After capturing its first Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference regular season championship in 33 years last spring, the Massachusetts Maritime baseball team has been picked to finish third in this year’s league race in the annual pre-season coaches’ poll released earlier today.

Head Coach Mike Kelley’s Buccaneers received one first place vote and tied Worcester State for the third spot with 34 points, one shy of second place pick Westfield State’s 35 points.  Salem State was selected by the MASCAC coaches as the pre-season favorite to capture the conference crown, as the Vikings received seven first place votes in amassing 49 total points.

Framingham State (28) and Fitchburg State (21) checked into the fifth and sixth spots in this year’s poll, while Bridgewater State (16) and MCLA (7) rounded out this year’s pre-season rankings.

Kelley welcomes back 18 veterans and six starting position players from last year’s Massachusetts Maritime squad that captured 17 overall victories, including 10 in conference play.  The Buccaneers begin their 2016 season on Saturday evening by taking on Immaculata (Pa.) in Fort Pierce, Fla. at 7:00 p.m. EST.