The Moravian College baseball team looks to make a return to the conference playoffs in 2009 in the third year of the Landmark Conference with the return of ten starters and 24 letterwinners. Fourth-year head coach Paul Engelhardt expects the squad to make it all the way to the conference finals and challenge for a bid to the NCAA Regional Tournament.

Leading the Greyhounds will be sophomore first baseman Kevin O'Keefe (Alexandria, VA/Bishop Ireton HS), pictured at right, who was named the Landmark Conference Rookie of the Year and to the All-Conference First Team while hitting .421 average with 56 hits, a school record 59 RBIs, 27 runs, 13 doubles, four triples and six homers in his debut season. Sophomore shortstop Dave Zubia (Bethlehem, PA/Bethlehem Catholic HS) hit .398 last spring to go with 37 hits, 26 runs, six doubles, 19 RBIs and seven stolen bases while junior outfielder/shortstop Jason Huber (Bethlehem, PA/Liberty HS) had 59 hits, a .381 average, a school record 54 runs, 14 doubles, three triples, 30 RBIs, 23 walks and 11 stolen bases.

Senior outfielder Brad Bodine (Mt. Bethel, PA/Bangor HS) collected 29 hits with a .312 average, 14 runs, two doubles, a triple, three home runs and 18 RBIs. Junior infielder Jake Schweitzer (Bethlehem, PA/Bethlehem Catholic HS) had 20 hits, 18 runs, four doubles, two homers and 15 RBIs while sophomore catcher Austin Rock (Arlington, VA/Flour Bluff HS) contributed 17 hits, ten for extra bases with three doubles and a team high seven homers to go with 15 runs and 21 RBIs.

Sophomore third baseman Gregg Steinman (Miami, FL/Palmer Trinity School) had 19 hits with six runs, a double and four RBIs while sophomore catcher Blake Shortall (Kintnersville, PA/Freedom HS) added 18 hits, 17 runs, three doubles and nine RBIs. Junior infielder Jon Baltz (Easton, PA/Easton HS) had 12 hits, nine runs, six RBIs, a .364 average, two doubles and a triple.

Junior outfielder Kirk Pastre (San Marino, CA/San Marino HS) contributed six hits, eight runs, four doubles and two RBIs while junior first baseman Jacob Millen (Whitehall, PA/Whitehall HS) added four hits, three runs, two doubles and seven RBIs. Senior infielder Mike Zubia (Bethlehem, PA/Bethlehem Catholic HS) had seven hits, six runs, two doubles, a triple and five RBIs. Sophomore outfielder Eric Volpe (Media, PA/Penncrest HS) had two hits and four runs in his debut season while sophomore first baseman Matt Kensecki (Bethlehem, PA/Liberty HS) contributed a hit and two runs.

On the mound, sophomore Brendan Close (Bethlehem, PA/Freedom HS), who was on the Landmark All-Conference First Team, was 7-2 with a 3.34 ERA, a school record 78 strikeouts and 12 walks in 64 2/3 innings. Sophomore Thomas Fenyak (Centreville, VA/Westfield HS), who was on the Landmark All-Conference Second Team but may miss 2010 with an injury, had a 6-3 mark with a 4.60 ERA, 51 strikeouts and 19 walks in 62 2/3 innings while senior Philip Spence (Lafayette, NJ/Newton HS) was 4-3 with 28 strikeouts and 15 walks in 39 innings.

Senior Ryan Cummings (Toms River, NJ/Toms River East HS) , pictured at left, had a 3-4 mark with two saves, 43 strikeouts and 17 walks in 45 innings while senior Joe Melchionna (Marlboro, NJ/St. John Vianney HS) had a save, an 0-3 mark, 15 strikeouts and seven walks in 21 innings. O'Keefe tossed 10 2/3 innings with 12 strikeouts, seven walks and an 0-1 mark while senior Andrew DeLio (Parsippany, NJ/Parsippany HS) had nine strikeouts and eight walks in 17 innings. DeLio also had a hit and two RBIs at the plate.

Senior Brandon Palmisano (Mountainhome, PA/Pius X HS) had 14 strikeouts, six walks, a 1-0 record and a save in 18 1/3 innings of action. Senior Zack Andes (Moscow, PA/North Pocono HS) had an 0-2 record, seven strikeouts and three walks in 11 2/3 innings.

Coach Engelhardt has a strong recruiting class coming to the Moravian campus and expects them to make an immediate impact in the 2010 season.

The Greyhounds begin their 2010 season in the Floyd B. Wilcox Memorial Tournament at Hampden-Sydney College, Virginia and then begin the Landmark Conference season on Saturday, March 20th when they travel to Juniata College for a three-game series.