No. 25 Ithaca is one of two Region 3 teams to be ranked in the 2024 D3baseball.com/NCBWA Top 25 and are coming off their second straight Liberty League championship. Ithaca athletics photo by Dave Burbank

By John McGraw
for D3baseball.com

This spring, the Division III World Series will be a well-struck line drive away from Region III, comparatively speaking, after spending the last 25 years in the Midwest. Eastlake, Ohio, the home of the 2024 Division III World Series sits just over two hours away from the western-most Region III school. A new year means new hope for Region III as the smallest of Division III’s 10 regions looks to make it back to the World Series for the first time since 2021.

• Regional Previews
• Preseason D3baseball.com/NCBWA Top 25
• Preseason D3baseball.com All-American team

After seven regional squads advanced to the national tournament in 2022, just five made the 2023 national postseason. Of those five, four were Pool A automatic qualifiers and one was an at-large bid. Only Ithaca made it to the Super Regionals, losing to Endicott.

The new year begins with a trio of Region III players in the D3baseball.com Preseason All-America second team – Merchant Marine’s Tyler Reistetter, St. John Fisher’s Patrick McGuire and Cortland State’s Dylan Beers. Last summer, two-time All-American Jackson Hornung from Skidmore was taken in the Major League Baseball draft by the Toronto Blue Jays.

Who’re the favorites out of the Empire State in 2024? As the saying goes, round up the usual suspects though there are Dragons on the rise. Perennial regional powerhouses No. 10 Cortland State and No. 25 Ithaca open the season ranked in the D3baseball.com/NCBWA Top 25 and St. John Fisher was one of many schools receiving votes.

Cortland has made an NCAA Division III record 30-straight NCAA tournament appearances (1993-2019, 2021-23), the longest active streak in NCAA baseball. Cortland has won 16 regional titles and been to the World Series most recently as of 2021. The Red Dragons should breathe fire across the region and a loaded roster makes Cortland look like a World Series contender.

Down Route 13 on Ithaca’s South Hill, David Valesente, son of the legendary Ithaca skipper George Valesente, has guided Ithaca back to national prominence. The Bombers advanced to the Super Regionals in 2022 against Catholic and then played for a sub-regional championship last May after eliminating Cortland from the NCAA tournament at Wallace Field. St. John Fisher has won three Empire 8 titles in a row with a trifecta of 30-win campaigns and like former league foe Ithaca, advanced to the championship game of its sub regional last spring.

Past the region’s “Big Three,” Rochester could make noise. Rochester has finished first or second in the Liberty League five full seasons in a row. The Yellow Jackets have also won at least 20 games four-straight seasons.

Downstate, the preseason favorite looks to be Maritime though St. Joseph’s (Long Island) has won the last two Skyline championships. Merchant Marine will also be in the mix at the top of the downstate division.

New Faces

Mt. St. Vincent's new head coach John Torres comes to the program with 164 wins in his collegiate coaching career. Mt. St. Vincent athletics photo

Brian Kehew, Alfred – Alfred University announced it would be adding varsity baseball late last spring. The decision came after the announcement that Empire 8 school, Medaille College, would be closing in the summer. Kehew, who had just wrapped up his second season with the Mavericks, was tapped to become the new skipper at Alfred a week later. Alfred will be Kehew’s third Division III head coaching stop. Before moving to Western New York, he was the head coach at Becker College for three seasons before the school also closed.  Kehew’s most success came during an assistant coaching stint at Salve Regina where he spent six years (2013-18). He was part of a Salve coaching staff that guided the team to back-to-back Commonwealth Coast Conference tournament titles and NCAA appearances.

John Torres, Mt. St. Vincent – Veteran head coach John Torres was hired last fall to take over a playoff contender in Riverdale. Torres replaces John Muller who accepted the head coaching job at Union (N.Y.). Torres stays home in the Bronx , having moved over from NJCAA Division III Monroe College (Bronx) where he helmed the Express to back-to-back appearances in the Region XV championship game and a 2022 Region XV championship. Torres had similar success at Monroe College (New Rochelle), an NJCAA Division I school. Torres, a 1987 CUNYAC champion at John Jay, previously skippered in the Skyline with St. Joseph’s (Brooklyn) and the now defunct program at NYU-Poly. Torres, who is retired NYPD, also has worked in professional baseball as a scout for the New York Mets and was a first base coach in the independent Can-Am League for the Sussex Skyhawks.

John Muller, Union – New Union head coach John Muller is familiar with Region III. Muller spent the last seven years downstate in the Skyline Conference at the College of Mt. St. Vincent. Muller heads north after he guided the Bronx school to three straight conference tournament appearances. Muller’s Dolphins finished in a tie for second in the conference in 2022 after they swam to a school record 26 wins. Over the last three seasons, his teams totaled 62 victories. Prior to CMSV, Muller worked as a pitching coach at his alma mater, Division II St. Thomas Aquinas. Following graduation, he spent time in the Chicago Cubs farm system and independent leagues.

Blayne Fuke, Vassar – Vassar promoted associate head coach Blayne Fuke to interim head coach when Matt Righter accepted the head coaching position at Stevenson (Md.) Fuke spent the last three seasons as the associate head coach and has been in Poughkeepsie on the Brewers’ coaching staff for a decade. He began at the school as a volunteer assistant in 2012. The native Hawaiian played collegiately at Rochester (2007-2010) and was part of the school’s first two Liberty League championship teams (2008, 2010) under Joe Reina.

Key Games

No. 10 Cortland at No. 2 Salisbury: For the third year in a row and sixth time in the last nine seasons, the Red Dragons and Sea Gulls are scheduled to open the season against one another on Maryland’s eastern shore on February 16th. This season, both schools open the year in the top 10. Salisbury swept the two February contests in 2023 while Cortland won both meetings in 2022.

Oneonta at Willamette: This is an extremely rare match-up on campus, and not at a Spring Break tournament, between Region III and Region X in Salem, Ore. This pits the SUNYAC against the NWC in a four-game series February 23-24th.

No. 10 Cortland at Cal Lutheran / No. 24 La Verne / No. 18 Chapman: For the first time under Joe Brown, the Red Dragons will embark upon a rugged southern California road trip Mach 8-16th  that includes multiple three-game series against the top teams in the SCIAC. Historically, the Red Dragons have only faced Southern California schools in the World Series. The last time Cortland met Chapman was in the 2005 World Series en route to a second-place  finish. The Red Dragons also played Cal Lu (1999) and Chapman (2000) in back-to-back World Series appearances nearly a quarter century ago.

St. John Fisher at No. 25 Ithaca: Former Empire 8 rivals will meet for a single standalone Tuesday afternoon affair at Ithaca’s Freeman Field on Aprtl 2nd. A game that should have regional ranking implications will happen before the Cardinals and Bombers get into the heat of conference play.

No. 25 Ithaca at Rochester: The Liberty League moved to a divisional format several years ago and since then, the league’s western sides have won back-to-back postseason titles and dominated the four-team field of the conference tournament. Ithaca and Rochester have split the last two West Division titles. This year’s series on April 19-20th could determine which school donning blue and gold will finish atop the West table.

Skidmore -vs- RPI: One game separated the Thoroughbreds and the Engineers at the top of the Liberty League’s East division. Due to the proximity of Troy and Saratoga Springs, the three-game series on April 19-20th will be contested with a single game at RPI and then a twin bill the following afternoon at Skidmore.

Merchant Marine / St. Joseph’s (Long Island) at Maritime: The Mariners and Privateers will not meet on the high seas but in the Bronx in a doubleheader on April 20-21st between the two Skyline Conference favorites. The following day, Maritime hosts two-time defending league champion St. Joseph’s (Long Island). The top of the conference could be decided between the two twin bills along the waterfront.

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Conference Previews

St. John Fisher left handed pitcher, Patrick McGuire was named a Preseason All-American by D3baseball. McGuire is named to the second-team after an impressive 2023 year on the mound. St. John Fisher athletics photo by

Empire 8: This spring will be the last of the seven-team ledger in the Empire 8 conference. SUNY Poly and Brockport are slated to join the league this fall for all sports which will make the Empire 8 a baseball league of nine next spring. Even with the ever-changing landscape in the conference as it has grown from four teams in 2020, the top of the standings has remained Cardinal Country.

St. John Fisher (32-14) has claimed three Empire 8 crowns in a row and is the favorite to hoist its fourth this spring. Fisher has gone a dominant 53-3 in conference regular season play and 11-1 in the Empire 8 tournament over the last three seasons. Brandon Potter brings back a talented crew headlined by D3baseball.com 2024 Preseason All-American Patrick McGuire (8-1, 2.21 ERA, 50 K, 61.0 IP) and 2023 all-region third baseman James Murphy (.313, 14 HR, 65 RBI). Murphy and Brian Norsen (.335, 12 HR, 55 RBI) are part of six returning batsmen who all hit .300 or higher from an offense that led the region, and tied for 10th nationally, with 64 home runs. However, there will be massive shoes to fill with the graduation of D3baseball.com All-American Noah Campanelli (.435, 8 HR, 44 RBI, 51 SB). The Cardinals graduated more than 70 stolen bases and, according to 400-game winner Potter, may need to rely on their pitching early while the offense heats up. Staff ace Patrick McGuire led the E8 in victories. He’ll team up to lead the rotation along with Benjamin Huckens (4-1, 3.21 ERA, 41 K, 42.0 IP). Russell Dunlap (5-1, 3.15 ERA, 33 K, 48.2 IP) will be the top option from the bullpen. Outside of the conference, the Cardinals will play a meaty non-conference schedule that includes games against W&J, William Paterson and Rowan as well as regional rivals Ithaca, Rochester and Brockport.

After St. John Fisher, there are more questions than answers though Utica (24-15) will have one of the top arms in the league and the region. Kooper Knabe (7-1, 2.17 ERA, 54.0 IP, 46 K) topped the conference in ERA as a first year and he was the Empire 8 Rookie of the Year and third team all region. Knabe gives the Pioneers a great first step out of the gate in any weekend series. Additionally, UC has shown an ability to rise above the field with two second place regular season finishes in a row. Dom Fasolo (.384, 32 RBI, 11 DBL)  is one of seven position players back from an offense that led the Empire 8 with a .318 team batting average. However, the Pioneers must replace a talented senior class that included multiple all-conference selections.

Sage (18-25) has two top-four finishes in its first two seasons of existence, far surpassing the usual expectations of a brand-new program. With just four seniors on the roster in 2023, the Gators won two games in the conference tournament and advanced to the finals against St. John Fisher. RSC projects to return nearly its entire roster this spring.

Both Elmira (9-25) and Keuka (9-22) are both looking to move up the ladder and break into conference playoff positioning. Keuka, now under second-year coach Jake Marinelli, will look to a mix a little bit of old and new together with an influx of transfers looking to make an immediate impact along with a small group of returning starters. R.J. Murphy (.327, 16 RBI, 4 TRP) will be in the eye of the Storm’s offensive efforts. To the south, the Soaring Eagles of Elmira flap back with six returning starters and two-all-conference swingers in Matteo Salvati (.363, 17 RBI, 10 DBL) and Brett Warden (.306, .442 OBP, 11 RBI). Jarek Podest (0-2, 3.38, 45 K, 37.1 IP) topped the Purple and Gold in ERA and strikeouts, averaging over a strikeout per frame as a first year. The Soaring Eagles’ nest is full of veterans with 16 sophomores and 12 juniors.

Houghton (19-22) placed fourth in 2023 however graduations losses hit the Highlanders hard. This year’s team has just 4 returning regular position starters and 10 first years. Houghton does return two all-league choices in pitcher Ethan Cetton (3-5, 5.78 ERA, 54.2 IP, 50 K / .295 BA) and utility player Jeremey Wilcox (.338, 16 RBI).

Alfred (N/A) rounds out the Empire 8. With no on-campus facility, the Saxons will play nearly their entire schedule on the road. The exception will be a three-game set with Keuka that will be played at nearby Alfred State. The inaugural roster includes seven first years along with a mix of other newcomers and players from the now defunct program at Medaille.

FAVORITE: St. John Fisher

Nolan Sparks sensational junior campaign that saw the righthander excel as Rochester's ace en route to Liberty League Pitcher of the Year honors. Rochester athletics photo

Liberty League: While Ithaca has won the last two Liberty League tournaments, historically parity has reigned in the conference. Five different schools have won the conference tournament title in the last 10 years and no one in league history has ever had a three-peat. That said, Ithaca and Rochester have split the last four championships with two for U of R (2019, 2021) and two for IC (2022, 2023). The strength of the conference has been in the league’s west; seven of the eight teams combined in the conference final four the last two years have been from the Liberty League West.  

Heading into 2024, how the West is won should again determine the league champion. Ithaca (31-15) finished third last May, edged out RPI in the East/West crossover series, 2-1, and then went unbeaten in the league final four to win its second Liberty League title in a row under David Valesente. Like their Route 13 rivals to the north, Ithaca nearly brings back all its offense from a team that rated first in the region with a .338 team batting average. League batting leader Colin Shashaty (.489, 22 RBI), Louis Fabbo (.398, 6 HR, 50 RBI), Ethan Rothstein (.354, 8 HR, 44 RBI), Riley Brawdy (.314, 6 HR, 43 RBI) and Colin Feeney (.371, 22 RBI, .560 SLG) should comprise the heart of Ithaca’s line-up. Graduations did leave big shoes to fill with the loss of all-region slugger Garrett Callaghan (.382, 14 HR, 66 RBI) and mound ace Kyle Lambert (7-3, 3.27 ERA, 93.2 IP, 101K). Colin Leyner (8-5, 3.59 ERA, 87.2 IP, 63 K) is the only IC arm back that logged significant innings in 2023. In total, the Bombers only have six returning pitchers and may look to a large freshmen class to fill the void. If the Bombers can re-load on the mound and continue to hum along on offense, a three-peat could be in store on South Hill.

Like their divisional counterparts, graduation leaves big holes for Rochester (28-14). While Ithaca’s strength is on offense, Rochester’s edge is on the bump with all-region starting pitcher Nolan Sparks (7-0, 2.76 ERA, 62.0 IP, 77 K) and all-region closer Mark Aaronson (2-2, 11 SV, 3.22 ERA, 22.1 IP, 25 K). The Yellow Jackets 4.97 team ERA was second lowest among all conference clubs in 2023; most of the pitching staff is back. The biggest losses are at the plate with former All-American Aaron Whitley (.377, 25 RBI, 23 SB) and all-region catcher John Moses (.315, 23 RBI, 10 DBL) having graduated. The cupboard is far from empty; Josh Leadem (.309, 29 SB, 21 RBI) and Jackson Reed (.351, 5 HR, 38 RBI) are back. U of R should also get a boost from Bates grad transfer Henry Jamieson (.353, 31 RBI, .454 SLG), a 2023 All-NESCAC selection. Pitching will power the team from the River Campus and if the line-up can provide production throughout, Rochester should return to the NCAA tournament.

Should Ithaca or Rochester falter, the Tigers of RIT (21-16) stand poised to pounce. RIT made a run to the conference tournament title game a season ago. All-league pitchers John Arnold (4-2, 3.07 ERA, 56.2 IP, 57K) and Eric Sipling (6-0, 2 SV, 3.18 ERA, 45.1 IP, 30 K) should be able to go toe-to-toe with their rivals in the Lilac City. Sipling  spent last summer in the prestigious Northwoods League where he notched two saves and struck out 16 in 20.1 innings. At the plate, the Brick City line-up projects to return five offensive starters with all-leaguers John Bagley (.408, 31 RBI, 32 R) and Randy Dodig (.311, 25 RBI, 20 BB) leading the way. Returning sophomores Charlie Slaymaker and Jarin Moses combined for 11 home runs as rookies on the 2023 Tiger team. The division could come down to the final weekend when the Yellow Jackets and Tigers meet in pivotal three-game set split between U of R’s Towers Field and RIT Stadium.

North Country rivals Clarkson (11-23) and St. Lawrence will look to play the role of spoiler. Both the Golden Knights and Saints can swing the stick and score runs. Clarkson had its season ended last spring by Skidmore after having ended the Thoroughbreds’ 2022 campaign. Clarkson will be older and more experienced with six grad students and seven starting batsmen back. Tech’s top bats back are Jake Millich (.333, .532 SLG, 13 DBL), Joe Pagano (.321, 11 RBI), Cam Jerrett (.303, 17 RBI) and Kent Wilson (.254, 2 HR, 12 RBI). Grad transfer Pat Elliott (.267, 21 RBI, 24 R), a two-year starter at Franklin & Marshall should also provide an offensive boost. The Golden Knights will look to buoy their veteran offense with an experienced pitching staff.

Twenty minutes to the south, the slugging Sants from St. Lawrence (13-20) march back six starters to Tom Fay Field. Timothy Connor (.411, 6 HR, 25 RBI) leads the line-up parade for SLU after finishing sixth in the Liberty League batting title race last spring. Connor,  Brett Federico (.365, .492 SLG) and John Donnellan (.250, 15 RBI) are the top returning hitters. From the bump, Michael Hutchins (2-2, 3.03 ERA, 1 SV, 32.2 IP) projects to be the top arm.

New kid on the block, Hobart (9-21) showed promise in its first season, hanging tough. The Statesmen took league finalist RIT to extra innings twice in late April and then upset eventual champion Ithaca in the conference regular season finale at Freeman Field. Hobart begins the new year with a roster that includes 18 first years and 15 sophomores. Senior catcher Ty Gallagher (.359, 5 HR, 31 RBI) was last year’s team MVP and topped Hobart in nearly every offensive category.

Over in the east, it’s a high scoring three-horse race up and down the Hudson River with Skidmore, RPI and Vassar. Skidmore (24-16) finished first in the East two years in a row and has won four total league championships. Skidmore lost two-time All-American Jackson Hornug (.424, 12 HR, 41 RBI) to graduation and the Toronto Blue Jays in the 16th round of the 2023 Major League Baseball Draft. The Thoroughbreds’ paddock isn’t quite empty though skipper Ron Plourde will move ahead minus nine seniors from 2023. The bulk of the pitching staff is back and heavy hitters Trey Bourque (.325, 5 HR, 39 RBI) and Zachary Leiderman (.344, 3 HR, 23 RBI) should fill out the middle of the line-up card. Skidmore will need big contributions from their returnees with four of its top six hitters having left the Spa City. Ameer Hasan (6-3, 3.59 ERA, 72.2 IP, 51 K) again will be the pace setter as the pitching ace with strikeout leader Quinn Hocom (2-3, 6.14 ERA, 48.1 IP, 55 K) also back to eat innings.

RPI (25-15-1) took eventual league champion Ithaca to a winner-take-all third game in the East/West crossover series a season ago. Jason Falcon, hired just prior to the start of the season, guided the Engineers to their most victories since 2015 (29-17). ‘Tute steams into 2024 with one of the top hitters in the conference, Martin Marintchev (.421, 43 RBI, 13 DBL). Marintchev, Julian Scarpa (.385, 42 RBI, 12 DBL) and Aidan Hicks (.308, 29 RBI, 36 R) form the RPI offensive nucleus that features six returning starters. Offense should not be a problem for the Cherry and White after clubbing out a .312 team batting average last spring. The questions come on the mound where RPI graduated half (20) of its starts with both frontline starters gone. If Rensselaer can find pitching, RPI may find itself atop the division.

Down in the Hudson Valley, Vassar (20-18) is coming off a school record 20 victories and boasted one of the best offenses in the region and the country. Vassar’s 20-18 record was its best since a 19-19 finish in 2017 which included a fourth-place finish in a nine-team league. Interim skipper Blayne Fuke inherits a Brewer batting order that bashed out a .337 team batting average, second in the region to league champ Ithaca. All-region second baseman Reid Lapekas (.432, 32 RBI, 18 HBP) and Ty Murray (.372, 27 RBI) are two of the seven returning starting position players from a team that scored 17 runs on RIT during the regular season but got tamed by the Tigers in the crossover series. Michael Came (4-0, 3.44 ERA, 36.2 IP) and Addison Lee (3-2, 5.40 ERA, 46.2 IP, 48 K) will provide veteran experience for a pitching staff.

A new season brings a new head coach in Schenectady with John Muller taking over Union (15-23) after guiding Mount St. Vincent to postseason success in the Skyline. Muller inherits a club that has won seven divisional games over the last two seasons and missed the league’s knockout round crossover series in 2023. Thirty-eight total players return for the Garnet Chargers with four returning position players and three pitchers. Kobe Mentzer (.385, 4 HR, 35 RBI) and Thomas Parisi (.342, 19 RBI, 10 SB) are the best two Union bats. Chris Suter (5-3, 3.98 ERA, 52.0 IP) accounted for a third of Union’s mound victories last spring. Union also begins a new year with a new home. After playing games at Shuttleworth Park in nearby Amsterdam, a 25-minute drive from campus, Union is moving games closer to campus with all home tilts returning to Schenectady’s Central Park.

Bard (8-21) rounds out the conference’s East Division. The Raptors qualified for the crossover series for a second spring in a row and much of their line-up turns over into 2024. Bard led Rochester, 2-0, in the opening game of the crossover series before Rochester proved too much to handle. The Raptors also scored a non-conference win over eventual SUNYAC champ Brockport. All-conference performer Jared Toby (.364, 17 RBI, .525 SLG), Jake Stacy (.330, 4 HR, 31 RBI) and all-league arm Aidan Risse (5-3, 3.33 ERA, 51.1 IP, 50 K) are Bard’s top returning standouts.

FAVORITE: Ithaca

SUNY Maritime's Freddy Forgione has earned All-Region honors in each of the last two years. SUNY Maritime athletics photo

Skyline Conference: The Skyline Conference is the largest single division conference in Region III with 11 schools in the greater New York City metropolitan area spanning from Westchester County into the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Long Island. The 2023 Skyline season saw seven teams win at least 10 conference games in a 20-game schedule; five of those seven were 12-8 or better. Last spring, St. Joseph’s (Long Island) became the first Skyline school since Farmingdale State’s seven titles in a row (2008-2014) to win back-to-back league championships. Moving forward to 2024, the strength of the Skyline will be along the waterfront.

Coming off a school record 29 victories and a conference championship game appearance, Maritime (29-15) sails into 2024 ready to claim its first Skyline title since 2017. Head coach Charlie Barbieri believes this years’ Privateers are the most complete team he has had in Throggs Neck. An offense that averaged over eight runs per game, hit .327 and swiped 92 bases has its’ top five hitters back. There are also three-quarters of the weekend mound rotation returning. D3baseball.com all-region choices Freddy Forgione (.365, 11 HR, 45 RBI) and Matt Milone (.366, 15 HR, 55 RBI) along with Skyline hit leader Anthony Madigan (.348, 32 RBI, 62 H), Jaden Shea (.395, 31 RBI, 18 SB) and Rob Copozzi (.320, 9 HR, 42 RBI, 18 SB) will make the Maritime line-up hard to navigate. The few spots up for grabs due to graduation project to be filled by transfers. Starting hurlers Brandon Stanley (7-3, 4.45 ERA, 1 SV, 64.2 IP, 54 K) and  Matthew Demme (7-1, 4.53 ERA, 1 SV, 55.2 IP) will helm the pitching rotation and Jack Kellner (3-2, 1.88 ERA, 4 SV, 24.0 IP) will be the top bullpen arm. A pivotal weekend looks in mid-to-late April when Maritime hosts Merchant Marine and St. Joseph’s (Long Island) on back-to-back afternoons on the Bronx waterfront.

One of Maritime’s top challengers sits just across the East River in Merchant Marine (25-16). D3baseball.com Preseason All-American Tyler Reistetter (.351, 8 HR, 39 RBI / 6-3, 3.69 ERA, 70.2 IP, 70 K) is top returning hitter and pitcher for the Mariners and one of the best overall players in the Skyline. Merchant Marine led the nation with 31 triples and 0.76 triples per game in 2023; the 2024 line-up sees seven offensive starters back with Reistetter, Charles Cahalan (.357, 20 RBI, 26 R), Garrett Clapsaddle (.346, 24 RBI, 30 R), Jack Millen (.331, 35 RBI) and Ernest Darling (.327, 4 HR,35 RBI) all batting .300 or better. Though USMAA has the bulk of its’ offense back, it still will need to replace its’ top two hitters, both graduated. Like their fellow sea farers on the other side of the river, solid arms come back for 2024 with Reistetter, Michael Monkevich (6-1, 4.37 ERA, 45.1 IP), Caden Pierce (2-1, 1.69 ERA 5 SV, 21.1 IP, 21 K) and Jay Piotrowski (2-1, 2.45 ERA, 22.0 IP, 18 K). Come conference play, the Mariners should be ready with a pre-league slate that includes nationally ranked Ithaca (at home) and Denison (in Florida).

The defending league champions however should not be overlooked. St. Joseph’s (Long Island) (30-11) won 30 games for first-year head coach Tom Caputo. Since Caputo arrived at SJLI in 2019 as an assistant coach, the Golden Eagles have won 90 games. Pitching projects to be the strength for St. Joseph’s (Long Island) with three offensive regulars coming back. All-region reliever Dante Morabito (1-0, 2.82 ERA, 3 SV, 44.2 IP) and weekend starters Peter Manger (6-0, 3.60 ERA, 50.0 IP) and Jack Kelly (6-2, 4.10 ERA, 1 SV, 59.1 IP) top the pitching staff. The offense has its’ own all-region honoree in returning second baseman Joe Sanguedolce (.347, 28 RBI, 20 SB). He’ll form SJLI’s offensive core with James Maggio (.364, 5 HR, 37 RBI) and John Lynch (.356, 33 RBI, 17 DBL). Last year’s aggressive offense stole 124 bases and averaged three thefts a game; 2/3 of those stolen bases were lost to graduation. If the Golden Eagles can find a way to replace the lost offense, they’ll be in the mix at the top.

A new head coach in John Torres and a bevy of returning talent in Riverdale have Mt. St. Vincent (23-16) eyeing another postseason berth. CMSV has its’ top five hitters all coming back led by D3baseball.com Region III Rookie of the Year Johnny Brucato (.450, 33 RBI, 24 BB) and all-region slugger Eric Zimmerman (.425, 6 HR, 42 RBI, .657 SLG). All five ‘Phins swatted at least .300 last season and drove in 24 runs or more for a potent offense that led to a third-place finish. Two-way threat Will Granata (.357, 7 HR, 24 RBI / 3-1, 3.14 ERA, 28.2 IP, 28 K) will provide a punch at the plate and the starting rotation. CMSV should be able to hit but will need to replace graduated ace Andrew Geiger, the Skyline Pitcher of the Year.

The middle of the pack will be tight as ever, like the traffic on the bridges heading from the New York City skyline to the Bronx and Long Island. A youth movement propelled Purchase (22-21) to the Skyline semifinals. The Panthers’ 22 wins, on a team with four seniors, were second most in school history. All those talented freshmen are back including Patrick Reyes (.348, 4 HR, 31 RBI, 24 SB), Liam Daley (.403, 29 RBI, .653 SLG, 28 SB), Frank Rega (.365, 25 RBI, .500 SLG) and Tyler Della Mura (.329, 21 RBI, .537 SLG). Swiss army knives Jemal Betances (1-0, 0.69 ERA, 8 SV, 13.0 IP) and Miles Scarry (4-7, 4.08 ERA, 7 CG, 70.2 IP, 69 K / .319, 14 SB) give Purchase two quality arms and two regular offensive starters. Another postseason trip isn’t out of the question for Purchase. The Panthers of Old Westbury (19-18), like the Panthers of Purchase, return much of their offense with six starters back albeit OW must replace the majority of last year’s 95 stolen bases and four of its top six hitters. Nick Papageorge (.375, 29 RBI, .536 OBP), Jamie Barrios (.349, 20 RBI) and Jacob Taormina (.328, 28 RBI, 13 DBL, 14 SB) are the best bats back. Among the newcomers for OW is Division-I transfer Rob Manetta from UAlbany. Manetta, listed as a senior, made 48 appearances over three seasons for the Great Danes.

Surprisingly in the middle of the pack is Farmingdale State (17-18). Head coach Keith Osik recorded his 400th career win last spring but the Rams finished under .500 for the first time in his near 20-year tenure and missed the conference tournament. The good news for FSC is that all-region honorees Bobby Pollock (.400, 12 HR, 39 RBI, 20 BB) and Johnny Dougherty (5-2, 2.66 ERA, 40.2 IP, 44 K) return along with eight offensive starters, now a year older. The Rams have a trio of .400 hitters on their line-up card, Pollock, Chris McGuggart (.402, 5 HR, 18 RBI) and Daniel Deutsch (.400, 15 RBI, .530 SLG). All-American Stephen Clancy returns, but as an assistant coach. The opening weekend line-up card will feature a mix of returning players and transfers who project to play right away.

A single game separated Manhattanville (17-22) from the conference postseason in 2023. Eleven different players started 20 games or more and no pitcher reached 40.0 innings for a team that went 10-10 in league play. The Valiants return a quartet of .300 hitters paced by Joshua Gillison (.344, 22 RBI). Ray White (2-3, 6.46 ERA, 39.0 IP) is Manhattanville’s top returning pitcher though Jay Lockwood (1-1, 3.21 ERA, 23.1 IP, 30 K) led the staff in strikeouts. Manhattanville must replace three graduated All-Skyline players. Similarly, Mt. St. Mary (13-27) used a bevy of bodies in 2023 for first year head coach Trevor Purcell. He’ll start 2024 with 12 first years and just one of the Knights’ top five hitters back in Aidan Marshall (.302, 23 RBI). St. Joseph’s (Brooklyn) (11-25) and Yeshiva (0-29) round out the 11-team Skyline scorecard.

FAVORITE: Maritime

Mat Bruno has hit 25 home runs in his previous five years as a member of the Cortland Red Dragons. Cortland athletics photo

State University of New York Athletics Conference: For the first time since 2020, the curtain rises on a new SUNYAC season with the championship residing somewhere other than Wallace Field in Cortland. Brockport edged out Cortland in 10 innings last May to win its first conference title since 2013. However, while the Golden Eagles are the defending league tournament champions, the Cortland Red Dragons begin 2024 as the favorites to capture their 37th SUNYAC championship. In the SUNYAC in 2024, it’s the Year of the Red Dragon.

There won’t be many changes on Cortland head coach Joe Brown’s line-up card for 2023. Cortland (34-13), under 850-plus game winner Joe Brown will be a year older and wiser. Five D3baseball.com All-Region III selections remain at Wallace Field with starting pitcher Dylan Beers (9-1, 2.42 ERA, 63.1 IP, 65 K), being named a 2024 D3baseball.com Preseason All-American. The line-up will turn over seven position players while the pitching staff is back en masse. Chris Bonacci (.400, 22 RBI, .490 OBP), school home run king Mat Bruno (.367, 9 HR, 49 RBI), Adam Mieczkowski (.360, 12 HR, 47 RBI) and Nick Chemotti (.372, 37 RBI, 11 DBL) project as Cortland’s top offensive weapons. The three-man weekend rotation has some got Beers; Dylan Beers, Will McCarthy (7-1, 2.98 ERA, 57.1 IP) and Anthony Fusco (4-1, 3.76 ERA, 40.2 IP, 22 K). The backend of the bullpen will be anchored by closers Tommy Lynch (3-2, 5.25 ERA, 3 SV, 27 K) and Liam Krasney (0-1, 3.98 ERA, 2 SV, 18 K). While the team on a whole has experience, those returnees will be pushed by a strong incoming group that features a mix of talented freshmen and transfers that will not only help the Dragons’ depth, but they should compete for playing time. Also helpful for Cortland’s conference schedule, an extremely tough non-conference ledger with the usual opening weekend at Salisbury, a weekend in Greensboro that includes tilts against nationally ranked Marietta and Denison and defending national champion Lynchburg. Oh, there’s also a Spring Break swing through Southern California with face-offs versus Cal Lutheran,  La Verne and Chapman. That’s all before Cortland opens the conference slate at the end of March against Oneonta.

There are more fire breathers to the south that want the SUNYAC spoils for their own. SUNY Oneonta (25-15) posted a six-win improvement in conference last spring and surpassed the 20-win mark for the first time since 2011. After a two-and-out in the conference tournament, Ben Grimm’s SUCO squad wants to take the next step to remain near the top of the table. Two-way star Sean Liquori (.308, 11 RBI, .465 OBP / 3-3, 4.55 ERA, 39 K, 59.1 IP) highlights a returning Red Dragon group that, like Cortland, has seven returning position player starters. Anthony Foglia (.331, 22 RBI, .466 OBP) and Josh Gilkey (.306, 13 SB, 33 R) are the other returning .300 swingers. The offense should also get help from SUNY Cobleskill transfer Logan Hutter (.351, 5 HR, 40 RBI), a two-time All-NAC catcher. Liquori and Devin Rooney (5-2, 2.18 ERA, 57.2 IP, 51 K) will form a formidable 1-2 punch on the bump. The house of the Red Dragons will also see Oneonta open with three home series of its first four with Cortland, Oswego and New Paltz all traveling to the City of the Hills.

Veteran-dominated teams propelled Brockport (29-18) to the NCAA tournament each of the last two years and helped get the Golden Eagles their first SUNYAC title since 2013. Brockport, in its SUNYAC swan song, will have a different look this spring. The roster includes 13 freshmen and just one of Brockport’s top seven regulars from a season ago. All-region outfielder Zac Eldred (.389, 6 HR, 44 RBI) paced the Golden Eagles in nearly every offensive category last spring; he’ll be counted upon to do the same in 2024. Other hitters back with experience are Brian Tietjen (.289, 3 HR, 18 RBI) and David Belsito (.359, 10 RBI). Colin Pytlak (5-4, 6.46 ERA, 51 K, 54.1 IP) was one of three grad students in Brockport’s weekend rotation; he’s the only one that returns for another year. Justin DelVecchio (1-2, 1 SV, 6.00 ERA, 44 K) and Matt McGowan (3-1, 2.55 ERA, 34 K) are also back. While it appears to be a rebuilding year on the shores of Lake Ontario, the Golden Eagles have finished outside the league’s top four just once in the last 10 years.

Changes are also taking place in the Port City. Following a long stretch of first or second place finishes that included three SUNYAC titles in a row and multiple trips to the World Series, Oswego (20-21) placed fourth in 2023. Scott Landers’ Lakers still managed to win 20 games and went 10-8 in league. The Lakers boast an interesting mix of players that include 18 seniors and 17 freshmen. Oswego’s offense should remain strong with all-region slugger Owen Parliament (.325, 7 HR, 31 RBI), Jelani Hamer (.324, 5 RBI, 29 RBI) and Jacob Levine (.330, 8 HR, 29 RBI) back in Green and Gold. Alek Conrad (2-0, 4.03 ERA, 44.2 IP) is the top returning pitcher on a staff that has seen significant turnover in the last few years. Oswego will be battled tested heading into conference play with a non-league schedule that includes Salisbury, Rowan Swarthmore, Trinity (Conn.) and St. John Fisher.

Plattsburgh (15-20) was on the outside looking in at the playoff picture last spring after clinching the fourth and final spot in 2022. Both years Plattsburgh went 7-11 in the SUNYAC though the 2022 team won 21 games. Kyle Cremin (.333, 24 RBI, .492 SLG) and Alex Kornblau (.301, 21 RBI, 15 HBP) are two of six returning starters for an offense that is looking to improve upon last year’s 5.0 runs per game average. Chris Santic (5-4, 2.84 ERA, 65.1 IP, 51 K), Andrew Veit (3-4, 2 SV, 5.69 ERA, 49. IP, 46 K) and closer Logan Avin (1-1, 3 SV, 2.33 ERA, 19.1 IP, 19K) are the most experienced returning pitchers. Santic’s 51 strikeouts were the most by any Plattsburgh pitcher since the program resumed play in 2002. If Plattsburgh can get into striking distance, the Cardinals host their final two league opponents, Oneonta, and Brockport, at Chip Cummings Field.

New Paltz (14-24) went 4-1 in its final five games last season and had two underclassmen earn all-conference accolades. The Hawks are looking to carry that momentum into 2024. Three of New Paltz’s top four hitters were first years in 2023 -  Christopher Sais (.370, 26 RBI, .472 SLG),  Tommy Kreider (.365, 16 RBI, .481 OBP) and Matt Sarni (.313, 18 R, 8 SB). Sais was the SUNYAC Co-Rookie of the Year while Kreider was tapped first team all-league. The three rookies are now returning sophomores and part of a line-up that includes five graduate students. James McGovern (1-2, 2.87 ERA, 31.1 IP, 22 K) is the lone returning pitcher that logged more than 30 frames last spring.

In the southwestern tip of Region III, just about two hours outside the Cleveland suburbs where the World Series will be contested, Fredonia (6-28) returns 13 players with starting experience and has nearly 30 back overall for alum Jordan Basile. Though 15 newcomers will push the veterans for playing time. Garrett Stuckey (.319, 30 RBI, 21 BB), Tyler Curtis (.330, 24 RBI, .474 SLG) and Alex Gannon (.443 OBP, 28 BB, 17 RBI) are the best returning Blue Devils.

FAVORITE: Cortland