Grayslake Central), who was named an All-Midwest Conference selection in his first season. White hit a team-best .324 with five doubles and seven runs RBI in 19 starts for the Prairie Fire.
Sophomore Erik Smoy (Hoffman Estates, IL, Hoffman Estates) will also be counted on to produce. He led the team with three home runs, 25 runs scored, and 18 walks while tying for the team lead in hits (26). He was also among the leaders in on base percentage (.405) and was second with eight stolen bases.
Senior David Jewell (Spring Grove, IL, Richmond-Burton ) had a team-high 23 RBI, eight doubles and three triples while coaxing 14 walks at the plate, the second-most on the team. Junior Michael Schroeder (Glenview, IL, Glenbrook South) led the Fire with 10 stolen bases, tied for the team lead with 26 hits and added 19 runs and 14 runs batted in.
Knox will also lean on sophomore pitchers Peter Marquardt (Clarendon Hills, IlL, Hinsdale Central) and Paul Mills (Moline, IL, Moline) to pitch effectively. Marquardt won two games and appeared in 11, including six starts, and tossed 32 2/3 innings with 17 strike outs. Mills picked up a win in 11 appearances, including nine starting assignments, and threw 44 innings. He led the staff with 31 strikeouts.
Among the newcomers is a Galesburg native that had two excellent years at Carl Sandburg College before transferring to Knox for his final two years.
Junior Caleb Weaver (Galesburg, IL, Galesburg) led Sandburg in virtually all major offensive categories and concluded his career with a .354 batting average -- including a .400 mark his first year -- 92 hits, 11 home runs, 67 runs batted in, 46 runs scored and an on-base percentage well over .400 in 90 games.
Weaver could see time for the Prairie Fire in the outfield, third base, and on the mound.
St. Norbert College (16-15, 10-6 MWC), with three returning All-Midwest Conference performers, is picked to win the Midwest Conference North Division. The Green Knights received three first-place votes. Two-time defending league champ Ripon College (21-20, 11-5 MWC) received two first-place votes and is projected to finish second behind St. Norbert.
2011 MWC North Division winner Beloit College (27-12, 12-4 MWC) is slated to finish third, Carroll University (12-21, 6-10 MWC) fourth, and Lawrence University (3-32, 1-15 MWC) fifth.
2012 Midwest Conference Preseason Coaches Baseball Poll
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