AMCC BB Preseason Poll

2008 BASEBALL
PRESEASON COACHES' POLL

COACHES PICK BEHREND LIONS
TO WIN BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

With six of 10 first place votes, Penn State Behrend is expected to achieve its second ever Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference baseball title. The last time the Behrend Lions took home the hardware was in 2003. The AMCC coaches voted Frostburg State University, the two-time defending champion, to finish second, followed by La Roche College, who finished in a three-way tie for first place in the regular season. The winner of the AMCC tournament receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III tournament.

Preseason Player of the Year honors go to Pitt-Greensburg junior shortstop Matt Stanziano (Pittsburgh, PA/Brashear). The 2007 AMCC Player of the Year, Stanziano was named a D3Baseball.com Third Team All-American and a member of the ECAC Division III South Region All-Star team. He led the league in batting average (.452) and on-base percentage (.512), and was ranked second with a .731 slugging percentage. He also contributed 31 RBI. A huge base running threat, Stanziano was successful in 33 of 36 in stolen base attempts, tops in the AMCC.

Penn State Behrend junior David Koerbel (Pittsburgh, PA/Central Catholic) is the AMCC Preseason Pitcher of the Year. Koerbel posted a record of 5-1 in 11 appearances last season, leading the team in innings pitched (53.1) and finished with a 2.87 ERA, striking out 55. The right-hander also held opponents to a league-best .216 batting average. He was named to the 2007 all-conference second team and was recently recognized by Collegiate Baseball as "A Player to Watch" for 2008.

The AMCC tournament will be May 9-11 at the site of the top seed. The winner of the tournament will receive the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.

AMCC BASEBALL POLL
Preseason Rankings*

1 - Penn State Behrend (4)
2 - Frostburg State (1)
3 - La Roche (1)
4 - Pitt-Bradford (5)
5 - Medaille (1)
6 - Pitt-Greensburg (6)
7 - Penn State Altoona (9)
8 - Mount Aloysius (7)
9 - Lake Erie (8)
10 - Hilbert (10)

* Number in parentheses is order of regular season finish in 2007

Preseason Player of the Year
MATT STANZIANO
Pitt-Greensburg

Preseason Pitcher of the Year
DAVID KORBEL
Penn State Behrend

FROSTBURG STATE UNIVERSITY Head Coach Guy Robertson (1st year) 2007: 13-5 AMCC, 31-15 overall
SR 1B Allen Peake (Fredericksburg, VA/Stafford HS)...First team All-AMCC in 2007...also named to Mid-Atlantic Region ABCA All-Star Team and ECAC South Region All-Star Team...ranked 11th nationally in home runs (11)...hit .317 and led the league in RBI with 57. SR OF Andrew Speights (Stafford, VA/Brooke Point)...All-conference honorable mention last season...led the AMCC in runs scored (54) while batting .360...also collected 63 hits, 37 RBI and 18 doubles.
HILBERT COLLEGE Head Coach Robert Gladwell (2nd year) 2007: 2-16 AMCC, 5-25 overall
SR P/3B Matt Schoepflin (Holland, NY/Holland)...Batted a team high .295 in 2007 with 8 doubles and 18 RBIs...played in all 30 games, started in 29. SR C Kevin Murphy (Buffalo, NY/Timon St. Jude)...Hit .292 last season with 2 doubles and 8 RBIs...started 17 of 22 games played.
LA ROCHE COLLEGE Head Coach Chase Rowe (2nd year) 2007: 13-5 AMCC, 25-17 overall
JR 3B Drew Bosco (Beaver Falls, PA/Blackhawk HS)...Second team all-AMCC last season...team co-leader with a .340 batting average.
LAKE ERIE COLLEGE Head Coach Brian McGee (1st Year) 2007: 5-13 AMCC, 15-25 overall
SR OF Rocky Pfisterer (Akron, OH/Akron Green HS)...First team all-conference in 2007...ranked among the top 10 AMCC players in 11 statistical categories...led the Storm in batting average (.365), hits (50), runs (31), doubles (12), home runs (5), RBIs (29), slugging percentage (.591) and stolen bases (7). SO C Ben Reed (Middlefield, OH/Cardinal)...Second team All-AMCC... the Storm's second leading hitter at .352 and was the league's eighth leading hitter overall....also second in hits (45), doubles (8), home runs (3) and walks (12)...ranked third in RBIs with 22.
MEDAILLE COLLEGE Head Coach Ron Nero (5th Year) 2007: 13-5 AMCC, 15-22 overall
SR 2B Nick Andreassi (Greece, NY/Greece-Arcadia HS)...All-AMCC honorable mention selection last season...only player to start all 37 games for the Mavs... hit .359 with 20 RBI and 2 doubles...standout .937 fielding percentage. SR SS Tom Lyman (Tonawanda, NY/Kenmore East)...Batting average of .365 in 2007, with 35 hits, 15 runs scored and 9 RBI.
MOUNT ALOYSIUS COLLEGE Head Coach Kevin Kime (2nd year) 2007: 7-11 AMCC, 13-21 overall
SR UT Trevor Anderson (Jennerstown, PA/North Star)...Second team all-conference first baseman in 2007...team-leading .343 BA...37 hits with 31 runs scored...stole 18 bases...fielding percentage of .960. SR P Durell Hutzell-Ellis (Johnstown, PA/Johnstown)...5.59 ERA with 3 wins and 1 save....fanned 39... pitched two complete games.
PENN STATE ALTOONA Head Coach Joe Piotti (12th year) 2007: 5-13 AMCC, 11-25 overall
SR C Tony Pettula (Osceola Mills, PA/Phillipsburg)...Returning from a medical hardship injury in 2007…2006 stats included a .406 batting average, 43 RBI, 11 doubles, 6 triples, 4 HR, 37 runs scored and 56 hits...AMCC Co-Player of the Year in 2005 and 2006. SO P Paul Keith (Smithmill, PA/Moshannon Valley)...1.98 ERA in 27 innings, 18 strikeouts, 6 walks, 4 saves, 1-3 record.
PENN STATE BEHREND Head Coach Paul Benim (16th year) 2007: 12-6 AMCC, 27-12 overall
JR P David Koerbel (Pittsburgh, PA/Central Catholic)...Posted a record of 5-1 in 11 appearances...led the team in innings pitched (53.1) and finished with a 2.87 ERA, striking-out 55...named to the 2007 all-conference second team...recognized by Collegiate Baseball as a Player to Watch. SO SS Josh Fyffe (Fredonia, PA/Sharpsville)...Started at shortstop as a rookie...batted .394 and led the team with 9 doubles and 33 RBIs...also named the AMCC Newcomer of the Year and first team All-AMCC...selected by Collegiate Baseball as a Player to Watch.
PITT-BRADFORD Head Coach Bret Butler (10th year) 2007: 10-8 AMCC, 22-16 overall
SR C Shawn Manning (Bradford, PA/Bradford Area)...Strong offensive performer in 2007 for the Panthers with a .347 BA, .604 slugging percentage and 33 RBI...extra base hits included 11 doubles and 5 home runs...threw out 6 of 12 would-be base stealers. SR LHP Rick Riesenberger (Atlanta, NY/Wayland Cohocton Central)...In 47.2 innings pitched he struck out 37 and posted a 5.48 ERA.
PITT-GREENSBURG Head Coach Joe Hill (6th year) 2007: 10-8 AMCC, 16-19 overall
JR SS Matt Stanziano (Pittsburgh, PA/Brashear)...2007 AMCC Player of the Year... D3Baseball.com Third Team All-American...ECAC South All Star...hit .452 with 4 HR, 31 RBI, .731 slugging percentage and a .512 on base percentage..33 for 36 in stolen base attempts. SR DH Mark Lombardi (Pittsburgh, PA/Fox Chapel)...First team all-AMCC as DH...hit .415 with 2 HR, 31 RBI, .585 slugging percentage and .440 on base percentage.