Nighthawks baseball voted to finish 10th In Peach Belt preseason poll

AUGUSTA -- The University of North Georgia baseball team has been voted to finish 10th out of 13 Peach Belt Conference schools as announced on Wednesday afternoon by the league office. The Nighthawks, who received 51 total votes from league coaches, return seven field position starters and are on the heels of a 22-27 campaign in 2014.<br /> <br /> Teams were given 12 points for a first-place vote, 11 for a second and so on. Coaches were not permitted to rank their own teams.<br /> <br /> For the first time in the 24-year history of the PBC baseball preseason poll, two teams are tied at the top spot. Columbus State and Lander each received 137 points in the poll. Lander collected eight first-place votes to Columbus State's five, but CSU was voted either first or second on all 12 eligible ballots. Georgia College and USC Aiken are tied for third with 116 points each with Armstrong in fifth and UNC Pembroke in sixth.<br /> <br /> Teams were given 12 points for a first-place vote, 11 for a second and so on. Coaches were not permitted to rank their own teams.<br /> <br /> Under the direction veteran skipper Tom Cantrell, the North Georgia opens the 2015 season on Sunday with a 1 p.m. first pitch at Valdosta State.