CAA

Charleston Chosen As Overwhelming Favorite In 2023 CAA Baseball Race

Charleston Chosen As Overwhelming Favorite In 2023 CAA Baseball Race

Charleston, which welcomes back seven All-CAA standouts from last year’s squad, was the overwhelming favorite to capture the 2023 CAA baseball championship.

Feb 8, 2023 by FloBaseball Staff
Charleston Chosen As Overwhelming Favorite In 2023 CAA Baseball Race

Charleston, which welcomes back seven all-conference standouts from last year’s 37-20 squad, was the overwhelming favorite to capture the 2023 CAA baseball championship, according to a vote of the league’s head baseball coaches.

The Cougars received nine of a possible 10 first-place votes and 99 total points to finish atop the preseason poll. 

Perennial power UNCW got one first-place vote and ranked second with 84 points. 

Defending CAA champion Hofstra was third with 72 points, while Northeastern, which also got a first-place vote, was close behind in fourth with 71 points. 

Placing fifth was William & Mary, followed by Stony Brook, Elon, Delaware, Monmouth, Towson and North Carolina A&T.

Charleston junior pitcher William Privette was honored as the CAA Preseason Player of the Year. 

The Cougars’ junior closer went 3-1 with a league-high 12 saves and a nation’s-best 0.91 ERA in 2022. 

He was a consensus All-American, received CAA Pitcher of the Year accolades and was one of three finalists for the NCBWA Stopper of the Year award, which is presented to the top relief pitcher in the nation.

Charleston went 19-5 in CAA play last spring to claim its first regular-season title since 2015. 

The Cougars’ lineup features five players who earned all-conference honors last season. That list includes catcher JT Marr (.298), infielders Cam Dean (.298) and Joseph Mershon (.286), and outfielders Trotter Harlan (.305) and Tyler Sorrentino (.284). 

Pitchers Ty Good (10-5, 3.61 ERA), Trey Pooser (5-2, 3.92 ERA) and Daniel Brooks (2-2, 4.87 ERA) provide a strong starting staff in front of Privette.

UNCW reached the 30-win plateau for the 14th consecutive season in 2022 with a 31-24 mark. 

Four starting position players are back for the Seahawks, led by All-CAA shortstop Taber Mongero (.301), infielder Jac Croom (.264) and outfielder Dillon Lifreri (.274). 

Starting pitching should be a strength, with All-CAA standout RJ Sales (6-1, 3.52) and Zane Taylor (4-1, 4.03 ERA).

Hofstra is riding the momentum from its first CAA championship and inaugural trip to the NCAA Tournament in 2022. 

All nine starters return from the Pride’s 30-23 squad, including outfielders Brian Morrell (.346), Will Kennedy (.331), catcher Kevin Bruggeman (.293) and infielder Ryan Morash (.289). 

Anchoring Hofstra’s pitching staff are CAA Tournament MOP Brad Camarda (8-2, 3.87 ERA), starter Mark Faello (7-4) and closer Michael O’Hanlon (3-2, 6 saves).

Northeastern is coming off a 31-29-1 campaign that was capped by reaching the CAA championship game for the third time in four years. 

Back for the Huskies are outfielder Mike Sirota (.326) and infielders Luke Beckstein and Danny Crossen. 

NU’s pitching staff is led by starters Wyatt Scotti (8-3, 2.88 ERA) and Eric Yost (4-3, 2.48 ERA) and reliever Jordy Allard (4-3, 2.16 ERA).

William & Mary looks to build on last year’s 26-23 mark. 

Seniors Joe Delossantos (.313), Ben Williamson (.296) and Cole Ragone (.287) bring experience to the Tribe lineup. 

The pitching staff includes top starter Zach Tsakounis (5-3, 4.82 ERA) and CAA All-Rookie reliever Carter Lovasz (2-1, 5 saves, 2.94 ERA).

Stony Brook begins its first season of CAA play after going 27-25 overall and winning the America East regular-season title in 2022. 

The Seawolves return America East Player of the Year Evan Giordano (.319) and all-conference outfielder Matt Brown-Eiring (.297). 

Top starting pitcher Nick DeGennaro returns from an injury to team with Ben Fero (4-4, 4.54 ERA).

Elon was 27-28 overall last season and qualified for its conference tournament for the 22nd straight year. 

The Phoenix welcome back Luke Stephenson (.251, 15 HR) and Charlie Granatell (.286) to the starting lineup, while the pitching staff includes All-CAA standout Shea Sprague (6-3, 1.89 ERA), Joe Savino (2-5) and reliever Ben Simon (3-1, 3.48 ERA).

Delaware, which was 25-26 a year ago, begins its first season under coach Greg Mamula. 

The Blue Hens return Bryce Greenly (.316), Jake Dunion (.313) and Joey Loynd (.298) offensively. 

Starter Joey Silan (3-5, 4.63) and reliever Dom Velazquez (4-2, 4.76) are back on the mound.

Monmouth (24-27) enters the CAA after making the MAAC tournament field in seven of its eight years as a league member. 

The Hawks are led offensively by first baseman James Harmstead, who batted .271 with a program-record 18 homers a year ago. 

Relief pitcher Steven Aldrich was 2-3 with a team-best four saves in 2022.

Towson (14-39), which won four of its final seven games last season, welcomes back outfielder Elijah Dickerson, who batted .262 with team-highs of 10 homers and 42 RBIs. 

Returning on the mound is Brett Seils, who went 2-1 with a save last year.

North Carolina A&T (15-38), which makes its CAA debut, returns its top 4 hitters from last season. Infielder Anthony Hennings (.335) and catcher Canyon Brown (.276) lead that group.

2023 CAA BASEBALL PRESEASON PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH

1. Charleston (nine first-place votes), 99
2. UNCW (one first-place vote), 84
3. Hofstra, 72
4. Northeastern (one first-place vote), 71
5. William & Mary, 62
6. Stony Brook, 57
7. Elon, 54
8. Delaware, 48
9. Monmouth, 27
10. Towson, 19
11. North Carolina A&T, 12

2023 PRESEASON ALL-CAA BASEBALL TEAM

First 

Last

School        

Position

Class

Hometown

Kevin

Bruggeman

Hofstra

C

Sr.

Trumbull, Conn.

JT

Marr

Charleston

C

Sr.

Fort Mill, S.C.

Evan

Giordano

Stony Brook              

IF

Gr.

Sewell, N.J.

James

Harmstead

Monmouth

IF

Sr.

Manasquan, N.J.

Joey

Loynd

Delaware

IF

Jr.

Doylestown, Pa.

Taber

Mongero

UNCW

IF

Sr.

Island, Ga.

Ryan

Morash

Hofstra

IF

Gr.

St. Simons Island, Ga.

Ben

Williamson

William & Mary

IF

Sr.

Chantilly, Va.

Matt

Brown-Eiring

Stony Brook              

OF

Jr.

Oakdale, N.Y.

Joe

Delossantos

William & Mary

OF

Sr.

Creedmoor, N.C.

Trotter

Harlan

Charleston

OF

Sr.

Fountain Inn, S.C.

Mike

Sirota

Northeastern

OF

So.

Broad Channel, N.Y.

Tyler

Sorrentino

Charleston

OF

So.

West Essex, N.J.

Evan

Fox

Stony Brook

UT

Jr.

Ballston, N.Y.

Luke

Stephenson

Elon

DH

Sr.

Algonac, Mich.

Brad

Camarda

Hofstra

SP

Gr.

Dix Hills, N.Y.

Ty

Good

Charleston

SP

Sr.

Rock Hill, S.C.

RJ

Sales

UNCW

SP

So.

Pinehurst, N.C.

Wyatt

Scotti

Northeastern

SP

Jr.

Barnstable, Mass.

Shea

Sprague

Elon

SP

So.

Hanover, Mass.

Carter

Lovasz

William & Mary

RP

So.

Midlothian, Va.

Michael

O'Hanlon

Hofstra

RP

Jr.

Glendale, N.Y.

William

Privette

Charleston

RP

Jr.

Chapin, S.C.

CAA Preseason Player of the Year:  William Privette, Charleston

Honorable Mention:  Dan Covino, IF, Delaware; Cam Dean, IF, Charleston; J.J. Freeman, IF, Delaware; Anthony Hennings, IF, North Carolina A&T; Joseph Mershon, IF, Charleston; Elijah Dickerson, OF, Towson; Will Kennedy, OF, Hofstra; Bryce Greenly, DH, Delaware; Nick DeGennaro, SP, Stony Brook; Jordy Allard, RP, Northeastern.