BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- The Moravian College baseball team has named seniors Ian Csencsits, Ian Luberti, Connor Morro, Carmine Palummo and Kole Rodrigues as its captains for the 2020 campaign.
Head Coach Paul Engelhardt return 22 players from last season's team that reached the Landmark Conference Tournament championship game as he begins his 14th season leading the Greyhounds.
"This year's captains are all of our seniors," noted Engelhardt. "I feel it is appropriate to do the whole class because of what they represent as a whole group. Among the five seniors, is a melting pot of different personalities and each of them offer something different toward leadership and how they view that role. A lot of times, teams choose their best players only, but that doesn't work for leadership. Hard work, determination, loyalty, experiences, and backstory go further for this group. Each personal experience adds to the group as a whole.
"These young men represent the absolute best of what any coach in any sport would desire," continued Engelhardt. "Two starters with accolades since their first season. A catcher that is the coach on the field and natural leadership toward the game. A pitcher that didn't throw one inning his freshman year, and an infielder that is the epitome of hard work and determination. They represent the whole team. From the best kids on the field, to team members that are making a difference with their approach to our program, school and team. Any one player can look to any of the five captains and find something in them, that is true of themselves. For me, this is an ideal year for captains to be exactly what they represent.
"All five have a great desire to become something more than we have been the last couple years. They want to continue what the classes of 2018 and 2019 started to get us back to, and they want to make this program what we envision. I couldn't ask for more hard-working young men. Young men that put our team needs before individual concerns. Each personality represents everyone on the team, and we are excited to see what this group of captains will bring us this year," finished Engelhardt.
Csencsits, an infielder who is in his second year as a team captain, was selected to both the 2019 and 2018 Landmark All-Conference First Team. He has seen action in 106 games with a .355 career batting average, 129 hits, 96 runs, 52 RBIs, 20 doubles, seven triples, two home runs, 58 walks and four stolen bases. Csencsits has recorded 273 putouts and 213 assists in the field, and he currently ranks second in program history with a .459 on-base percentage and tenth in career assists.
Luberti, a catcher, has appeared in 59 career games with 20 hits, eight runs and seven RBIs, and he has thrown out eight stolen base attempts including six a year ago.
Morro, a pitcher, has appeared in 27 games on the mound for Moravian with three victories and a pair of saves. He has recorded 49 strikeouts in 51 innings of work to go with a 4.94 ERA.
Palummo, a four-year starter in the outfield, has collected 119 hits, 77 runs, 11 doubles, two triples, 38 RBIs, 48 walks and 31 stolen bases in 107 career games, and he also has 159 putouts and seven assists in the field.
Rodrigues, an infielder, has three hits, three runs and two RBIs during his career for the Greyhounds.
Moravian is slated to start 2020 with a three-game series at Hampden-Sydney (Va.) College on February 21-22. The Hounds will not play at home until a three-game Landmark Conference series versus Drew University at Gillespie Field on March 14-15.
