Seton Hill baseball tabbed preseason favorite in PSAC west

Seton Hill baseball is the preseason favorite to win the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference West Division.

The Griffins, reigning two-time PSAC champions, earned five first-place votes from the head baseball coaches in the league.

Mercyhurst received three first-place votes and was second, followed by Slippery Rock, Gannon, Cal (Pa.), Indiana, Pitt-Johnstown and Clarion.

In the East, Millersville and West Chester each received four first-place votes with Millersville earning the top spot. Bloomsburg was third, followed by East Stroudsburg, Lock Haven, Shippensburg, Kutztown and Mansfield.

Seton Hill, coached by Marc Marizzaldi, finished 17-11 in the conference last season, but a four-game sweep in Clarion on the final weekend helped them secure a berth in the PSAC tournament.

In the PSAC tournament, the Griffins went 4-0 with wins against West Chester, Bloomsburg, Shippensburg and Millersville.

In the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional, the Griffins opened with shutout wins over Shepherd (4-0) and Charleston (9-0) before falling to Mercyhurst, 7-6, in 11 innings. After blanking Millersville, 5-0, the Griffins fell to Mercyhurst again, 4-2.

Seton Hill opens the season at Winston-Salem State on Feb. 23 with a three-game series.

The spring trip in Kissimmee, Fla., begins March 2.

PSAC action begins March 22 and the PSAC tournament returns to Johnstown, beginning on May 8.

Four junior members of the Seton Hill baseball team were named Perfect Game NCAA Division II Top 40 prospects. Outfielder Craig Lewis was ranked No. 2, pitcher Kenny Wells was ranked 9, pitcher Patrick Monteverde (Fox Chapel) was ranked 15 and pitcher Cole Masik was 27.

Paul Schofield is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Paul at pschofield@tribweb.com or via Twitter @Schofield_Trib.