The Eastern Illinois baseball team has been selected to finish fifth in Ohio Valley Conference this season as the league released its preseason predicted order of finish on Thursday morning.

Along with the predicted order of finish, a Player to Watch was also picked from each team with senior pitcher Tyler Conklin serving as the Panthers' selection. In three starts last season, Conklin struck out 12 batters through 15.0 innings pitched before having his season cut short due to injury.

As a sophomore, Conklin posted a 9-6 record with 79.2 innings pitched and a 5.65 ERA. He led the team in strikeouts with 62 and was a part of two combined shutouts during the season.

In addition to Conklin, the Panthers are also returning 2024 OVC All-Freshman pitcher Bryce Riggs. He posted a 4-2 record in 17 total appearances (10 starts) last season, leading the team in wins. Through 56.1 innings, Riggs recorded 46 strikeouts, which was second most on the team.

SEMO was tabbed as the preseason favorite to win the conference, receiving 13 first-place votes and a total of 157 points. The Redhawks were followed by Little Rock with five first-place votes (144) and Tennessee Tech (118).

Morehead State came in at fourth with one first-place vote (107) with Eastern rounding out the top five at 92 points.

EIU opens up their season next weekend with a three-game series at Louisiana Monroe. Game one is set for Friday, February 14th at 6 p.m.  

2025 OVC Baseball Predicted Order of Finish
1. Southeast Missouri (13 first-place votes) - 157 points
2. Little Rock (5) - 144
3. Tennessee Tech - 118
4. Morehead State (1) - 107
5. Eastern Illinois - 92
6. SIUE (1) - 89
7. UT Martin - 69
8. Southern Indiana - 57
9. Lindenwood - 45
10. Western Illinois - 22
 
2025 Players to Watch
Eastern Illinois - Tyler Conklin (RHP, Sr.)
Lindenwood - Josh Newell (RHP, Jr.)
Little Rock - Jackson Wells (RHP, Sr.)
Morehead State - Davis Germann (OF, R-So.)
Southeast Missouri - Brooks Kettering (2B, So.)
SIUE - Ryan Niedzwiedz (INF, So.)
Southern Indiana - Blake Kimball (RHP, Jr.)
Tennessee Tech - Nicho Jordan (OF, Sr.)
UT Martin - T.J. Grines (2B, Jr.)
Western Illinois - Tyler Large (OF, Jr.)