Baseball Picked Second in PSAC East Preseason Poll

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – West Chester University's baseball team was slated second in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division preseason poll, which was released Thursday afternoon. Claiming the top spot in the PSAC East was Millersville University, who received six first place votes. Meanwhile, the Golden Rams earned a pair of first place votes themselves to earn second in the poll. Last season, West Chester (37-14, 20-8 PSAC) knocked off its Eastern Division rival Millersville, 9-7, to win the 2016 PSAC Baseball Championship. The conference championship marked the eighth time in school history and the first since 2012. The squad made a trip to the 2016 NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional, where the team picked up a win against Chowan before being eliminated. West Chester returns a pair of seniors pitchers in Josh McClain (Tunkhannock, Pa./Tunkhannock) and Andrew Gernert (Lenhartsville, Pa./Kutztown) for the 2017 campaign. The duo were both picked on the National Collegiate Baseball Writing Association (NCBWA) All-Atlantic Region team. McClain, a first-team selection posted eight saves in 44 innings for the Golden Rams a season ago. The right-hander registered a 2.66 earned-run average to go along with 34 strikeouts and 17 walks. Additionally, he was named a second-team All-PSAC East pick last spring. Gernert also received a second-team nod heading into the season. The right-hander compiled an 8-2 record in 64 innings for a 3.94 earned-run average and added a pair of complete-games. Over the course of the season, he provided 56 strikeouts 56 and 25 walks as well. Gernert has added a second-team selection on the All-PSAC East squad in back-to-back years too. Three players to keep an eye on in the field for the Golden Rams are Nick Ward (Unionville, Pa. / Unionville), Shane Dressler (York Haven, Pa. / Red Land), and Zach Sheranko (Tannersville, Pa. / Pocono Mountain East). As the shortstop, Ward appeared in and started 51 games. He captured a .310 batting average and tallied 62 hits over his freshman campaign. On the base paths, Ward swiped six bags in six opportunities. His 46 runs scored was tied for second on the team. Dressler appeared in and started 48 games for the Golden Rams. The designated hitter achieved a .331 batting average, including a team-high 46 RBIs. His six homeruns was second best on the squad and provided nine doubles as well. Sheranko led the squad with a .398 batting average a season ago, while also registering 35 hits to go along with 17 RBIs. The Golden Rams' season opener is against Shepherd University in the Division II Spring Baseball Tournament on Friday, February 24th down in Colonial Heights, Virginia at 3 p.m. East - First Place Votes 1 - Millersville (6) 2 - West Chester (2) 3 - East Stroudsburg 4 - Shippensburg 5 - Lock Haven 6 - Bloomsburg 7 - Kutztown 8 - Mansfield West - First Place Votes 1 - Mercyhurst (7) 2 - Seton Hill (1) 3 - Gannon 4 - Slippery Rock 5 - California 6 - Pitt-Johnstown 7 - IUP 8 - Clarion