2010 Baseball Prospectus
Millersville, Pa. - The Millersville baseball team, coming off a 24-23 record in 2009, was picked to finish fifth in the PSAC Eastern Division by the league's coaches Tuesday afternoon. The selection was part of the annual PSAC Preseason Poll conducted by head coaches of the 14 PSAC programs.
The Marauders were pegged ahead of Mansfield and Bloomsburg but behind East Stroudsburg, Shippensburg, West Chester and Kutztown. Both West Chester and Kutztown received three first-place votes, but Kutztown earned one more overall point to nab the spot of preseason favorite. A year ago, Kutztown finished second in the division with a 34-17. West Chester won the PSAC East and advance to the Division II College World Series in 2009 but are currently making the transition to a new head coach. Slippery Rock was ranked first in the Western Division.
Millersville has made a steady climb since
Jon Shehan took over prior to the 2008 season. In his first year, the program won the PSAC East, and last year, the Marauders narrowly missed the postseason because of tiebreakers, but posted the program's first winning season since 2002.
With a total of 16 letterwinners returning and a recruiting class that boasts nine freshmen and a transfer, the 2010 roster is the most experienced and talented of Shehan's three years. The 2010 edition returns five position starters including its three leading hitters and MLB First-Year Player draftee
Derek Kline, who returned to school for a his redshirt junior season rather than sign with the Detroit Tigers. Millersville also returns its conference pitching rotation intact. Kline not only led the team with a .393 batting average last year, but he also went 3-3 with a 2.87 ERA in six starts against PSAC East opponents.
Shehan's rotation is veteran and battled test. Senior
Forrest Mengle posted a 6-3 mark and a 3.27 ERA as the No. 1 starter a year ago.
Jason S. Long and
Kyle Belanchik also return after solid freshmen seasons. Senior southpaw
Ryan Stauffer is also looking to return to his 2008 form when he won six games.
Also returning in the field are 2009 All-PSAC East honorees
Ryan McCormick and
Miles Gallagher. McCormick, a junior, is making the switch from second base to shortstop after hitting .331 in 2009. Gallagher, the team's starting catcher, led the team with six home runs and 13 steals. Redshirt junior
Corey Phelan also returns to roam center field after missing 2009 with a knee injury. Phelan won an Atlantic Region Gold Glove award, batted .333, hit five homers and swiped 15 bases in 2008.
The Marauders open their season with a doubleheader at Georgia College & State on Feb. 19.
Eastern Division
1. Kutztown (3)
2. West Chester (3)
3. Shippensburg
4. East Stroudsburg
5. Millersville
6. Mansfield (1)
7. Bloomsburg
Western Division
1. Slippery Rock (2)
2. Mercyhurst (1)
3. California (2)
4. IUP (2)
5. Lock Haven
6. Clarion
7. Gannon
