TCC Baseball, Softball earn preseason rankings in FCSAA Coaches’ Polls

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (January 29, 2015) – The Florida College System Activities Association (FCSAA) released its preseason baseball and softball coaches’ polls on Thursday, which is also the eve of the 2015 season. 

Tallahassee Community College landed in both polls, highlighted by softball’s No. 3 ranking. The Eagle baseball team opens the season ranked ninth. 

In the softball poll, Tallahassee garnered eight of the 20 first-place votes, the same number as co-No. 1 College of Central Florida, who shared the top spot with Indian River State College, who received the other four first-place nods. The Eagles’ 156 total points was just five points behind the Patriots and Pioneers. 

Tallahassee, who finished 41-14 in 2014, is the defending FCSAA State and Panhandle Conference (PC) Champion. 

PC rival Chipola College is ranked fourth followed by Miami Dade College, Polk State College, Santa Fe College, Northwest Florida State College, Seminole State College and Daytona State College. 

Meanwhile, the Eagles, 40-18 in 2014, were one of 20 schools to receive votes from the state baseball coaches. At No. 9, Tallahassee begins the 2015 season where it ended the 2014 campaign. 

The poll is topped by Miami Dade, the defending NJCAA runners-up. Chipola is ranked No. 2 followed by Polk State, State College of Florida, Gulf Coast State College, St. Johns River State College, Palm Beach State College and No. 8 Central Florida. 

Northwest Florida State follows Tallahassee at No. 10. 

Both teams open the 2015 season on Friday. 

Softball is in Clearwater, Fla., for the annual JUCO Kickoff Tournament and Showcase and will play St. Petersburg College at 4:20 p.m. Two more games will follow on Saturday. 

Baseball plays a pair of games Friday and Saturday in Panama City, Fla., at the First Pitch Classic hosted by Gulf Coast State College. Friday’s games are at 1:30 p.m. vs. Darton (Ga.) State College and 4 p.m. vs. Gordon (Ga.) State College.