The Mid-Atlantic preview is the last of our eight regional previews. Follow D3baseball.com on Twitter for updated throughout the season.
The road to Appleton in the Mid-Atlantic region leads through New Jersey. It has been announced that Kean will host the Trenton regional as part of the NCAA Division III playoffs at Mercer County Waterfront Park, home of a Double-A Trenton Thunder. The last two NCAA tournaments have featured New Jersey-contested regionals in Lakewood (2009) and Newark (2008).
While the Mid-Atlantic region on a whole features 57 teams and seven automatic bid leagues, Kean has won the last three regional championships and made four-straight NCAA appearances under head coach Neil Ioverio. The 2007 national champions are poised for another run to Wisconsin with a highly potent offense that includes eight returning starters. The road to the regionals for the Cougars however is a tough one in the highly competitive NJAC where they'll face a stiff challenge from William Paterson as well as TCNJ and Montclair State. Paterson was one win away from the NCAA tournament last year and knocked Kean from the conference tournament before succumbing to TCNJ.
Kean is the overall favorite but don't look past Keystone. While the Cougars are ranked third in the D3baseball.com/NCBWA Top 25, the Giants are tabbed 11th. Keystone stomped its' foot into the collective national scene last year with 40-win season and an appearance in the Mid-Atlantic region title game with Kean. Looking past the top contenders, Alvernia is the sleeper pick to advance to Wisconsin. The Crusaders have everyone back from last year's NCAA tournament team. Penn State-Behrend and Manhattanville should join the others in Trenton, N.J., along with Johns Hopkins. The 2008 national runners-up should be able to slug their way to New Jersey but will need to replace several key arms on the mound.
New Faces:
Justin Cook, Baptist Bible: The 2009 Baptist Bible grad takes over a Crusaders program that has only known one coach, the now resigned Don Sintic, since its inception in 2005. Cook played baseball and basketball at the Clarks Summit, Pa., school; he topped the team in earned run average during the 2006 campaign and was also part of an NCAA playoff basketball team in 2008. It is believed that Cook is one of the youngest head baseball coaches in the country.
Jonathan Musialowski, Hilbert: Musialowski, a standout at RIT in the early part of the previous decade, takes the reins of the Hawks in his third year with the program. He spent the last two seasons as an assistant coach under Rob Gladwell. Musialowski starred at both RIT and Virginia Tech as a collegiate player and went on to play three seasons in the independent leagues. Musialowski inherits a team coming off its' best season in recent memory with 10 victories.
Jonathan Thomas, New Jersey City: Current athletic director Ken Heaton coached the Gothic Knights for 18 years prior to stepping down before the 2008 season. Two-straight losing seasons later, former NJCU star Jonathan Thomas has been tabbed as the team's new skipper. Thomas was a two time All-NJAC selection and a two-year captain during a collegiate playing career that spanned from 2000 through 2004. He signed with the Kansas City Royals as a non-drafted free agent out of school and enjoyed a near six-year professional career. The Jersey City, N.J., native is in his first head-coaching assignment though he was an assistant at his alma mater in 2008.
Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC): A three-peat could be in store in 2010 for the Nittany Lions of Penn State-Behrend. The Erie, Pa., school has won the last two Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference titles and this year's team returns eight of nine starters from a squad that won 31 games in 2009. D3baseball.com Preseason All-American and reigning AMCC Player of the Year Josh Fyffe (.406, 9 HR, 58 RBI) and all-region selection Jonathan Gray (.432, 30 RBI, 16 SB) could be Behrend's best ever according to head coach Paul Benim and 2010 marks their final hurrah in a Lions uniform. Behrend's batsmen ripped off a .360 team batting average last year; they may need just as much offense this year without their two top 2009 starters and relievers including graduated AMCC Pitcher of the Year Dave Koerbel (9-1, 3.56 ERA, 83 K). A replenishment of arms could come in the form of a strong freshmen class. Of Penn State-Behrend's conference opposition, Penn State-Altoona could be the toughest. Sure, the Lions need to replace workhorse Paul Keith (9-1, 4.13 ERA, 80.2 IP, 73 K) and speed merchant R.J. Barnard (22 SB) but the offense should continue to click behind Cord Heine (16 HR, 60 RBI), Jim Byers (12 HR, 55 RBI) and Grady Luzier (.443, 6 HR, 61 RBI) who helped the Altoona, Pa., school average almost nine runs per game last season. Frostburg State finished just behind Behrend last year and could put up another run to the top but it will have to do so with just five starters returning and no Trevor Conner (8-1, 1.72 ERA). Another challenge could come from Mt. Aloysius. AMCC Coach of the Year Kevin Kime guided the Mounties to their first-ever AMCC playoff berth in 2009, with almost everyone back, another 20-win season and a postseason trip could be on tap.
Centennial Conference (CC): Johns Hopkins has won three-straight Centennial Conference championships and seven out of the last nine dating back to the 2001 season. The Blue Jays finished second in the league last year but won a rain-shortened league tournament as the highest seed remaining after top-seeded Ursinus was knocked out. Hopkins is poised for another run at the league title as seven players with starting experience are back led by 2008 D3baseball.com All-American Brian Youchak (.440, 5 HR, 43 RBI), all-region third baseman Lee Bolyard (.381, 11 HR, 47 RBI), outfielder Jesse Sikorski (.370, 13 HR, 45 RBI) and catcher John Swarr (.379, 4 HR, 22 RBI). Youchak returns to the Blue Jays as a graduate student with eligibility remaining because of a red shirt season in 2007. Bolyard and Chris Huisman (.303, 4 HR, 24 RBI) should take over for departed starters Todd Emr and Ryan Biner. The Blue Jays may need to simply outscore teams with the departure of Chez Angeloni (5-3, 4.90 ERA, 60.2 IP) and Dave Fioretti (5-0, 4.12 ERA, 67.2 IP) and reliever Matt Wiegand out for the year due to injury though they do have several upperclass pitchers as holdovers from 2008's World Series runner-up finish.
There should be unfinished business in Lancaster, Pa., where Franklin and Marshall went 2-0 in the conference tournament last year however rain kept the Dips from ever playing Hopkins for the league title. F&M has a majority of last year's 24-triumph squad back headed by all-league selections Matt Will (.379, 3 HR, 29 RBI, 15 SB), Bill Murray (.378, 4 HR, 28 RBI), Jason Anderson (.357, 3 HR, 39 RBI) and Nick Markel (5-1, 3.36 ERA, 56.1 IP). Righty Brendan McCreary (3-1, 1.49 ERA, 36.1 IP, 29 K) gives F&M a solid bullpen arm that could come in handy down the stretch and especially against Hopkins in a conference tournament setting. The biggest drop-off could be at Ursinus, where after a 25-11-2 mark in 2009 and a regular season league championship, the Bears lose a lot including CC Pitcher of the Year Zeb Engle (9-0, 1.87 ERA, 81.2 IP, 91 K).
After the top two, it's anyone's guess and among the suitors peering up at the top two perennial powers are Haverford and Gettysburg. Offensively, the Fords no longer have the services of Dean Laganosky (.328, 21 SB, 21 RBI, 4 HR) but will benefit from returners Jeff Butera (.369, 19 RBI), Charlie Carluccio (.347, 7 HR, 44 RBI, 12 SB) and Louis DeRosa (.326, 21 SB). Stefan Pappius-Lefebvre (6-3, 3.97 ERA, 65.2 IP) will head up the staff while Carluccio should double as a starting fielder and closer after posting a 1.17 ERA and four saves in 13 appearances last year. A veteran Gettysburg club is a year older and wiser after a sub-.500 2009. They'll boast a core group led by Kevin Langhauser (.312, 31 RBI, 9 TRP, 13 SB) and Matt Karis (.302, 1 HR, 21 RBI; 5-3, 3.75 ERA, 69.2 IP).
Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC): The league formerly known as the Pennsylvania Athletic Conference saw the new kid on the block, Keystone College, sweep in from the North East Athletic Conference last season and amass a 15-0 loop mark en route to a league title and an automatic berth to the NCAA tournament. Along the way, the tiny school from LaPlume, Pa. won 27-straight games and received a two-seed in the Mid-Atlantic regional before dropping a pair of NCAA playoff contests to Kean, the second of which was the Mid-Atlantic title tilt. With the core of last year's team returning basically intact and a solid 18-man incoming class, Keystone should again storm through the CSAC on its' way to Trenton.
The headliners will be D3baseball.com Preseason All-American and 2009 CSAC Player of the Year Eric Groff (.445, 13 HR, 58 RBI), 2009 CSAC Tournament MVP Esteban Meletiche (.429, 6 HR, 41 RBI) and all-league outfielder Ray Jackson (.347, 29 RBI, 29 SB). Conference Pitcher of the Year Brett Repard (10-0, 2.21 ERA, 6 CG) has departed but the trio of Sean Murphy (9-0, 2.08 ERA, 68 K), Mike Hanley (8-0, 1.60 ERA) and Sean Brewer (8-3, 3.00 ERA, 88 K) should give the Giants a formidable mound threesome. Of 18 newcomers, 12 are transfers with the most notable additions being 2006 Philadelphia Phillies draft pick Yazzy Arbello, 2009 NJCAA All-American Andy Vega, East Stroudsburg transfer Edwin Padua and Brookdale (N.J.) Community ace Jeff Frost. At this point, it looks like the CSAC will be Keystone's to lose. Among the teams hoping Keystone stumbles are four-time league champion Gwynedd-Mercy, Centenary (N.J.) and Neumann. Of the hopefuls, Neumann could be at the head of the group under second-year head coach John Fleming. The Knights outslugged higher-seeded Gwynedd-Mercy in two playoff games last season. A majority of Neumann's starters return along with a strong incoming group of transfers.
Landmark Conference (LC): A two-year waiting period is over and the Landmark Conference champion now will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. The two-time defending tournament champion is Catholic however the Cardinals have finished no higher than third during the regular season. This year's first-ever automatic qualifier could come down to the final out as there is no clear-cut favorite on paper. Moravian and Merchant Marine seem the likeliest candidates though Susquehanna and Catholic could also be in the mix.
Youth is in at Moravian where a trio of sophomore stars should top the team in 2009 Landmark Rookie of the Year Kevin O'Keefe (.421, 6 HR, 59 RBI) and all-league starting pitchers Brendan Close (7-2, 3.34 ERA, 78 K) and Thomas Fenyak (6-3, 4.60 ERA, 51 K). Fellow sophomores Joe Bartolacci (.354, 2 HR, 27 RBI) and Dave Zubia (.398) along with junior Jason Huber (.381, 30 RBI, 11 SB) should give Moravian a strong offense. A Merchant Marine club with 11 freshmen in 2009 set a school record with 22 wins. D3baseball.com All-American David May (.464, 13 HR, 57 RBI, 16 SB) is a gigantic loss for the Mariners but Mike Bybee (.413, 8 HR, 53 RBI), Doug Carter (.385, 9 HR, 43 RBI) and Frank Pierson (.313, 26 RBI, 22 SB) hope to fill the void. Sophomores Mark Thiboldeaux (1-0, 2.79 ERA) and George Novak (5-2, 46.0 IP) should lead the starting rotation while Mike Phipps anchors the bullpen (4-0, 2.25 ERA, 2 saves).
Susquehanna enters 2010 without D3baseball.com All-American John Lunardi (7-2, 1.60 ERA, 51 K; .415, 8 HR, 22 RBI) as well as five starters from last year's 24-win team. Chris Price, a 2008 D3baseball.com All-American (.309, 6 HR, 42 RBI), Justin Portzline (.349, 2 HR, 28 RBI) and Erik Tuomisto (.297, 5 HR, 37) should form Susquehanna's offensive nucleus. Pitching may be the larger issue with no starter back sporting an ERA below 3.78. Relievers Jordan Thomas (4-0, 2.86) and Ben Leonard (1-0, 3.24, 2 saves) should be the best arms. Catholic's strength will be on the mound with Andrew Moldawer (5-2, 2.78), reliever Jack Mahoney (4-0, 4.72) and closer Michael Bzozowski (four saves). The starting rotation though will need re-tooling for conference weekends. The Cardinals offense loses 14 home runs and 121 RBI from 2009 but lead-off hitter Tommy Little (.295, 27 SB, .391 OBP) gives CUA a table-setter at the top of what will be a much different line-up.
Middle Atlantic Commonwealth Confernece (MACC): Alvernia and Elizabethtown each went to the NCAA tournament last year as representatives of the Middle Atlantic Conference's Freedom and Commonwealth divisions respectively. This year, the Crusaders and Blue Devils will both be vying for the Commonwealth crown with Alvernia's move from one side of the MAC to the other. On paper, Alvernia seems to have the inside edge with all but one senior back from last year's Freedom championship team. The three-man rotation of 2009 Freedom Pitcher of the Year Shane Zellers (8-3, 2.59 ERA, 80.0 IP, 73 K), Chris Stoudt (6-1, 3.31 ERA, 67 K; .355, 7 HR, 39 RBI) and Chuck Nicolas (4-4, 3.32 ERA) combined for 18 wins and 35 of Alvernia's 44 starts last season, they'll once again be the centerpiece of the squad though last year's pitching group as a whole held opponents to a .248 batting average. All-league selections Steve DeBarberie (.370, 4 HR, 38 RBI) and Steve Bealer (.370, 2 HR, 35 RBI) along with Chris Stoudt are Alvernia's top returning hitters; Stoudt could be one of the best two-way players in the conference. Defending champion Elizabethtown has several big holes to fill with the graduation of Sam Heaps (.390, 38 RBI, 20 SB; 6-3, 2.95 ERA, 87 K) and 2009 Commonwealth Player of the Year Adam Sheibley (.317, 51 SB, 40 RBI). Pitching will be Elizabethtown's strength with Commonwealth Tournament MVP Matt Vinagro (9-1, 2.86 ERA, 78.2 IP) and all-league selection Adam Hartzell (9-3, 2.07 ERA, 78.0 IP, 67 K) heading up the rotation. Vinagro threw two complete games in less than 24 hours last May to help E'Town win the league championship. A third starter will need to emerge to take the place of Sam Heaps. Offensively, seniors Brian Kiernan (.411, 5 HR, 33 RBI) Rodney Francis (.314, 3 HR, 35 RBI, 17 SB) and Ben Yeager (.300, 2 HR, 29 RBI) will have to shoulder the load with just one (Kiernan) of the team's top five hitters returning.
The four-team pack of Widener, Messiah, Lebanon Valley and Albright will duke it out for the final two playoff spots in the now seven-team league. Widener features 2009 Commonwealth Pitcher of the Year Jason Ferrie (5-0, 3.05 ERA, 58 K) and all-league selections Dan Sieracki (.364, 7 HR, 31 RBI) and Alex Oliver (.310, 1 HR, 17 RBI). The Pioneers also boast five of their top six batsmen back and a majority of their starting fielders. Messiah won 28 games in 2008 and went to the NCAA tournament though last year Bryan Engle's Falcons suffered through a sub-.500 campaign. Don't count on that happening again with just about everyone back offensively including all-league choices Sheldon Witmer (.366, 6 HR, 31 RBI; 3-5, 5.62 ERA) and Adam Ranck (.344) plus Jordan Zimmerman (.361, 4 HR, 36 RBI). If the offense doesn't improve, the trio of Witmer, Travis Thome (2-5, 6.46 ERA) and Eric Spring (3-3, 4.35 ERA) will have to revert to their 2008 form. Lebanon Valley will be led by the duo of Grant Wiest (.385, 1 HR, 25 RBI) and Colt Zarilla (.373, 2 HR, 32 RBI) at the plate though the Dutchmen's offense will need to work on a .298 team batting average and the pitching staff has to lower a 7.41 ERA. Zarilla doubles as the starting punter for the LVC football team. Watch out for freshmen Andrew Cunningham, a 6-foot-4 freshman from Berkley Heights, N.J. Albright also figures to be in the mix with all-league hurler Casey Lawrence (6-1, 2.82 ERA, 76.2 IP, 73 K) and seven returning starters plus Widener transfer JoJo Fischer (.333, 2 HR, 24 RBI). The Lions though have to replace pitcher Tim Flannery (4-5, 3.35 ERA, 75.1 IP, 83 K) and top offensive weapon Jason Dunkelburger (.321, 5 HR, 27 RBI).
Middle Atlantic Freedom Conference (MACF): Who will be the beneficiary of defending Freedom champion Alvernia's move to the Commonwealth Conference this year? Seven of the league's current eight teams all won at least 20 games a season ago, just one finished with a losing record and four games separated first from seventh place. The 2010 Freedom picture is extremely murky though the third time could be the charm for Jeff Caulfield's Manhattanville squad. Manhattanville hasn't missed the Freedom championship game since joining the league in 2008 from the Skyline Conference. The entire pitching rotation is back headed up by Pat Yannucci (6-1, 5.62 ERA, .265 OBA) and Alexander Mason (3-3, 4.98 ERA, 47.0 IP). The pitching staff will be benefited by a healthy Matt Nigro (2-0, 8.05 ERA, 2 saves), a two time all-conference selection who made just 12 appearances last year because of injury. Freedom Player of the Year Stephen Pinto (.393, 48 RBI, 30 SB) has graduated but a team that hit .356 and led the nation with 162 stolen bases returns four of seven regulars including Chris Nastasi (.445, 7 HR, 44 RBI, .731 SLG, .521 OBP) and Kevin Murray (.412, 4 HR, 45 RBI, 19 SB, .519 OBP).
Outside of Manhattanville is where it gets interesting. Mayor's Cup rivals King's and Wilkes each have returning pitching depth; King's with Dan Jenkins (6-1, 4.09 ERA, 66 K) and Eric Matula (3-5, 5.10 ERA, 60.0 IP, 57 K) while Wilkes boasts Sean Flecknoe (1-0, 0.39 ERA, 6 saves), Ryan Fetterman (5-2, 4.11 ERA) and Tom Buckler (9-5, 5.16 ERA, 75.0 IP). The Monarchs offense runs through Rob Fravel (.429, 29 RBI, 57 H), Matt Unger (.411, 3 HR, 38 RBI) and Eric Matula (.382, 46 R, 18 RBI) while the Colonels have Matt Ruch (.390, 7 HR, 44 RBI, 64 H) and Randy Dengler (.348, 8 HR, 41 RBI). Don't count out Delaware Valley either, a team that lost only three seniors. Multi-sport athlete Mike Isgro (.333, 4 HR, 37 RBI; 5-1, 4.08 ERA), Sean Tappan (6-3, 4.00 ERA, 56 K) and Kevin Weingart (.374, 40 RBI, 52 H, 13 DBL) should star for the Aggies in 2010 as they look to improve upon a 21-win performance. A surprise challenge could come from FDU-Florham. The co-fourth place finishers from a year ago have a strong offensive core back in all-league outfielders Matt Oliveto (.438, 6 HR, 51 RBI) and Dan Pregno (.413, 30 RBI, 17 SB) plus eight of nine returning starters on a team that hit .336 overall. Brandon Smith (4-1, 3.76 ERA, 40.2 IP) anchors a pitching staff that has to improve upon a 7.08 ERA.
North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC): The 2010 season marks the first year of a partnership between the North East Athletic Conference (NEAC) and the North Athletic Conference (NAC). Five NAC schools (Castleton, Husson, Lydon State, Maine-Farmington and Thomas) have been added to the NEAC as associate members, creating a two-division league with the NAC institutions in the East and the NEAC schools in the West. Each division will have a champion and the two divisional winners will play a conference championship game to determine the NEAC's automatic bid to the NCAA championships. This capsule deals with the West Division schools.
While Cazenovia finished first in the league last year, Penn State-Berks grabbed the NEAC's first-ever automatic bid by winning the conference tournament with four-straight triumphs, including one victory in a play-in game. And then Berks went on to shock Penn State-Behrend in the Lakewood, N.J., regional before bowing out to Elizabethtown. The Reading, Pa., school should have everyone back from last year's run including NEAC tournament MVP Seth Schultz (.340, 6 HR, 53 RBI) and first team All-NEAC selections Brad Swavely (6-2, 6.02 ERA), Kevin Heilman (.374, 1 HR, 29 RBI) and Tyler Fleischut (.306, 35 SB, 25 RBI). But, the question remains, can last year's momentum carry over into 2010 for a team that also went to the NEAC finals in 2008? Penn State-Harrisburg and SUNYIT appear to be the likeliest challengers to Berks while Cazenovia could be in for a long haul following the graduation of Chad Salls (.368, 6 HR, 40 RBI) and Adam Coglitore (.397, 6 HR, 31 RBI).
(NJAC): The New Jersey Athletic Conference has sent seven teams to the NCAA regionals over the last two seasons -- four teams in 2008 and three teams in 2009. There's no reason to suspect anything different in 2010 with another competitive NJAC on tap topped by traditional powers Kean, William Paterson, TCNJ, Rowan and Montclair State. Of that group, Kean is the favorite. The Cougars have eight starters back from an offense that scored 382 runs. D3baseball.com All-American Mike Moceri (.433, 59 RBI, 88 H, 54 R) is Kean's top offensive weapon and he is aided by Dylan Laguna (.385, 38 RBI, 18 SB, 69 H) and Lee Cavico (.306, 7 HR, 48 RBI) among others. Division-II transfer Ken Gregory (Tampa) should be an impact player; he was the co-Most Valuable Player of the wood-bat Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League over the summer. The chink in Kean's armor could be pitching with most of the top arms lost to graduation and a season-ending injury to 2009 NJAC Pitcher of the Year Joe Bartlinski (7-4, 4.31 ERA, 85.2 IP, 61 K). Long Island transfer Julian Diaz could step into the rotation along with several other newcomers.
William Paterson defeated Kean thrice last season and while the Pioneers may not have Kean's offense in 2010, they will have pitching. Top arms Steve Coral (6-1, 4.58 ERA, 55.0 IP) and Scott Zirul (5-3, 6.38 ERA, 55.0 IP) will be joined by a group of four transfers that includes three Division I arms and a starter from a fellow Mid-Atlantic region school. Mike Guadango (.419, 6 HR, 48 RBI), Mike Moran (.401, 2 HR, 33 RBI) and Miguel Lugo (.383, 34 RBI) will head up an offense that has to replace two of its' top three run producers. TCNJ, not Kean, was the NJAC's Pool A representative in the NCAA tournament a year ago. All-NJAC first team pitcher Connor Henderson (7-1, 2.95 ERA, 73.1 IP) and closer Joe Marchitelli (3-0, 1.93 ERA, 2 saves) top a pitching staff that will need slight reworking. While the offense does not return intact, all-league selections Chris Esperon (.383, 5 HR, 33 RBI, 72 H) and Mike Galeotafiore (.333, 5 HR, 27 RBI) are solid cornerstones along with James Rusich (.293, 42 RBI) and Ryan Anzelone (.276, 30 RBI).
Montclair returned to the NCAA tournament last year after graduating a core of talent from the 2008 tournament squad. Like Kean, Montclair should be able to light up the scoreboard with all-league returners Michael Boggi (.360, 3 HR, 32 RBI) and Scott Evangelist (.346, 5 HR, 32 RBI) as well as leading hitter Mickey McGraw (.374, 18 RBI) and masher Kevin Bond (10 HR, 31 RBI). John Masklee (5-5, 5.20 ERA) is the top returning pitcher on a staff that graduated its' two best arms. The most intriguing team might be Rowan, coming off a tough season, where the Profs finished in a tie for fifth place. The Glassboro, N.J., squad may have the best bullpen in the league with a healthy John O'Hara (1-1, 3.00 ERA, 5 saves -- 2008 Richard Stockton), Michael Cox (1-1, 1.12 ERA, 2 saves) and Kyle Norman (1-0, 1.98 ERA). Rowan however will need to figure out how to score runs with all of its' top run producers graduated. Looking outside the box of the traditional powers, Ramapo could be a party spoiler with ace Dan Mulligan (6-2, 4.72 ERA, 50 K) back as a fifth-year senior.
