2010 BASEBALL
PRESEASON COACHES' POLL
 


PENN STATE BEHREND EXPECTED
TO MAKE IT THREE IN A ROW
 


Penn State Behrend has been chosen by the league coaches to "three-peat" its Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference baseball title in 2010.  Following close on the defending champion's heals will be five-time AMCC titlist Frostburg State University, while Penn State Altoona, the 2009 ECAC South Region champion, is picked for third.

Preseason Player of the Year honors go to Behrend shortstop Josh Fyffe (Fredonia, PA/Sharpsville HS).  The senior is a three time NCAA all-region and AMCC all-conference selection who was AMCC Player of the Year and ECAC South Region Player of the Year in 2009 after hitting .406 with 9 home runs, 59 runs and 58 RBI.  He ranks in Behrend's top ten all-time for hits, runs, doubles, home runs, RBI and steals.

Two players share the AMCC Preseason Pitcher of the Year nod.  Pitt-Greensburg senior Brandon Munshower (North Huntington, PA/Norwin HS) (left) posted a 4.88 ERA in 2009.  He threw 5 complete games, finishing with a 4-3 record and one save.  In 55 innings pitched Munshower gave up just one HR and 8 walks.  Mount Aloysius junior Mark Saxman (Osterberg, PA/Chestnut Ridge HS) (right) led the Mounties with 54.2 innings pitched in 2009.  He had a team-best in wins with an overall record of 5-3 and a 5.27 ERA.  Saxman fanned 31 batters and earned one save while compiling 10 starts.

This season the conference welcomes D'Youville College, formerly of the North Eastern Athletic Conference, to its ranks.  The AMCC kicks off conference play on Saturday, March 27, and the championship will be May 14-16 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 (1)
2 - Frostburg State (2)
3 - Penn State Altoona (T-3)
4 - Mount Aloysius (T-3)
5 - Pitt-Bradford (T-5)
6 - Pitt-Greensburg (T-5)
7 - La Roche (T-7)
8 - Medaille (T-7)
9 - Hilbert (9)
10 - Franciscan (10)
11 - D'Youville (N/A)

* Number in parentheses is order of regular season finish in 2009


Preseason Player of the Year
JOSH FYFFE
Penn State Berhend
Preseason Co-Pitchers of the Year
 BRANDON MUNSHOWER
Pitt-Greensburg
MARK SAXMAN
Mount Aloysius College
 

OTHER PLAYERS TO WATCH...

D'YOUVILLE COLLEGE
Head Coach:  Rob Kennuth (2nd year)
 2009:   1-24 overall


SO IF Jordan Vokes (Caledonia, NY/Caledonia-Mumford HS)...Started all 25 games in 2009...hit .274 with 15 runs scored and 10 RBI.

SR C Derek Torpey (Elba, NY/Elba HS)..Third team All-NEAC last season...led the team in steals (9).
 

FRANCISCAN UNIVERSITY
Head Coach Robert Marrow (2nd year)
 2009:   1-17 AMCC, 4-29 overall


JR SS Anthony Pontarelli (Spring Grove, IL/Richmond Burton HS)...Hit .327 last season with a .426 slugging percentage...smacked 8 doubles on 33 hits with 17 runs scored...started 32 of 33 games...turned 11 double plays with 74 assists.

SR P/1B Kevin Morrow (Bloomingdale, OH/Catholic Central HS)...Started 7 games last season, striking out 11...turned 11 double plays..batted .256 with 21 hits and a .329 slugging percentage.
 

FROSTBURG STATE UNIVERSITY
Head Coach Guy Robertson (3rd year)
2009:  15-3 AMCC, 25-16 overall


SR OF Jeff Kroboth (Nazareth, PA/Nazareth Area HS)...Second team all-conference in 2009...hit .358 with a .492 slugging percentage...scored 36 runs on 43 hits with 27 RBI...led the team in stolen bases (26) and HBP (14).
 

HILBERT COLLEGE
Head Coach Jonathan Musialowski (1st year)
2009:  2-16 AMCC, 10-28 overall


JR 3B Frank Simmeth (Cheektowaga, NY/St. Mary’s Lancaster HS)...Team leader last season with .385 average, .503 OBP, 45 hits (Hilbert single-season record), 10 doubles, 23 RBIs, and 28 walks...started 68 of 69 games at Hilbert.

SR CF Keith Somerville (Holland, NY/Holland Central HS),,,Led the Hawks in 2009 with 21 runs scored and 10 steals...second on team with .969 fielding percentage and 21 RBIs...started all 95 games he’s played in his collegiate career.
 

LA ROCHE COLLEGE
Head Coach Chase Rowe (4th year)
2009:  7-11 AMCC, 14-20 overall


SR P Nate Fillip (Pittsburgh, PA/Brashear HS)...Sidelined by injury in 2009...conference starter on the mound in 2007 and 2008.

JR OF George Nahay (Jefferson Hills, PA/Thomas Jefferson HS)...Batted .452 in 2009 with 11 doubles, 3HR, and 47 RBI’s...batting average ranked him in 32nd place in all of DIII.
 

MEDAILLE COLLEGE
Head Coach Paul Smaldone (2nd Year)
2009:  7-11 AMCC, 9-23 overall


JR OF Brandon Lumadue (Lancaster, NY/West Seneca East HS)...Hit .350 with a .488 slugging percentage in 2009...recorded 13 RBI with 16 runs scored.

SR P Brian Vital (Marlborough, MA/Grafton HS)...Record of 4-2 in 9 appearances last season...struck out 32 in 35.1 IP.
 

MOUNT ALOYSIUS COLLEGE
Head Coach Kevin Kime (4th year)
 2009:  12-6 AMCC, 23-19 overall


JR SS Bryan Nolan (Frederick, MD/Thomas Johnson HS)...Batted .386 on the season and started all 42 games for the Mounties in 2009...AMCC regular season leader in stolen bases...second team All-Conference selection, and third team All Mid-Atlantic Region...ranked 17th in NCAA Division III with 30 stolen bases. 

SR C/1B Eli Traup (Rockwood, PA/Rockwood HS)...Third team All-Conference selection in 2009...batted .300 with a .409 OB% in 35 games...threw out 32% of attempted base stealers...fielding percentage of .978 at both first base and behind the plate.
 

PENN STATE ALTOONA
Head Coach Joe Piotti (14th year)
2009:  12-6 AMCC, 32-17 overall


JR 1B Grady Luzier (Morrisdale, PA/West Branch HS)...First team All-AMCC and second team ECAC all-star in 2009...hit .443 last season, ranked #3 in the league...led the AMCC in run (66), hits (78), doubles (18) and RBI (61).

SO RF Cord Heine (Malvern, PA/Mercersburg Academy)...Conference Newcomer of the Year and ECAC Rookie of the Year last season...hit .326 with a league-best 16 home runs (#6 in Div. III)...also recorded 58 hits, 53 runs and 60 RBI.
 

PENN STATE BEHREND
Head Coach Paul Benim (18th year)
2009:  16-2 AMCC, 31-13 overall


SR SS Josh Fyffe (Fredonia, PA/Sharpsville HS)...Three time NCAA all-region and AMCC all-conference selection…AMCC Player of the Year in 2009 after hitting .406 with nine home runs, 59 runs, 58 RBI…ranks in Behrend top ten all-time for hits, runs, doubles, home runs, RBI, steals…2009 ECAC South Region Player of the Year.

SR CF Jon Gray (State College, PA/State College HS)...Team’s gold glove recipient and named NCAA All-Region in 2009…named first team All-AMCC two consecutive seasons…fourth in league in BA at .432…tops on team in runs and on-base %…led team in HBPs two years running…ranks in program's top ten all-time for hits, runs and steals.
 

PITT-BRADFORD
Head Coach Bret Butler (12th year)
2009:  9-9 AMCC, 16-16 overall


SR RF Bart McGary (Curwensville, PA/Curwensville HS)...Hit .337 with 8 doubles, 2 HRs and 29 RBI last season.

SR 1B Justin Bifano (Shippenville, PA/Keystone Area HS)...2009 stats included .314 BA, 6 doubles, 3 HR and 25 RBI.
 

PITT-GREENSBURG
Head Coach Adam Jack (2nd year)
2009:  9-9 AMCC, 20-21 overall


SR P Brandon Munshower (North Huntington, PA/Norwin HS)...4.88 ERA in 2009...threw 5 complete games...4-3 record with 1 save...in 55 IP gave up just one HR and 8 walks.

SR OF Matt Gouveia (McKeesport, PA/Elizabeth Forward HS)...Hit .362 in conference last season with a .990 fielding percentage...perfect 16-16 in stolen base attempts.