Freedom Conference Baseball
DeSales Favored in Poll

DeSales Favored in Freedom Conference Baseball Preseason Poll

Annville, PA – DeSales University has been chosen as favorites to win the 2009 Freedom Conference championship in a preseason poll of conference coaches.
DeSales received a total of 67 points and five first place votes. DSU finished the 2008 season with a 24-20-1 overall record, having won its eighth Freedom Conference Championship and advancing to its ninth NCAA Tournament. They return standout senior Zac Hess who was named to the ABCA-Rawlings Mid-Atlantic All-Region Team. Hess finished the year batting .325 with a team-high eight home runs and 37 RBI’s. He added 11 doubles, 37 runs scored and walked a team-best 34 times for finish with a team-leading .452 on-base percentage and a team-high .556 slugging percentage.

Alvernia finished second with 65 points and two first place votes. Alvernia finished the '08 season with a record of 33-12 overall and 15-3 in the PAC. The Crusaders earned their second trip to the Eastern College Athletic Conference South Region Baseball Championships and emerged with their second title defeating Washington & Jefferson and Delaware Valley. They return sophomore starter Chuck Nicholas, the ECAC South Rookie of the Year and ABCA All-Region Third Teamer from a season ago, and will field a team with just one senior on the roster, utility infielder Eric Focht.

Manhattanville earned 62 point and two first place votes. The Valiants (28-13) graduated seven seniors but maintain a promising young nucleus The Valiants were picked fifth in their inaugural season in the Freedom Conference. They advanced to the conference championship game and look to build upon their 2008 success this season with a third place preseason finish. Senior Stephen Pinto, who was tabbed a First Team selection, will team up with Second Team selections Matt Nigro and AJ Triano as they will look to get back to the championship.

King’s earned 48 points for a fourth place finish. King’s wrapped up its 2008 season with an 18-20-1 mark. They return standout Gracjan Kraszewski, who was named to the 2008 All-Freedom Conference squad as a Second-Team selection. Kraszewski finished the year ranked fourth in the Freedom Conference in batting average and tied for third in base hits. He also ranked fourth in doubles.

Delaware Valley came in tied for fifth with 43 points. The Aggies went 25-18 overall and qualified for the Freedom Conference playoffs with an 8-10 league mark. They were also selected for the Eastern College Athletic Conference South Region Championships. Three players earned four spots on the All-Conference team; however the Aggies do lose senior third baseman Zach Jakubowski, who was named the Freedom Conference Player of the Year. A strong core looks to keep the Aggies in contention.

Wilkes also came in tied with 43 points for fifth place. The Colonels finish the 2008 campaign with a 21-15 overall record. The baseball squad loses three key players who were named to the All-Conference team in Kyle Follweiler, Chris Mayerski and Corey Helfrich.

FDU-Florham placed seventh with 32 points. The Devils ended their season with a record of 14-20-1. They lose senior pitcher Ryan Flannery, a First Team All-Freedom Conference selection. However, they do return key players in Dan Pregno, Jimmy Sheppard and Greg Geran.

Misericordia comes in eighth with 25 points. The Cougars finished 15-26-1 and made the PAC playoffs under first-year head coach Pete Egbert. They return standout Mike Murphy, who was named to the Rawlings American Baseball Coach’s Association Mid-Atlantic All-Region team. A junior, Murphy was selected to the third team as a third baseman. Murphy, led the team in batting (.416), on-base percentage (.556), runs (45), hits (62), triples (5), and walks (44) and tied for the team lead in stolen bases (12).

Rounding out the conference in ninth place is Eastern with 20 points. Eastern baseball set a new mark for league wins last year with an 8-10 mark. First year head coach Matt Midkiff will rely on several new faces at the Eagles look to build on their 12 win seasons a year ago.


2009 Freedom Conference Preseason Baseball Poll
1. DeSales 67 (5)
2. Alvernia 65 (2)
3. Manhattanville 62 (2)
4. King's 48
5t. Wilkes 43
5t. Delaware Valley 43
7. FDU-Florham 32
8. Misericordia 25
9. Eastern 20