ST. PAUL, Minn.- The Macalester College baseball team was picked to finish eighth in the MIAC after posting a 19-20 record and just missing the playoffs for the first time in three seasons.
 
Last season Macalester, coached by Matt Parrington, finished sixth in the conference with a 10-10 MIAC record. Six seniors are returning for the Scots. Of those six seniors, three are position players and three are apart of the pitching staff. The trio of righties Matthew Plisko (Alpharetta, Ga./Pace Academy), Kieran Liming (Alpharetta, Ga./South Forsyth), and Henry Smith (New York, N.Y./Poly Prep Country Day) all saw innings last year and played an important part on the pitching staff. Plisko posted a 4.22 ERA and mowed down 46 batters in 42.2 innings last season after receiving All MIAC Honors in his first two seasons at Macalester. The other two senior righties on the pitching staff are Liming and Smith.
 
In the field and at the plate, Sophomore Michael Moreno (Massapequa, N.Y./Massapequa) received All MIAC honors as a first year after an impressive rookie campaign. Moreno hit .333 with nine doubles, six homeruns, and a team high 30 RBI's. He finished the season third in the conference in homeruns and slugging percentage with a (.635). Carl Francalangia (West Hartford, Conn./The Loomis-Chaffee School), Alex Bearden (St. Louis, Mo./Mary Institute Country Day), and Nathan Levinson (Piedmont, Calif./Piedmont) all return for their senior season. Francalangia played in 29 games last year and saw success at the plate with a .325 batting average, four doubles, and nine RBI's. Francalangia has also been a three year starter for the Scots. The other two senior position players returning are Bearden and Levinson.
 
Saint John's received 95 total votes with five first place votes to rank first in the MIAC preseason poll. St. Thomas was second with (86), followed by Gustavus (83), St. Olaf (77), Saint Mary's (65), Bethel (58), Concordia (42), and Macalester (41). The Tommies received three first place votes, Gustavus tallied two, and St. Olaf totaled one first place vote.
 
The 2020 season begins Feb. 23 with a double header against College of St. Scholastica in U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Min.
 
Click here to view MIAC preseason coaches' poll.
 
2019 MIAC Baseball Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Saint John's (5) – 95
2. St. Thomas (3) –86
3. Gustavus Adolphus (2) – 83
4. St. Olaf (1) – 77
5. Saint Mary's – 65
6. Bethel – 58
7. Concordia – 42
8. Macalester – 41
9. Hamline – 28
10. Augsburg – 18
11. Carleton – 12