The Howard Payne University Yellow Jacket baseball team was pre-season picked to finish 6th in the American Southwest Conference West Division, it was announced by the ASC office on Wednesday after a vote of each division’s head coaches, sports information directors and media members. 

Howard Payne finished 13-23 overall and 6-15 in ASC play last season. The Yellow Jackets return Second Team All-West Division – Catcher Garrett Isom, Honorable Mention All-West Division – Third Base Dustin Climer, Honorable Mention All-West Division – Outfield Taylor Zambreski, Honorable Mention All-West Division – Outfield Jordan Hammontree, and Honorable Mention All-West Division – DH Kyle Lloyd to this years squad.

Junior HPU outfielder Taylor Zambreski was named to the 8 position players to watch in the West Division this year. HPU also had freshman right-handed pitcher Jonathan Morris named to the 8 pitchers to watch in the West Division. A total of 30 players – 14 from the East Division and 16 from the West Division – were named to the inaugural players to watch lists by nominations from head coaches.

The 2010 ASC season – the 14th in league history – begins as early as February 5. The eight-team conference tournament’s first round, which is played in a best-of-three series format at sites of the top two seeds from each division, is set for April 30-May 1. The four victorious teams will advance to the double-elimination championship round, set for May 7-9 at the home field of the top remaining seed from the West Division. The ASC champion receives an automatic berth into the NCAA Division III Baseball Championship.