Penn State Mont Alto baseball opens the 2023 season with high hopes of repeating as Pennsylvania State University Athletic Conference champions for the second consecutive season. There is a lot of optimism and for good reason with all the returning production from the 2022 campaign.

Eight of the top ten offensive players return to this year's squad as Hayden Kissel and Chance McClure graduated following the 2022 season.

The reigning United States Collegiate Athletic Association's (USCAA) player of the year Jared Pine will return to shortstop after posting a .405 average with 23 runs batted in and 23 stolen bases in 2022. Centerfielder Brady Bigler (39 hits), first baseman Jarrett Goodyear (34), Tyler Moreland (33) and Gavin Kissel (21) all return as top eight leaders in hits for Mont Alto during the 2022 season.

Zach Garlin and Trystan Housman will look to anchor the starting rotation this season after both obtaining accolades during the postseason. Garlin was named the conference's west division pitcher of the year following his 6-3 record, 87 strikeouts in 62.2 innings pitched and a 3.16 earned run average. Housman went 5-3 in 53.2 innings pitched, striking out 46 batters.

Gone from last season's team are starters Logan Layton and Matt Huston, along with reliever Darian Mort. Huston was the winning pitcher of record in the PSUAC championship game, throwing a complete game four hitter for the Nittany Lions. Head coach Shawn Kissel will look to implement a lot of newcomers into the mix to fill the void within the starting pitching depth.

Freshman Connor Orner (Biglerville, PA/Biglerville) figures to be the team's new designated hitter, while Zane Mack (Mount Airy, MD/Linganore) will occupy second base with Braden Zeger (Chambersburg, PA/Chambersburg Area) stepping in for Darian Mort in left field.

Projected Lineup:

Jared Pine (SS)

Brady Bigler (CF)

Tyler Moreland (3B)

Connor Orner (DH)

Jarrett Goodyear (1B)

Gavin Kissel (RF)

Zane Mack (2B)

Nathanial Smith (C)

Braden Zeger (LF)