Baseball Listed as a “Sleeper Watch” by NCAA.com

2/13/2025 12:00:00 AM

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Goldey-Beacom these last few years has been among the region's strongest teams and that, coupled with a solid lineup of returnees, has the squad listed as a "Sleeper Watch" in the East Region by NCAA.com.

The full article can be seen by clicking here.

A central focus for the squad again will be senior shortstop Braden Kolmansberger (Lewisberry, PA), who had one of the department's greatest seasons in any sport en route to being tabbed CACC Player of the Year in addition to second team all-region by three organizations. A gifted athlete who repeatedly produces clutch hits, he ended last year second in the CACC with 11 home runs, second with 68 hits, second with 15 doubles, third with 55 RBI and seventh with a .594 slugging percentage.

Included in Kolmansberger's stunning run was a school-record 28-game hitting streak, during which he batted .472 (51-for-108) with 14 multi-hit contests. He enters this season first in school history with nine triples, second with 339 assists, second with 41 doubles, second with 161 hits, second with 116 RBI, fourth with 118 runs, fifth with 41 stolen bases, tied for sixth with a .310 batting average and seventh with 14 home runs.

Back for his senior campaign patrolling center field is Christian Petrillo (New Brunswick, NJ), a tremendous defender with great speed who is a catalyst in the lineup. First in team history with 71 stolen bases, Petrillo closed last season sixth in the CACC with three triples, 13th with five home runs and 14th with 56 hits.

Junior Anthony Charles (Mullica Hill, NJ) enters this season with the ability to be one of the region's top players, combining power and speed that allowed him to finish last year fourth in the CACC with 13 doubles, sixth with three triples, 10th with six home runs and fifth with a .607 slugging percentage. Senior Mitch Jolikko (Middletown, DE) enjoyed a solid close to last year, including a five-RBI game April 23 vs. Wilmington and a three-run homer May 3 in the CACC Tournament against Wilmington.

Senior Jaden Dickerson (New Castle, DE), sophomore Roman Keith (Selbyville, DE) and freshman Jaime Neris Jr. (Philadelphia, PA) are projected to be key infield players among the newcomers.

Junior Nate Miller (Mechanicsburg, PA) is back on the bump after his incredible end to last season, which included tossing a three-hit shutout against Post in the NCAA Tournament. Starting 11 games among his 15 appearances, he ended fourth in the CACC with six wins, fourth with 70 1/3 innings and ninth with 62 strikeouts.

Junior Tommy Federici (Swoyersville, PA) is back looking to be a key factor in the rotation, hoping to capture the same magic from 2022 that saw hitters bat just .211 off him over 13 appearances. Senior Gage Bendix (Piscataway, NJ) gives the team many options either as a starter or reliever, providing a hurler who produces a great deal of strikeouts and few walks. He had two saves last year, notching 30 strikeouts and just nine walks over 28 1/3 innings.

Kory Williams (Pennsauken, NJ) could be one of the region's top pitchers, fellow junior Connor Blence (Downingtown, PA) is a consistent strike thrower who gives the rotation depth, freshman George Starr (Franklinville, NJ) is a quality competitor and junior Sean Kelby (Newark, DE) has similar stuff to Federici from the left side. All help present Goldey-Beacom with the most pitching depth since the program's revival in 2017.

Goldey-Beacom (34-21, 15-9 CACC) last season made the NCAA Tournament for the third time in program history with all coming in the last four years. In just its eighth overall season since the program's reinstatement, GBC was ranked second in the East Region by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association a majority of the season and as high as 22nd in the organization's national poll.

Goldey-Beacom opens its season Thursday against Mercy, beginning at 7:00 pm in Cary, NC.

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