Baseball Picked to Close Third in the CACC South Division

2/1/2023 12:00:00 AM

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Goldey-Beacom has been selected to end third in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference South Division based on a vote of the league's head coaches.

Junior first baseman Garrett Musey (Millville, NJ) a season ago was one of five for the Lightning to earn all-conference accolades, being picked second team all-league one season after being selected first team all-conference and the CACC Rookie of the Year. As gifted and powerful a hitter as you will find, Musey once again will help solidify one of the area's top infields both from an offensive and defensive perspective.

Musey last season ended 72nd in the nation (second in the CACC) with a .704 slugging percentage, second in the league with 12 home runs (second in team history), fifth with 48 RBI (tied for the school record), eighth with a .461 on base percentage, 13th with 13 doubles (tied for sixth in team history), 15th with a .341 batting average (tied for fifth in team history) and 23rd with 46 hits (tied for 10th in program history). He enters this season tied for second in team history with 21 home runs and third outright with a .321 batting average.

If that was not enough spark from the infield, sophomore shortstop Braden Kolmansberger (Lewisberry, PA) is there to provide more after being named second team All-CACC last season at second base. His clutch hitting and fluid defense were on full display as he came through with numerous big hits and massive defensive plays in timely situations.

Kolmansberger ended 35th in the league with a .302 batting average, 44th with a .437 slugging percentage, 48th with 38 hits and 48th with 23 RBI.

Junior Kyle Walker (Wilmington, DE) started all 48 games last season one year after being picked second team all-league and once again should give squad stability at third base with his solid hitting and defense. He closed last season with an 18-game hitting streak for the second-best mark in team annals, during which he batted .462 (36-for-78) with eight extra-base hits and 15 RBI.

Walker a season ago finished 10th in the league with 57 hits (third in program history), 21st with a .322 batting average (10th in program history) and 54th with a .407 slugging percentage. He is second in team history with a career .325 batting average and tied for sixth with 92 hits.

Among a talented pitching unit, senior southpaw Anthony DiMartino (Sicklerville, NJ) once again is back to play a vital role in the rotation. A valuable competitor who has been one of the program's top players since his freshman campaign of 2019, DiMartino closed a season ago ninth in the league with 55 strikeouts (third in team history), fifth with 11 starts, seventh with 58 1/3 innings (sixth in team history) and 13th with four wins (tied for fifth in team history).

GBC also received votes in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association East Region Preseason Poll.

The program on the academic side continued to make waves with nine a season ago gaining a spot on the CACC Academic Honor Roll. Last season also saw the since-graduated Marshall Awtry picked CoSIDA (now CSC) Academic All-District, one year after Bryan Bell earned the same honor.

Goldey-Beacom (27-25, 18-6 CACC) last season put forth yet another strong campaign in which it broke the school record for most wins and had a team-high 16-game home winning streak entering the CACC Tournament. GBC was ranked ninth in both the NCAA East Region Rankings and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association East Region Poll entering the conference tournament.

All of this came after the 2021 squad advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history and won the CACC South Division.

Goldey-Beacom opens its season February 17 with a doubleheader in Cary, NC against Le Moyne.

CACC 2023 Baseball Preseason Poll

South Division
1. Wilmington 50 pts. (10 first-place votes)
2. Jefferson                41 pts. (1)
3. Goldey-Beacom   31 pts.
4. Chestnut Hill          24 pts.
5. Alliance                  14 pts.

North Division
1. Felician                   56 pts. (8)
2. Post                        51 pts. (3)
3. Dominican (NY) 37 pts.
4. Bridgeport 34 pts.
5. Bloomfield    24 pts.
6. Caldwell 23 pts.

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