Ryan Nokelby drove in a career-best six runs as Texas Lutheran (5-1) rolled to a 12-3 non-conference victory Monday over Brandeis (0-1). At Katt-Isbel Field, Nokelby finished a triple short of the cycle with a home run, a double and a single. The senior right fielder also scored two runs.

Brandeis starter, Drew Brzozowski, cruised through the first three innings facing the minimum number of batters. Unfortunately, he ran into trouble the second time around. The first two batters reached in the fourth, and Nokelby doubled them home to give the Bulldogs a 2-1 lead. Texas Lutheran rookie designated hitter Isaac Tijerina drove Nokelby home two batters later and scored later in the frame to give the hosts a 4-1 lead they would not relinquish.

Texas Lutheran scored one more run in the fifth and posted another four spot in the sixth to put the game away. Artie Posch added an RBI double in the seventh and scored on the first collegiate hit and run batted in for centerfielder Nick Cortese. The hosts answered with three runs in the bottom of the eighth, including a two-run home run by Nokelsby.

Sophomore third baseman Brian Wheaton tripled twice for the Bulldogs to tie a single-game school record shared by four former Bulldogs. Wheaton also scored three times, went 3-for-4, and stole a base. For the Judges, Artie Posch lead all batters with a 4-4 day with a double and two RBIs.

Travis Staggs pitched five innings and picked up the win. Staggs allowed four hits and one earned run. He struck out three and walked one. Sean Madden and Logan Hul each pitched two innings to close out the game. Brzozowski took the loss for Brandeis. He allowed eight earned runs in 5-1/3 innings. He struck out six and walked two.

In other action: Logan Smith hit a walk-off base hit in the bottom of the seventh of the opening game of a frigid doubleheader Monday as LeTourneau split games against Texas College, taking the first game, 9-8, but dropping the second, 1-0, at Conrad-Vernon Field. Elsewhere in D-III action, La Sierra fell to NAIA Azusa Pacific 23-1.

After a week of postponed games due to rain and snow, Oglethorpe was eager to get back out on the field and they showed it with a 13-8 victory at crosstown rival Emory's season opener. They outhit the Eagles 19-9.

Oglethorpe looked like they might cruise to victory but Emory erased a six run deficit to tie the game in the fifth. Emory scored its first two runs on bases-loaded walks. After a run scoring groundout, Kevin O'Connor drove in two with a single to pull the Eagles within one. Emory capped off the inning with a sacrifice fly to tie the game. This was a close as the Eagles would get.

Oglethorpe immediately scored two runs in their next at-bats and put the game away in the top of the ninth. Up 8-7 entering the final inning, the Petrels got one run on a sacrifice fly, then another on a J.J. Rizzo RBI single.

The Petrels would pick up another run on an Emory wild pitch, two more on a sacrifice foulout by Andy Farrey and an RBI single by Adam Brazenas to increase the lead to 13-7. The Eagles would get a run in the bottom of the ninth on a RBI double by Andrew Cohn, but it would be too little too late.

Rizzo was the offensive star for Oglethorpe, going 5-for-6 with a double, five RBIs, three runs scored and two stolen bases. Center fielder Brendan Pilger chipped in a 3-for-5 day with three runs scored. Emory was lead by designated hitter Jonathan Reily with a 2-4 afternoon that include a run scored and two RBIs.

In other action: Bridgewater (Va) opened its baseball regular season Sunday with a doubleheader split at Methodist in the ODAC/USAS Challenge. The Monarchs scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning in the opener and never traled en route to a 18-3 win. In the second game, the Eagles rode a solid start by senior Drew Elkins and some lights out relief work to take the nightcap 10-3. In other games in the ODAC/USAS Challenge it was the ODAC that prevailed as Guilford, Roanoke, Va Wesleyan and Randolph-Macon posted wins. Greensboro posted a split on the day as they traded wins with Lynchburg.

Pacific Lutheran concluded a sweep of four SCIAC opponents on Sunday at the Arizona Desert Classic, beating La Verne, 13-4. With the victory, the Lutes improve to 7-0 this season, marking the best start in the program's history. Fellow conference members George Fox and Linfield posted wins as the Bruins bested Whittier 10-7 and the Wildcats were 12-4 winners over Occidental. Cal Lutheran salved a win for the SCIAC by defeating Whitman 26-5. The NCW won 10 of the 16 games against SCIAC opponents in the four day classic.

Dakota Smith and Derek Saltzgaber powered McMurry to its first win of the season Sunday with a 10-2 win over the University of the Southwest at Walt Driggers Field. Smith tied a career high with nine strikeouts and didn't allow an earned run in six innings of work while Saltzgaber drove in four runs on two hits.

Texas Lutheran sophomore righthander Brad Orosey pitched the 13th no-hitter in Bulldog baseball history and first since Wes Kolle no-hit Mississippi College on March 5, 2001 in a 10-0 win over Southwestern on Saturday. In the first game of the twinbill, Orosey struck out six and walked three in moving to 2-0.

While Orosey kept the Pirate batters in check, the Bulldog offense scored in every inning except the fourth. In the third inning Texas Lutheran used six hits to put six runs on the board with Chris Green, Cody Miller and Darwin Lucero homering for Texas Lutheran in the inning. The Bulldogs finished the first game with 13 hits.

Texas Lutheran was out-hit 8-3 in game two but won the game 2-1. Green, Miller and Lucero each collected a hit but it was Lucero's defensive play that saved the game. In the final inning of the nightcap, left fielder Lucero threw out the potential tying run at the plate to end the game.

In other action: After pounding out 14 hits in the season opener, the Puget Sound Loggers were limited to just three hits in the nightcap as they split a pair of non-conference baseball games with the Central Washington Wildcats on Saturday in Ellensburg, Washington. The Loggers won the first game by a final of 7-5 before falling, 4-1, in the second game.

Averett's offense lit up Roanoke for a combined 24 hits in a doubleheader sweep on a brisk, windy Saturday afternoon at Owen-Fulton Field. Averett held off Roanoke 8-5 in the first game before demolishing the Maroons 10-4 in the second contest.

Redlands' junior rightfielder Nate Carlson blasted a three-run shot in the bottom of the ninth of the second game in Saturday's SCIAC doubleheader against Claremont-Mudd-Scripps at The Yard, completing an afternoon sweep. The Bulldogs won the front end, 7-1, before taking the nightcap, 8-6.

Trinity (Texas) first baseman Evan Jones hit two home runs as the Tigers opened their SCAC schedule by taking a doubleheader from the Austin. The Tigers took the seven-inning opener 15-3, and won the nine-inning second game 12-9. Jones hit a two-run homer in the first game, and then swatted a solo shot in the second, his third round-tripper of the young season. On the day, Jones hit 5-5, with five RBIs, four runs, and four walks, three of which came in the second game.

Kyle Mosbrucker collected a win on the mound and Kelson Brown delivered a two-run hit in the bottom of the ninth inning to help Linfield knock off Cal Lutheran 9-8. Linfield has won their first three games in the Arizona Desert baseball Classic against SCIAC opponents.

Texas-Tyler capitalized off a combined five Schreiner errors and used timely pitching to pick up a Saturday twinbill sweep in a pair of scheduled 7-inning games by scores of 5-1 and 6-5 at Mountaineer Field. The Patriots (3-2) won its third game in the last four tries and improved to 7-1 all-time versus Schreiner, using a complete-game, five-hitter from junior transfer Chase Willard in Game one and rallying for the game-winning run with two outs in Game two.

Occidental jumped out to an early lead and continued to add runs over the final five innings as they held Whitman in check as the Tigers earned their third win of the season, and first of the Arizona Desert Classic, with a 15-3 victory. Freshman Stephen Hilliard took the hill and scattered six hits over 7 innings of work, allowing three earned runs while striking out five as he earned his first collegiate win. He was a dual-threat today, helping his own cause by scoring a pair of runs for the Black and Orange.

Scoring eight runs over the final four innings against the George Fox bullpen, including five with two out in the top of the 9th, the La Verne stunned the Bruins 11-8 on the third day of action in the Arizona Desert baseball Classic Saturday.

In a Friday afternoon battle of top teams in the West region, Pacific Lutheran exploded for nine runs in the top of the ninth inning to take a 10-2 victory over Cal Lutheran at the Arizona Desert Classic.

With the victory, the Lutes improved to 5-0 while handing the Kingsmen their first loss in five contests. The offensive explosion backed winning pitcher Trey Watt, who allowed one earned run on six hits in eight innings of work. The senior right-hander struck out 10 and walked none, throwing 99 pitches in his eight innings.

"It was the best performance of Trey's career at Pacific Lutheran," said Lutes' head coach Geoff Loomis.

Pinch hitter Jaron Iwakami led off the ninth for the Lutes and singled sharply through the left side, and he was replaced on the bases by Jacob Olsufka. Carl Benton followed with a line drive single up the middle and Corey Moore came on as a pinch runner. With one out, both runners advanced a base on a wild pitch, and Dan Johansen was intentionally walked to load the bases. Josh Takayoshi drew a walk to make the score 2-1, and Ben Shively followed with an RBI single through the right side to make it 3-1.

With two outs and the bases loaded, Brock Gates blasted a grand slam homer over straightaway center field. The homer was the third in two games for the sophomore first baseman. Pacific Lutheran scored three more in the inning to make the score 10-1. The Lutes collected their nine runs on eight hits.

In other action: As home openers go, there was little more Menlo could have done to send its fans away with a smile on Friday afternoon. Leadoff hitter Paul Oakley smashed a line drive to center field, plating Joel Hull with the winning run three pitches after Hull tied the score with a two-out double off the wall for a 4-3 Oaks victory over Westmont at Cartan Field.

Hampden-Sydney built an 6-0 lead and then held off a Christopher Newport comeback, claiming an 8-5 victory over Christopher Newport to start the season 1-0. Offensively, Zach Harrelson had a solid outing going 3-for-5 with one run and one RBI while Appling scored two runs and knocked in three more going 1-for-4 with a double. Chris Despins finished with two hits and an RBI, as did freshman Drue Vernon and Parker Neal.

Scoring five times with two out in the top of the 11th inning, George Fox picked up their first win of the 2010 baseball season with a 7-2 victory over the Occidental Tigers on the second day of play in the Arizona Desert Classic Friday afternoon.

Kelson Brown went 3-for-4 and drove in three runs and Ryan Larson logged four strikeouts in seven innings work to help carry the Linfield Wildcats past the Whittier Poets Friday morning in the second day of action at the eight-team Arizona Desert Classic.

Averett, outhit Lynchburg, 6-4, but left 10 men on base as they dropped the season opener at home 5-1. Lynchburg (1-0) was led offensively by catcher Ryan Litz and left fielder Keegan Ashbee. Litz scored two runs, with an RBI and a home run. Ashbee made the most of his one at bat as he also homered. Both home runs came in the top of the ninth as the Hornets pulled away from Averett (0-1). Lynchburg did not get their first hit until the top of the sixth, as Averett senior right hander Jake Loye was in control. He completed six innings, allowing one earned run on one hit with two walks and five strikeouts in taking the tough loss.

Lynchburg used a total of five pitchers to secure the win. Ryan McDonough pitched two innings in relief, allowing just one hit, to record win number one for the
season. Averett senior Michael Moore had two of the team's six hits, while lead-off center fielder, Jordan Kidd had the lone RBI for the Cougars who scored their only run in the bottom of the seventh inning to narrow the score to 2-1. Lynchburg added a run in the top of the eight to stretch the lead to 3-1 going into the bottom of the inning.

In other action: Opening the 2010 baseball season against the same team and pitcher they faced in the first round of last year's NCAA Division III West Regionals, the George Fox Bruins suffered a similar fate as they fell to Cal Lutheran University 11-3 in the Arizona Desert Classic.

Linfield capped an improbable comeback that saw the Wildcats rally from eight runs down in the final inning. Pinch hitter Kevin Coleman drove home the winning run to help the Wildcats slip past the La Verne Leopards 11-10. "This was certainly one of the greatest comeback victories in the bottom of the ninth inning in the history of Linfield baseball," said Wildcats coach Scott Brosius. "It really showed our kids' never-say-die attitude. They really found a way to win against long odds."

Austin Straus and Darby Weppner combined for five hits and recorded the final nine outs on the mound to lead Whittier to its first win of the season at the Arizona Desert Classic. The Poets tied the game with a run in the ninth inning and pushed the game winning runs across the plate in the top of the 11th en route to the 11-9 win over Whitman.

Also at the Arizona Desert Classic, Pacific Lutheran stayed perfect and improved their record to 4-0 as they beat Occidental 15-4 with senior pitcher Robert Bleecker rearning his second win of this young season.

By John McGraw for D3baseball.com

Previews: || New England || New York || Mid-Atlantic || South || Mideast || Central || Midwest || West ||

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.

The Methodist season opener was delayed a day, but the Monarchs earned a 6-3 win Sunday afternoon at LaGrange. Methodist had five players each record a hit with Trey Such finishing with three RBI and Goodwin finishing with three runs scored. Landon Jordan earned the win on the mound in six innings pitched allowing just two hits while Reid Berry had 0.2 innings of relief and Kelly earned the save in the final 2.1 innings.

In other action: After last night's Opener for both Hendrix and Dallas was postponed due to darkness, both teams faced a long day of baseball as a doubleheader was also scheduled for today. Hendrix defeated Dallas 10-6 in the 11th inning then swept a doubleheader from the Crusaders. In the first game of the doubleheader, Dallas got on the scoreboard first scoring a run in the 2nd and 4th innings, but they gave up 10 runs to Hendrix in the last 3 frames to lose 10-4. IN the second game, Hendrix used a 3 run 5th inning to earn a 3-1 win over Dallas.

Last year Whittier surpised Chapman taking 2 of 3 games to start the season but the Panters saw that this did not happen again. The preseason seventh ranked Panthers combined for 38 hits in the two games as they beat the Poets 14-1 and 11-1. Chapman totaled 20 hits in the first game and the Panthers' pitching staff held the purple and gold to just four base knocks on the day.

Adam Hart threw six strong innings and Kyle Wooden had three hits to lead Guilford to a 5-2 season-opening win at Piedmont. Hart yielded one run in six innings before turning the ball over to Will Simpson, who threw two scoreless innings. Michael Blocher picked up a save with a scoreless ninth inning.

Birmingham-Southern opened the 2010 season with a pair of non-conference games down in Montgomery Alabama. They split the day, falling 5-4 to Mississippi College (2-0) before taking host Huntingdon (0-2) 16-4 in the night cap. The Panthers (1-1) scored two runs in the top of the ninth, but were unable to complete the comeback. The Panthers (1-1) took out their frustration on the opening loss on the Hawks (0-2), defeating Huntingdon 16-4 in game two.