State runner-up Blythewood ranked fourth in preseason baseball poll

By Thomas Grant Jr.

A year after finishing state runner-up, Blythewood opens the season with their third head coach in two years and a preseason ranking.

The Bengals were ranked fourth in the S.C. Baseball Coaches Association’s Class 4A preseason poll. They will be coached this season by Travis Poole, a 20-plus year veteran out of North Carolina.

Poole has won over 450 games and two state championships in his career. He replaces interim head coach Dolan Crolley, who led Blythewood to a Class 5A title series where it lost to River Bluff.

Crolley, who was named 5A Coach of the Year, had replaced Banks Faulkner who left to coach at Newberry College following the 2022 season.

S.C. BASEBALL COACHES ASSOCIATION PRESEASON TOP 10 POLLS

CLASS 5A

1. River Bluff

2. Summerville

3. West Ashley

4. Blythewood

5. Berkeley

6. TL Hanna

7. Dorman

8. Boiling Springs

9. Lexington

T10. Carolina Forest/Nation Ford

CLASS 4A

1. Catawba Ridge
2. North Myrtle Beach
3. Lugoff-Elgin
4. Laurens
5. AC Flora
6. Greenville
7. James Island
8. West Florence
9. Airport
T10. Indian Land/Easley

CLASS 3A

1. Hanahan
2. Blue Ridge
3. Clinton
4. Seneca
5. Gilbert
6. Beaufort
7. Powdersville
8. Cresecent
9. Aynor
10. Camden/Belton-Honea Path

CLASS 2A

1. Oceanside Collegiate
2. Gray Collegiate
3. Mid Carolina
4. Andrew Jackson
5. Strom Thurmond
6. Cheraw
7. Fox Creek
8. Bishop England
9. Buford
10. North Central