FLUSHING, N.Y. (Feb. 22, 2018) - On Thursday, the CUNY Athletic Conference and Municipal Credit Union released their preseason baseball poll for 2018, and Baruch College was picked as the favorite in the ledger.

Baruch earned the top spot by the slimmest of margins over Staten Island, earning 45 points and three out of a possible seven first-place votes.

Last year, the Bearcats posted an 11-3 conference record and finished as the runner-up to the Dolphins in the bid for a CUNYAC Championship. 

Fresh off a season in which he hit .317, Baruch senior outfielder Edwin St. Hilaire was named the CUNYAC Preseason Player of the Year. St. Hilaire, a CUNYAC All-Star in 2017, led the Bearcats with four homers and 21 RBIs. He also added four doubles and scored 26 runs, in addition to producing a team-high .475 slugging percentage.

Meanwhile, Staten Island totaled 44 points and four first-place votes, en route to placing second in the poll.

The Dolphins, who went 27-11-1 a year ago, dropped their opening contest in the CUNYAC Tournament last season, but reeled off four straight victories, including a pair of decisive wins over Baruch, to capture their third-straight league title.

On the hill, CSI senior hurler Derek Jentz received the nod as the CUNYAC Preseason Pitcher of the Year. Jentz pitched to the tune of a 4-2 record with a 2.16 earned-run average in 41.2 innings for the Dolphins in 2017. Additionally, he fanned a team-high 44 batters and held opponents to a .183 batting average against, which led all CSI pitchers.

CCNY came in third in the voting with 32 points. John Jay (25 points) and Lehman (24 points) were separated by a single point in a battle for fourth and fifth, respectively.

The 2018 CUNYAC Baseball Championship will begin on May 3, with first-round single-elimination contests at home sites. It will then move to the CSI Baseball Complex in Staten Island from May 4-5 for a double-elimination tournament.

2018 CUNYAC Baseball Preseason Poll
1. Baruch (Three First-Place Votes) - 45 Points
2. Staten Island (Four First-Place Votes) - 44 Points
3. CCNY - 32 Points
4. John Jay - 25 Points
5. Lehman - 24 Points
6. Finlandia - 17 Points
7. UMPI - 9 Points

CUNYAC Preseason Player of the Year: Edwin St. Hilaire, OF, Baruch
CUNYAC Preseason Pitcher of the Year: Derek Jentz, Staten Island