Five Marauders Named Preseason All-Region; Team Picked No. 2

Five Marauders Named Preseason All-Region; Team Picked No. 2

1/22/2016 3:00:00 PM | Baseball

By: Ethan Hulsey, Director of Athletic Communications

Millersville, Pa. - NCAA Atlantic Regional appearances have become commonplace for the Millersville baseball team, and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) project the Marauders to return four a fourth consecutive season in 2016. The voters placed the Marauders No. 2 in the region's preseason poll and also voted five players to the NCBWA Preseason Atlantic Region Team.

Four Marauders--more than any other club--were voted to the first team. The quartet included starting pitcher Brandon Miller, first baseman Dan Stoltzfus, second baseman David Summerfield and shortstop Tyler Orris. Miller and Stoltzfus were NCBWA All-Atlantic Region Second team picks in 2015 and Summerfield was a first teamer. Outfielder Chas McCormick, who was also named second team in 2015, landed on the 2016 preseason second team.

Mercyhurst, which beat Millersville 2-0 in last season's region championship game, received 11 of 13 first-place votes to grab the top spot in the preseason poll. Millersville picked up two first-place votes and edged perennial region contender Seton Hill for second. CIAA power Winston-Salem State followed in fourth. Seven of the 10 teams come from the PSAC and four of them play in the PSAC East.

Millersville returns Miller and senior Jim McDade in the starting rotation, seven position players and designated hitter John Brogan. Summerfield, the PSAC Tournament MVP, hit .452 and ranked third in the nation in hitting last season, but is recovering from a knee injury suffered prior to the regional. He is expected to be ready for the start of the season. Miller won 12 games as a sophomore and made a name for himself with in the Cape Cod League, pitching his way onto the all-star team. Stoltzfus set school records in homers (15), RBIs (86) and total bases (136). Orris led the PSAC in assists and set a school record for runs (61) and tied the record for hits (80). McCormick hit .357 and was a unanimous all-region selection--Millersville's first since 1990.

The Marauders open the 2016 season on Feb. 5 at Winston-Salem State. Millersville will also see Seton Hill in the regular season on Feb. 20.

NCBWA DIVISION II PRESEASON POLL
(First place votes) - Points - 2015 Record
1. Mercyhurst (11) - 127 - 40-11
2. Millersville (2) - 112 - 45-11
3. Seton Hill - 103 - 43-13
4. Winston-Salem State - 98 - 42-15
5. Shepherd - 68 - 39-12
6. East Stroudsburg - 64 - 31-19
7. West Chester - 44 - 27-15
8. Slippery Rock - 30 - 30-18
9. West Virginia State - 28 - 35-16
10. Shippensburg - 20 - 25-25

NCBWA DIVISION II PRESEASON ATLANTIC REGION TEAM
First Team
SP - Sam Crater, Shepherd, Sr. (1)
SP - Colin McKee, Mercyhurst, R-Jr. (2)
SP - Brandon Miller, Millersville, Jr. (2)
RP - Ben Nolan, Mercyhurst, Sr. (2)
C - Chris Miller, Seton Hill, Sr. (1)
1B - Dan Stoltzfus, Millersville, Sr. (2)
2B - David Summerfield, Millersville, Jr. (1)
3B - Ryan McMillen, Shippensburg, Jr.
SS - Tyler Orris, Millersville, Sr.
OF - Jayson Baytop, Winston-Salem, Sr.
OF - Mick Fennell, California (Pa.), Sr. (2)
OF - J.J. Sarty, Shepherd, Sr. (2)
DH - Chris Wastchak, California (Pa.), So. (1)
UTIL - Ian Allen, East Stroudsburg, Jr.

Second Team
SP - Sam Burton, Winston-Salem, Sr.
SP - Zach Martinelli, Seton Hill, Jr.
SP - Mark Smyth, West Liberty, Sr.
SP - Jake Welch, Notre Dame (Ohio), R-Sr.
RP - Tyler Eckman, East Stroudsburg, Jr.
C - Jake Kennedy, Shippensburg, Jr.
1B - David Marcus, California (Pa.), Sr.
1B - Dylan Tamecki, East Stroudsburg, Sr.
2B - Brendan Cox, Mercyhurst, Sr.
3B - Jay Young, East Stroudsburg, R-Jr.
SS - Mike Marcinko, Shippensburg, Sr.
OF - Jacob Carney, Shepherd, Jr.
OF - Chas McCormick, Millersville, Jr. (2)
OF - Hank Morrison, Mercyhurst, Sr.
OF - Andy Szamski, Concord, So.
DH - Damin Muth, Bloomsburg, Jr.

(1) or (2) in parenthesis indicate 2015 NCBWA All-Region selection