Baseball Ranked 11th by Collegiate Baseball
12/21/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Dec. 21, 2003
WACO, Texas - Collegiate Baseball ranked Baylor 11th nationally in its 2004 preseason poll, released earlier this week. The Bears finished last season ranked 13th by Collegiate Baseball after losing to LSU in an NCAA Super Regional.
The publication also included junior Michael Griffin and senior relief pitcher Zane Carlson on its preseason all-America teams, released in conjunction with the preseason ranking. Both players had already earned preseason all-America honors from the National Collegiate Baseball Writers' Association (NCBWA).
Griffin, a native of Dallas, Texas, was named to the all-America first team at third base after spending the summer with the USA National Team. As a sophomore in 2003, the junior hit .350 with 11 home runs and a team-high 76 RBI and was named both first-team All-Big 12 and first-team Academic All-Big 12. He set a new school record with 26 doubles while splitting time between left field and third base.
Carlson, a third-team 2004 preseason all-America selection, owns 34 career saves; that total leads all active pitchers and ranks seventh in NCAA Division I history. He already owns the Baylor career saves record, the Big 12 Conference career saves mark and the Cape Cod League career saves record. A native of Highland Park, Texas, Carlson went 3-4 with a 2.61 ERA and 11 saves in 2003, earning a selection to the coaches' All-Big 12 second team.
A complete listing of Collegiate Baseball's preseason all-America teams and preseason ranking is available at CollegiateBaseball.com.
Baylor begins the 2004 season at home Feb. 13 at home against Loyola Marymount.
