The defending Summit League regular season and conference tournament champions were picked first in the 2021 Summit League Preseason Poll.
Photo by: Mark Kuhlmann
Mavericks Tabbed Summit League Favorite
Feb 16, 2021 | Baseball
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Omaha baseball team was selected as the preseason favorite in the Summit League Preseason Poll, the league office announced Tuesday.
Â
The Mavericks went 10-4 in a shortened 2020 campaign and look to defend their 2019 regular season and conference tournament titles.
Â
Omaha was selected in the top spot with 15 points and three first-place votes, edging Oral Roberts with 14 points and two first-place votes.
Â
North Dakota State was picked third with 10 points while South Dakota State and Western Illinois round out the poll with seven and four points, respectively.
Â
Senior Breyden Eckhout and junior Joey Machado were named to the Summit League's Players and Pitchers to Watch List.
Â
Eckhout started 13 games at third base for the Mavericks in 2020. The Amherst, Neb., native hit .280 with four doubles and four RBI. The senior drew four walks and had five multi-hit games while tallying five stolen bases and eight runs scored. In 2019, Eckhout was named to the All-Summit First Team, Summit League All-Tournament Team and NCAA Los Angeles Regional All-Tournament Team.
Â
Machado went 2-1 on the mound with a 3.72 ERA in four starts for Omaha last season. The Omaha native tossed 19.1 innings with 17 strikeouts and eight earned runs allowed. The junior tossed six shutout innings while only allowing one hit with six strikeouts in a win over Portland on March 6. Machado was a Summit League All-Tournament selection in 2019.
Â
The Mavericks begin the 2021 campaign this weekend with a three-game series at Oregon. For more information, visit OMavs.com.
2021 Summit League Baseball Preseason Poll
Team -- Points (First-Place votes)
1. Omaha -- 15 (3)
2. Oral Roberts -- 14 (2)
3. North Dakota State -- 10
4. South Dakota State -- 7
5. Western Illinois -- 4
Baseball Players and Pitchers to Watch List
Players
Bennett Hostettler, North Dakota State
Breyden Eckhout, Omaha
Adam Oviedo, Oral Roberts
Drew Beazley, South Dakota State
Trent Bauer, Western Illinois
Pitchers
Parker Harm, North Dakota State
Joey Machado, Omaha
Trey Wolf, Oral Roberts
Adam Mazur, South Dakota State
Austin Edwards, Western Illinois
Â
Â
The Mavericks went 10-4 in a shortened 2020 campaign and look to defend their 2019 regular season and conference tournament titles.
Â
Omaha was selected in the top spot with 15 points and three first-place votes, edging Oral Roberts with 14 points and two first-place votes.
Â
North Dakota State was picked third with 10 points while South Dakota State and Western Illinois round out the poll with seven and four points, respectively.
Â
Senior Breyden Eckhout and junior Joey Machado were named to the Summit League's Players and Pitchers to Watch List.
Â
Eckhout started 13 games at third base for the Mavericks in 2020. The Amherst, Neb., native hit .280 with four doubles and four RBI. The senior drew four walks and had five multi-hit games while tallying five stolen bases and eight runs scored. In 2019, Eckhout was named to the All-Summit First Team, Summit League All-Tournament Team and NCAA Los Angeles Regional All-Tournament Team.
Â
Machado went 2-1 on the mound with a 3.72 ERA in four starts for Omaha last season. The Omaha native tossed 19.1 innings with 17 strikeouts and eight earned runs allowed. The junior tossed six shutout innings while only allowing one hit with six strikeouts in a win over Portland on March 6. Machado was a Summit League All-Tournament selection in 2019.
Â
The Mavericks begin the 2021 campaign this weekend with a three-game series at Oregon. For more information, visit OMavs.com.
2021 Summit League Baseball Preseason Poll
Team -- Points (First-Place votes)
1. Omaha -- 15 (3)
2. Oral Roberts -- 14 (2)
3. North Dakota State -- 10
4. South Dakota State -- 7
5. Western Illinois -- 4
Baseball Players and Pitchers to Watch List
Players
Bennett Hostettler, North Dakota State
Breyden Eckhout, Omaha
Adam Oviedo, Oral Roberts
Drew Beazley, South Dakota State
Trent Bauer, Western Illinois
Pitchers
Parker Harm, North Dakota State
Joey Machado, Omaha
Trey Wolf, Oral Roberts
Adam Mazur, South Dakota State
Austin Edwards, Western Illinois
Â
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballTuesday, September 01
Wednesday, August 26
Friday, August 21
Tuesday, April 21
