Wagner, Zbezinski Earn Preseason Honors; Lions Picked Third in Coaches Poll

ERIE, Pa. - The Penn State Behrend Lions baseball team is projected to finish third in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) according to the 2020 Preseason Coaches Poll, announced on Monday.

The Lions trail the La Roche Redhawks and the Altoona Lions in the preseason projections. La Roche was voted to finish in first place after winning its sixth straight AMCC Championship in 2019.

Sophomore infielder Joshua Wagner and sophomore pitcher Thomas Zbezinski have been named the AMCC Preseason Player and Pitchers of the Year, respectively. Both were selected earlier this season to the 2020 Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Players to Watch.

Wagner was a First Team All-Conference selection last season after batting .355. He concluded the season ranked third in NCAA DIII statistics in doubles (23) and third in doubles per game (.56). He was first in the league in RBIs (32), doubles (18), and total chances (153), while ranking third in hits (32) and at-bats (75). Wagner led Behrend and the AMCC in RBIs (51) and was second in doubles (23). 

Zbezinski earned 2019 AMCC Newcomer of the Year and was a Second Team All-Conference selection. He finished the season tied for first in AMCC games with wins at 5-1 on the mound. He was also tied for first in games started, while ranking third in ERA (3.07) and was fifth in innings pitched (35.2). Zbezinski was tied for first in wins at 7-2 and was sixth in strikeouts (51). He made 13 appearances while pitching 61.1 innings and holding opponents to a .256 batting average.

Pre-Season Ranking*
1. La Roche (1)
2. Penn State Altoona (T2)
3. Penn State Behrend (T2)
4. Mount Aloysius (T2)
5. Alfred State (5)
6. Pitt-Greensburg (6)
7. Pitt-Bradford (7)
8. Hilbert (8)
9. Medaille (T9)
10. Franciscan**
11. D'Youville (T9)
*Number in parenthesis is order of regular season finish in 2019
** First season of competition in baseball since 2011