IMMACULATA, PA.- The Immaculata baseball team led by 3^rd year Head Coach Josh Copskey gear up on the hunt for their third consecutive Atlantic East Conference title.
 
When asked how the team has looked throughout their preseason, Copskey was quoted by saying "The team looks strong and eager to compete, everyone seems focused and locked in during the preseason."
 
The team returns a nucleus of key contributors from a season ago, who they will lean on as leaders throughout the season, headlined by preseason D3Baseball.com 1^st team All-American senior RHP Jason Hughes and 3^rd team All-American graduate student catcher Josh Crowding.
 
Crowding will be a mainstay behind the plate and in the heart of the order, coming off a year in which he appeared and started in 41 games behind the plate for the Mighty Macs. Crowding was the team leader in numerous offensive categories, including batting average (.415), hits (61), doubles (22), home runs (5), RBI (56) and slugging percentage (.680). His team lead in hits, doubles, and RBI, all set new single season program records as well.
 
Immaculata also returns first team all-conference corner infielder in senior Joey Wright, who batted .369 on the year last year with 59 hits, driving in 35 runs with 12 doubles a year ago. Second team selection, senior infielder Joey Sacco is back for a final go around coming off a season in which he hit .350 with 50 hits and 27 RBIs. Fellow second team selection senior shortstop Steven Theisen returns looking to improve on a strong season a year ago in which he hit .353 with 42 hits and 32 RBI.
 
Jay Lawrence, Ryan Struble and Maddox Stern all saw regular action in the starting lineup a year ago. Louis Sharp returns after missing last season due to injury and looks to return to 2022 form which saw him hit .327 with 50 hits and 31 RBIs and was named to the Atlantic East Conference
Second team.
 
Hughes will lead the pitching staff coming off a year in which he appeared in 15 games, making 12 starts on the mound for the Mighty Macs. Hughes broke several program records during his historic 2023 campaign, including innings pitched (73.0), strikeouts in a season (101), and most wins in a season (9). Hughes finished his junior season with a .202 batting average against to go along with a 1.97 earned run average.
 
Alongside Hughes will be 2023 second team all-conference pitcher Stephen Dibattista, who made 16 appearances, seven of which were starts on his way to a 2.28 ERA in 67.0 innings.  After losing 142.3 innings from all conference arms Ryan Crowell, Trevor Wagner and Mason Keller, the team will lean on returners in seniors Derek Andrada and Alexander Singer, as well as sophomores Jack Norton and Thomas DeSarno.
 
When asked if there are any freshman or transfers who will look to make an impact right away, Copskey stated " Freshman that look to make an impact right away would be Alex LePage, Sal Serici, Nick Turnage, and Scott DiGerolamo to name a few.  Transfers looking to make an impact would be John Fitzpatrick, Shawn Haut, and Brian Dino."
 
The team will open their season on February 24^th with a trip to Rutgers Camden, before heading to Fayetteville,NC for a three game event to kick off spring break with a five game stretch in Florida competing in the Russ Matt Invitational. The Mighty Macs will open Atlantic East Conference play with a trip to Marywood University on March 22^nd.