Ithaca College, the 2023 Liberty League Champions, and Skidmore College, the 2023 Liberty League East Division Champions, have been recognized as the divisional preseason favorites in a vote by the league’s head coaches (coaches only ranked teams within their division).
The Bombers earned the top spot in the West Division in the 2024 Liberty League Baseball Preseason Poll with three first-place votes and 22 total points. It is shaping up to be another tightly contested race in the West this upcoming season with the University of Rochester (2023 Liberty League West Division Champions) and Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) hot on the Bombers’ heels with 21 points (1 first-place vote) and 20 points (2 first-place votes) for second and third, respectively. Clarkson University was selected to finish among the top-four in fourth with 12 points and the Golden Knights are followed by Hobart College (9) and St. Lawrence University (6).
The Thoroughbreds are eyeing their third straight East Division title as they lead off the preseason poll with 16 points and four first-place votes. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) was picked to finish second with 12 points and a first-place vote. Union College was selected third with nine points while Vassar College (7) and Bard College (6) round out the East.
West Division Preview
Ithaca had another strong campaign in 2023 as the Bombers earned their second straight Liberty League title and trip to the NCAA Super Regionals. They closed out the year at 31-16 (13-7 Liberty League) after sweeping through the conference’s double-elimination tournament as well as the NCAA Regional at Cortland and falling to Endicott in the Super Regional. There will be some holes to fill with the graduation of 10, however much of the team’s lineup from last season are headed back to South Hill. A trio of batters that hit above .350 last season highlight Ithaca’s returning players—Colin Shashaty (.489), Louis Fabbo (.398), and Ethan Rothstein (.354). Shashaty boasted the league’s top batting average while ranking third in on base percentage (.535). He scored 26 runs, drove in 22 and was tops on the team in stolen bases with 14. Fabbo (All-Liberty League Second Team) recorded at least one hit in 40 of 47 games last season totaling a team- and league- best 74 on the year. He scored 47 runs and recorded 50 RBI to go along with 11 doubles, six home runs, and 16 walks. Rothstein (All-Liberty League First Team) finished among the league’s top-four in hits (4th, 62), runs batted in (4th, 44), and doubles (4th, 16). He also belted eight home runs, good for third among league leaders. The Bombers will have a young pitching staff and they will look to Colin Leyner, who was named All-Liberty League honorable mention last season, to step up as the team’s ace. He was tops among league pitchers in wins with eight, finishing with an 8-5 record on the year. In 87.2 innings pitched, he compiled a 3.59 earned run average while holding opponents to a .256 batting average and striking out 63.
Rochester (28-14, 18-3 Liberty League) wrapped up last season as the West Division champions and the top seed of the Liberty League double-elimination tournament. The Yellowjackets also graduated many of their standouts from a year ago but the depth that earned them a top spot in West in 2023 should bode well for the upcoming season. Pitching will be a strength for the Yellowjackets with three starting pitchers back in the rotation and headlined by Nolan Sparks, the reigning Liberty League Pitcher of the Year. Sparks went a perfect 7-0 for Rochester last season with a 2.76 earned run average, good for second among league leaders. He struck out 77, issued 22 walks, and allowed 53 hits in 62.0 innings. All-Liberty League first team reliever Mark Aaronson is also back, he made a league-best 11 saves and finished the year with a 3.22 earned run average. In 21 appearances, he totaled 22.1 innings and struck out 25. The Yellowjackets’ offense will be led by All-Liberty League honorees Jackson Reed (first team) and Josh Leadem (second team). Reed was second on the team in batting average, hitting .351 while pacing the squad in triples (4), home runs (5), and walks (19). He also posted a .545 slugging percentage and a .429 on-base percentage. Leadem finished the year with a .309 batting average across 40 games as the primary leadoff hitter for Rochester and was tops among league leaders in hit by pitch (1st, 19), stolen bases (2nd, 29) and runs scored (5th, 46). He also produced 11 doubles, three home runs, 21 RBIs and 14 walks.
RIT will look to make some noise in the standings this season after finishing 2023 as the Liberty League tournament runner-up. The Tigers went 21-16 overall with a 11-7 mark against conference opponents (9-4 West Division). John Arnold will lead the RIT pitching corps this season after making 10 starts and going 4-2 in 2023. He earned All-Liberty League Second Team honors and posted a team-low 3.07 earned run average, good for third among conference pitchers. Arnold recorded 57 strikeouts and held opponents to a .210 batting average in 58.2 innings. A pair of All-Liberty League second team honorees highlight the team’s top returning hitters in John Bagley and Randy Dodig. Bagley led the team in batting average (.408) while ranking second in runs (35), hits (53) and RBI (34) to go along with seven doubles and two home runs. Dodig played in all 37 games last season, where he hit .311 in 151 at-bats. He also had 47 hits, 10 doubles, 20 walks, and 25 RBIs. Charlie Slaymaker (.299, 33 games) and Jarin Moses (.279, 37 games) are also back to bolster the batting order after strong rookie seasons.
Clarkson will be a seasoned team heading into 2024 with six graduate students and five seniors as the Golden Knights look to improve upon an 11-23 overall record. Jake Millich, Joe Pagano, and Kent Wilson all return to Potsdam as graduate students after playing in more than 30 games each last season. In 32 games, Millich ended the year with a .333 batting average, 37 hits, and a team-best 17 extra base hits (13 2B, 3 3B, 1 HR). Pagano (33 games) also hit over .300 (.321), recording 36 hits in 112 at-bats. He scored 20 runs and drove in 11 to go along with 36 hits (5 2B, 1 3B), and 14 walks. Wilson (33 games) posted a .254 batting average with 29 hits (10 extra-base), 18 runs and 12 RBI. Nic Hofaker is the team’s top returning pitcher, making 12 appearances (nine starts) for the Golden Knights last season. He struck out 40 batters in 57.2 innings. Other key returnees include catchers Rob Whalen (.333, 24 games) and Joe Figliolino (.328, 19 games).
A year of experience should translate well on the field for
Hobart as the Statesmen begin their second season as a varsity program since reinstating the sport. Ty Gallagher and Will Jones are both back after pacing the team in hitting last season. Gallagher started all 30 games while leading the team in batting average (.359), hits (33), doubles (9), home runs (5), RBIs (31), walks (23), on-base percentage (.520), and slugging percentage (.641). He finished 2023 among the league’s top-10 in on base percentage (4th), slugging percentage (6th), walks (6th) and hit by pitch (T-5th, 10). Jones was also one of Hobart’s top offensive threats, finishing second on the team with a .349 batting average, 30 hits, 21 RBIs, five stolen bases, and .440 on-base percentage. Aaron Forgues (12 appearances) and Teck Nash (10 appearances) highlight the Statesmen’s returning pitching staff. Forgues posted a 1-1 record with a 4.78 earned run average and was second on the team in strikeouts with 33. Nash pitched 20.1 innings and recorded 17 strikeouts.
St. Lawrence welcomes a mix of newcomers and veteran players back to Canton to open the 2024 season. Timothy Connor headlines the team as the top returning bat after a breakout sophomore campaign where he garnered All-Liberty League Second Team accolades. He started all 33 games last year and led the team in batting average (.411), good for sixth among conference leaders. He also paced the team in hits (44), runs (29), RBIs (25), home runs (6), slugging percentage (.673) and on-base percentage (.493). Connor will be joined by Brett Federico and John Donnellan. In 18 games, Federico posted a .365 batting average to go along with 13 runs and 23 hits (4 2B, 2 3B). Donnellan made 30 starts (32 games) and was 21-for-84 at the plate (.250) with six doubles, a triple and a home run. He drove in 15 and was walked 14 times. Michael Hutchins led the Saints from the mound, finishing the year at 2-2 over six starts. In 32.2 innings, he struck out 21 and held opponents to a .251 batting average.
East Division Preview
Skidmore finished the year at 24-16 (13-5 Liberty League), recording the most wins in a season for the program since 2012. The Thoroughbreds were the only East Division team to reach the four-team double-elimination tournament. They will have big shoes to fill with the graduation of two-time Liberty League Player of the Year and All-American Jackson Hornung (.424, 41 RBI, 51 runs scored), however a core group of players that led to the Thoroughbreds claiming back-to-back East Division titles are back on the diamond for Skidmore. Trey Bourque (All-Liberty League Second Team) and Zach Leiderman (All-Liberty League Honorable Mention) are the team’s top returning hitters. Bourque hit .325 with five home runs, 39 RBI, 33 runs and a .510 slugging percentage. He was among the league’s top-10 in RBI (10th) and doubles (10th, 12). Leiderman finished the year with a six-game hitting streak and posted a .344 batting average. He produced 23 RBIs, 15 runs scored and five extra-base hits. He was a tough out for opponents, striking out the least of any Skidmore player with at least 70 or more at-bats on the year (11). The Thoroughbreds welcome back all but one relief pitcher from last season and they are headlined by the return of their ace Ameer Hasan (All-Liberty League Second Team). Hasan went 6-3 in 11 starts with a 3.59 earned run average. In 72.2 innings pitched, he struck out 51 and issued only 12 walks. Relievers Christian Giresi (2-1, 12 appearances) and Ethan Caiazza (17 appearances) bolster the pitching corps, the pair tossed for a combined 40.1 innings last season.
RPI posted a 25-15-1 overall record and went 12-7 against league opponents in 2023. The Engineers will be led by a pair of All-Liberty League honorees with the return of Martin Marintchev and Julian Scarpa. Marintchev was one of the conference’s best hitters, boasting a team-high .421 batting average, good for third among league leaders. He finished the season third in RBIs (43), fifth in total bases (89) and sixth in doubles (13). He drew the second most walks in the league (35) and was second in on-base percentage (.542). Scarpa was also formidable at the plate for RPI with a .385 batting average. He recorded 14 extra-base hits (12 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR) to go along with 21 runs scored and 42 RBIs. Ayush Krishnappa (.330) and Aidan Hicks (.308) are also back after hitting over .300 last season. Krishnappa had six doubles, one triple and 11 walks while Hicks had eight doubles, three triples, and three home runs as well as 21 walks, 29 RBIs, and 36 runs. Andrew Gaughan and Cooper Hay headline the team’s returning pitchers. Gaughan made 18 appearances (2 starts) for the Engineers and finished the year with a 3-1 record and a 3.34 earned run average. Hay did not play last year, but in 2022 he made seven appearances (2 starts), pitching for 12.1 innings, where he struck out 14.
Union will look to improve upon an overall mark of 15-23 as the Garnet Chargers welcome a new head coach for the first time in 13 years with the hiring of John Muller. No stranger to Division III baseball, Muller comes to Schenectady after spending the last seven seasons at the College of Mount Saint Vincent. He will look to a core group of returners to lead the 2024 squad, including seven seniors. Kobe Mentzer (All-Liberty League honorable mention) was the only Union player to start all 38 games last season. He posted a .385 batting average to go along with a team-best 47 hits, 10 doubles, 31 runs scored and 35 RBIs. Thomas Parisi also saw good production at the plate, hitting at a .342 clip (41 for 120). He had 10 extra-base hits (7 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR) as well as 19 RBIs and 22 runs scored while tying for the team lead in stolen bases with 10. All-Liberty League Second Team honoree Chris Suter will lead the Garnet Chargers with his arm after going 5-3 in eight starts on the mound last season. He was among the league’s top-10 in innings pitched (10th, 52) and earned run average (10th, 3.98). He had a pair of complete games, one shutout, and recorded 34 strikeouts on the year.
Vassar is coming off a school record 20 wins as the Brewers closed out the 2023 campaign with a 20-18 overall record and a 7-10 mark against league opponents (6-6 East Division). The Brewers have an interim head coach with associate head coach Blayne Fuke taking the reins for 2024. Last season, Vassar boasted one of the league’s top offenses with a team batting average of .337. Reid Lapekas (All-Liberty League First Team) had a monster season at the plate with a .432 batting average, which was second among league leaders. He recorded 57 hits, drove in 23 and scored 41 runs. His team-best .519 on base percentage was fifth in the conference and he was ranked second in hit by pitch (18). Lapekas will be joined by Jensen Bergman (.373, 19 RBIs) and Ty Murray (.372, 27 RBIs), will also be key contributors for the Brewers. Pitchers Michael Carne and Addison Lee bring stability to the bullpen as the duo both pitched over 35 innings last season. Carne (All-Liberty League Honorable Mention) went 4-0 through nine appearances (7 starts). In 36.2 innings, he held opponents to a .273 batting average while striking out 26. Lee was tops on the team with 46.2 innings pitched on the year, going 3-2 with 11 appearances (8 starts) and he struck out a team-best 48.
Bard will be a young squad in 2024 as the Raptors welcome 14 first-year players to the lineup. However, a trio of seniors headline the team with the return of Aidan Risse, Nick Hubbe and Michael Kurlan bringing a veteran presence to the field. Risse earned All-Liberty League First Team honors after going 5-3 on the mound for the Raptors last season while sporting a 3.33 earned run average, good for sixth among league leaders. He tossed for a league-best six complete games and struck out 50 in 51.1 innings. Risse was even better against conference opponents with a 2.82 earned run average and a 4-2 mark in six starts. He also made 45 appearances at the plate, hitting .222 with 10 hits, eight runs, and seven RBIs. Hubbe played and started in 24 games last season. He batted .216 with 16 hits, four doubles, a home run and 12 RBIs. He paced the team in hit by pitch (7) while ranking third in RBIs and fourth in doubles. In 21 games, Kurlan had a .265 batting average, recorded 20 hits, and totaled 20 bases.
The 2024 season begins next weekend (February 24-February 25) with six league teams slated for non-conference action. Rochester is the first to open the season with a game against Susquehanna in Kannapolis, N.C. on Friday, February 24. League play begins with eight conference teams kicking off three-game sets on Friday, March 22.
2024 Liberty League Baseball Preseason Poll – West Division
Place. Team, Points
- Ithaca, 22 (3)
- Rochester, 21 (1)
- RIT, 20 (2)
- Clarkson, 12
- Hobart, 9
- St. Lawrence, 6
2024 Liberty League Baseball Preseason Poll – East Division
Place. Team, Points
- Skidmore, 16 (4)
- RPI, 12 (1)
- Union, 9
- Vassar, 7
- Bard, 6
(First-place votes are in parentheses)