No. 14 Baseball Picked to End Tied for First in the CACC South Division

2/4/2022 12:00:00 AM

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Goldey-Beacom's baseball team, ranked 14th in the country according to the Collegiate Baseball Preseason Poll and fourth in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association East Region Preseason Poll, was picked to close tied for first the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference South Division based on a vote of the league's coaches.

In addition to the preseason team rankings, Goldey-Beacom saw three of its players named preseason All-East Region by the NCBWA. Sophomore first baseman Garrett Musey (Millville, NJ) was named first team all-region with junior shortstop Mason Maxwell (Newfield, NJ) and senior pitcher Trevor Jump (Wilmington, DE) tabbed second team. The NCBWA also picked the Lightning fourth in its East Region Preseason Poll.

Musey stepped into the role as first baseman and made it his own, displaying a tremendous amount of offensive power and making himself a mainstay in the lineup. All of this helped him to be named CACC Rookie of the Year, first team all-league and second team NCBWA All-East Region.

He also had the knack for getting the key hit at crucial times, crushing a game-winning home run in the bottom of the ninth inning April 25 against Jefferson and smacking a two-run blast vs. No. 18 Saint Thomas Aquinas in GBC's 2-1 NCAA Tournament win.

Musey finished the year 71st in the country with a .716 slugging percentage (seventh in the CACC), 82nd with 0.3 home runs per game, third in the CACC with nine home runs (second in team history), 16th with 25 RBI, 19th with a .459 on-base percentage, 28th with 29 hits and homered in five straight contests.

Maxwell in his two years has demonstrated his worth as a beyond gifted athlete who makes the game seem so simple with his hitting that both is powerful and picturesque and his fielding that both is eye-opening and effortless. His played last year helped him to be named second team All-CACC and second team American Baseball Coaches Association All-East Region.

A mainstay in the GBC lineup, Maxwell has been Mr. Reliable during his time and that has him first in team history with 14 home runs, second with a .309 batting average and third with 162 assists.

Last season, Maxwell closed 15th in the country with an .839 slugging percentage (third in the CACC), 27th with a school-record .415 batting average (third in the CACC), 33rd with 0.42 doubles per game, 38th with 1.58 hits per contest and first in the CACC with 11 home runs. The NCAA Tournament turned into his personal showcase, during which he batted .588 (10-for-17) with two doubles, three home runs and six RBI.

Jump has been with the Lightning since the team's second season in 2018 and has been one of the area's dominant pitchers. His ability to come through in the clutch and give the squad strong innings helped him to be named second team all-conference in 2018 and first team last year.

Last season was an impressive one for Jump in ending fourth in the CACC with five wins, sixth with a 3.86 ERA, seventh with 44 strikeouts and seventh with 39 2/3 innings pitched. The three-time member of the CACC Academic Honor Roll had five victories and a no-decision over his first six starts and gave GBC 3 1/3 scoreless relief frames with seven strikeouts for the save vs. No. 18 Saint Thomas Aquinas in the NCAA Tournament.

The Lightning (22-9, 19-6 CACC) a season ago accomplished a series of firsts on a bevy of levels, topped by the squad's first appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Goldey-Beacom defeated No. 18 Saint Thomas Aquinas twice in the tournament, ended third in the regional and saw its pitching staff record a 1.00 ERA over the first three games.

Goldey-Beacom also broke the school record for most wins, won the CACC South Division title, went on a pair of eight-game winning streaks and opened 8-0 for the best start in program history. GBC led the CACC with 37 home runs, a .508 slugging percentage and a 3.76 ERA. The ERA was the 11th best in the country.

If that was not enough, Goldey-Beacom outscored its opponents 253-117 and had six players tabbed all-conference with Tom Riley picked both CACC Coach of the Year and NCBWA East Region Coach of the Year.

In addition to the aforementioned awards, junior second baseman Connor Megginson (Harbeson, DE), sophomore utility player Kyle Walker (Wilmington, DE) and senior pitcher Mitch Guerrieri (Greentown, PA) were picked second team All-CACC.

Wilmington (DE) was picked to share the South Division crown with Goldey-Beacom and Dominican (NY) was tabbed to win the North Division.

Goldey-Beacom opens its season February 11 at Lenoir-Rhyne.

2022 CACC Baseball Preseason Poll

South Division
T1. Goldey-Beacom    43 pts. (5 first-place votes)
T1. Wilmington (DE) 43 pts. (3)
3. Jefferson                  35 pts. (3)
4. Chestnut Hill             24 pts.
5. U. of the Sciences 15 pts.

North Division
1. Dominican (NY)        55 pts. (5)
2. Felician                   54 pts. (6)
3. Caldwell                    38 pts.
4. Post                        32 pts.
5. Bloomfield 31 pts.
6. Nyack                      15 pts.

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