Seton Hill Fall Report: A New Era on the Mound in Greensburg, can the Griffins make it to Cary?

Consistency is the currency of the Seton Hill baseball program, and under the guidance of head coach Marc Marizzaldi, the Griffins are wealthy. Entering his 23rd season at the helm, Marizzaldi, who boasts a career .668 winning percentage and got his 700th career win during the season last season, guided the 2025 squad to a 40-18 overall record and a 21-7 mark in conference play. It marked the program's third consecutive 40-win season (8th in last 13 full seasons) and third straight PSAC West Division title. The 2025 campaign was a testament to elite pitching and steady defense. The most dominant stretch of the season was from March 9 to March 25, where the team rattled off eleven straight victories, including a 20-2 demolition of D'Youville and a sweep of rival Indiana (PA), outscoring them 52-8 in the series.

Seton Hill rode the best ERA (2.94) and WHIP (1.16) in Division II baseball all the way to the NCAA Atlantic Super Regional, their third straight trip to that stage. However, the postseason run ended there in heartbreak against East Stroudsburg, dropping back-to-back games to close the year. As the calendar turns to 2026, the Griffins face a unique challenge: the offense returns nearly intact, but the nation's best pitching staff must be completely rebuilt following the graduation of the entire starting rotation.

The Offense

The Seton Hill lineup returns a staggering 76.1% of its production from last year, giving the coaching staff a veteran core to lean on while the arms get up to speed. The catalyst for this group is junior shortstop Owen Henne, a First Team All-Atlantic Region selection who proved to be one of the toughest outs in the PSAC. In 200 ABs, Henne hit .375 with 14 doubles and 54 RBI, finishing with the 5th best batting average in the conference. Beyond his bat, Henne is a defensive wizard who led the entire country in assists in 2025.

Joining him in the infield is sophomore standout Brady McGuire. After earning PSAC West Freshman of the Year honors, McGuire looks to build on a campaign where in 183 ABs he hit .317 with 16 doubles and 28 RBI. His bat-to-ball skills are elite, as evidenced by his strikeout percentage, which ranked 3rd lowest in the conference. Providing the power in the middle of the order is junior catcher/DH Jakob Haynes. A First Team All-Atlantic Region selection, Haynes brings significant thump to the lineup; in 167 ABs he hit .281 with 12 home runs—ranking 5th in the conference—and 40 RBI.

The outfield defense is anchored by senior centerfielder Jack Whalen, a Gold Glove Award winner who can change the game with his legs. In 201 ABs, Whalen hit .318 with 7 doubles and 31 RBI, while swiping 21 bases. Senior first baseman Colin Ahr also returns to lengthen the lineup after a breakthrough season; in 169 ABs he hit .314 with 10 doubles and 38 RBI. The Griffins also expect increased contributions from junior outfielder Owen Mandler, who hit .318 in limited action last year, and senior infielder Joe Fiedor, a defensive stalwart who has started 92 games over the past three years.

Newcomers will battle for playing time to deepen the roster. Freshman infielder Nate Simon arrives from Wheeling Park HS with First Team All-Valley credentials, while freshman catcher Mason Metz, ranked as the 15th best catcher in Pennsylvania by Perfect Game, adds young talent behind the dish.

The Pitching Staff

While the offense offers continuity, the pitching staff represents a total overhaul. The Griffins graduated their entire starting rotation, leaving them with just 40.8% of their innings returning from a squad that led the nation in ERA and strikeout-to-walk ratio. The burden of leadership now falls on the bullpen arms stepping into larger roles.

Junior right-hander Zach Herb (video below of him getting the final out to send Seton Hill to the Supers last season) is the most accomplished returner. A Second Team All-Atlantic Region selection, Herb was lights out in relief, posting a 3-2 record with a 1.53 ERA in 35.1 IP. His ability to close the door was critical, as he recorded 8 saves, ranking 3rd in the conference. He is joined by senior right-hander Evan Rossi, who was reliable out of the pen with a 2-0 record with a 2.45 ERA in 25.2 IP.

The pitcher with the most returning experience in terms of volume is redshirt-junior Luke Deschenes. In a swing role last year, he posted a 3-3 record with a 3.74 ERA in 43.1 IP. Senior Christian Zilli also provides veteran presence, carrying a career 2.54 ERA into the season; last year he managed a 3.22 ERA in 22.1 IP. The staff will need significant step-ups from relatively untested arms like sophomore Sean Williams and senior Jack Pletcher, both of whom are expected to eat more innings this spring.

Marizzaldi will also look to a talented crop of newcomers to fill the void. Freshman right-hander Lucas Turner, the 48th-ranked pitcher in Pennsylvania, joins the mix alongside redshirt freshmen Zach McLean, Jack Bracken, and Chase Beran, all of whom developed in the program last year and are poised for increased roles.

Key Departures

The graduation losses for Seton Hill are monumental, particularly on the mound. The program bids farewell to Ian Korn, a First Team All-American and the PSAC West Pitcher of the Year who went 11-2 with a dazzling 1.81 ERA. Korn was a statistical giant, ranking 1st in the conference in ERA, WHIP, and Wins. Also departing is Jon McCullough, a First Team All-Atlantic Region arm who went 9-3 with a 2.42 ERA. The rotation also loses Julian Minaya (6-3, 2.68 ERA) and Matthew Blanchard (2-2, 2.66 ERA), stripping the Griffins of one of the deepest rotations in D2 history. Perhaps the most significant loss off the field is pitching coach Clay Martin. During his tenure from 2023 to 2025, Martin engineered a staff that ranked in the Top 5 nationally in ERA in every single season he was in the dugout. Offensively, the team loses Max Mandler, a four-year starter and career .308 hitter who provided stability in the outfield.

Schedule & Outlook

The 2026 slate does not afford the new-look pitching staff much time to settle in. Seton Hill opens the season in mid-February against the University of Findlay in Wingate, NC, followed by a road-series against Charleston (WV), who has won the MEC South Division each year since 2018. The non-conference schedule continues with a challenging trip to Florida in early March, highlighted by a matchup against reigning Midwest Region Champion and World Series participant Northwood, Regional Host and 50+ win team Minnesota State-Mankato, as well as a game against Rollins College. After that, the Griffins will square off against reigning MEC Tournament Champion Point Park in a midweek contest.

In conference play, the Griffins will be tested immediately by rival Slippery Rock in a four-game series beginning March 20, followed closely by a series against Indiana (PA) starting March 27 with a mid-April matchup against regional team California (PA).

With a veteran lineup capable of putting up runs in bunches and fielding at an elite .978 clip, the Griffins have a high floor. However, their ceiling will be determined by how quickly the inexperienced arms can replicate the standard set by their predecessors. If the new rotation can find its footing, a fourth straight 40-win season and another deep postseason run are well within reach. If you value this in-depth, non-paywalled coverage of D2 Baseball, please consider supporting our independent reporting efforts. Your contribution helps us continue providing free access to all our articles without relying on restrictive paywalls. To support our work, please visit our Patreon page: patreon.com/diviibaseball