D1Baseball.com and Perfect Game selected the Maryland baseball team to win the Big Ten in 2017, the outlets announced Thursday.
The Terps, who are ranked in three preseason polls entering their first game Feb. 17, reached 30 wins last season but didn’t advance past the Big Ten tournament semifinals. Coach John Szefc’s team is ranked 22nd, 23rd and 24th in D1Baseball’s, Baseball America’s and Perfect Game’s polls, respectively.
Maryland was 13-11 in conference play last season returns a pair of weekend starting pitchers and seven players who were in the 2016 starting lineup. Right-handers Mike Rescigno and Brian Shaffer and shortstop Kevin Smith were featured on Perfect Game’s Preseason All-Big Ten team.
The Terps, who were the lone Big Ten team in D1Baseball’s preseason top 25, have reached the 30-win mark in each of Szefc’s four seasons and begin conference play at home against Michigan on March 24.
