Jones '25 and Morrissey '26 set to compete for Frontier League Championship
9/22/2026 3:00:00 PM | Baseball
MILLERSVILLE, Pa. - The Frontier League Championship kicks off tonight as the Evansville Otters take on the Ottawa Titans. Two Marauder alums will compete for the Otters in Amani Jones '25 and Joe Morrissey '26.
Jones primarily plays up the middle for the Otters and posted strong numbers throughout the summer. He finished the regular season with a .291 batting average, 113 hits, 17 doubles, six home runs and 39 RBIs. He led Evansville in plate appearances and hits while finishing in the top five in several other offensive categories. Defensively, he recorded a .972 fielding percentage with 266 assists and 154 putouts.
"Millersville has helped me a lot," Jones stated. "First off, coming to a team and university that had a deep history of winning and playing in big games is something you want to be a part of in your time there. I was fortunate enough to play in two regionals in my time there and win a PSAC title as well, and it's something that you won't forget. The culture of winning, being selfless and being a professional in all aspects of the game at Millersville has made the transition to playing professionally seamless. The way we go about our business at Millersville translates to all aspects of life, and we don't just breed winners, we breed great people as well."
Morrissey finished the regular season with 48.1 innings pitched and a 3.72 ERA. The majority of his innings have come in relief, replicating his role as a Marauder. He recorded 53 strikeouts while allowing just 43 hits throughout the regular season.
The Otters finished the 2026 regular season with a 62-40 record, placing them second in the Central Division standings behind the Washington Wild Things. Their record earned them a wild-card matchup against the Schaumburg Boomers.
After falling in Game 1 of the wild-card series, the Otters rebounded to win Games 2 and 3 and advance to the next round against the Wild Things.
Evansville took Game 1 in a high-scoring matchup between the two squads, coming out on top 14-13. The Otters followed with another double-digit performance in Game 2, winning 12-3. Washington came back to take Games 3 and 4 to even the series and force a Game 5. That did not phase Evansville, as the Otters jumped out to an early lead in the deciding game and never looked back, advancing to the Frontier League Championship.
Throughout the playoffs, Jones has proven to be one of the hottest bats in the lineup, batting .353 through eight games with 12 hits and four RBIs. He currently rides a seven-game hitting streak entering tonight's contest.
Morrissey has appeared in seven of Evansville's eight playoff games so far. He recorded a hold in Game 2 against the Boomers and earned a victory in Game 3. In total, he has thrown 8.2 innings, striking out eight and allowing just five hits while posting a 4.15 ERA.
"Overall, this summer has been a lot of fun," Jones said. "The staff is great and all the guys are good people who you want to be around. It's been some of the most fun I've had playing baseball. I enjoy coming to the field every day to be with this group of guys. As for the playoffs, it's been a lot of fun. We don't have a ton of professional playoff experience, but we don't ever believe we're out of a game. This team, top to bottom, believes and knows we can beat anyone."
Evansville will take on the Ottawa Titans, who finished the regular season 57-44 and have not lost a game this postseason. The Otters will host Game 1, with first pitch slated for 7:35 p.m.
Jones primarily plays up the middle for the Otters and posted strong numbers throughout the summer. He finished the regular season with a .291 batting average, 113 hits, 17 doubles, six home runs and 39 RBIs. He led Evansville in plate appearances and hits while finishing in the top five in several other offensive categories. Defensively, he recorded a .972 fielding percentage with 266 assists and 154 putouts.
"Millersville has helped me a lot," Jones stated. "First off, coming to a team and university that had a deep history of winning and playing in big games is something you want to be a part of in your time there. I was fortunate enough to play in two regionals in my time there and win a PSAC title as well, and it's something that you won't forget. The culture of winning, being selfless and being a professional in all aspects of the game at Millersville has made the transition to playing professionally seamless. The way we go about our business at Millersville translates to all aspects of life, and we don't just breed winners, we breed great people as well."
Morrissey finished the regular season with 48.1 innings pitched and a 3.72 ERA. The majority of his innings have come in relief, replicating his role as a Marauder. He recorded 53 strikeouts while allowing just 43 hits throughout the regular season.
The Otters finished the 2026 regular season with a 62-40 record, placing them second in the Central Division standings behind the Washington Wild Things. Their record earned them a wild-card matchup against the Schaumburg Boomers.
After falling in Game 1 of the wild-card series, the Otters rebounded to win Games 2 and 3 and advance to the next round against the Wild Things.
Evansville took Game 1 in a high-scoring matchup between the two squads, coming out on top 14-13. The Otters followed with another double-digit performance in Game 2, winning 12-3. Washington came back to take Games 3 and 4 to even the series and force a Game 5. That did not phase Evansville, as the Otters jumped out to an early lead in the deciding game and never looked back, advancing to the Frontier League Championship.
Throughout the playoffs, Jones has proven to be one of the hottest bats in the lineup, batting .353 through eight games with 12 hits and four RBIs. He currently rides a seven-game hitting streak entering tonight's contest.
Morrissey has appeared in seven of Evansville's eight playoff games so far. He recorded a hold in Game 2 against the Boomers and earned a victory in Game 3. In total, he has thrown 8.2 innings, striking out eight and allowing just five hits while posting a 4.15 ERA.
"Overall, this summer has been a lot of fun," Jones said. "The staff is great and all the guys are good people who you want to be around. It's been some of the most fun I've had playing baseball. I enjoy coming to the field every day to be with this group of guys. As for the playoffs, it's been a lot of fun. We don't have a ton of professional playoff experience, but we don't ever believe we're out of a game. This team, top to bottom, believes and knows we can beat anyone."
Evansville will take on the Ottawa Titans, who finished the regular season 57-44 and have not lost a game this postseason. The Otters will host Game 1, with first pitch slated for 7:35 p.m.
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