The SLU Billikens went 33-23 last year and were one win away from winning the Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament. (Photo: Thomas Grove)
Cedric Williams
Senior Editor
The college baseball season will begin officially this weekend, with games all over the country, and late Wednesday, the Atlantic 10 Conference released its preseason baseball predictions.
In those predictions, Saint Louis University was picked to finish first, ahead of George Mason, last year’s A-10 tournament champion, and Saint Joseph’s, the 2023 A-10 regular season champ.
SLU received three first-place votes and 125 total points in a poll conducted by the league’s 12 head coaches. George Mason came in second, with two first-place votes and 121 points.
Saint Joseph’s was third with one first-place vote and 114 points, one point ahead of Davidson, which had two first-place votes and 113 points. The Wildcats were the 2022 regular season champions.
VCU, the 2022 Atlantic 10 overall champion, picked up two first-place votes and recorded 97 points to earn the fifth spot in the poll. Dayton got one first-place vote and 96 points to finish sixth in the poll, after tying Saint Louis for third in the league standings. Rhode Island garnered the final first place vote and recorded 77 points to earn the seventh spot in the poll.
Richmond (63 points), George Washington (51), and Fordham (38) occupied spots eight, nine, and 10, while Massachusetts and St. Bonaventure rounded out the 12-team poll.
Last year, Saint Louis had a dynamite year, going 33-23 overall and 15-9 in league play. The Billikens were one win away from winning the A-10 Tournament and advancing to the NCAA Tournament, but lost twice on the final day to George Mason.
This season, the Billikens’ top five hitters from last year will be back led by Cole Smith, Hayden Moore, Ethan Sitzman, Patrick Clohisy and Tyler Fogarty returning to lead the charge at the plate in 2024.
A year ago, Smith went .367 from the plate in 221 at-bats. Similarly, Moore and Sitzman recorded respective batting averages of .359 and .327 while Clohisy led the team in RBIs and Fogarty blasted 12 home runs.
SLU also brings back a strong pitching core as its three starters will return to the mound. Henry Litman led the charge, pitching a team-high 77 innings in 2023 and compiling an ERA of 4.32. Owen Chaffin and Jackson Holmes return for the Billikens as well, after making 14 starts apiece and recording 32 and 37 strikeouts, respectively.
SLU also added 15 newcomers over the offseason who will look to make an immediate impact in the upcoming season.
Head coach Darin Hendrickson is in his 17th season leading the program. He is 479-377-1 at SLU and has compiled 969 total wins while entering his 27th season overall.
The Billikens will begin play this weekend at the Snowbird Classic in Port Charlotte, Fla. Saint Louis will take on will take on St. Thomas and Illinois State, in a set of four games (two against each team) to be played over the course of three days.
SLU’s home opener at the Billiken Sports Complex will be March 1 against Le Moyne. A-10 league play will begin March 28, when the Billikens host Rhode Island.
2024 Atlantic 10 Conference Preseason Baseball Poll
- Saint Louis University – 125 (3)
- George Mason – 121 (2)
- Saint Joseph’s – 114 (1)
- Davidson – 113 (2)
- VCU – 97 (2)
- Dayton – 96 (1)
- Rhode Island – 77 (1)
- Richmond – 63
- George Washington – 51
- Fordham – 38
- Massachusetts – 22
- St. Bonaventure — 19
(Image courtesy: SLU Athletics)