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| Johns Hopkins is a sentimental favorite to win the D-III World Series with their long-time head coach, Bob Babb, looking for a national championship in his final season. d3photography photo by Steve Frommell |
New Faces
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| Marymount had a lot to celebrate last year and will be looking to knock off Immaculata from the top of the Atlantic East in 2025. Marymount athletics photo |
Mike Victory, Hood - Victory has been hired as the new head coach at Hood College. "This is an exciting time for Hood baseball. The current and former players and coaches have done a great job of putting Hood on the map. Hood College is committed to advancing the program and I am honored to be part of this growth. I cannot wait to get started working with these young men," said Victory. Victory arrives after five seasons at the helm of Brevard College in the USA South conference with an 81-84 career record. The Tornados appeared in their first conference championship while winning their first postseason games under his direction.
Conference previews
Atlantic East Conference: Marymount (31-11) is coming off of a historic season where they finished with their best win mark in program history, alongside their second-best winning percentage at .738 and second-best conference mark at 14-4. The Saints also had their strongest showing on the regional level in Marymount baseball history with five All-Region selections. Two will be back with David Muirhead (7-2, 3.11 ERA, 42K) remaining the workhorse at the top of the Saints rotation. Quincy Via (.333, 3 HR, 35 RBI, 24 SB) broke out in 2024 and is the only top offensive star to return. Marymount has posted 20-plus win seasons in seven of its last eight full seasons and should hit this mark again in 2025.
Immaculata (27-18) will be looking for their fourth consecutive appearance in the NCAA Playoffs. The Mightly Mac has had a remarkable run the last three years, averaging 28-plus wins a year and three conference titles. To keep up the pace in 2025 will be a challenge. All three top players were either graduate or senior students and the theme will reloading the roster. Only one player hit above .300 and did not finish his fourth year and that is Hunter Weitzel (.3345, 1 HR, 26 RBI). The pitching story is slightly better with two pitchers returning with at least one start. Gone is a ten game winner with Alex LePage (5-3, 3.99 ERA, 52K) being the best of the rest.
Marywood (22-16), Gwynedd Mercy (14-26), Centenary (17-22), and Neumann (16-23) all finished with a sub-.500 record in the conference. Marywood is looking to contend for first AEC playoff qualification and the first since 2015 with the addition of promising Division II transfers from East Stroudsburg - LHP Ethan Reccek and INF Tanner Vicendense. From the 2024 squad, Joel Ayers (.389, 2 HR, 27 RBI), the AEC Rookie of the Year, came on strong in the second half last season. The Cabrini Cavaliers' closed the door on their final season with a strong run having attained a 24-12 record, but the conference needs only six teams to maintain its automatic bid.
Coast to Coast: Few teams this decade has had as much success as Salisbury (32-12), whic has multiple appearances in the D-III World Series with a national title in 2021. Add in the second longest consecutive playoff streak and you might as well be booking the Sea Gulls for another. It seems like every year the team is loaded with pitching, hitting, experience and this year is no different. Most people would not consider 1B Danny Sheeler's 2024 a down year (.367, 7 HR, 44 RBI, 12 SB) but it paled in comparison to his 2023 All-American campaign. Add in the Region 5 Player of the Year senior OF Andrew Kell (.444, 6 HR, 48 RBI, 13 SB) and you have a a good start on a powerful offense. The future is in the pitching where the starting rotation is dominated by sophomores. Cole Williams (8-1, 3.57 ERA, 43K, Ethan Hirschfeld (5-2, 3.58 ERA, 39K) and Aidan Brinsfield (5-0, 4.83 ERA, 56K) all have several years of eligibility.
Centennial Conference: Johns Hopkins (35-11) is coming into the season with high expectations. This was a team that surprised many with a sophomore dominated squad in 2023. Now in 2025, all these super-sophs are seniors and want to send off head coach Bob Babb into retirement with a title. Any discussion about the team starts with All-Americans 3B Sean Steuerer (.363, 17 HR, 52 RBI) and C Caleb Cyr (.341, 20 HR, 63 RBI) and they are not the only stars on the offense. Graduate student Kieren Collins (6-0, 3.33 ERA, 56K) is the undisputed ace of the rotation but the three other starters were a combined 14-5 last year. We would probably all want a four man starting rotation that averages 5-1. If the pitching is not delivering wins, it will be the sluggers wielding bats. If a conference championship is not in the cards, they have a non-conference schedule only with teams with a winning record in 2024 and should give them a high NPI if it wins enough of them - a key in getting an at-large bid. The Blue Jays have represented the CC in the NCAA playoffs in seven of the least ten years and should make it eight in eleven.
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| Ryan Thompson has hit .308 over his first three years with the Red Devils, starting 93 of the 95 games he played in. Dickinson athletics photo by Kaylee Wenderoth |
What the devil is happening at Dickinson (28-12)? They finished at the top of the CC standings and are going to be a team to beat in the conference again this year. The Devils will return an experienced and talented lineup with playoff experience. Eight of the starting nine are back and all either a senior or junior. Senior C Ryan Thompson (.364, 3 HR, 37 RBI) will continue to control the pitching staff and be a tough out. Expect strong starting pitching with seniors Koll Peichel (6-2, 4.43 ERA, 76K) back from the 2024 season and Grayson Walker (2023 stats: 4-1, 4.53 ERA, 72K) returning from an injury. The bullpen remains the biggest question mark heading into the spring slate. If any team is prepared to compete with Johns Hokins, it is the Red Devils.
McDaniel (23-15) will be looking to prove it can stay at the top of the CC standings. They are a veteran team that finished tied for second in the Centennial Conference last year. With a taste of success in the CC playoff round are looking to improve on a successful 2024 campaign. With the lost of just one key pitcher McDaniel improved their depth with five freshmen who will see significant innings. With six of seven all-conference players returning, the Green Terror has experience in the likes of senior CF Shane Daly (.342, 15 2B, 23 RBI, 25 SB) and a view of the future with sophomore OF Ethan Haddock (.416, 10 2B, 29 RBI) and 3B Shea McKenna (.375, 4 HR, 43 RBI).
Haverford (22-16) and Franklin and Marshall (19-20) were the bottom seeds in the CC tournament format and met in a play-in game. Haverford took this game but was the first team out in the double elimination tournament. The Fords bring back a talented, experienced senior class and more depth and competition at virtually all positions. The most dynamic offensive player for Haverford is defending CC Player of the Year, INF Harry Genth (.339, 10 HR, 25 RBI, 40 SB). Genth is not the only talented shortstop in the conference, F&M's Bobby Falese (.299, 8 HR, 39 RBI) is a three time All-Conference player who will graduate as the most prolific offensive player in program history. While Haverford will look pretty much the same, the departure of several three-year starters will mean plenty of new faces in the Diplomats' lineup. The strength is on the mound with Peter Mullen (4-2, 2.77 ERA, 53K) and Dan Galef (6-3, 5.13 ERA, 45K) all ready to have dominant years. The Centennial is as good as it's ever been, and to win all teams will have to be their best for every conference game.
Swarthmore (18-19) and Gettysburg (16-24) had sub-par seasons in 2024. Gettysburg has added some talented young arms to pair with an offense that set the program record for runs in a season each of the last two years. If the likes of Jack Pistner (.371, 9 HR, 42 RBI) can set the bar even higher and the pitching improves, the Bullets will be ready to take next step and be more competitive. Swarthmore is the only other CC team to make an NCAA playoff appearance in the last decade. Aidan Sullivan (.390, 5 HR, 29 RBI, 16 SB) is the Garnet's best player and highlights a veteran offense for the spring slate of games. The pitching staff is just as experienced with the majority of arms back. Both teams should be turning things around and can play with the best teams in the conference.
Ursinus (12-26), Washington College (10-29), and Muhlenberg (9-30) will need to see significant improvements as every team seems to be loading up for the 2025 season. Washington College's DH/1B Drew Kinsey (.379, 9 HR, 31 RBI) had a solid freshman year in 2023 but took it to a whole new level in 2024. He is just once piece of a team that has most of their hitting and pitching back for another round. The Bears and Mules might not be escaping the cellar in 2025 but look for the Shoreman to improve on their win totals this year.
Landmark Conference: Elizabethtown (33-14) is coming off a 2024 season where they earned their third NCAA playoff bid in a row. Back is a good core group of players with a ton of experience. Position players Quinten Perilli (.326, 13 HR, 49 RBI, 24 SB), David Woolley (.378, 4 HR, 25 RBI), and Mason Woolwine (.326, 4 HR, 25 RBI, 10 SB) all have the ability to be All-Americans. The freshman class is talented and ready to make an immediate impact, especially on the mound. Kyle Mulville (8-2, 4.52 ERA, 33 K) and Greg Zerbe (4-0, 2.17 ERA, 21K) are part of the front end of the pitching staff with big game experience and if everyone stays healthy there will be plenty of pitching for a season that is expected to go past the regular season.
Catholic (33-14) also earned an NCAA playoff pass in 2024. For many of the players, the memory of the Cardinals' sole D-III World Series appearance in 2022 is still fresh in their minds. The 2025 version of the Cardinals is a veteran team with outstanding leadership and a large number of guys who have played in the biggest moments. Zach Burton (.381, 8 HR, 47 RBI), Mitchel Johnson (.306, 8 HR, 49 RBI), Logan Eilbacher (.356, 8 HR, 35 RBI) will provide the punch on a team that hit 48 round trippers in 2024. Last year Catholic was aided by youth on the mound and part of this movement was Roman Tozzi (8-2, 2.45 ERA, 76K) pitching better than his sophomore standing.
Scranton (30-13) won the conference playoff bid in 2024, rolling through the tournament with 41 runs scored. The offense is depth and very athletic and 3B Jake Elston (.352, 4 HR, 39 RBI) is the best from last year's squad. New to the starting nine will be Quinnipiac transfer John Heitzman who will make contributions from game one. Last year scoring runs was not the problem and if the pitching comes around this could be a special season for the Royals.
Susquehanna (21-22) and Drew (22-18) earned the final two spots in the Landmark playoffs with Susquehanna earning the play-in win but was unable to parlay that success in the double elimination round. Both teams will want to hold off the cellar dwellers and crack the current top three teams. Wilkes (22-16), Moravian (15-23), Juniata (17-23), and Lycoming (9-31) round of the rest of the Landmark. It has been over a decade for any of this quartet to see a playoff bid (Moravian in 2014) and projections for the 2025 season are not favorable. The best players returning in 2025 are Lycoming OF Nick Reeder (.340, 7 2B, 14 RBI, 15 SB), Juniata C Joey Woodrow (.345, 15 2B,. 32 RBI), and Wilkes 2B Nathan Loch (.326, 12 2B, 17 RBI, 22 SB).
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| Evan Wagaman has been named on the All-MACC squad in all three of his seasons with Messiah. Messiah athletics photo |
Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth: Messiah (35-11) earned the regular season title but fell in the final series to Alvernia. It has been 13 years since the last NCAA playoff berth for Messiah and hopefully the Falcons are not superstitious. All-American Nathan Stein has thrown his last pitch for Messiah, handing off the ace duties to sophomore Jason Long (7-2, 3.22 ERA, 46K). For the offense, there is a great mix of players with quality in every class with senior Evan Wagaman (.381, 11 HR, 43 RBI, 10 SB), junior Isaiah Parido (.358, 10 HR, 41 RBI, 21 SB) and sophomore Drew Hurst (.366, 6 HR, 40 RBI). Adding to a rosy future in 2025 is senior Jarrett Gordon (.397, 4 HR, 14 RBI) who is returning from a early injury in 2024. With six of their first games against ranked teams, we will all know how good the 2025 version of the Falcons are early.
Alvernia (30-18) will be a young team with a lot of talent in 2025. They will need to rebuild their infield from role players from last season or out of a 19 man recruiting class as all the starters are no longer with the team. Sophomore Logan Nelson (.328, 4 HR, 28 RBI) started at centerfield as a freshman and is a difference maker offensively and defensively. Pitching will be in a strong position as the season unfolds. Heading the rotation are a pair of junior starters in Nick Ferraioli (8-0, 2.96 ERA, 60K) and Chris Sasso (6-4, 3.76 ERA, 57K). Late in the game, it will be more members of the junior class that can be counted on with Brad Coley (2-1, 7 saves, 2.37 ERA, 25K) and Matt Mays (2-1, 2 saves, 4.58 ERA, 21K) to put out any fires. A career milestone for head coach Yogi Lutz will come early as he enters the 2025 season with 997 wins.
Hood (23-18) saw their head coach leave for the Waynesburg program and found their new coach who was generating a resurgence at Brevard. The Blazer faithful will hope that victories is what they will get under the lead of Mike Victory. Two of three All-Region performers are back for their senior year. Dutch DeProspero (5-1, 2.51 ERA, 40K) earned third team honors after leading the conference in ERA and hits allowed (43). Cameron Day (.379, 9 HR, 49 RBI) was also a third team All-Region selection after breaking the program's single season home run record and ending up in the top portion of most offensive categories.
York (Pa.) (21-20) started off hot last spring and faded in the second half which included a 0-2 in the MACC tournament. With a lot of pitching returning, the Spartans will be looking to play like the first half of 2024. Head coach Mike Scappa will move some players around to open a spot for a big bat and has upgraded the positions left vacant by graduating players. The best of the pitching staff is still young but talented as three sophomores made All-Conference last year: SP Evan Hughes (5-2, 3.27 ERA, 40K), RP Jason Cassidy (2-0, 2.51 ERA, 17K), and RP Dillon Michaloski (2-0, 1 save, 3.32 ERA, 19K). The rest of the rotation are seniors and a junior so plenty to be excited about for Spartan fans.
Missing the 2024 tournament are Eastern (20-19), Widener (13-22), Albright (13-25), and Stevenson (9-27). Stevenson is still a young team that needs to learn how to win and is looking for its identity. The Mustangs added pitching depth which will help move the win total up in 2025. A playoff berth is not impossible to imagine. If players recuited this year step up and returners like Dalton Reinhart (.386, 3 HR, 21 RBI) make some jumps at the plate and in the field, we could catch some people off guard within the MAC in 2025.