Eagles claim top spot in 2020 GLIAC Baseball Pre-Season Poll

Ashland received six of eight first-place votes and was the overwhelming pre-season pick by Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference baseball coaches to win the 2020 GLIAC title.

The Eagles won the GLIAC regular-season and tournament titles, and made their sixth NCAA Division II World Series appearance on their way to finishing 48-15 in 2019. They return eight of nine position players from that squad.

Returning All-GLIAC First-Team standouts include junior shortstop Austin Eifrid (.356), senior designated hitter/first baseman Carson Mittermaier (.330, 11 home runs) and senior outfielder Michael Rogers (.289, 11 home runs). The Eagles have senior right-hander Chance Hitchcock ready to step into the ace role. He had a 2.89 ERA across 99 2/3 innings last season. Also returning to help anchor the bullpen is senior left-hander Josh Smith, who was 2-1 with two saves and a 3.60 ERA last season. 

Davenport and Wayne State both received one first-place vote and finished second and third in the GLIAC Pre-Season Poll, respectively. Northwood placed fourth, Grand Valley State fifth, Purdue Northwest sixth, Saginaw Valley State seventh and Parkside eighth.

Davenport senior Jacob Buchberger is the reigning GLIAC Player of the Year and tied the school record with a .429 batting average in 2019. He posted 54 runs, 12 doubles, three triples, eight homers and 40 RBI. Senior Travis Harvey went on a tear over the last 10 games in 2019 and finished with a .391 batting average. He scored 43 times and contributed six doubles, eight triples, 10 homers and 43 RBI. Six returning players batted over .300 last season. DU also set a program record with 52 homers on the season. In addition to Buchberger and Harvey, DU returns All-GLIAC First Team second baseman Nolan Bryant.

DU pitcher Pete Zeimis saved six games last season and posted a 1.91 ERA in 33 innings. The starting rotation early on will feature James Rogers (7-2 with a 3.81 ERA), lefty Cal Djuraskovic (5.50 ERA) and transfer Dalton O'Boyle.

Wayne State returns seven All-GLIAC selections from a season ago. Junior infielder Jacob Finkbeiner, junior utility player Michael MacLean, sophomore outfielder Hunter DeLanoy and sophomore outfielder Ryan Foley will lead the offensive attack in 2020. Finkbeiner hit .371 with 22 doubles and 37 RBI last year, while MacLean posted a .350 batting average with 13 doubles, eight home runs and 37 RBI. DeLanoy was the GLIAC Freshman of the Year after hitting .337 with eight doubles, nine triples, two home runs and 39 RBI. Foley returns to the top of the lineup after hitting .324 with four doubles, two triples, 17 RBI. Dillon McInerney returns to the pitching rotation after going 5-3 last year with a 3.62 ERA and 59 strikeouts. Other key arms will be Brennan Cox and Richard Hove. 

Northwood returns two of its top three hitters, seniors Cole Brooks (.324) and Kyle Ziegler (.307), who combined for 40 extra-base hits. NU’s top-returning pitchers are sophomore Zach Kregel (5-2) and senior Peter Joseph (2-2), who appeared in 22 games.

Grand Valley State returns senior catcher Joe Laudont, an All-GLIAC Second Team honoree last season who hit .358 including three home runs, two triples, and eight doubles, to go along with a .477 OBP. Senior first baseman Ryan Blake-Jones, who missed the last half of the season to an injury, will look to build off a successful 2018 campaign where he earned All-GLIAC First Team and all-region laurels, batting .407 with 74 hits, 51 RBIs, 44 runs, six home runs, and nine doubles. Rylan Peetes, the reigning GLIAC Freshman Pitcher of the Year, carried a 2.85 ERA in 47.1 innings.

PNW returns 21 players after graduating five seniors in 2019. Senior catcher Hunter Thorn had 60 hits in 2019. Sophomore outfielder Ray Hilbrich, who ranked sixth in the GLIAC in batting average (.362), returns to the Pride as catalyst in the top of the lineup. 

SVSU looks to carry over momentum from a 2019 campaign that saw the program play in the GLIAC Tournament for the first time since 2014 and advance to the tournament’s title game for the first time since 2003. The Cardinals return leading home run hitter and run producer in senior outfielder Joshua Riggs. He led the team with seven home runs and 42 RBI to go along with 11 doubles and 25 walks. Senior Collin Winters returns to help anchor the outfield. Brandon Wise, Amani Godfrey and Kyle Henigan all return as starting pitchers.

Notable returnees for Parkside include graduate student Casey Oliver, who led the team in at-bats, and started all but one game last year, junior Hunter Weddel (.274 batting average, 4.34 ERA) and senior pitcher Aaron Cusimano.

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