PORTLAND, Ore. --- Junior right-hander Kevin Baker was selected to the All-West Coast Conference Preseason Baseball Team, it was announced on Wednesday. The Pilots were also selected 10th in the preseason poll of the league's head coaches.
 
Baker earned Second Team All-West Coast Conference in 2017 after a breakout season on the mound. His ERA of 2.53 against league opponents ranked fourth in the WCC, and his .238 opponents' batting average and 58 strikeouts against conference foes both ranked fifth. Baker's overall average of 11.41 K's per 9.0 innings was No. 27 nationally.
 
Baker is one of 20 returning letterwinners for the Pilots, which includes seven position starters and three starting pitchers. Junior infielder Matt Kelly led the team last year with a .292 batting average, while sophomore outfielder Beau Brundage hit .283. Also back this spring is last season's leader in RBI's in junior outfielder Cody Hawken, who brought in 27 runs as a sophomore. Senior Ryan Hoogerwerf returns after leading the squad with seven homers.
 
New to The Bluff are 14 newcomers, while Portland baseball alum and UP Athletics Hall of Fame member Geoff Loomis enters his third year at the helm of the program.
 
BYU was picked to win the 2018 WCC Championship in Wednesday's preseason poll as the Cougars earned five first place votes and 74 points overall.  
 
San Diego was a close second with 71 points overall and four first place votes. Saint Mary's grabbed the last first place vote while earning 66 points for a preseason third-place finish.
 
Gonzaga, who shared a third of the 2017 regular season title, was picked fourth by the coaches with 57 points. Fellow co-champion Loyola Marymount rounded out the top half with 53 points. San Francisco earned 36 points for a sixth-place finish, narrowly edging seventh-place Pepperdine, who earned 35 points. Santa Clara (27), Pacific (19) and Portland (12) finished out the poll. 
 
The Pilots open the season with three games at UCLA (Feb. 16-18) before returning home for a stretch of eight straight home games, beginning with a visit from Oregon on Wednesday, Feb. 21. Portland opens play in the WCC by hosting Saint Mary's the weekend of March 16-18.
 
Tickets are available for the 2018 season, so please contact the Pilot Box Office (503-943-GoUP) for season packages and flex plans, or visit PortlandPilots.com/Tickets.
 
The 2018 West Coast Conference Baseball Championship will be held at Banner Island Ballpark for the sixth straight year, May 24-26 in Stockton, Calif.
 
2018 WCC Preseason Baseball Coaches Poll
Team (First Place Vote), Points
1. BYU (5), 74
2. San Diego (4), 71
3. Saint Mary's (1), 66
4. Gonzaga, 57
5. Loyola Marymount, 53
6. San Francisco, 36
7. Pepperdine, 35
8. Santa Clara, 27
9. Pacific, 19
10. Portland, 12
 
2018 All-WCC Preseason Baseball Team – Position Players
Name, Institution, Yr., Pos.
Brennon Anderson, BYU, Sr., IF
Jake Brodt, Santa Clara, Sr., IF
John Cresto, Santa Clara, Jr., IF
James Free II, Pacific, So., C
Edward Haus, Saint Mary's, Jr., IF/OF
Keaton Kringlen, BYU, Jr., OF
Kevin Milam, Saint Mary's, So., IF/RHP
Daniel Schneemann, BYU, Jr., IF
Jay Schuyler, San Diego, Jr., UTL
Jamey Smart, Loyola Marymount, Sr., OF
 
2018 All-WCC Preseason Baseball Team – Pitchers
Name, Institution, Yr., Pos.
Kevin Baker, Portland, Jr., RHP
Chris Murphy, San Diego, So., LHP
Thomas Ponticelli, San Francisco, Jr., RHP
Ricky Reynoso, Pacific, Jr., LHP
Nick Sprengel, San Diego, Jr., LHP