Seton Hill Fall Report: Next Generation Steps Up for PSAC Titans

Dominance has become standard operating procedure atop the hill in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, yet even by the elevated benchmarks established under long-tenured head coach Marc Marizzaldi, the 2026 campaign was a clinic in sustained excellence. The Griffins tore through their schedule to a stellar 42-12 overall record and a blistering 26-2 mark in PSAC action, capturing the PSAC West Division regular season crown with an astonishing .929 conference winning percentage. Seton Hill weathered early non-conference skirmishes in Florida and an early test against Bloomsburg before finding a relentless gear, putting together a 14-game winning streak that sliced through PSAC rivals like Slippery Rock, IUP, and Lock Haven with commanding four-game sweeps. Though their quest for hardware hit speed bumps against Atlantic heavyweight Millersville in both the PSAC Tournament and the NCAA Atlantic Regional, Marizzaldi’s program once again reinforced its standing as a national contender. Now, entering his 24th season guiding the Griffins since building the program from scratch, Marizzaldi faces the quintessential college baseball dilemma: replacing marquee cornerstones while cementing an identity fueled by high work rates, athletic versatility, and a new wave of impact talent.

The Offense

The lineup will have a decidedly altered look following significant attrition up the middle, but the engine that makes Seton Hill go returns plenty of horsepower in the middle of the order. Leading the charge is junior infielder Brady McGuire, who emerged as one of the most lethal pure hitters in the entire country a year ago. In 146 ABs hit .438 with 8 doubles and 54 RBI while also going deep 6 times. McGuire’s video-game numbers earned him the PSAC batting crown as he paced the conference with a .438 batting average, ranked third in the league in OPS, and placed fifth in conference RBI, all while showing elite plate discipline with an eight percent strikeout rate and swiping 29 bags.

Sharing run-producing duties in the heart of the order is designated hitter and catcher Jakob Haynes, a premier power threat who terrorized PSAC pitching. In 166 ABs hit .337 with 8 doubles and 53 RBI, leading the entire PSAC with 15 home runs and finishing seventh in the conference in OPS. Haynes brings an imposing presence to the box and pairs that raw pop with contact consistency, striking out in just 13 percent of his plate appearances.

The Griffins also return several versatile lineup pieces ready to expand their roles. Outfielder Gage Wheaton provides extra-base thunder; in 139 ABs hit .281 with 9 doubles and 33 RBI alongside 6 round-trippers, though shaving down a 22 percent strikeout rate will be an emphasis this spring. Senior infielder and outfielder Brady Stone proved exceptionally tough to keep off the bases in limited action, as in 68 ABs hit .324 with 4 doubles and 14 RBI while adding 7 stolen bases. Outfielder Owen Mandler brings athletic defensive coverage and pop, having registered a campaign where in 83 ABs hit .277 with 3 doubles and 16 RBI to go with a pair of home runs. Behind the plate, backstop Heath Fetchik chipped in timely power, where in 48 ABs hit .250 with 6 doubles and 11 RBI while launching 3 homers and stealing 7 bases.

To offset the departures of their table-setters, Marizzaldi and his staff struck gold in the transfer portal and recruiting trail. Cody Thomas, an incoming transfer from Salem (WV), arrives with an advanced bat after hitting .375 with 20 doubles a season ago, fanning just 12 times across 194 plate appearances to give the Griffins another elite contact machine on the infield dirt. For pure middle-of-the-order thump, Seton Hill tabbed junior college slugger Ben Ryan from the State College of Florida, an imposing first baseman who belted 14 home runs last year and is slated to anchor the infield corners. On the freshman side, local speedster Logan Matrisch out of Penn-Trafford High School brings dynamic contact ability and foot speed that could accelerate his bid for immediate playing time.

The Pitching Staff

Rebuilding a pitching staff is never simple, yet the Griffins possess a certified weekend ace to spearhead the rotation in senior right-hander Sean Williams. Serving as the linchpin of the rotation last spring, Williams turned in a 10-2 record with a 3.29 ERA in 65.2 IP across 14 appearances and 13 starts. His 10 victories placed him second in the PSAC and tied him for 14th nationally in Division II wins. Williams demonstrated pinpoint command, walking only 24 batters against 52 punchouts with an 18.9 percent strikeout rate, consistently offering the Griffins length and composure on the bump.

Behind Williams, several veteran arms will be asked to stretch out and capture expanded roles in the starting rotation. Right-hander Adam Horst worked primarily as a swingman and spot starter, logging a 2-0 record with a 5.40 ERA in 25.0 IP over 10 appearances and four starts. Horst showed swing-and-miss stuff with a gaudy 28.7 percent strikeout rate, punching out 33 batters, though harnessing his command after issuing 17 free passes will be vital for a weekend rotation slot. Another candidate to step up is righty Zachary McLean, who quietly posted stellar numbers in 2026 by compiling a 3-2 record with a 3.03 ERA in 32.2 IP across 14 appearances and three starts, striking out 24 against only nine walks.

At the back end of the bullpen, the Griffins feature a shutdown weapon in right-hander Zach Herb. Serving as the primary closer, Herb authored a 1-0 record with a 2.65 ERA in 17.0 IP across 10 relief appearances, slamming the door for six saves. Herb was nearly unhittable thanks to an eye-popping 32.4 percent strikeout rate, ringing up 22 batters against just two walks for an absurd 11.00 K/BB ratio. Righty Chase Beran, who recorded a 0-0 record with a 9.00 ERA in 2.0 IP over two brief relief outings last spring while striking out three, flashed swing-and-miss stuff this fall and is expected to step into high-leverage late-inning duties.

Adding excitement to the staff is heralded freshman southpaw Blake Butcher. Hailing from Bridgeport High School in West Virginia, Butcher arrived on campus as the top-ranked high school left-handed pitcher in West Virginia according to Perfect Game, offering electric stuff and poise that could allow him to carve out meaningful innings immediately.

Key Departures

Sustaining a winning culture requires bidding farewell to historic contributors, and the Griffins waved goodbye to five foundational pillars from the 2026 roster. Foremost among them was middle infield maestro Owen Henne, who leaves massive shoes to fill after batting .399 with 10 doubles, four home runs, and 38 RBI, ranking seventh in the conference in batting average with elite defense at shortstop. Henne was drafted in the 6th round by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2026 MLB Draft. Center fielder and spark plug Jack Whalen, who wrapped up a sensational career by batting .372 with 12 doubles, 33 RBI, and an astounding 45 stolen bases, leading the PSAC and ranking fifth nationally in Division II steals while striking out only seven percent of the time, graduated. Lineup mainstay Colin Ahr departed after hitting .348 with 13 doubles, two home runs, and 36 RBI across 184 at-bats. On the mound, the rotation must absorb the loss of workhorse starter Luke Deschenes, who compiled a 7-2 record with a 3.72 ERA in 72.2 IP with 48 strikeouts and just 13 walks, as well as standout right-hander Mark Wechtenhiser, who posted an 8-2 record with a 3.62 ERA in 59.2 IP while leading the pitching staff with 65 strikeouts. Both transferred to Division I Pittsburgh and Wichita State, respectively.

Schedule & Outlook

The journey to another PSAC West crown begins on the road as Seton Hill opens its 2027 slate on February 13-14 with a three-game series at Barton in Wilson, North Carolina, taking on a Bulldogs squad that struggled to a 10-32 finish a year ago. Following non-conference action, the Griffins plunge into PSAC divisional play on March 26-27 with a home-and-home four-game set against Clarion, who finished 19-28 last season.

April ramps up the intensity with a marquee divisional tilt on April 2-3 against Slippery Rock, a 30-18 club from a year ago that always provides a fierce Atlantic region measuring stick. The road tests continue April 9-10 against regional heavyweight Indiana (PA), who racked up 31 wins last spring, followed by four-game conference series against Lock Haven on April 16-17 and Pittsburgh-Johnstown on April 23-24. Seton Hill closes its regular-season slate against Cal U (PA) on April 30-May 1 and Gannon on May 6-7 before looking toward the PSAC Tournament beginning May 12 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Note that the early schedule release currently features only the opening weekend and conference slate; fans should check Seton Hill’s athletics website for updates on the full schedule.

With a retooled lineup built on dynamic contact, established sluggers in McGuire and Haynes, an ace in Williams, and a lockdown closer in Herb, Seton Hill enters 2027 with every ingredient needed to defend its PSAC West crown and make a deep push into the Atlantic postseason.