Get to Know the Mercyhurst Baseball Roster

Get to know the Mercyhurst baseball roster for the upcoming season These are the guys that will be representing the school on the field.

Introduction

The Mercyhurst baseball team is composed of student-athletes who are committed to excellence on the field and in the classroom. The roster includes players from all over the United States as well asCanada and Puerto Rico These young men represent a wide range of backgrounds and experiences, and each brings his own unique skill set to the team.

The Infield

The Mercyhurst Baseball Team is made up of student athletes who compete at the Division II level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The team is currently a member of the East Coast Conference (ECC).

The Mercyhurst baseball team has a long tradition of success, dating back to its days as a Division I program. The Lakers have won four conference championships and made seven trips to the NCAA Division II Baseball Tournament The team has also produced thirty-six All-Americans, thirteen Major League Baseball draft picks and one College World Series MVP.

The 2019 Mercyhurst baseball team looks to continue its tradition of success with a talented group of players. Here is a look at the infielders who will be donning the blue and white this season:

Catcher:
Eli Tomlinson-Jr.
Hometown: Erie, Pennsylvania
Previous School: Mercyhurst Prep
Tomlinson is a two-time All-Region selection and was named to the All-Conference first team as a junior in 2018. He hit .303 with four home runs and 32 RBIs last season.

First Base:
Joe Profitt-So.
Hometown: Youngstown, Ohio
Previous School: Youngstown State University
Profitt was named to the Ohio Valley Conference All-Freshman team in 2018 after hitting .264 with two home runs and 27 RBIs for Youngstown State University He will look to be a key contributor for the Lakers in 2019.

Second Base:
Nate Greeley-Sr.
Hometown: Hamburg, New York
Previous School: Canisius College
Greeley is a two-year starter for the Lakers and was named to the All-Conference first team in 2018 after hitting .333 with one home run and 32 RBIs. He will be looked upon to provide leadership for the team this season as one of only three seniors on the roster.

Shortstop:
Jesse Puscheck-Jr.
Hometown: North Royalton Ohio
Previous School: Belmont Abbey College
Puscheck was named to the Conference Carolinas second team as a sophomore in 2018 after hitting .305 with four home runs and 26 RBIs for Belmont Abbey College. He will look to build on his successful 2018 campaign in his first season with the Lakers.

The Outfield

The Mercyhurst Baseball Team is made up of some very talented players, including a strong outfield. Here is a closer look at the team’s outfielders:

Junior outfielder Matt Johnson is a key player for the Lakers. He is a left-handed hitter with a great batting average Johnson has also shown he can play all three field positions well.

Senior outfielder Alex Fox is another important player for Mercyhurst. He is right-handed and provides power at the plate. Fox is also a great Defensive Player who can play all three outfield positions.

Sophomore outfielder Ryan Stenson rounds out the Mercyhurst outfield. He is a left-handed hitter with speed on the basepaths. Stenson is mainly an outfielder, but he can also play some infield if needed.

The Pitchers

Pitchers
Sean Doolittle- Doolittle is a 6’4”, 195 lb. senior from Melbourne, Florida. He is a right-handed pitcher and first baseman. Doolittle was drafted out of High School by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 30th round of the 2009 MLB Draft but opted to play college baseball instead. In 2012, he appeared in 16 games (seven starts) as a junior, compiling a 3-2 win-loss record with a 4.91 ERA.

Tommy Bergjans- Bergjans is a 6’3”, 210 lb. senior from Haverford, Pennsylvania. Bergjans is a right-handed pitcher who transferred to Mercyhurst from Clemson University prior to his junior year. In 2012, he appeared in 14 games (five starts) as a junior, compiling a 5-2 win-loss record with two saves and 3.48 ERA in 62 innings pitched He was named PSAC West Pitcher of the Year and earned All-Region honors.

Brady Leonard- Leonard is a 6’4”, 225 lb. junior from Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan. Leonard is a left-handed pitcher who transferred to Mercyhurst from Henry Ford College prior to his sophomore year. In 2012, he appeared in 11 games (three starts), compiling an 0-0 record with one save and 4.43 ERA in 36 innings pitched.

The Catchers

There are three catchers on the Mercyhurst baseball roster They are sophomore Dalton Haynes, junior Nick Dalesandro, and senior Ben Brooks. All three of them bring different strengths to the team.

Dalton Haynes is a strong offensive player He had a batting average of .327 last season and led the team in Home Runs with six. He also threw out 11 runners who were trying to steal second base.

Nick Dalesandro is an excellent defensive catcher. He only allowed two passed balls last season and had a Fielding percentage of .993. He also has a strong arm and was successful in throwing out 23 runners who were trying to steal second base.

Ben Brooks is a good all-around catcher. He batted .290 last season and had four home runs He also only allowed four passed balls and had a fielding percentage of .990.

The Coaches

The Coaches
Mercyhurst Baseball has a new Head Coach this season. Matt York takes over the program after serving as an Assistant Coach at Division II University of the Sciences for the past four seasons.

York, a native of Dauphin, Pennsylvania, played Collegiate Baseball at Mercyhurst from 2006-2010. As a player, he was a member of two NCAA Division II World Series teams (2009, 2010) and was named to the Atlantic Region All-Tournament Team in 2010. He still holds the program record for career appearances (112).

Joining York on the Coaching Staff are assistants Ryan Brown and Nate Lape. Brown comes to Mercyhurst after serving as head coach at Edinboro University for the past two seasons. Lape, a former pitcher at Gannon University returns for his second season with the Lakers.

The Schedule

The Mercyhurst Lakers will play fifty-six regular season games in 2020. Their Conference Schedule includes doubleheaders on Saturdays and single games on Sundays. The non-conference schedule features several high-profile opponents, including the defending National Champion Vanderbilt Commodores

The Stats

The Mercyhurst University baseball team is one of the most promising squads in all of NCAA Division II. They were able to show their prowess early on in the season and are currently leading the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference East standings A lot of their success is due to the depth of their roster, as they have quality players at every position. Let’s get to know some of these standouts.

Leading the team in batting average home runs and Slugging percentage is Senior first baseman/catcher Ryan Huff. Ryan is a two-time All-American and was recently named the PSAC East Player of the Year. He is a big reason why the Mercyhurst Baseball team is one of the best in the country.

Two-way player Mike Mussacco is another key player for Mercyhurst. He is second on the team in batting average and also serves as the team’s closer. His versatility makes him a valuable asset to the squad.

Other notable players include third baseman/outfielder Alex Goracy, who leads the team in runs scored starting pitcher/first baseman Nate Otto, who has been one of the best pitchers in all of Division II; and shortstop Josh Mitchell, who is considered one of the best defensive shortstops in the country.

The Mercyhurst baseball team has a lot of talent and will be a force to be reckoned with this season. Be sure to check them out if you have a chance!

The Fans

The Mercyhurst baseball team is gearing up for yet another season and their fans couldn’t be more excited. As diehard supporters, they always go above and beyond to show their School Spirit From pre-game tailgates to painting their faces, these fans do it all. They are the reason the team plays their hardest every game. Get to know some of the most dedicated Mercyhurst baseball fans!

The Future

The Mercyhurst Baseball Team is full of young, talented players that are looking to make a mark on the program. The roster is made up of players from all over the country, with a mix of experience levels. Here’s a look at some of the Key Players that will be suiting up for the Lakers in the coming years.