49ers second in preseason baseball poll

After winning a program-record 38 games and capturing its first-ever regular season crown a year ago, Dayton was selected the preseason pick by Atlantic 10 coaches to win the league's baseball title this season.

Four-time champion Charlotte was picked to finish second while defending league tournament champion Xavier was picked third.

Dayton hit a program-best 77 home runs and led the conference in batting (.332) last season. The Flyers are led by senior infielder Zach Jacob, who ranked among the top 10 in the league in hits, runs and total bases, and sophomore lefthander Cameron Hobson, teh 2009 A-10 rookie of the year.

Charlotte boasts an overall record of 160-70 (.695) over the past four seasons - good for ninth nationally - and welcomes back a pair of second-team all-conference selections in designated hitter Ryan Rivers (league-high 18 home runs) and righthander Joe Yermal (8-3, 3.01 ERA).

Rhode Island was picked fourth, followed by Richmond, Saint Louis, Massachusetts, Temple, Fordham, George Washington, Saint Joseph's, St. Bonaventure, La Salle and Duquesne.

The six-team, double-elimination A-10 Championship is May 26-29 at Campbell's Field in Camden, N.J.

2010 Predicted Order of Finish
(2009 overall/A-10 record in parentheses)
1. Dayton (38-19/21-6)
2. Charlotte (33-22/16-11)
3. Xavier (39-21/18-9)
4. Rhode Island (37-20-1/19-6)
5. Richmond (22-25/11-16)
6. Saint Louis (30-25/12-13)
7. Massachusetts (27-26/16-11)
8. Temple (17-33/11-15)
9. Fordham (22-32/16-11)
10. George Washington (22-33/11-15)
11. Saint Joseph's (16-30-1/9-17)
12. St. Bonaventure (24-25/9-17)
13. La Salle (19-30/8-18)
14. Duquesne (14-41/7-19)