BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- The Moravian University baseball team is set to begin the 2023 season with a non-conference doubleheader versus Elmira (N.Y.) College on Thursday, February 23 at Diamond Nation in Flemington, New Jersey a day later than originally scheduled due to the weather forecast on February 22.
First-year Head Coach Douglas Coe has 25 student-athletes from last year's 22-18 squad that reached the Landmark Conference Tournament.
Coach Coe returns a trio of Landmark All-Conference players led by senior catcher/designated hitter Derek Holmes, who made the First Team last year as well as the D3baseball.com and American Baseball Coaches Association All-Region 5 First Teams. Holmes hit .460 a year ago with 69 hits, 37 RBIs, 34 runs, 15 doubles, a triple and four homers, and he also threw out 11 of 30 stolen base attempts from behind the plate. Juniors outfielder Matt Madigan and utility player Connor Wengryn were selected to the Landmark All-Conference Second Team last year with Madigan collecting 50 hits, 42 runs, 21 RBIs, 11 doubles and 12 stolen bases and Wengryn hitting .364 with 20 hits, 12 runs, three doubles and three RBIs.
Senior infielder Chris Pow, who earned a spot on the All-Conference Second Team in 2021, returns after recording 45 hits, 29 runs, 28 RBIs, seven doubles and two triples last spring while senior infielder Mason Fisher added 48 hits, 41 runs, 30 RBIs, seven doubles, a triple, two home runs and six stolen bases. Junior infielder Paul Croyle contributed 22 hits, 11 RBIs, seven runs, six doubles, two triples and a homer while junior first baseman/designated hitter Cole Cherkas had 10 hits, seven RBIs, three doubles and three runs. Sophomore infielder Ayden Dunbar posted four hits, three runs, two doubles and three RBIs while sophomore infielder Jaden Clements had three runs, two hits and two RBIs.
In addition to Madigan, the Hounds return juniors David Olsakowski and Patrick Benolken and sophomore Nick Henry in the outfield. Olsakowski contributed 20 hits, 11 runs, two doubles, a home run and 15 RBIs a year ago while Benolken had nine hits, seven runs, a double and six RBIs and Henry added five hits, three runs and three RBIs. Senior Matt Ciarrocchi had one pinch hit last spring.
Moravian brings back 12 pitchers that tossed innings last season junior David Ciaccio, who was 3-2 with 37 strikeouts and one complete game in 45.1 innings of action. Senior Tyler Valentine pitched 30.1 innings with a 1-1 record, a 2.97 ERA and 19 strikeouts while senior Garrison Koch added a 4-2 record, a save and 13 strikeouts in 25.2 innings. Senior Kenny Kunzman recorded 16 strikeouts and a 2-1 mark in 17.2 innings of work while junior Aaron Flyte contributed 18 strikeouts, a 2-2 mark and a save in 26.2 innings of action. Sophomore Matt Snyder had 19 strikeouts in 24.2 innings while senior Ethan Weber posted 14 strikeouts, a 1-0 record and one save in 14.2 innings of work. Senior Noah Ingalls had 14 strikeouts and two wins in 31 innings on the mound while senior Andrew Connallon tossed nine strikeouts and was 1-0 in 11 innings. Senior AJ Gordon tossed 4.1 innings while sophomore Chris Medei had two strikeouts in two innings of action and junior Rony Minier tossed a third of an inning last spring.
Watch a season preview video including interviews with Coach Coe, Gordon, Flyte and Minier below.
