The Cochise College baseball team is ranked No. 3 in the NJCAA Division I preseason poll released in Collegiate Baseball Newspaper’s Jan. 3 edition.
The Apaches, who finished last season with a 52-19 overall record and third in the nation at the Junior College World Series, are the only team from Arizona ranked in the top 20, as decided by the NJCAA Baseball Coaches Association.
Cochise returns three key position players and two starting pitchers, including Steve Naemark, who was featured on the front page of Collegiate Baseball Newspaper’s first issue of 2014. Read the story about Naemark at baseballnews.com.
Despite losing most of last season’s starting sophomores, Collegiate Baseball concludes that “an exceptional recruiting class of 18 has infused the program with talent once again.” Players to watch include returners Naemark, Xavier Altamirano, Austin Nelson, and newcomers Josh Advocate, Nick Borowski and Darick Hall.
Cochise’s season begins at home Feb. 1-2 with doubleheaders starting at noon both days against New Mexico Military Institute, followed by a three-game home series against Western Nevada the following weekend. The Apaches open conference play at home Feb. 15 against Eastern Arizona.
Admission is free to all regular-season home games, played on the Douglas Campus.