The 2019 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) baseball season gets underway starting on Friday, with all nine of the conference's baseball-playing institutions throwing their first pitches of the campaign.
North Carolina A&T State is the defending MEAC champion, having defeated Bethune-Cookman 12-9 last season for its first conference title in baseball since 2005 and fourth overall. The Aggies, again under the direction head coach Ben Hall, are the preseason favorites to win the Southern Division again this season.
Bethune-Cookman, which leads the MEAC with 19 conference titles, was picked to finish second. Florida A&M and North Carolina Central followed, with Savannah State picked to finish fifth.
The Eagles return reigning MEAC Player of the Year Corey Joyce and are looking to build off a 2018 campaign that saw them win a program-record 28 games but miss the conference tournament. The Wildcats are looking to reclaim their spot atop the conference, returning a host of veterans -- including reigning MEAC Pitcher of the Year Anthony Maldonado.
Bethune-Cookman also welcomes in first-year head coach Jonathan Hernandez.
Joyce and Maldonado were also voted earlier this month as the MEAC Preseason Player and Pitcher of the Year, respectively.
In the Northern Division, Coppin State is the preseason favorite to repeat; the Eagles claimed their first MEAC regular-season title since 1996 last season, going a remarkable 18-4 in league play and advancing to the semifinals of the conference tournament. The Eagles return both reigning MEAC Rookie of the Year in shortstop Derek Lohr and reigning Coach of the Year in Sherman Reed.
Norfolk State, which prior to 2018 had won the Northern Division for three straight years, was picked to finish second, followed by Delaware State and Maryland Eastern Shore. The Hawks have advanced to the conference tournament in each of the past two seasons.
North Carolina A&T State, North Carolina Central and Savannah State are each at home this weekend to open the season; the Aggies will welcome Niagara to War Memorial Stadium, while the Eagles will play host to Canisius and Savannah State will play an inter-division series against Coppin State.
Bethune-Cookman will hit the road but remain in-state -- as will Norfolk State. The Wildcats will square off against Florida Gulf Coast, while the Spartans will pay James Madison a visit. Elsewhere, Delaware State will take on The Citadel, Maryland Eastern Shore will square off against Longwood and Florida A&M will compete in the Andre Dawson Classic in New Orleans, La.
In fact, the Rattlers' game against Eastern Kentucky on Saturday will be broadcast live on MLB Network and MLB.com.
Friday, Feb. 15
Maryland Eastern Shore at Longwood (DH), 1:30 p.m.
Niagara at North Carolina A&T State (DH), 2 p.m.
Norfolk State at James Madison, 3 p.m.
Canisius at North Carolina Central, 4 p.m.
Delaware State at The Citadel, 4 p.m.
Coppin State at Savannah State, 5 p.m.
Bethune-Cookman at Florida Gulf Coast, 6:30 p.m.
Florida A&M vs. Southern, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 16
Maryland Eastern Shore at Longwood, 12 p.m.
Coppin State at Savannah State (DH), 1 p.m.
Bethune-Cookman at Florida Gulf Coast, 2 p.m.
Delaware State at The Citadel, 2 p.m.
Norfolk State at James Madison, 2 p.m.
Niagara at North Carolina A&T State, 3 p.m.
Canisius at North Carolina Central, 3 p.m.
Florida A&M vs. Eastern Kentucky, 8 p.m. (LIVE on MLB Network and MLB.com)
Sunday, Feb. 17
Coppin State at Savannah State, 12 p.m.
Canisius at North Carolina Central, 12 p.m.
Maryland Eastern Shore at Longwood, 12:30 p.m.
Bethune-Cookman at Florida Gulf Coast, 1 p.m.
Norfolk State at James Madison, 1 p.m.
Delaware State at The Citadel, 1 p.m.
Florida A&M vs. Arkansas Pine Bluff, 3 p.m.