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Penn State Behrend Lions

Four Lions Recognized in Collegiate Baseball Magazine

Collegiate Baseball Magazine announced its 2012 NCAA Division III Player to Watch List in January, which includes four Penn State Behrend players.

Four Lions Recognized in Collegiate Baseball Magazine
January 23, 2012

ERIE, Pa. - Collegiate Baseball Magazine announced its 2012 NCAA Division III Player to Watch List in January, which includes four Penn State Behrend players.

Juniors Matt Bittner (Lancaster, NY/St. Mary’s), Jay Condit (Cranberry Township, PA/Seneca Valley), and Ryan Kragnes (Bethel Park, PA/Bethel Park) along with sophomore relief pitcher Chad Zurat (Clearfield, PA/Clearfield) made the prestigious list.

“This preseason attention is warranted for these four guys,” said head coach Paul Benim. “They were very good for us last season and will be heavily relied upon as we embark on a challenging schedule this spring.”

After winning three straight Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference titles, the Lions played for their fourth in a row a year ago, but fell 8-7 in the finals. Behrend did advance to the ECAC playoffs and completed the season with a 28-13 mark.

Matt Bittner, the Behrend baseball team MVP, led the blue and white with five home runs and was atop the AMCC with 51 RBIs. He batted .403 with a team-high 12 doubles, earning both All-AMCC and ABCA All-Region honors as a third baseman. Kragnes was the leadoff hitter last season and set the table for Bittner and others. Kragnes racked up an on-base average of .494, led the team in runs scored with 47 and in steals with 28. He also hit .388 with 26 walks.

A year ago Condit was a swing man, working as both a starter and reliever. He was selected as the program’s Most Valuable Pitcher after collecting a 5-0 mark, and a team best five saves to go with a salty 1.49 ERA in 36.1 innings of work. Zurat was the other ace out of the pen earning reps in 12 games. He registered three wins and four saves as he struck out 33 hitters in 22 innings pitched and was picked by teammates and coaches as the program’s Rookie of the Year.

Since 2009, 15 Lions have been recognized by Collegiate Baseball Magazine.  Penn State Behrend opens the 2012 season in Fort Pierce, Florida, on Sunday, March 4, with a double-header against Ursinus College.