Pittsburg tops Tribune's SEK baseball poll

Pittsburg, one of the league's defending tri-champions, is the favorite to claim the Southeast Kansas League baseball title by one point in a poll conducted by the Fort Scott Tribune and prepared Tuesday afternoon.

The Tribune compiled the poll via email following an off-season conversation with Fort Scott head coach Josh Regan, who commented that league coaches had enjoyed the opportunity to share the results when a Pittsburg radio station conducted the poll.

Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own teams.

Pittsburg, which shared the crown with Fort Scott and Labette County last season, received five of the seven first-place votes. The Purple Dragons received five of six possible votes to finish in the top three but also one vote for fourth place. The Purple Dragons, who were 9-3 in the SEK and 11-10 overall last season, compiled 33 points.

Fort Scott, which received the other two first-place votes, scored 32 points in balloting. The Tigers, 17-5 overall last season after bowing out of the Class 4A-Division I State Tournament in the first round, were the only team to receive six top-three votes.

Labette County, also 17-5 last season, finished third in balloting with 22 points. The Grizzlies received four top-three votes. Chanute (3-9, 8-12), which tied for fifth last season, picked up 21 points to finish fourth in balloting. The Blue Comets had three top-three votes.

Independence (3-9, 7-12), which also tied for fifth, picked up 20 points and four top-three votes. Coffeyville (7-5, 11-6), fourth last season, received 12 points. Parsons (2-10, 3-17), which finished in last place in 2015, brings up the rear with 9 points.

Breakdown

The predicted order of finish in the Southeast Kansas League pre-season baseball poll conducted by the Fort Scott Tribune. Also listed are the number of first-place and top-three votes each team received as well as the total points.