LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The Millersville Marauders and Seton Hill Griffins have been voted as the top teams in the Eastern and Western divisions, respectively, in the 2024 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Baseball Preseason Polls.
The polls are voted on by the conference’s head coaches.
Millersville sits atop the Eastern Division poll after collecting seven first-place votes, with West Chester (second in the poll) and East Stroudsburg (third) each collecting a single first-place vote. In the Western Division poll, Seton Hill also received seven first-place votes, outpacing Mercyhurst’s single first-place vote.
Find the complete polls as well as team-by-team capsules below.
EASTERN DIVISION (# of first place votes)
1. Millersville (7)
2. West Chester (1)
3. East Stroudsburg (1)
4. Shippensburg
5. Kutztown
6. Bloomsburg
7. Shepherd
8. Mansfield
9. Lock Haven
WESTERN DIVISION (# of first place votes)
1. Seton Hill (7)
2. Mercyhurst (1)
3. IUP
4. California
5. Gannon
6. Slippery Rock
7. Pitt-Johnstown
8. Clarion
EASTERN DIVISION
The top spot in the Eastern Division’s preseason poll in 2024 was secured by Millersville. The Marauders (46-10 overall, 21-3 PSAC) won the NCAA Atlantic Super Regional to advance to Cary, N.C, as one of the top eight teams in Division II. Millersville returns the bulk of its very adept pitching staff in 2024, including ace Carson Kulina (9-1 record, 74.2 innings, 2.41 ERA, 74 strikeouts) and reliever Evan Rishell (1.17 ERA in 23 appearances, 27 strikeouts). At the plate, Sam Morris (.341 average, five home runs, 39 RBIs) and Keegan Soltis (.333, 40 runs, 35 RBIs) are returning bats for the defending PSAC Eastern Division champions.
Voted second in the 2024 PSAC Baseball Eastern Division Preseason Poll is West Chester. The Golden Rams (32-20 overall, 14-10 PSAC) advanced to the PSAC Tournament championship game last spring and return plenty of talented players. Pitcher Julian Costa, the PSAC East Freshman of the Year, tossed 71.2 innings with a 3.27 ERA and 75 strikeouts in addition to logging two home runs and 15 RBIs at the plate. Evan Profy hit .329 with 11 doubles, 49 runs scored, and 29 RBIs.
East Stroudsburg (36-14 overall, 16-8 PSAC) were voted No. 3 in this year’s poll. Returning are a couple of impact bats—Jack Rothenhausler (.353, 12 doubles, five home runs, 43 RBIs) and Mike Kelly (.324, 38 runs scored, 32 stolen bases) while the pitching staff should be anchored by Nick McAuliffe, who spun 57.1 innings with a 2.51 ERA (fifth-best in the conference) and 68 strikeouts in 2023.
Coming in fourth in the poll is the Shippensburg Raiders, who earned the East’s fourth tournament seed in 2023 with a 27-25 overall record (12-12 PSAC). Mike Heckman (.347 average, 34 runs scored) and Justin Byler (.327, 39 RBIs, five home runs) are back to pace the offense. On the mound, Eric Bohenek returns after tossing 63 innings with a 4.71 ERA and 45 strikeouts.
The remainder of the 2024 PSAC Baseball Eastern Division Preseason Poll is rounded out by Kutztown at No. 5, followed by Bloomsburg, Shepherd, Mansfield, and Lock Haven.
WESTERN DIVISION
The Western Division’s top team in the 2024 poll is Seton Hill (48-13 overall, 26-2 PSAC), who claimed the 2023 PSAC Tournament title last spring. The bulk of that team returns for another run in 2024, including sluggers Owen Sabol (.351, 47 RBIs, four home runs), Max Mandler (.351, 40 RBIs, four home runs), and Jack Oberdorf (.343, a PSAC-best 15 home runs, and 57 RBIs). Jack Whalen, the PSAC West Freshman of the Year, hit .332 with a league-best 52 stolen bases and 64 runs scored. Brandon Bergert (3.07 ERA, eight wins, and 89 strikeouts in 73.1 innings), Jon McCullough (3.25 ERA and 59 K in 74.2 innings), and Aidan Layton (eight wins, 69 K in 74 innings) are back to lead the pitching staff.
Right behind Seton Hill in the No. 2 spot is Mercyhurst, who ended 2023 30-17 overall (21-7 in conference play.) Returners are highlighted by PSAC West Pitcher of the Year Jarrett Heilman, who was dominant to the tune of a 1.38 ERA in 65 innings with six victories and 64 strikeouts. Offensively, Mitchell Grosch (.333, 22 RBIs) and Zachary Kourous (.325, 21 RBIs, 34 runs scored) are back to pace the offense. Mercyhurst put up a fight against Seton Hill in its Atlantic Regional pod, defeating the Griffins 8-6 early in the tournament to bounce them to the loser’s bracket, but Seton Hill fought back won the next two games against the Lakers on the final day to advance to the Super Regional.
The IUP Crimson Hawks (25-29 overall, 15-13 PSAC) come in third in this spring’s poll. IUP upset No. 1-seeded Millersville on the first day of the 2023 PSAC Tournament. Back to lead the offense is Davin Landers (.342, 19 runs scored) and Harrison Pontoli (.337, 44 RBIs, 35 runs scored) while Derrick Shields (3.80 ERA, 61.2 innings, and 47 strikeouts) and Mark Edeburn (46 K in 71 innings) spearhead the pitching efforts.
Voted the No. 4 team in this year’s poll is California (29-21 overall, 15-13 PSAC). The Vulcans had the fifth-best team average in the conference (.296) and return Santino Marra, who was one of just three players in the PSAC to finish the season batting over .400. Marra logged an average of .404 with 34 runs scored, 13 doubles, and 44 RBIs. Roman Gill returns on the mound after finishing 2023 with a 3.88 ERA in 58 innings.
The remainder of the 2024 PSAC Baseball Western Division Preseason Poll is rounded out by Gannon at No. 5 followed by Slippery Rock, Pitt-Johnstown, and Clarion.