CENTER VALLEY, Pa. – Bucknell was selected as the preseason favorite, while Navy and defending Patriot League champion Holy Cross also received first-place votes in the 2018 Patriot League Preseason Baseball Poll, conducted by League head coaches and sports information directors and released by the League office on Thursday afternoon.
The Bison, last season’s League runner-up, earned 43 points and six first-place votes to finish in front of the 2017 regular-season champion Midshipmen, who claimed 38 points and four first-place votes. The Crusaders received 29 points and the remaining two first-place votes, after winning the 2017 League championship and one game in the NCAA Baseball Tournament. Lehigh finished close behind Holy Cross with 27 points. Army West Point, a 2017 League semifinalist, picked up 25 points. Lafayette rounds out the poll with 18 points.
Navy senior outfielder Logan Knowles was recognized as the 2018 Patriot League Preseason Player of the Year after finishing among the League’s 2017 leaders in batting .330 (70-of-212) and .437 on-base percentage. The 2017 first-team all-League selection was the League-leader in runs scored (56) and triples (6), while finishing third in hits (70) and stolen bases (17) for a Navy offense that led the League with a .297 team batting average and 366 runs scored.
Bucknell senior right-handed pitcher (RHP) Connor Van Hoose was named the 2018 Patriot League Preseason Pitcher of the Year, posting a League-low 2.17 earned run average (ERA) and a League-high 97 strikeouts in 83.0 innings pitched last season. He held opposing hitters to a .215 batting average, the best mark in the League. The first-team all-League selection went 6-6 with four complete games, tied for ninth in NCAA Division I.
The 12-member preseason All-Patriot League Team features four student-athletes from Navy, three from Holy Cross, two apiece from Bucknell and Lafayette and one from Army West Point. Knowles is joined by teammate junior RHP Noah Song, junior first baseman Christian Hodge and senior outfielder Stephen Born. Van Hoose is joined on the squad by senior shortstop Luke Johnson, a 2017 second-team all-League selection.
Holy Cross is represented by sophomore outfielder Austin Masel, the 2017 Patriot League Rookie of the Year. He is joined by junior relief pitcher Danny Barlok and senior third baseman Thomas Russo, a 2017 second-team all-League selection, on the preseason all-League squad. Lafayette second baseman Steven Cohen, a three-time all-League honoree, and senior designated hitter John Selsor, a 2017 first-team honoree, both made the preseason all-League team. Army West Point senior catcher Jon Rosoff, who led the League with a .362 batting average to earn 2017 first-team all-League accolades, was also selected to the preseason team.
The voting for the preseason poll, All-Patriot League Team and major awards was conducted by baseball head coaches and sports information directors, who were not permitted to vote for their own team or student-athletes.
2018 Patriot League Baseball Preseason Poll
Bucknell (6 first-place votes) 43
Navy (4) 38
Holy Cross (2) 29
Lehigh 27
Army West Point 25
Lafayette 18
Preseason Major Award Winners
Player of the Year: Logan Knowles, Navy, Sr., OF
Pitcher of the Year: Connor Van Hoose, Bucknell, Sr., RHP
2018 Preseason All-Patriot League Baseball Team
SP: Connor Van Hoose, Bucknell, Sr.
SP: Noah Song, Navy, Jr.
RP: Danny Barlok, Holy Cross, Jr.
C: Jon Rosoff, Army West Point, Sr.
1B: Christian Hodge, Navy, Jr.
2B: Steven Cohen, Lafayette, Sr.
SS: Luke Johnson, Bucknell, Sr.
3B: Thomas Russo, Holy Cross, Sr.
OF: Stephen Born, Navy, Sr.
OF: Logan Knowles, Navy, Sr.,
OF: Austin Masel, Holy Cross, So.
DH: John Selsor, Lafayette, Sr.
BUCKNELL (21-28, 10-10 PL in 2016): Head Coach Scott Heather welcomes back Connor Van Hoose (6-6, 2.17 ERA, 82.0 IP), the preseason pitcher of the year, and all-League shortstop Luke Johnson (.282 BA, 3 HR, 27 RBIs) from a team that swept Navy to advance to the Patriot League Championship Series in 2017. The Bison return five starting position players, including Johnson, senior starting catcher Evan Klugerman (.292 BA, 2 HR, 17 RBIs) and sophomore outfielder JohnPaul Bell (.273, 1 HR, 15 RBIs). Sophomore RHP Jeff Gottesman started 10 games, spanning 54.0 innings during his rookie season in Lewisburg, compiling a 3-5 record with a 6.33 ERA and could join Van Hoose in the Bison’s rotation.
NAVY (37-17, 16-4 PL): Head Coach Paul Kostacopoulos and the Mids graduated five all-League selections, but return leadoff hitter and preseason player of the year Logan Knowles (.330 BA, 23 RBIs, 56 runs, 16 SBs) and two-time all-League starting pitcher Noah Song (6-4, 3.67 ERA, 89 Ks). Sophomore infielder Zach Biggers (.331 BA, 4 HR, 22 RBIs) will look to build on a strong rookie campaign, while senior outfielder Stephen Born (.282 BA, 2 HR, 37) and junior first baseman Christian Hodge (.276 BA, 4 HR, 25 RBIs) will look to have Navy atop the League standings again.
HOLY CROSS (23-27, 12-8 PL): Head Coach Greg DiCenzo brings back sophomore outfielder Austin Masel (.290 BA, 4 HR, 27 RBIs), the 2017 Patriot League Rookie of the Year, in addition to all-League third baseman Thomas Russo (.272 BA, 22 RBIs). The Crusaders will need to replace three graduated starting pitchers, including Patriot League Championship MVP Brendan King. Preseason all-League reliever Danny Barlok made 16 appearances spanning 19.2 innings, carried a 5.95 ERA last season.
LEHIGH (21-29, 8-12 PL): Head Coach Sean Leary and the Mountain Hawks have two starting pitchers back in the fold with all-League sophomore RHP Levi Stoudt (4-5, 2.34 ERA, 61.2 IP) and sophomore RHP Jason Reynolds (3-5, 3-68 ERA, 51.1 IP). Junior reliever Chris Butera also returns after carrying a 2.22 ERA in 14 appearances, spanning 24.1 innings pitched. Lehigh also returns senior shortstop James Bleming (.268 BA, 4 HR, 21 RBIs) and senior Chris Kersey (.315 BA, 4 HR, 21 RBI) who hit in the lead-off spot for the Mountain Hawks last season. Starting junior catcher Jeff Shanfeldt (.241 BA, 2 HR, 16 RBIs) also is back for Lehigh.
ARMY WEST POINT (25-31, 10-10 PL): 2017 Patriot League Coach of the Year Jim Foster and the Black Knights return Patriot League batting leader and starting catcher Jon Rosoff (.362 BA, 2 HR, 35 RBIs) and 2017 all-League starting pitcher Tyler Giovinco (4-5, 4.17 ERA, 69.0 IP) from a squad that advance to the postseason for the first-time since 2014. The Black Knights also have junior second baseman Josh White (.256 BA, 3 HR, 21 RBIs), junior shortstop Trey Martin (.265 BA, 4 HR, 19 RBIs) and junior outfielder Matt Hudgins (.253 BA, 7 HR, 34 RBIs) back in the lineup.
LAFAYETTE (8-44, 4-16 PL): Head Coach Joe Kinney’s squad returns three-time all-League second baseman Steven Cohen (.331 BA, 5 HR, 16 RBIs) and 2017 first-team all-League designated hitter John Selsor (.301 BA, 4 HR, 35 RBIs). Senior outfielders Luke Robinson (.260 BA, 6 HR, 30 RBIs) and Quentin Bubb (.285 BA, 1 HR, 24 RBIs) and junior infielder Dan Leckie (.291 BA, 5 HR, 18 RBIs) also return to a lineup that finished second, behind Navy, with a .270 team batting average. Sophomore LHP Brett Kreyer started 10 games as a freshman, will be counted on during his sophomore season.
