Flowers are blooming, the weather is changing, and the bats are cracking.  Welcome to Spring Ladies and Gentlemen, and more importantly, welcome to baseball season.  The time of year where everyone’s in a better mood because America’s pastime is ready to unfold.

While Major League Baseball has just had it’s first games, college baseball is already knee deep in their respective season, and more specifically CSAC teams are nearing their completion of their non-conference schedules, which means conference play is upon us!  With that being said, here are my CSAC projections for this year.

Note: 4 teams qualify for the CSAC playoffs, with the winner of the Conference receiving an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III National Championship tournament.

9. Clarks Summit Defenders-

The Defenders embark on their first season competing in the CSAC.  As a team last year they finished 8-22, and return some of their top talent from a year ago including SS Connor Kopnik and 3B Domingo Rodriguez.  Unfortunately for the Defenders and Head Coach Pete Daniels, there is far too much depth in the CSAC right now for Clarks Summit to compete this year.

8. Centenary Cyclones-

Just a couple years ago, Centenary was in a position to compete for a CSAC playoff spot, now they are in rebuilding mode with a group of young players looking to push them forward. The Cyclones look impressive offensively, with top hitters Ryan Jasiecki, and Kevin Sensale boasting batting averages over .400 so far in the 2018 season.  The Cyclones will need consistency on the mound in order to compete this year.

7. Marywood Pacers

3 years ago, Marywood was the #2 ranked team in the CSAC and was primed to make a run at the CSAC championship.  Over the past few years, the Pacers have fallen from that mark and are in rebuilding mode just as Centenary is. 1B Jake Schuster has shined as their best hitter, batting .412 so far this season, but replacing supreme talent Vince Rebar will be difficult as the Pacers try to get back into playoff form.

6. Cabrini Cavaliers-

Only in their second season ever having a baseball program, the Cavaliers are sure to take a step up, given they boast one of the best recruiting classes in the conference as well as a superior athletic department.  Already 10-9 on their young season, the Cavs go into conference play with confidence, and should make the most of that conference and build on their record from a year prior.

5. Neumann Knights-

This was a really tough one, as Neumann boasts a program that more often than not qualifies for the CSAC playoffs. They will again do everything fairly well, as the return CSAC MVP from two years ago Cody McNair, and stalwart pitcher Grant Wallace, but other team in the conference are getting better, while Neumann appears to be staying the same, which bring me to my #4 pick….

4. Cairn Highlanders-

The Highlanders will make the CSAC playoffs this season for the first time in school history. The Highlanders lead the conference in batting average last season, and this season they have only continued to tear the cover off the ball as a team. SS Nate Wilson and OF Brian Amantia have shown to be two of the best players in the conference, and the return of C Brett Marks has sparked them defensively, an area they struggled last season.  While they have struggled on the mound so far, that is sure to change, as Sam Drake will surely return to top form and the bullpen looks solid, anchored by Isaac Morrison and Nat Ross, two freshmen. They players are buying into the philosophy that Head Coach Phill Shallenberger has established, and it will pay off in the long run.

3. Immaculata Mighty Macs-

The Mighty Macs are off to a poor start, winning only 5 of their first 15 games to start the season, but they have shown in the past that they play best when conference play starts, and that should be no different this season. Brad Misialek and Pat Devanney are solid in that always crafty Might Mac lineup, and they will be just fine when conference play rolls around.

2. Gwynedd Mercy Griffins-

This is the year for the Griffins, who always seem to be around the playoffs, but haven’t been able to break through.  The have enough solid pitching, hitting, and defense combined with the excellent coaching of Jon Logan to make a run at the CSAC championship, but in the end everyone falls to my #1 team.

1 . Keystone Giants-

This should come as a surprised to nobody.  After 9 consecutive CSAC Championships, there is no reason to believe the Giants will falter this season, as they have established a powerhouse in not only the CSAC, but D3 baseball as a whole.  Head Coach Jamie Shevchik and the Giants will run away with the conference this season.