By Phil Wade
Director, PBR Indiana

As we prepare for our 2014 high school preseason coverage, we are going to take a quick glance at teams from across the state.

Team: Columbus North
Class: 4A
League: Conference Indiana

Head Coach: Ben McDaniel
2013 Overall Record: 14-12
2013 Conference Record: 3-4
Returning Starters: 5
Returning Pitchers: 2

TOP PLAYERS

Devin Mann, SS, 2015
Brice McDaniel, 1B, 2016
Cody Burton 3B/C, 2015
Collin Lollar, RHP/OF, 2016
Canaan Baum, OF, 2016
Christian Glass, RHP, 2014

OUTLOOK:

The Columbus North Bulldogs and Head Coach Ben McDaniel return five positional starters and two arms from last year's 14-12 team.  Leading the way for the Bulldogs is Louisville commit SS Devin Mann, ranked No. 7 in Indiana's class of 2015 rankings. Mann, a Preseason 1st Team All-State selection, hit .532 with 11 2B,  2 3B and 7 HR as a sophomore. Another offensive producer for the Bulldogs is sophomore 1B Brice McDaniel, currently ranked No. 13 in the 2016 rankings. The 6-foot-2, 215 pound left handed hitter finished his freshman season hitting .316 with 7 2B and a HR, Junior Cody Burton is another top player returning for Columbus North this spring.  The 6-foot, 205 pound Junior is ranked No. 22 in Indiana's 2015 class.  Burton finished his sophomore campaign hitting .293 with 8 2B and 1 3B. Sophomore RHP Collin Lollar will lead the way on the mound.  The 6-foot, 165 pound righty is high level arm in the 2016 class and was up to 87 mph at the Preseason All-State Showcase in February.  As a freshman Lollar pitched 35.3 innings and finished with a 2.77 ERA and a 3-4 record.  Sophomore OF Canaan Baum, a left handed hitter, returns after hitting .317 with 4 2B, 1 3B, and 2 HR in 2013.  Xavier University commit, Christian Glass, a 6-foot-3 RHP also returns to the mound for the Bulldogs after going 5-2 with a 3.80 ERA last season.  

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Click here for the 4A Preseason Team Rankings

click here for more 2014 Team Previews