CANTON, Ga. (January 29, 2025) – The 2025 SAA baseball race is predicted to be close with Berry topping the preseason rankings just ahead of Centre and Rhodes. The three schools were separated by five points and split the conference’s first place votes in the poll conducted among the SAA’s seven head coaches.
 
The Vikings earned 32 points and three first place nods to earn the No. 1 spot. Defending champion Centre finished second with 31 points and two first place votes while Rhodes had 27 points and the remaining first place tallies. Hendrix (22) and Oglethorpe (15) rounded out the top-five.
 
2025 SAA Baseball Preseason Poll:
1. Berry - 32 (3)
2. Centre - 31 (2)
3. Rhodes - 27 (2)
4. Hendrix - 22
5. Oglethorpe - 15
6. Millsaps - 11
7. Sewanee – 9
 
Berry is seeking its third SAA title and first since 2021 after finishing second last year at 28-14 overall, 14-7 in SAA play. Veteran head coach David Beasley will have to replace the SAA Pitcher of the Year, but returns three All-SAA First Teamers from a year ago. Joey Garcia hit .427 in conference play to lead the league while Chase Edmonds hit .400. The Vikings pitching staff led the SAA with a 3.97 ERA.
 
Centre won the regular season and rolled through the SAA tournament last season, going 36-13 overall and 15-6 in the conference. The Colonels return reigning SAA Player of the Year Ben Prather who was second in the conference with a .421 batting average while posting a 6-1 record with a 2.93 ERA and 41 strikeouts on the mound. Last season’s SAA Coach of the Year Drew Briese’s roster boasts five returners named to All-SAA teams.
 
Rhodes owns three SAA tournament titles and is looking for a first regular season championship. The Lynx went 25-18 (10-11 SAA) last season and return nine players named All-SAA.
 
February 7 will be first pitch of the 2025 SAA baseball season with Berry visiting Emory and Rhodes taking on LaGrange. Hendrix hosts Sewanee in the first SAA match-up of the season on March 7. SAA Tournament opening round pods are set for May 2-3 with the championship tournament slated for May 8-10 at the highest remaining seed. 
 
Fans can follow SAA baseball all season long at SAA-Sports.com   
 
SAA Baseball Preseason Poll History
2024 (No. 1 Birmingham-Southern)
2023 (No. 1 Birmingham-Southern)
2022 (No. 1 Birmingham-Southern)
 
SAA Baseball Regular Season Champions (Tournament Champion)
2024: Centre (Centre)
2023: Birmingham-Southern (Birmingham-Southern)
2022: Birmingham-Southern (Birmingham-Southern)
2021: Berry (Birmingham-Southern)
2020: none
2019: Hendrix/Birmingham-Southern (Birmingham-Southern)
2018: Berry (Rhodes)
2017: Birmingham-Southern (Rhodes)
2016: Birmingham-Southern (Birmingham-Southern)
2015: Birmingham-Southern (Rhodes)
2014: Birmingham-Southern (Birmingham-Southern)
2013: Millsaps (Millsaps)