Eastern Kentucky University's softball team was picked to finish first out of 12 teams in a preseason poll of league head coaches and sports information directors.The Colonels received 230 points with 10 first-place votes to grab the nod over second place Jacksonville State. The Gamecocks were second with 226 points and 11 first-place votes. Austin Peay was third with 204 points and three first-place votes.SIU Edwardsville (167), Southeast Missouri (160), Eastern Illinois (143), UT Martin (121), Belmont (99), Murray State (85), Morehead State (63), Tennessee Tech (61) and Tennessee State (23) rounded out the poll.EKU returns seven of nine starters off last year's team that won the OVC regular season title.headlines a group of returners that includes senior infieldersand, along with junior pitcherEastern ranked fifth in the country last year in home runs per game and 19th in slugging percentage. The Colonels ranked first in the OVC in home runs per game, scoring, slugging percentage and W/L percentage.The Colonels hit the field for the first time when they travel to Elon, North Carolina to take on Longwood University Friday, Feb. 8 at 12:45 p.m.